I enjoyed Zoe Williams’ description of her train journey to Liverpool (Yes, Britain’s railways are a mess. But is anyone sober enough to care?, 13 October). Could I recommend any local train heading into Leeds on a Saturday morning, where you’ll see people getting on dressed as superheroes, Roman emperors and gladiators, Smurfs and Oompa-Loompas on their way to the (in)famous Otley Run, a fancy-dress pub crawl, drinking and singing to warm up.
Katharine Jackson
Birmingham
• After reading Jeanette Hamilton’s letter (Count your blessings for a cheery long life, 15 October), I reread the 2025 and 2026 entries in my Sparks of Joy calendar – a daily record written every evening stating, in no more than five words, something that made me feel happy that day. The entry for 1 January this year states: “Both still here.”
Vivienne Seakins (80 years young)
Rugby, Warwickshire
