I AM becoming extremely annoyed at the letters of D Burgess unloading his vitriolic attitude upon local people who are campaigning for a proper appreciation of Swindon's industrial heritage.

He may have lived in Taunton Street when very young but that doesn't make him the most educated voice to write about the Railway Village.

Many towns and cities in Britain value their history and Swindon's part in the years of the industrial revolution has its own significance appreciated worldwide by those who have the interest to visit the town.

The importance of Swindon's railway heritage extends further back in time than Mr Burgess' life, nobody currently active in local preservation work pretends that the so- called good old days were anything other than hard and grim. Peoples lives were short because of hard work and poor health care.

The Mechanics' Institute contained within its octagonal market the first fountain of clean drinking water to combat disease, the other buildings on the centre area represent social and medical welfare to sustain the community, surely a reason to celebrate the establishment of our town.

Many people in Swindon today hold the view that the past doesn't matter and when they read letters from characters like Mr Burgess it merely confirms their prejudices when making important decisions.

R GROVE

Manchester Road