Nothing beats the smell of oil and steam | Brief letters

Brief letters: Delights for the senses | Insomnia cure | Bed warmers | Clean seawater | Quick at quick crosswords

Re your article (T rex breath and Queen Elizabeth’s car: scientists creating ‘time machine for the nose’, 28 February), one of the great attractions about working steam museums is the whole sensory experience, including the smell of hot oil and steam, which is often mentioned by visitors. Non-working steam engines are, by comparison, lifeless, however well they are polished.
John Freeman
Trustee, Claymills Victorian Pumping Station

• My tried and trusted method of getting back to sleep (Letters, 25 February) involves me making the mental journey from my home in Kent to Lewis, including stocking up with groceries in Stornoway. I’m looking forward to making the trip for real in November. Out the door, turn right, right again…
Ralph Jones
Rochester, Kent

• My twin sister and I shared a bed from the early 1950s. We were never cold, always keeping each other warm (Letters, 3 March). We graduated to single beds when our younger twin sisters outgrew their cots and moved into the double bed.
Margaret Huyton
Knutsford, Cheshire

• I was interested to read that Tim Barnes is able to obtain clean seawater in which to wash his cockles (Letters, 25 February). This is a luxury not available to us on the mainland.
David Felton
Crewe, Cheshire

• I think the truth might be that Isabella Stone (Letters, 26 February)(, who believes the Quick Crossword is getting easier, is actually getting better at it.
Peter Branston
Brentford, London

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