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Introduction
There are over a hundred and eighty ‘heritage’ railways and tramways in the United Kingdom, privately owned and run largely by volunteers. Many are routes closed by State-owned British Railways, which enthusiasts have turned into profitable companies in defiance of Authority. The first of these inspirational and quintessentially British adventures was the Bluebell Line in Sussex.
IN February 1955, the British Transport Commission announced the closure of the ‘Bluebell line’ between East Grinstead and Lewes in Sussex, from May 28th that year. However, they had overlooked a small detail, which did not escape the attention of local resident Margery Bessemer.* For some time, she observed, British Railways had not been running the four trains each day required by the 1877 and 1878 Acts of Parliament under which the line had originally been built. The closure was, therefore, unlawful. With a very ill grace the Commission withdrew notice of closure, and began operating exactly four trains each day at frustratingly inconvenient times. ‘The sulky service,’ people called it.*
Three years later, in 1958, the Commission secured their long-awaited closure.* But by now a group of University students was casting envious glances over to Wales, where volunteers at the Talyllyn Railway had successfully operated a narrow gauge line since 1951. Taking over a decayed and condemned British Railways standard gauge passenger route was quite another challenge, but was it really so absurd?
Margery was the granddaughter of Henry Bessemer (1813-1898), inventor of a groundbreaking process for making steel. The Bessemer process was first demonstrated in 1856, but American industrialists were quicker to realise its potential than their British competitors were. Margery’s campaign was backed by Tufton Beamish (1917-1989), later Baron Chelwood, who sat as Conservative Party Member of Parliament for Lewes from 1945 to 1974.
A play on ‘sulky service’ in the sense of bad customer relations in a salesman or waiter. According to Debrett’s Etiquette and Modern Manners (1981), an unaccompanied woman venturing into a pub in northeast England “would be likely to inspire catcalls from the young men, glowers from the old men and exceptionally slow and sulky service from the barman.” Not so today, thankfully.
This was some years before the Beeching Report of 1963, which subsequently brought about the closure of a fifth of the national network and a third of its stations. Nationalising the railway system in 1948 may or may not have been necessary after the Second World War, but time was to show that it gave the public no protection against ‘sulky service,’ lack of investment and widespread line closures.
Précis
In 1958, British Railways closed the Bluebell line from Lewes to East Grinstead, three years after their first attempt had been frustrated by local resident Margery Bessemer. Nonetheless, it seemed that reports of its final demise might yet be premature, as enthusiasts inspired by the privately-run Talyllyn Railway began talking about the possibility of reviving the Bluebell line themselves. (59 / 60 words)
In 1958, British Railways closed the Bluebell line from Lewes to East Grinstead, three years after their first attempt had been frustrated by local resident Margery Bessemer. Nonetheless, it seemed that reports of its final demise might yet be premature, as enthusiasts inspired by the privately-run Talyllyn Railway began talking about the possibility of reviving the Bluebell line themselves.
Variations: 1.increase the length of this precis to exactly 65 words. 2.reduce the length of this precis to exactly 55 words. 3.introduce one of the following words into the precis: although, because, besides, despite, if, must, not, unless.
Word Games
Sevens Based on this passage
Suggest answers to this question. See if you can limit one answer to exactly seven words.
Variations: 1.expand your answer to exactly fourteen words. 2.expand your answer further, to exactly twenty-one words. 3.include one of the following words in your answer: if, but, despite, because, (al)though, unless.
Jigsaws Based on this passage
Express the ideas below in a single sentence, using different words as much as possible. Do not be satisfied with the first answer you think of; think of several, and choose the best.
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