Seemingly immortal railway expressions

[Peter Mugridge]

"OI... YOU!!!"

( Still frequently heard at places like Blackpool North, I believe...? )

 

[Railcar]

The annoyance of adding the word 'London' to London's termini - London Euston, London Paddington, etc, but not London London Bridge.

 

[Merle Haggard]

"OI... YOU!!!"

( Still frequently heard at places like Blackpool North, I believe...? )

Back in steam days we visited, technically uninvited, steam sheds and we often heard that shout usually followed by 'COME HERE!!!'
My question is did anyone ever do that? We just ran as fast as we could in the opposite direction - writing numbers in a notebook while running was an essential skill.

 

[Sad Sprinter]

A word (in bold in this example) in an announcement that used to be very common but which seems to be extinct now is 'The next train at platform 1 is the delayed 08.00 to Euston'. Perhaps they think we won't notice if they don't mention it.

I think that went out with the Celia Drummond announcements

 

[Calthrop]

DO NOT LEAN OUT OF THE WINDOW

altered to

DO NOT CLEAN SOOT OFF THE WINDOW

I recall "soup" rather than "soot" -- spelling-wise slightly closer, logic-wise less so !

 

[ian1944]

Sadly - "One under".

Musically - "Passengers should please refrain, from flushing toilets while the train, ...".

 

[GRALISTAIR]

Mind the Gap

Yes this to me is immortal.

 

[Virgin Voyager]

As Booked

and

it's degenerated into an utter farce

 

[Rescars]

Have we had "operational difficulties" yet? (I ran into some when trying to conduct a search....)

 

[43066]

“No tea and biscuits”.

 

[D6130]

“No tea and biscuits”.

"Tea but no biscuits"....when the manager thinks it probably wasn't your fault, but is waiting to hear your side of the story before making-up their mind.

 

[GRALISTAIR]

Have we had "operational difficulties" yet? (I ran into some when trying to conduct a search....)

Yes even when a shutter screwed up or it was the railway fault it was always “This is due to operating difficulties “ !

 

[Geep]

Wait till the train "has come to a stand" rather than "has stopped".

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

Station stop.
All tickets must be shewn (I think this has finally died a death).

 

[Rescars]

Likewise, no longer are "Gentlemen requested to adjust their dress before leaving".

 

[32475]

Don’t use the WC when the train is standing in the station,
If you’ve got to go then you’ve got to go before you reach your destination,
You’ll be fined five quid if you lift the lid and put upon probation,
So don’t use the WC when the train is standing in the station!
(an old song lyric I heard years ago which stuck in my mind)

 

[InkyScrolls]

One under.

Board's off.

Not more than five sheep.

Right away.

Tie on / tie off (which makes no sense!)

Known earth fault which does not affect unit performance, Siemens aware.

Bang 'em together.

Bums on seats, feet on the floor.

Oh deer [sic]. (Often followed by...)

Venison for tea then.

Bang road.

Put a fire in it (referring to any traction regardless of power source).

I see they've not moved that cow yet.

No can do, takes me over me day.

I'll do it for twelve. (Often followed by...)

You're a gent!

 

[Rescars]

Does anyone use the term "Rule 55" anymore?

 

[InkyScrolls]

Does anyone use the term "Rule 55" anymore?

Yes, but only colloquially.

 

[Fundee on Tay]

Staff at Dundee still sign on at ‘DUNDEETB’ and some locals occasionally still refer to the station as ‘Tay Bridge Station’. A frequently mentioned place in this area is also ‘Kinnaber Junction’ - not been a junction since the early 80s!

 

[Rescars]

Seeing the number of entries on this thread, do others agree that "permanent way" not only describes the railway itself, but the way of expressing many railway matters too?!

 

[32475]

Seeing the number of entries on this thread, do others agree that "permanent way" not only describes the railway itself, but the way of expressing many railway matters too?!

Agreed

 

[D6130]

'Juice rail'

 

[xotGD]

Job stopped.

Four-foot.

 

[D6130]

'Six foot'

'Ten Foot'

'Cess'

 

[StoneRoad]

"travelling OCS"

 

[D6130]

'On the cushions'

 

[InkyScrolls]

Four-foot.

'Six foot'

'Ten Foot'

'Cess'

Worth pointing out for those not in the railway industry that these are all official terms.

 

[Big Jumby 74]

"OI... YOU!!!"

Last heard (personally) from an invisible/unseen origin at Manvers Main NCB, but that's another story.....

'On the cushions'

Or equally: Travelling 'Pass'.

Staff car: a taxi service diagrammed as part of a crew diagram.

Down the (ash) pan: a crew reference to a badly steaming loco.

 

[Harpo]

A dozen - 12 hour shift
Book you a dozen - The bribe to do a bit extra as a favour
A favour - Something you exchanged with mates or supervisors
Fiddle - Usually something that got you an early finish
Cutting out - Getting relieved early for an early finish
Martini men - “Anytime, any place, anywhere…”
Swinger - An unbraked vehicle on the rear of a train
Blow through - Wagon with pipes but no brakes
Knocking out - Train out of section or removing a defective vehicle
On the drag - Running slowly/late
Hanging the pot out - Deliberate slow running
On the blocks - A traffic queue
Give it a go - Signallers request when letting you out before a faster train
Pilot - Various! A local shunt/ECS engine, An engine coupled ahead of the train engine, A route conductor
350 - Yard shunter (08/09)
Four and a half - A 47 to those raised only on 2000s before them
2000 - Class 40
Tripper - Holidaymakers or a local yard to yard movement
First on the graph - How InterCity services used to be planned
Sundays sheet - Record of fair share of Sunday turns
Hook off, book off, …k off - Shifts end.