Rail enthusiast lingo

[Taunton]

Surprised nobody has mentioned "cop" yet.

 

[GRALISTAIR]

Cop - late 60s early to mid 70s expression iirc- score it, grice it, etc became more common but yes I used copped it when I started in the hobby.

 

[DelW]

The American term is Foamer. Seems a fairly apt description when you witness the behaviour of some over enthusiastic enthuiasts.

"Railfan" is the polite term. "Foamer" is regarded as insulting verging on offensive, to the extent that its use is banned on (at least some) US enthusiast websites.

In this country, I always found the diesel bashers' vocabulary obscure. "Clag" I could follow, but when they went off into "hellfire" and others I've now forgotten, I got somewhat lost.

 

[xotGD]

Cop - late 60s early to mid 70s expression iirc- score it, grice it, etc became more common but yes I used copped it when I started in the hobby.

Also 'docked' for sight.

Travel over a new route and you have 'yellow-penned' it. Using a yellow highlighter to mark up your rail atlas.

New haulages (scratches) could be described as being 'red penned', underlined in red in the Platform 5.

 

[Calthrop]

Travel over a new route and you have 'yellow-penned' it. Using a yellow highlighter to mark up your rail atlas.

New haulages (scratches) could be described as being 'red penned', underlined in red in the Platform 5.

Apologies for going on -- likely tediously -- about my particular bunch of fellow-enthusiasts some fifty years ago; but marking-in of new routes travelled was, "then and there", less sophisticated than as told of above. Red tended to be the favoured colour for all marking-in thus, and "that was that". Think I'm right in saying that there was not available then, such a wealth of detailed rail atlases as there came to be in later times: people tended to improvise their own maps re covering of lines travelled on.

 

[D6130]

Apologies for going on -- likely tediously -- about my particular bunch of fellow-enthusiasts some fifty years ago; but marking-in of new routes travelled was, "then and there", less sophisticated than as told of above. Red tended to be the favoured colour for all marking-in thus, and "that was that". Think I'm right in saying that there was not available then, such a wealth of detailed rail atlases as there came to be in later times: people tended to improvise their own maps re covering of lines travelled on.

I had - and still have - the three sheet folding "British Rail Network Maps" with the glossy blue covers, published about 1973. They show all passenger and freight lines and stations in a narrow twin black line format, which lended itself perfectly for filling in with a fine tipped yellow felt pen.

 

[Calthrop]

I used to use the map from the David & Charles reprint of the 1922 Bradshaw (marking lines travelled, in red). A bit of a crude expedient; but with its dating from approximate "rail peak", it showed nearly all possible lines; save for a few opened subsequent to its date. By the time 1973-odd came along, I was rather losing interest in the bash-all-lines-possible game; so did no updating map-wise.

 

[GRALISTAIR]

Of course mainstream usage of "bash" would definitely not mean loco haulage.

 

[Calthrop]

Of course mainstream usage of "bash" would definitely not mean loco haulage.

I'd figure that, like "fester" (re bad stuff); could -- re good stuff -- mean pretty well "anything and everything".

 

[Czesziafan]

What was/is a Toffee Apple?

A toffee apple was a class 31/0, also referred to as a "skinhead" because they lacked headcode panels and had the old style discs that imitated the position of lamps on a steam loco. Outside the rail community it was an apple on a stick dipped in liquid toffee and sold at fairgrounds. They are the origin of the word "lollypop", which was old Traveller slang "cosh lollipop" for a toffee apple, from the Romany words "cosh" meaning a stick, "lollo" meaning red, and "pobble" meaning apple, i.e a red apple on a stick, from the colour they were after being dipped in molten toffee.

 

[43096]

A toffee apple was a class 31/0, also referred to as a "skinhead" because they lacked headcode panels and had the old style discs that imitated the position of lamps on a steam loco.

There were/are, though, "Skinheads" in Class 31/1 (and indeed 31/4).

 

[SteveM70]

A toffee apple was a class 31/0, also referred to as a "skinhead" because they lacked headcode panels and had the old style discs that imitated the position of lamps on a steam loco

All 31/0s were skinheads but not all skinheads were 31/0s - about 20 of the early 31/1s (a few of which became 31/4s) also lacked the headcode boxes

 

[PG]

All 31/0s were skinheads but not all skinheads were 31/0s

Sounds like something straight from a school Maths exam

 

[Inversnecky]

I’ve recently heard them called cybermen too.

