Terminology: Coaches, carriages etc.

[eMeS]

When I was young, 1940s, and living close to Chassen Road on the CLC line from Manchester to Liverpool, a train was made up of a loco and several coaches, in which there were carriages set across the coach - with two separate doors on each side of the coach. Occasionally we'd ride in a corridor coach, where the carriages were smaller and normally with only an internal door to the corridor, although some carriages had a door to the platform as well. At the time, "open" coaches seemed to be reserved for dining cars.

Quite often it was difficult to see across a carriage as a result of the smoke... ...particularly in winter when the windows were kept closed. And standing was allowed from one door to the other.

I now feel that the term "carriage" is used more or less interchangeably with "coach", and I've also started seeing the term "car" used in railway terminology more frequently, where previously "coach" would have been used. Is it a result of the rise in numbers of MU stock?

Getting old(er), and Confused!

 

[swt_passenger]

When I was young, 1940s, and living close to Chassen Road on the CLC line from Manchester to Liverpool, a train was made up of a loco and several coaches, in which there were carriages set across the coach - with two separate doors on each side of the coach. Occasionally we'd ride in a corridor coach, where the carriages were smaller and normally with only an internal door to the corridor, although some carriages had a door to the platform as well...

Er... you seem to be using 'carriage' for what most people would call a compartment. That's deinitely confusing...

 

[142094]

I've seen it as UK carriage and US coach/car. Then again other things are called cars in the UK, e.g. Metrocar for the Tyne and Wear Metro. The depot is often referred to as Gosforth Car Sheds, much like Ilford Car Sheds in the south.

 

[GB]

Coach is an advancement on the carriage but are effectively the same thing when refering to railways hence why both terms are used.

As you says, "cars" are used for MU vehicles.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

Er... you seem to be using 'carriage' for what most people would call a compartment. That's deinitely confusing...

Yep, agree with that.

 

[Phil6219]

I used to love going to Chessen Road, it had a great large scale model railway. Anyway reminiscing over...

I used to say coach but now say carriage instead though as has been pointed out they are pretty much interchangeable. Cars are used more for multiple units as across the network are "N car stop" signs.

*Just noticed that's already been answered.

 

[eMeS]

Thanks for your replies.

I did wonder whether to use the term "compartment", and it now seems obvious that I should have done.

 

[Wyvern]

I wonder whether the use of the word "car" has come across from trams?

 

[WatcherZero]

Abbreviation of carriages, origins the same as the horsedrawn variety. Incidentally motor cars were called motorised carriages until it got shortened to cars.

 

[Wyvern]

Maybe but you never heard the word car used for a carriage until recently, but you did speak of tramcars, and "Move down the car please", otherwise in America as "railroad cars"

 

[Smudger105e]

Maybe but you never heard the word car used for a carriage until recently, but you did speak of tramcars, and "Move down the car please", otherwise in America as "railroad cars"

When I was a fitter on the Southern in the early '80s, the vehicles themselves were described as coaches, but if you were referring to how long a train was, it was usually described as an 8 car, or a 12 car etc...

 

[Class41]

When writing or speaking, cars are a lot quicker than carriages (and less prone to spelling mistakes).

I always wondered when is a wagon, (once a waggon), a truck?

 

[1018509]

When writing or speaking, cars are a lot quicker than carriages (and less prone to spelling mistakes).

I always wondered when is a wagon, (once a waggon), a truck?

Of course on LUL trucks are the bogies which go under the cars!

 

[thefab444]

I think the term carriage was used many years ago to describe what we now call a compartment, I guess a horse drawn carriage has more internal similarities with a compartment than an actual coach. A book I was reading the other day, originally published in the 30s, talks of carriages as though they were compartments within a coach.