I GREW up in Falmouth and my father, David Rye, was the Port Health Officer for Falmouth from 1968 to 1982.

When I was young he used to take me into the docks sometimes when he was visiting ships on the weekend and one time he took me into the shed where the steam engines were kept. It was a fabulous moment for a young lad to see and smell these sleeping engines in the shed. I can picture it to this day.

With all the changes that have taken place in the docks, are these engines still there and are they ever used. If not, do you know where they went - a railway society or scrapped?

Your historical articles on the docks, and the harbour, suddenly made me wonder what happened to them.

It is great to read your articles on the harbour and your shipping intelligence. It is a nice link back to my childhood and what I still consider my hometown, although I am exiled in Dallas, Texas.

Peter Rye, Dallas, Texas, USA