 

[Dai Corner]

Having a loco 'for haulage' or 'for sight'. Did anyone use the term 'shovage' for travelling 'in front of' a shove Duff or other push-pull loco?

 

[xotGD]

While an F-Exam is a legitimate term when it comes to locomotive maintenance, its use spread more widely. So, for example, if someone looks particularly dishevelled you could say that they were in need of an F-Exam. Conversely, someone who normally looks a bit scruffy but turns up in a suit with a sharp new haircut has received an F-Exam.

 

[AY1975]

Surprised nobody has mentioned "cop" yet.

And in the steam era, a "stink" was a loco that you'd already seen at least once before. "Cop" lasted into the diesel and electric era but AFAIK "stink" didn't. I've never heard it myself but my dad remembers it as a child.

Two others that I don't think have been mentioned are "clag" for diesel exhaust and "dragging" for using a diesel loco to haul an electric loco or an EMU over a non-electrified line.

 

[47296lastduff]

Another odd word I remember was from the 1980s . On summer Saturdays there would be a wealth of freight locos on holiday extras, and there was no IT to get quick timetable gen on the move, so many enthusiasts would have the bulky all-line timetable in their bags. These were often referred to as bibles.
About the same time some platform staff at Liverpool Lime Street referred to the class 08 pilot loco as the tank. This harked back to steam days, when the main passenger power was tender locos, with one or more tank locos doing pilot/ecs duties.

 

[Merle Haggard]

I've long had great affection for the expression "D.A.A.", which was greatly current among my fellow-enthusiasts in the end-of-steam era. I've posted about it elsewhere on these Forums. I was given in those days some half-a-century ago, a supposed explanation for how it arose. As follows: once in the mid / late 1960s, a couple-or-three keen enthusiasts were travelling on a steam-hauled regular passenger train, and "doing their thing" to the max: heads out of windows, rushing from side to side of the coach to get the best view, copious photographing from windows, jumping out at intermediate stops to "value" stuff [that was another expression in the "fancy" 's jargon], loudly and excitedly conversing about the whole scene... a close-by normal citizen, just travelling on the train to get from necessary A to B, asked them what on earth they were up to. They explained, as best they could. The chap pondered for a moment, then pronounced: "If you ask me, you're all daft as (very vulgar [anatomical] nine-letter word)." Far from feeling insulted, the guys found this utterance a total gem; and from them, it rapidly spread through the enthusiast community. In my experience, it was more used in self-deprecating humour (people empathised with normal folk's considering them to be funny in the head) and indeed (as above) as a proudly-worn badge of honour; than applied by "moderate" enthusiasts to "over-the-top" ones.

Thank you for the history, another example of something that's been in my memory for 50+ years and finally explained on this forum.

I first encountered the term when I used an S.R. Rover ticket during the last Summer of South-Western steam. As you say, some regarded it as a badge of honour, though I did not realise the meaning of the initials immediately. The derogatory element came, I think, later.

It's interesting that there's nothing illegal about the activity described (providing you always pay for the full journey you make...) that so upset normal. I was more into shed-bashing than haulage, another popular branch of the hobby, and many of us did not have a permit, or ask permission (I knew what the answer would be!) when we entered the premises, so we were, technically, breaking the law - perhaps a dozen times a day. Getting round a shed and recording the all the locos. was regarded as a challenge or sport and I felt that being prevented from doing so was an unjust imposition on my freedom! A complete contrast to my unquestioning adherence to other rules and regulations, even the petty and un-necessary School Rules.

One question. Did any spotter, ever, respond to the shouted "Oi you, come here!!!" in any other way than run in the opposite direction?

 

[XAM2175]

It's interesting that there's nothing illegal about the activity described (providing you always pay for the full journey you make...) that so upset normal.

I would suggest that, by the current byelaws in any case, they were skating on pretty thin ice:

6 - Unacceptable behaviour
No person shall:

6.2 - behave in a disorderly, indecent or offensive manner on the railway
6.8 - molest or wilfully interfere with the comfort or convenience of any person on the railway​

And if there were warnings posted to the effect that having one's head out the window was not permitted, the lads probably also fell afoul of this condition:

12 - Safety instructions

12.1 - an operator may issue reasonable instructions relating to safety on any part of the railway by means of a notice on or near that part of the railway. No person shall, without good cause, disobey such notice​

 

[xotGD]

I would suggest that, by the current byelaws in any case, they were skating on pretty thin ice:


And if there were warnings posted to the effect that having one's head out the window was not permitted, the lads probably also fell afoul of this condition:

Rule 12 includes the caveat 'without good cause'. Many would maintain that enjoying the thrash from some monster up front is a very good cause!

