ROGER Davies seems unable to accept the 1970s Ribble buses were icy due to the type of heater (Letters, August 29, 'Ribble had family spirit).

I know. I sat in them five mornings a week.

Also, Ribble's double-deckers in Cumberland in the 1970s were archaic, prompting a visitor's remark to me: "Last week we were in a transport museum. This week we're riding in one of the exhibits!"

As to the fares, in those days the rural fares could be subsidised by the urban ones. Not now. And bus company Cumberland served Whitehaven etc; depressed, hence lower fares and fewer motorists.

Open-back platforms were a feature of southern buses. Those in London suffered vastly in the 1963 winter.

Further to your editorial (Gazette, August 29, 'History helps us to understand our community'), history repeats itself because those who ignore it tend to react as their predecessors did when forced by the same or similar events.

So, Arthur Nicholls is 96 (Gazette, August 29, 'Mr Kendal on memory lane')! Remarkable for being still in production.

Flax-growing in Arnside (Gazette, August 29, Arnside Community News): flax was grown next to the Lowther Estate office in the early 18th century, to name but one place. Various places have bleach greens to show part of the processing.

Is Lisa Stansfield, the Rochdale singer (Gazette, August 29, 'Fame hasn't changed Lisa') related to Grace Stansfield, better known as Gracie Fields?

Jeremy Godwin

Penrith