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Recent Posts In This Sign Conquer The Marks of a Tyrant Keep It Short Go to the Ant

‘The Jacobite’ crossing Glenfinnan Viaduct, Scotland.

© Daniel Kraft, CC BY-SA 2.0. Source
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Railways

Stories about the British transport revolution that changed the world, from the first locomotive and the first whistle to Flying Scotsman.

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There are thirty-seven posts in The Copy Book tagged Railways. To see all our posts, go to the Archive.

The posts are currently listed with the most recent shown first. You can also list them alphabetically, and shuffle them to see posts you may have missed.

Most Recent A-Z Shuffle

1

Brigands and Imbeciles

By John Bright

John Bright dismissed fears that digging a tunnel under the English Channel would encourage a French invasion.

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Picture: By Friedrich Graetz, via Wikimedia Commons. Licence: Public domain.. Source.

Posted November 17 2023

2

The Great Brassey Keeps his Word

By Samuel Smiles

Once railway engineer Thomas Brassey made a promise he kept it — even if he wasn’t aware that he’d made one.

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Picture: By Frederick Piercy (1830—1891), via Wikimedia Commons. Licence: Public domain.. Source.

Posted October 4 2023

3

Private Risk, Public Benefit

By Michael Longridge

For George Stephenson, the motto of the Stockton and Darlington Railway was a code to live by.

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Picture: © Graham Hogg, Wikimedia Commons. Licence: CC BY-SA 2.0.. Source.

Posted November 10 2022

4

Left Holding the Baby

By Richard Pike

A gentleman travelling home from London by train reached his destination carrying more than he set out with.

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Picture: © Smiley.toerist, Wikimedia Commons. Licence: CC BY-SA 4.0.. Source.

Posted November 7 2022

5

Lighting-Up Time

By Raphael Meldola

William Murdoch and Samuel Clegg brought warmth and light into the country’s streets, factories and homes, but the public didn’t make it easy.

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Picture: © Stephen McKay, Geograph. Licence: CC BY-SA 2.0.. Source.

Posted December 16 2021

6

The Uganda Railway

By Winston Spencer Churchill

When it opened in 1901, the Uganda Railway still wasn’t in Uganda, and Westminster’s MPs were still debating whether or not to build it.

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Picture: © TTC dude, Wikimedia Commons. Licence: CC BY-SA 4.0.. Source.

Posted September 18 2020

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★ The Annunciation to Mary An angel appeared to Mary in her home in Nazareth, and offered her the chance to be part of nothing less than the reopening of the doors of Paradise.

For Today • March 25 • The Feast of the Annunciation to Mary

In This Sign Conquer Bishop Eusebius recalls what Constantine told him about the vision that brought him the crown.

Posted February 26 • The Copy Book

Phrases Use phrases such as ‘to the town’ in sentences, with nouns or with verbs.

Posted February 26

The Marks of a Tyrant Ancient Greek philosopher Aristotle explains what it is that defines a tyranny.

Posted February 25 • The Copy Book

Keep It Short Plutarch argues that it when it comes to strong speech, less is always more.

Posted February 24 • The Copy Book

Anagrams Shuffle the letters of each of these words to make new ones. See if you can match the number indicated.

Posted February 23 • Think and Speak

Polyword: Mere Make as many words as you can using the letters of one nine-letter word. Can you beat our score?

Posted February 21 • Think and Speak

Go to the Ant Solomon recommends taking lessons from one of God’s smallest but most hard-working creatures.

Posted February 20 • The Copy Book

Chariots of Steam Erasmus Darwin imagines how steam power will change the world.

Posted February 16 • The Copy Book

Music Video Modest Mussorgsky: Sorochinsky Fair: Gopak

Posted February 16

Fragments Develop these short phrases into complete sentences.

Posted February 15 • Think and Speak

The Moral Case for Family Farms Richard Cobden called on Parliament to support small, family-owned farms.

Posted February 14 • The Copy Book

Hiawatha Takes a Photograph Lewis Carroll records a suburban photoshoot in the style of Longfellow.

Posted February 13 • The Copy Book

Nouns of Number William Cobbett gives his son James some helpful examples of collective nouns.

Posted February 13 • The Copy Book

Hiawatha’s Inspiration Henry Longfellow tells us how his tale of a heroic Native American warrior came to him.

Posted February 12 • The Copy Book

Near Synonyms These words have very similar meaning but they are not the same — can you show the difference?

Posted February 12

Music Video Samuel Coleridge-Taylor: Hiawatha: And They Said Farewell Forever

Posted February 12

Music Video Leroy Anderson: Irish Suite: II. The Minstrel Boy

Posted February 11

The Travellers and the Axe Two men find an axe, and then find some trouble, but they aren’t keen on sharing either of them.

Posted February 11 • The Copy Book

Train

Posted February 9 • Think and Speak

The Prophecy of Peter of Pomfret Peter foretold that King John would cease to be England’s sovereign, and he was right, though John still wore his crown.

Posted February 9 • The Copy Book