 

[satisnek]

Some years ago I can remember reading an article about beer tickers, at the end of which was a glossary of terms including 'gen', 'normals' and suchlike. "I've heard all this before", I thought to myself...

 

[Islineclear3_1]

Weren't headcoded Class 31's called Goyles at some point?

Have we had "all shacks" - stopping at every station?

Does anyone still use "bang road" which was wrong line working during a possession. In the event the signalman didn't have his wits about him and forgot, a "bang" is what you'd get

 

[Calthrop]

Thank you for the history, another example of something that's been in my memory for 50+ years and finally explained on this forum.

I first encountered the term when I used an S.R. Rover ticket during the last Summer of South-Western steam. As you say, some regarded it as a badge of honour, though I did not realise the meaning of the initials immediately. The derogatory element came, I think, later.

It's interesting that there's nothing illegal about the activity described (providing you always pay for the full journey you make...) that so upset normal.

As I heard the story, the chap didn't seem upset as such; or even hostile -- just totally bemused !

And if there were warnings posted to the effect that having one's head out the window was not permitted, the lads probably also fell afoul of this condition:

I like the favourite "amendment" made by naughty lads, to the relevant posted warning -- changing it to "Do not clean soup off the window".

I was more into shed-bashing than haulage, another popular branch of the hobby, and many of us did not have a permit, or ask permission (I knew what the answer would be!) when we entered the premises, so we were, technically, breaking the law - perhaps a dozen times a day. Getting round a shed and recording the all the locos. was regarded as a challenge or sport and I felt that being prevented from doing so was an unjust imposition on my freedom! A complete contrast to my unquestioning adherence to other rules and regulations, even the petty and un-necessary School Rules.

This has me wondering whether in other countries -- admittedly most of them with fewer railway enthusiasts, juvenile or adult, than Britain -- loco shed staff tended to be more laid-back about letting interested "lay persons" of any age, call in and look around? As I understand things, other parts of the world -- notably continental Europe -- have long regarded Britain and its society as tending to be fussily and neurotically safety-obsessed; the "nanny state" is not a particularly new concept. The attitude elsewhere than in Britain is apt perhaps to consider people, including young ones, as responsible for seeing to their own safety.

 

[ChiefPlanner]

While an F-Exam is a legitimate term when it comes to locomotive maintenance, its use spread more widely. So, for example, if someone looks particularly dishevelled you could say that they were in need of an F-Exam. Conversely, someone who normally looks a bit scruffy but turns up in a suit with a sharp new haircut has received an F-Exam.

Very good - the levels of carriage cleaning went up to a "PHC" - or planned heavy clean and a thorough mop down of all surfaces. The 313's used on intensive North London services and berthed overnight where scandulously there was no hot water easily available even got a couple of fumigation bombs as a prelude to a good internal scrubbing.

I do recall seeing a particular individual at Preston who was not well turned out - in fact one of the soles of his shoes was flapping. We stayed upwind and at a socially distanced space.

 

[Cowley]

Very good - the levels of carriage cleaning went up to a "PHC" - or planned heavy clean and a thorough mop down of all surfaces. The 313's used on intensive North London services and berthed overnight where scandulously there was no hot water easily available even got a couple of fumigation bombs as a prelude to a good internal scrubbing.

I do recall seeing a particular individual at Preston who was not well turned out - in fact one of the soles of his shoes was flapping. We stayed upwind and at a socially distanced space.

We had a chap around Exeter back in the day who was either known as ‘Hedge’ or by the rather inspired name: The Pinhoe Wizard...
(Apologies to The Who)

 

[Mcr Warrior]

A few that spring to mind that I don’t think have already been covered:-

‘All Shacks’ denotes the train is a stopping service calling everywhere.

Have we had "all shacks" - stopping at every station?

Yep. And it is "all shacks" rather than "all sheds" isn't it?

 

[D6130]

Yep. And it is "all shacks" rather than "all sheds" isn't it?

I think "all sheds" refers to achieving haulage by every class 66 loco!

 

[xotGD]

An alternative to 'all shacks' is 'every lamppost'.

 

[GRALISTAIR]

Weren't headcoded Class 31's called Goyles at some point?

I called all Class 31s Goyles in the 1980s and 90s. Yes.