Railway Slang

[DelW]

Here in the States "pull the pin" used to be the term for uncoupling wagons, going back to the days of link and pin couplers in the late 19th Century. I don't know if it is still used. Link and pin was very dangerous - they used to say you could tell how long a brakeman had been in service by the number of missing fingers on his hand. The adoption of the automatic coupler changed all that. They use the term "make a hitch" for coupling cars.

The US phrase "tying down" and "tied down" for (AIUI) parking a train with handbrakes set, amuses me, with a mental image of using pieces of rope. Possibly it originated with boats or even horses?

 

[83G/84D]

The phrase ‘screwed down’ is still used probably it’s origins go back to when brakes were pinned down or applied to a stabled train or a freight.

 

[Western 52]

A driver I knew used the expression "green board " when he sighted a semaphore signal in the clear position. Of course the signal arm was not painted green...

 

[Rescars]

The phrase ‘screwed down’ is still used probably it’s origins go back to when brakes were pinned down or applied to a stabled train or a freight.

A violent jerk, especially of an unfitted freight train, was known as a "rug", IIRC. Is this term still in use or did it disappear along with the 3-link coupling?

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 12 Jul 2022 ==

745 has 'failed' so 'cars to Norwich"
Distant Signal: Back Board (becoming rarer by the day!)
Feathers, also know as lunar lights
Ground Signal: Dummy

Talking to a Driver at a Signal: "You've got the road Driver"

No doubt many local ones too!
Platform 1 Ipswich: Arcade
Fuel Point: Table Road or Foundout
Norwich has the Royal Dock.

I have heard "The board is off, we've got the road!" called out by a steward to the Chief Steward and the Senior Cook on a race day special as the train left its final pick-up point and there were only 90 minutes in which to serve 448 three course lunches!

 

[LAX54]

The phrase ‘screwed down’ is still used probably it’s origins go back to when brakes were pinned down or applied to a stabled train or a freight.

A common 'threat' from a Driver when a train is stopped, put on a Goods Loop, as there is either no room in the yard further down the line, or there is an issue going on.

Signalman tends to say, "OK Driver, that's fine, let us know when you go, we can then tell Control to tell the Freight Controller"

 

[Horizon22]

A common 'threat' from a Driver when a train is stopped, put on a Goods Loop, as there is either no room in the yard further down the line, or there is an issue going on.

Signalman tends to say, "OK Driver, that's fine, let us know when you go, we can then tell Control to tell the Freight Controller"

Yes I've often seen that on occasion when there's major disruption and freight stuck in a loop hours on end to ensure the unit is "screwed down" if driver exceeds hours. Essentially to stop any runaway movement.

 

[Gloster]

Baling out was often used by traincrew. It could mean just leaving the whole train secured in a loop or siding (that did happen to me once with a light loco) and making their own way home or, if they were really fed up, on the main line (protected by signals), although that was not going to be popular. Alternatively, it meant clearing off in the loco and leaving the train. It should be said that neither was a frequent occurrence and was most likely to happen if the crew felt they had been taken advantage of once too often (as was the case with the loco).

 

[whistler2018]

Telegraph code words

British railway telegraph codes, used to send standard messages by telegraph quickly, simply and cheaply

www.railwaycodes.org.uk

All the talk of telegraph codes led me to find this. Quite comprehensive and fairly interesting to have a read through!

 

[Seejwalker]

Juice
Con rail
Bang road
The road
Pull off
Lash off
Bof it - (Booked order F*** it)
One under
Metal Micky
Dummy
Gapped
Feathers
Bury the cap
Box one in
Straighten up
Home signal
The platform starter
Screw down -(cut the unit out)
Hard down
Hidden day (bound by hidden)
Meal man
Flagging (talking past)
Block work
Block back
Collar up
Tag up

 

[Astro_Orbiter]

It's funny, I've been on the railway for 10 years, and until recently I worked for one TOC, well, one regional area the whole time. I just assumed the slang we used was normal everywhere, that was until I boldly said in my new messroom the other day "I've got to go and bring a set of cars from the depot" and everyone asked what a set of cars was!
One I've not seen mentioned so far is the term "Sheila" for the paper drivers diagram/schedule card.

 

[ComUtoR]

One I've not seen mentioned so far is the term "Sheila" for the paper drivers diagram/schedule card.

Sheila is the name of the diagram software some TOCs use.

 

[Horizon22]

Juice
Con rail
Bang road
The road
Pull off
Lash off
Bof it - (Booked order F*** it)
One under
Metal Micky
Dummy
Gapped
Feathers
Bury the cap
Box one in
Straighten up
Home signal
The platform starter
Screw down -(cut the unit out)
Hard down
Hidden day (bound by hidden)
Meal man
Flagging (talking past)
Block work
Block back
Collar up
Tag up

"Cut it out" or "aux it off" is indeed one I forgot and is slang in itself for a managed shutdown of the electricity supply to a unit, normally when a possession is expected to impact the location of said unit, meaning it could end up dead in the morning.

 

[Bald Rick]

Subsidiary signals must have the most different slang terms for the same thing:

Dummy
Dolly
Dots
Sub
Peg (sometimes used for a main aspect too)
White Lights

etc.

 

[bramling]

Dolly seems to be a northern term, dummy more common down south.




That very much marks out those who’ve done a networker traction course!

I believe the Piccadilly Line has a toblerone, which is the panel used for controlling the PA and comms.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 15 Jul 2022 ==

On the underground, and I would be surprised if not on the main line as well.

