Letter: Hero of Waterloo

Sir: Churchill's funeral did not end with "a homely chuffer pulling out of Paddington" ("Churchill the hero", 29 January), even though Paddington is the natural station for travel to Bladon, where Churchill is buried. The cortege crossed the river from St Paul's to Waterloo and travelled the long way, via Richmond and Ascot, joining the western line at Reading. Why was this? The likely sounding legend is that Churchill had decided upon Paddington if de Gaulle predeceased him, but if he predeceased de Gaulle the funeral train was to leave from Waterloo.

RAYMOND FISCHER

London SW13