DYKED; Putting Railway Telegraph Codes In The Loop

[Jeremy B]

Just been looking at at these telegraphic codes that the railways used to use & some forum members too it would seem. When did these stop being used in day to day messages? - the listings on the website are from a 1980s BR publication. Looking at the full listing available at railwaycodes.org.uk some appear quite obvious but most are obscure & have little resemblance to there actual meaning. Did staff actually have conversations amongst themselves using such lingo!!

 

[Tio Terry]

Just been looking at at these telegraphic codes that the railways used to use & some forum members too it would seem. When did these stop being used in day to day messages? - the listings on the website are from a 1980s BR publication. Looking at the full listing available at railwaycodes.org.uk some appear quite obvious but most are obscure & have little resemblance to there actual meaning. Did staff actually have conversations amongst themselves using such lingo!!

When I started my railway career in 1964 messages were still being sent by single needle instruments and most signal boxes had them. They were quite effective because you could listen to them whilst at the same time operating the block bells and levers. I can remember being in a signalbox and hearing this thing tinkling away, the signalman didn't appear to be interested but then said "Norfolkman is 5 late" which he had gained by listening to the instrument. A lot of the abbreviations came from the need to keep messages short, a bit like text speak today, and were subsequently carried over to the teleprinter era which superseded the single needle instruments. Now, of course, it's all on-screens.

 

[ChiefPlanner]

Some still do .....

Terms like "Cape" - "PINE" , "FURNO" , "WALNUT REDE" etc used daily even into the 1970's when I were a lad.

 

[BlythPower]

LOUGH - Shunting horse ill. Send relief.

 

[tsr]

"CAPE" (especially) and "SPATE" are certainly still used at the Southern side of GTR.

"PINE" is also used very occasionally. Apparently that used to be an abbreviation for something as well, but I've been thinking for a while and can't remember what.

I can't think of many others with any regular use that I'm familiar with.

 

[TheEdge]

CAPE, PINE and CALVIN are often used over here in Anglia.

 

[warship43]

pine - 'cancel the running as trains under' ,

meaning train(s) to terminate short of destination.

 

[tsr]

pine - 'cancel the running as trains under' ,

meaning train(s) to terminate short of destination.

That's certainly the meaning. I had a feeling it was a long-lost acronym as well. Alas I can find no trace any more.

 

[LAX54]

Some still do .....

Terms like "Cape" - "PINE" , "FURNO" , "WALNUT REDE" etc used daily even into the 1970's when I were a lad.

some still in regular use of course, add to the above 'DEMIC'

 

[pdeaves]

Some still do .....

Terms like "Cape" - "PINE" , "FURNO" , "WALNUT REDE" etc used daily even into the 1970's when I were a lad.

The latest weekly notices show that IEP (class 800) deliveries to the Western should be signalled OPPOS in certain areas, so some are still in use.

 

[Helvellyn]

SO which ones are still in regular use and what are their meanings?

 

[Oxfordblues]

I recall a colleague in the booking office in the 1970s who took great delight in sending bogus telexes with made-up words just to cause confusion. Every railway office had a dictionary of them and knowledgeable passengers learned terms like CAPE, PINE and 4-VICE-8.

 

[6Gman]

GAFMO




Oh sorry, that one was unofficial!

 

[ChiefPlanner]

FUNCO - conveys loaded coffin.

PS - staff could apply for a discount on this one way traffic. Service withdrawn eventually.

There were strings of codes of freight interest - an obvious and common was "OGLO" - out of gauge load conveyed with restrictions.applied.