Stick's off, clear signal. (despite no sticks since god knows when)

Blocking back, trains queuing to get through an area.

Pipe - Tube tunnel on London Underground.

 

[Cornish Guilt]

This units NFG…

 

[Rescars]

I believe the Piccadilly Line has a toblerone, which is the panel used for controlling the PA and comms.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 15 Jul 2022 ==



Pipe - Tube tunnel

On the underground, and I would be surprised if not on the main line as well.

Stick's off, clear signal. (despite no sticks since god knows when)

Blocking back, trains queuing to get through an area.

IIRC, "blocking back" has a precise meaning under absolute block working, referring to the precautions which have to be taken if a clearing point is fouled.

 

[norbitonflyer]

The phrase ‘screwed down’ is still used probably it’s origins go back to when brakes were pinned down or applied to a stabled train or a freight.

Presumably because handbrakes were literally operated by a screw-threaded shaft driven by a big handwheel.

 

[Gloster]

I would think that ‘screwed down’ is from the screw-thread brake (as above) on passenger brake vehicles and, I think, steam locos, rather than the lever and pin (oh, happy memories) on a goods vehicle.

 

[alxndr]

It's funny, I've been on the railway for 10 years, and until recently I worked for one TOC, well, one regional area the whole time. I just assumed the slang we used was normal everywhere, that was until I boldly said in my new messroom the other day "I've got to go and bring a set of cars from the depot" and everyone asked what a set of cars was!

I've had exactly the same experience but on track. I've tried to pick up their words for thing because I'm the one that's out of place, but if I'm in the swing of things I might ask for a clip and get blank looks until I remember that here's it's a clamp.

Or when I rang to tell the signaller and control that a fault had been rectified and discovered that neither closing down the fault or booking it back in are common phrases up here.

 

[Seejwalker]

I've had exactly the same experience but on track. I've tried to pick up their words for thing because I'm the one that's out of place, but if I'm in the swing of things I might ask for a clip and get blank looks until I remember that here's it's a clamp.

Or when I rang to tell the signaller and control that a fault had been rectified and discovered that neither closing down the fault or booking it back in are common phrases up here.

It’s a daily battle deciphering between whether a fault is “in order” (working normally but could happen again) or whether it’s “rectified” (working normally and shouldn’t fail again)

 

[D6130]

In Scotland we used to refer to empty stock workings by the old traditional telegrahic code EMCAR....more usually descibed in the plural as EMCARS and described as such in the Special Traffic Notice.

A very important telegraphic code which is still used, AFAIK, is GROVE....but I'm not sure that I am permitted to mention its meaning on here for security reasons!

 

[norbitonflyer]

In Scotland we used to refer to empty stock workings by the old traditional telegrahic code EMCAR....more usually descibed in the plural as EMCARS and described as such in the Special Traffic Notice.

A very important telegraphic code which is still used, AFAIK, is GROVE....but I'm not sure that I am permitted to mention its meaning on here for security reasons!

A very comprehensive list of telegraphic codes (including those two) can be found here

 

[Gloster]

A very comprehensive list of telegraphic codes (including those two) can be found here

Some nice ones in there. I like OPIUM and SLATTERN.

 

[alxndr]

It’s a daily battle deciphering between whether a fault is “in order” (working normally but could happen again) or whether it’s “rectified” (working normally and shouldn’t fail again)

Another difference again, I would use those interchangeably, and put it "on monitor" if I wasn't entirely convinced it won't go again.

 

[yeti]

'Bangers and Mash.' Of which there used to be a lot between the rails at Paddington before all toilets were the retention type!
'Riding the Cushions' as against riding the footplate for drivers travelling in comfort.

 

[E27007]

A very senior driver gave me his opinion why ground position signals are called "dummies" , he told me it dated back to vacuum brakes, there was a receptacle on stock to attach the free otherwise open end of the vacuum brake pipe so the pipe would be sealed, like a dummy to seal the pipe, this is before cocks were fitted in the pipe, the ground position signal had a resemblance to the receptacle on the stock and the name carried over.

 

[Oxfordblues]

At Arpley TOPS in the late-1970s we used to get transit instructions for nuclear flasks, military explosives and other sensitive traffic. My favourite telegraph word was SKUNK, meaning "ensure connection with". Appropriate, as you wouldn't want a skunk hanging around the yard!

Local line names included "Newfoundout", the dive-under from Arpley Yard to the Down Goods at Bank Quay (still in use). It might have originated as "New Foundry Outlet". Another was "One-hand", the Up Siding just west of Arpley Junction.

Most inscrutable railway term: "requadrification" as recently applied to Filton Bank.

 

[Kneedown]

Dolly seems to be a northern term, dummy more common down south.

I think it's more Midland.
Venture north of Sheffield and I seem to remember it became a "Tommy Dodd".

 

[Westy91]

White lightning = con rail arcing
Swangate = so named after the adventures of a rather brave swan and his family that brought the Portsmouth Direct to a screeching halt a few years ago
Sick and Tired = Signals and Telecoms gang
Fuelling up = the act of nipping to the nearest kebab shop half way into a twelve hour rerail

 

[Skie]

Some old forbidden classics.

Self Loading Cargo = Passengers
Ballast/Boot Actuated Circuit = When the signal only ever pulls off when you step onto the ballast. Not so common in the GSMR era...
SG = Signal Green. The magic button you press on the GSMR kit when standing at a red signal instead of activating the ballast circuits.