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Trivia - Obsolete Railway Terms still used

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Mag_seven

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I found myself using the term "Croydon Tramlink" the other day, realising afterwards that it hasn't been called that for ages, it is now "London Trams".

Other obsolete terms I often hear people use are things like "Virgin Cross Country" and even "British Rail".

Post your own examples here!
 
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shredder1

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The name Rail Servant seems to have changed over the years. And station names with General in the title, a former Great Western term. MPD Motive Power Depot changed to TMD traction maintenance Depot, do they now call them train crew depots?
 

eastwestdivide

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The use of the variant spelling "shew" for "show" - I've only ever seen it in a railway context, and there's someone on one of the forums who insists on using it in their posts. Makes you pause every time.
 

eastwestdivide

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Dr_Paul

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Do drivers and guards still refer to signals as 'boards' or 'sticks'?
 

telstarbox

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I'm sure I'm not the only one who, out of habit, would ask a clerk for a ticket "with a Young Persons" rather than the 16-25 Railcard as it's now known.
 

Randomer

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Very rare but Platelayer in reference to permanent way track workers. Heard it used in the recording of the radio call in the Egmonton near miss a couple of years ago. I do wonder if it is more common in the north of England or old grouping LNER routes than grouping GWR or SR?

Video here if anyone hasn't heard it from the thread at the time.
 

Highlandspring

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Very rare but Platelayer in reference to permanent way track workers. I do wonder if it is more common in the north of England or old grouping LNER routes than grouping GWR or SR?
I’ve heard platelayers used in connection with a report of a track defect* by an LNER (NatEx East Coast at the time) Newcastle driver within the last decade.


*The report was “I got a bit of a lurch from the track about the 48 milepost. I wouldn’t normally report it but I see you’ve got the platelayers at your box, maybe you could get them to go and have a look.” The problem being that the Network Rail van outside the box belonged to the electrician who was PAT testing the microwave...
 

Tom Quinne

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Really? I often see that in a customer service context, as in "making a goodwill payment" = making a payment where it's not strictly required, in order to smooth over a problem.
Also in company takeovers, where the good will (=good reputation) of the company being bought is seen as a valued asset. See also https://www.investopedia.com/terms/g/goodwill.asp

I meant from staff...no morale, no goodwill.
 

DarloRich

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The use of the variant spelling "shew" for "show" - I've only ever seen it in a railway context, and there's someone on one of the forums who insists on using it in their posts. Makes you pause every time.

I have seen it written and heard it used in Scotland. It is an archaic term
 

Taunton

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The standard British road sign for a level crossing is surely an obsolete image

Crossing.JPG
 

DanDaDriver

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When the signaller pulls off the dolly but because of the weather your train starts picking it’s feet up. So you shut off and whistle at the platelayer.
 

PHILIPE

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Passengers changed to Customers, just doesn't sound right.
Buffet Attendants to Customer Hosts
 

GW43125

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I'm sure I'm not the only one who, out of habit, would ask a clerk for a ticket "with a Young Persons" rather than the 16-25 Railcard as it's now known.

It's been called 16-25 since before I got mine but I still use young persons'!
 

tsr

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Train Manager instead of Guard

Other way round really. "Train Manager" is a far more appropriate title than "Guard" in this day and age. Although the "Guard" of a train will still, today, be able to protect the line in an accident, it's not a widely-understood meaning of the word, which has more military or security connotations than the fairly neutral and yet descriptive term "Train Manager".

The title which really winds me up is "Conductor". It's a stupidly ambiguous term on the railway (think "Route Conductors" versus "Conductors" and you'll see what I mean). I fail to see how the word "Conductor" gives any gravity or sense to the actual responsibilities of a guard, nor does it really imply anything to do with the fairly advanced level of customer service they can (or should) actually offer a passenger.

Do drivers and guards still refer to signals as 'boards' or 'sticks'?

Not sure if this is more of a semaphore one - I only have a handful of semaphores in my area now, which may be why I don't generally hear it.

Or 'peg'?

I always think to myself "we've got the board" when the signal turns green.

I hear "we've got the road" far more often. Which to be fair is a little bit old-fashioned.

Very rare but Platelayer in reference to permanent way track workers. Heard it used in the recording of the radio call in the Egmonton near miss a couple of years ago. I do wonder if it is more common in the north of England or old grouping LNER routes than grouping GWR or SR?

I don't work on ex (and - if we must - current) LNER routes, but the name "Platelayers' Hut" is regularly used to describe any random small lineside shed which isn't a TP hut! "P-way" (permanent way) is a much more common name for the workers themselves. "Permanent way" is something I think is also a little archaic, but I think it's a fantastic turn of phrase really. :)

The standard British road sign for a level crossing is surely an obsolete image

Specifically used for an open crossing (without barriers) - I think it is meant to depict an unambiguous train shape to describe the sort of object you may encounter in your path when the road and railway intersect. The sign for a barriered crossing is obviously just a fence shape - again a bit old-fashioned, and probably less understandable on the whole.

When the signaller pulls off the dolly but because of the weather your train starts picking it’s feet up. So you shut off and whistle at the platelayer.

Almost all Electrostars have whistles, so I'm not really sure that bit is always archaic... ;)
 

ComUtoR

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When the signaller pulls off the dolly but because of the weather your train starts picking it’s feet up. So you shut off and whistle at the platelayer.

The Signaller pulls the road and when the dummy clears, after checking the feathers, you swing it round and then remember there is a Metal Mickey so you knock it off then if it picks up; throw it in and blow up when you see the PWay and if you don't it's just belt and braces.
 
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ComUtoR

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Almost all Electrostars have whistles, so I'm not really sure that bit is always archaic... ;)

They have a whistle and a horn. What is the new modern equivalent ? The computer plays an audio file :/ A Speaker ?

FYI I only tend to use the whistle when clanging and banging.
 

eisenach

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The use of the variant spelling "shew" for "show" - I've only ever seen it in a railway context, and there's someone on one of the forums who insists on using it in their posts. Makes you pause every time.

I think the King James Bible and the Book of Common Prayer could shew you plenty more examples.

I like it! I am that poster (there may be others) and claim my £5.
 

mailbyrail

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I remember overhearing a conversation not that long ago between two staff members about the cause of a delay to their train by the one in front.
'They had to knock out a cripple'. Any other unsuspecting passenger in earshot could have been most concerned.
 
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