From Mr Frederick Hopson.

Sir, John Gapper’s excellent analysis of Warren Buffett’s latest investment (“Safe signals from Buffett’s train deal”, November 5), is unfortunately incorrect in one respect: cuckoo clocks originated in the Black Forest, which is incidentally in Germany, also a very solid country ... The wealth of Switzerland has to be attributed to something else! I am sure the Swiss will also dispute the argument of dullness; after all, they recently had one of the most exciting rollercoaster rides in their banking system with the near demise of UBS, more frightening than anything written by Graham Greene.