Meaning of terms such as Cancelled At Point of Entry (CAPE) etc

[contrex]

Could someone explain, in simple terms, what 'caped' means? We're not all rail staff. I keep seeing it.

 

[devon_belle]

It's an old railway telegraph code which means cancelled. Cancelled at point of entry.

 

[driver9000]

Could someone explain, in simple terms, what 'caped' means? We're not all rail staff. I keep seeing it.

It's the old railway telegraph word used to describe a train that has been cancelled throughout. It later became a 'backronym' for "Cancelled At Point of Entry". Many people will use CAPE incorrectly to describe a train that terminates short of its destination when they should use PINE instead.

 

[Jan Mayen]

It's the old railway telegraph word used to describe a train that has been cancelled throughout. It later became a 'backronym' for "Cancelled At Point of Entry". Many people will use CAPE incorrectly to describe a train that terminates short of its destination when they should use PINE instead.

May I ask what does PINE stand for, please? Parked In NEwcastle perhaps?

 

[swt_passenger]

May I ask what does PINE stand for, please? Parked In NEwcastle perhaps?

The letters don’t necessarily stand for anything, originally they were just code words. Just about every type of tree, shrub or wood is in the full list, hardly any of the codes are initialisations of what they meant.

Also, the usual example CAPE (not CAPED) meant “Undermentioned train(s) will not run. Advise all concerned”.

 

[Kentish RYS]

Caped as part cancellation is a silly (on my part, language changes, though it is a code, not normal language so rules are a bit different) thought that always I have when I hear part cancelled as CAPE. There is in addition to CAPE for total cancellation and PINE as terminated early a code of CALVIN which was in the 50s "Following train will run as under. Advise all concerned" but became "Train(s) as under start(ed) short of origin and terminate(d) short of destination." This is what you'd use if CAPE or PINE doesn't fit, i.e. a Start partway through. This also later got mixed with PINE as CALPIN "Train(s) as under start(ed) short of origin." so you could send one message to turn a train round to start its return early, it is all about shortening messages.

If you want to see a good list of various telegraph codes a link is here from the excellent railway codes site:
https://www.railwaycodes.org.uk/features/telegraph.shtm

Anyway realised this is becoming off topic, may a new thread required for telegraph codes and/or operations slang?

*edited as railway codes has had a minor web address update to add security so is how https*

 

[contrex]

Anyway realised this is becoming off topic, may a new thread required for telegraph codes and/or operations slang?

And how annoying they can be, along with station codes ('Caped at BOMO').

 

[zwk500]

And how annoying they can be, along with station codes ('Caped at BOMO').

TIPLOC codes such as BOMO are at least generally intelligible though, but STANOX codes (all numbers) would be another level completely!

 

[thedbdiboy]

The pernicious use of railway slang goes back many years. Back in the early 80s there was an incident that got picked up for internal briefing whereby trains were suspended for some reason on the Euston-Watford line (known in railway circles as the 'New Line' or the 'DC line'). This resulted in a chalked message being displayed for customers that stated 'The DCs is CAPED'.

 

[GordonT]

And how annoying they can be, along with station codes ('Caped at BOMO').

Perhaps from 2026 such expressions should be consigned to the dustbin of history, or the National Railway Museum, and plain English adopted universally?

 

[Tetragon213]

Perhaps from 2026 such expressions should be consigned to the dustbin of history, or the National Railway Museum, and plain English adopted instead?

I fully agree while "on the job", but I see little harm in having this sort of slang kept alive on non-work forums like this one.

Mind you, slang "on the job" feels like a one-way ticket to a fatal misunderstanding. Would not be 100% surprised if slang-y language and miscommunication is what led to this screwup in the first place.

 

[contrex]

I feel the slang makes the users seem like a cliquey in-group and, to be frank, it comes over a bit 'spotterish'.

 

[yorkie]

Could someone explain, in simple terms, what 'caped' means? We're not all rail staff. I keep seeing it.

It was an old code which meant the service was cancelled throughout, and therefore didn't run at all.

However, some people mistakenly use it when a train is cancelled while en-route.

I agree that such terms should be avoided, as it will mean nothing to 99%+ of the public.

Furthermore, forum rules do require any such abbreviations/codes/acronyms to be used correctly and be explained/defined the first time they are used in a thread.

 

[cheekybifta]

Learn something new every day, I always thought it was effectively slang for cancelled, fortunately not a term I've used myself but well used to hearing "caped at..." for a partial cancellation.

 

[yorkie]

Learn something new every day, I always thought it was effectively slang for cancelled, fortunately not a term I've used myself but well used to hearing "caped at..." for a partial cancellation.

It was a code for cancelled throughout, but yes some people incorrectly use the term to include partial cancellations.

It's not at all used outside of rail worker/enthusiast circles, so the average person would have no idea what it means.

 

[MotCO]

Learn something new every day, I always thought it was effectively slang for cancelled, fortunately not a term I've used myself but well used to hearing "caped at..." for a partial cancellation.

I took it to mean 'capped', i.e., it didn't run the full distance.

 

[yorkie]

I took it to mean 'capped', i.e., it didn't run the full distance.

No; capped means reaching an imposed limit.

This is a general use term that the public would understand e.g. "Oyster/PAYG Daily capping"

The term CAPE specifically meant a train is cancelled throughout.

