The times they ain’t a-changin’

With reference to the letter from Nick Oakes (MW January 25), I am reminded of the visit I made to Japan in 1999. As a first-time tourist, I enquired at the London office of the Japanese tourist association about the famous shinkansen trains, and was provided with a timetable. It was several years old, judging by the date on the cover. When I enquired about its accuracy I was told, with great politeness, that the timetable was functional and hence there had been no need to change it.

Even before our present crisis, our own timetable clearly didn’t work.

Why else did railway companies find the need to change it twice a year?

Dr Chris Flower

Gossops Green

Crawley, Sussex