Railway Slang

[1018509]

Not so much slang as use of abbreviations. Called to a defective train as a Call Point Train Technician the driver/guard reportet no pilot light or bell which when testes no fault was found. Thisxwas a common defecton the Underground and wascusually reported as NPL&BNDF. (No pilot light and bell no defect found.)

 

[Acey]

Drop the handle -unofficial strike action
Dummy-sub signal
Screw it down both ends-handbrake both ends of unit or set
Got the road-signal off
Reverse train-reverse the units to normally box one in due to fault
Earth fault-derailed
In the dirt-as above
Jumper- connectors between unit/s
Jumper-sad incident
Paddle up-use of shoe paddles to isolate unit/s from third rail
Put back-signal returned to red
Lunars-Route indicators
Cut her out-trip out the unit/s
Cut her in-trip in the units/s
Dalek- temp speed indicator

 

[D6130]

Dalek- temp speed indicator

We normally used that term to describe an emergency speed restriction warning indicator.

 

[Acey]

Of course,my mistake,senior moment

 

[david1212]

Mentioned at least once is Demic. I recall once reading it is used for a failure to the point of needing rescue but how is it actually derived ?

 

[D6130]

Mentioned at least once is Demic. I recall once reading it is used for a failure to the point of needing rescue but how is it actually derived ?

It's derived from the ancient Greek word 'Demos' - meaning a people or poulation....but it's also used to describe something that is dysfunctional or broken. Of course, as we all now know, it's used as a suffix in words such as 'pandemic', 'epidemic', 'academic', etc.

 

[Gloster]

Black bag job - the result of a one under/jumper. Best left to the specialists.

 

[Dunfanaghy Rd]

Re DEMIC:
According to FUBAR, DEMMICK is/was Army slang for a soldier on the sick list. In the chapter "Tommy, Aussie, Canuck and Kiwi talk". No idea whose.
Pat

 

[berwicksfinest]

No-one has mentioned grab your traps

Thats your bag/belongings

 

[class 9]

Swinger - brakes isolated on last wagon.
Knock one out - detaching a crippled wagon from a train.
Pulled off- signals off

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 30 Jul 2022 ==

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?

These terms are used in UK, mainly on freight.

 

[Bald Rick]

Swinger - brakes isolated on last wagon.

or a whole multiple unit…

 

[xotGD]

Swinger - brakes isolated on last wagon.
Knock one out - detaching a crippled wagon from a train.
Pulled off- signals off

Three terms with completely different meanings outside of railway circles!

 

[LYRobert]

There was some discussion one day (many years ago) on the platform Bury Bolton St. as to whether the platform staff were heard to shout "Right away" to get the train away, or "Right o'way" (i.e. "right of Way"). Nobody knew!

And what's a "Tommy Dodd"?

The booking office man at Burnley Manchester Road (in the old days) would tell my dad "Best hurry along, it's pegged" - i.e. the platform signal is pulled off i.e. (again) raised to 'all clear'.

Just an aside - it was a very tall signal post with a smallish lower arm at cab-height, and a full sized arm at enormous height to be visible above the intevening footbridge, the lower one to be visible under said bridge.

 

[Ashley Hill]

Earth Fault = De-railed.
Blow Through = unfitted vehicle with a through brake pipe.

 

[Gloster]

A swinger could also be a four-wheeled van on the back of a passenger train, whether loco-hauled or DMU.

Throwing out the anchors - making an emergency stop.

 

[david1212]

It's derived from the ancient Greek word 'Demos' - meaning a people or poulation....but it's also used to describe something that is dysfunctional or broken. Of course, as we all now know, it's used as a suffix in words such as 'pandemic', 'epidemic', 'academic', etc.

Re DEMIC:
According to FUBAR, DEMMICK is/was Army slang for a soldier on the sick list. In the chapter "Tommy, Aussie, Canuck and Kiwi talk". No idea whose.
Pat

Thank you both. Not really obvious although I had not thought of the suffix part of numerous words.

 

[Pinza-C55]

Position Light sub signals were commonly known as Cats Eyes. The Southern Railway/Region had a type of colour light signal with a small offset lens known as a "Pigs Ear". In internal BR slang if you got a "Form One" it meant you received a letter about disciplinary action , usually you had to see the local senior manager. If a train was cancelled it was "Caped".