There was actually a thread discussing this from 2018:

Just to add my tuppence worth, CAPE was the code for "cancelled throughout" whereas PINE was used for something started and/or terminated short of its origin/destination.
eg "2P50 was caped" would mean 2P50 was cancelled throughout whereas "2P50 was pined at Woking" would mean that 2P50 had been terminated at Woking. Just used as shorthand as a hangover I guess.

 

[Purple Train]

Learn something new every day, I always thought it was effectively slang for cancelled, fortunately not a term I've used myself but well used to hearing "caped at..." for a partial cancellation.

Likewise. Of course, with my linguist's hat on, if enough people use the term to mean partially cancelled for it to be understood then it isn't necessarily incorrect: my favourite example of this is how, technically, "pallbearer" shouldn't mean somebody who carries a coffin, as the term originally meant someone who carried the hem of the "pall" - a heavy cloth - covering the coffin. But of course, now, nobody makes any distinction.

I do agree though that the term would get blank stares from 99% of the travelling public!

 

[Oxfordblues]

"VICE" was in common usage even in advice to passengers as in "The 08:21 to Waterloo is 4 VICE 8" (meaning you'll probably have to stand!)

 

[pokemonsuper9]

It's not at all used outside of rail worker/enthusiast circles, so the average person would have no idea what it means.

Correct in terms of rail, but it also is used in regards to cancelled rocket launches.

 

[saismee]

"VICE" was in common usage even in advice to passengers as in "The 08:21 to Waterloo is 4 VICE 8" (meaning you'll probably have to stand!)

Except "vice" is a valid English word and not railway slang.

 

[Krokodil]

"VICE" was in common usage even in advice to passengers as in "The 08:21 to Waterloo is 4 VICE 8" (meaning you'll probably have to stand!)

But "vice" is an actual word, which really can be used to mean "in place of".

 

[Kentish RYS]

I feel the slang makes the users seem like a cliquey in-group and, to be frank, it comes over a bit 'spotterish'.

I understand totally, and wouldn't talk to general public using the terms. However when working/volunteering talking long form when all in the conversation knows just feels unnecessary/extra work/timewasting. It is how language changes, phrases get shorter. I moved to a new bit of my industry over a year ago and had to learn new acronyms and words/phrases, for work it makes sense.

"VICE" was in common usage even in advice to passengers as in "The 08:21 to Waterloo is 4 VICE 8" (meaning you'll probably have to stand!)

Is that not just older/archaic language (like the GWR using shewn instead of shown on notices)? @saismee called it a 'valid English word' which I suppose is saying the same as me?

Correct in terms of rail, but it also is used in regards to cancelled rocket launches.

Is this just chance? I wander if this may be from German Kaput, lots of German influence in Rocketry, equally could be to hid/put a cape over or something else

 

[SargeNpton]

Every industry develops its own slang and technical terms. That's okay as long as everyone in the conversation understands those terms and there is no possibility of a misunderstanding. Also that those in the know don't use them as weapons against those they feel to be beneath them.

Slang and technical terms certainly shouldn't be used in customer facing communications.

 

[AlterEgo]

"VICE" was in common usage even in advice to passengers as in "The 08:21 to Waterloo is 4 VICE 8" (meaning you'll probably have to stand!)

Vice isn't railway slang like a telegraph code, it's simply a rare use of Latin in via ferrea. It persists even today!

 

[Kentish RYS]

...Also that those in the know don't use them as weapons against those they feel to be beneath them.

Slang and technical terms certainly shouldn't be used in customer facing communications.

Those are the two big bits, I have always said when training others tell me if I am saying things with words you don't understand or equally start at too low level and bore you stiff by saying obvious stuff.

Passengers/Customers whatever industry should be able to understand with research, though it is easy to stay in colleague speak.

 

[SargeNpton]

The attached photo is an extract from the BR telegraph codes book. This page relates to train operating and CAPE appears halfway down.

None of the codes words are acronyms or derived from foreign languages.

 

[Krokodil]

Every industry develops its own slang and technical terms. That's okay as long as everyone in the conversation understands those terms and there is no possibility of a misunderstanding.

I did hear of a Control log where the Controller was confused as to the identity of someone called "Bobby".

"Bobby" is a longstanding nickname for a signaller - because they were originally "Railway Policemen".

 

[SargeNpton]

I did hear of a Control log where the Controller was confused as to the identity of someone called "Bobby".

"Bobby" is a longstanding nickname for a signaller - because they were originally "Railway Policemen".

I believe that "bobby" is now banned in driver to signalman conversations. There was a plan to make such exchanges similar to those in air travel, to try to reduce any confusion. Don't know whether that was actually put into practice.

 

[Merle Haggard]

The pernicious use of railway slang goes back many years. Back in the early 80s there was an incident that got picked up for internal briefing whereby trains were suspended for some reason on the Euston-Watford line (known in railway circles as the 'New Line' or the 'DC line'). This resulted in a chalked message being displayed for customers that stated 'The DCs is CAPED'.

I worked in an area where the Area Manager was an operator through and through. When things went wrong operationally he was to be seen walking around with a shunting pole.
An illustration of that attitude was how he used chalk boards to inform passengers of delays. The most memorable one probably was

WARNPASS

Delays at Boxmoor.

To decipher; WARNPASS was the telegraphic code for 'warn passengers of possible delays' and 'Boxmoor' was the LNWR name for the station that became Hemel Hempstead