Introduction
Dating from 1725, the Tanfield Railway formed part of an extraordinary network of horse-drawn wagonways in North East England that became the basis of the railway revolution.
‘TYNESIDE roads’ was the name given to a network of 17th century wooden-track railways around the North East.
One of these was opened at Lobley Hill near Gateshead in 1647, and horses trundled coal along the wagonway to Dunston staiths on the Tyne, to be loaded on collier ships.
In 1725, the route was extended to Sunniside and Causey, with a spur to Dawson’s Drift following shortly after.
It was for that spur that stonemason Ralph Wood, at the cost of £12,000, constructed Causey Arch, the world’s oldest surviving single-arch railway bridge, over the Causey burn. The line was further extended, with steel rails, to East Tanfield in 1839.
Steam locomotives did not arrive until 1881, though two stationary engines at Marley Hill drew wagons along the steeper sections of the route by rope.
The line was closed by the government-owned National Coal Board in 1964, but was acquired by a preservation group, and trains started running again in 1981.
Précis
Opened in 1725, the Tanfield Railway was part of a network of wagonways in North East England which had sprung up in 17th century, transporting coal to the Tyne. It was worked by horses until steam locomotives replaced them in 1881. In 1964, the Coal Board closed the line, but enthusiasts reopened it in 1981. (55 / 60 words)
Opened in 1725, the Tanfield Railway was part of a network of wagonways in North East England which had sprung up in 17th century, transporting coal to the Tyne. It was worked by horses until steam locomotives replaced them in 1881. In 1964, the Coal Board closed the line, but enthusiasts reopened it in 1981.
Variations: 1.increase the length of this precis to exactly 60 words. 2.reduce the length of this precis to exactly 50 words. 3.introduce one of the following words into the precis: besides, despite, just, may, not, since, unless, whereas.
Archive
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.
Spinners Find in Think and Speak
For each group of words, compose a sentence that uses all three. You can use any form of the word: for example, cat → cats, go → went, or quick → quickly, though neigh → neighbour is stretching it a bit.
This exercise uses words found in the accompanying passage.
1 Board. Until. Wooden.
2 Near. Route. Two.
3 Arch. Load. Old.
Variations: 1. include direct and indirect speech 2. include one or more of these words: although, because, despite, either/or, if, unless, until, when, whether, which, who 3. use negatives (not, isn’t, neither/nor, never, nobody etc.)
High Tiles Find in Think and Speak
Make words (three letters or more) from the seven letters showing below, using any letter once only. Each letter carries a score. What is the highest-scoring word you can make?
Your Words ()
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