Trevor Bolton asks how trains from Brighton on the coastway east line can be linked with a re-opened line from the present Uckfield branch, at the same time serving Lewes without reversing (Rail concerns, The Argus, February 14).

He and Councillor Geoffrey Theobald (The Argus, February 7) may be interested to know that the original idea of a tunnel from Ashcombe, under the town of Lewes to join the line towards Cooksbridge, appears to have been dropped.

It has instead been suggested in the railway press that a new double track loop to the south of Lewes could be built on land close to the Lewes by-pass.

Leaving the line from Falmer immediately after the overbridge carrying the road to Kingston/Rodmell etc, the new tracks would branch off and run south of the present line and alongside the A27 by-pass before then curving sharply northwards to join the line from Newhaven/ Eastbourne.

Trains from Brighton towards Uckfield could thus enter Lewes station from the east side and then follow the line to Cooksbridge/Keymer before branching north-eastwards at Hamsey along the original alignment of the line and across the river to join the route of the latter Uckfield branch.

Chris Warren, Holmes Avenue, Hove