Template:Did you know nominations/Preston By-pass


 * The following is an archived discussion of the DYK nomination of the article below. Please do not modify this page. Subsequent comments should be made on the appropriate discussion page (such as |this nomination's talk page, the article's talk page or Wikipedia talk:Did you know), unless there is consensus to re-open the discussion at this page. No further edits should be made to this page.

The result was: promoted by 97198 (talk) 13:28, 23 April 2017 (UTC)

Preston By-pass

 * ... that the Preston By-pass was Britain's first constructed motorway to open on 5 December 1958 by Prime Minister Harold Macmillan, who described it as a "guinea-pig" for motorways to follow?

Improved to Good Article status by Bungle (talk). Self-nominated at 11:39, 2 April 2017 (UTC).


 * Symbol question.svg Has been promoted to GA status, meets the length criteria and seems to be written neutrally. However, there are a couple of issues with the hook – firstly it's a bit convoluted and secondly the hook isn't backed up by the source – it was an engineer that described it as a guinea pig, not Macmillan. I would advise killing two birds with one stone by shortening it to simply "... that the Preston By-pass was Britain's first motorway". Number   5  7  18:24, 2 April 2017 (UTC)
 * Symbol question.svg Methinks that that suggested alternative is not really interesting enough. How about:
 * ... that the Preston By-pass, Britain's first motorway, which was opened on 5 December 1958, has been described as a "guinea pig" for all future motorways?
 * But even then, there's still a problem with the hook, because not all of its content is included in the article. I also think a hook along the following lines would be better:
 * ALT1 ... that when Britain's first motorway, the Preston By-pass, was opened on 5 December 1958, it had unpaved shoulders? Bahnfrend (talk) 12:50, 4 April 2017 (UTC)
 * Comment only I prefer ALT1 too, but you should trim "5 December". Edwardx (talk) 19:09, 7 April 2017 (UTC)
 * Symbol question.svg Perhaps instead of my originally suggested hook, it can mention that it had to close after just a few weeks (something which received alot of parliamentory mention, as sourced in the article). So perhaps something like:
 * ALT2 ... that Britain's first motorway, the Preston By-pass, had to close within weeks of opening due to frost damage? Bungle (talk • contribs) 12:47, 8 April 2017 (UTC)
 * Comment: ALT0 & ALT1 seem to be highlighting commonplace info that could apply to many motorways around the world. ALT2 is much more distinctive & interesting. —Patrug (talk) 04:23, 10 April 2017 (UTC)
 * Symbol confirmed.svg ALT2 is definitely the best. Hook cited and faithful to source. gained GA status in requisite time. article also free of copyvio. good to go. Cas Liber (talk · contribs) 22:36, 22 April 2017 (UTC)