DON COLLINSON, of Kingswear, writes:

I write to pay homage to the Chronicle's weekly letters page which gives readers an excellent opportunity to express opinions on matters relevant – often earlier agreed behind closed doors.

An example occurred back in the Chronicle on May 20 2011, when arborculturist Brian Parker drew attention to the oppressive overshadowing of the Newcomen Engine House, by the adjacent, wrongly planted and then massive Holm oak.

Quoting his words, it overhung the centre 'like a monstrous thundercloud' and as its roots were undermining the engine house. He added: 'The chain saw should be applied a few inches above ground level. Get rid of it now.'

Well, nearly one year later, that sound advice materialised, as the old oak has now gone, but still has a part to play – as a base for a ship's figurehead.

This overdue return of daylight return to the engine house rekindles the centre's long return to the normalcy from back in 1963 when the old engine was located on the Coventry canal and acquired by Dartmouth, with Percy Russell donating a then sizeable sum, £1,750.

Then, with curator Ralph Cawthorne, the brick-built engine house was erected.

But regrettably, in 1993, decline began when it was decided to allocate the present day information centre around two sides of the Newcomen centre', thus eliminating its daylight by 50 per cent.

Then later, in front of the remaining clear gable, an electricity substation was built, and in front of the one remaining facade, the aggressive blockading oak tree was planted.

However, on the bright side, it is hoped the town's proposed 300-year anniversary celebrations will rejuvenate opportunities that countless major cities and towns, during those 300 years, would have exploited to the full if they had been able to claim their home town was the birthplace of the man who 'kick-started the Industrial Revolution'.