0-9, A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I, J, K, L, M, N, O, P, Q, R, S, T, U, V, W, X, Y, Z, [Contents]
0-9,
A,
B,
C,
D,
E,
F,
G,
H,
I,
J,
K,
L,
M,
N,
O,
P,
Q,
R,
S,
T,
U,
V,
W,
X, Y,
Z, [Contents]
ABCL
An automatic level crossing
equipped with half barriers and road traffic light signals at which the correct
operation of the crossing equipment is monitored by the train driver.
Warrant: The History & Development of Railway Signalling in the British
Isles, Friends of the National Railway Museum
Plural form: ABCLs
USE automatic barrier crossing locally monitored
CL Control and communications
BT automatic barrier crossing
absence switch 
A switch which, when
operated, allows a signal box to be destaffed for a period, by registering
telephone calls to that signal box.
Warrant: The History & Development
of Railway Signalling in the British Isles, Friends of the National Railway
Museum
Plural form: absence switches
CL Control and communications
BT <telephone exchanges, switchgear, etc.>
Abt rack locomotive
A locomotive operating on a
type of rack railway patented by R. Abt in 1882 with teeth cut in narrow
vertical bars, 2 or more bars being mounted side by side with their teeth
stepped.
Warrant: Science Museum Catalogue
Plural form: Abt rack
locomotives
CL Vehicles and vehicle components
BT rack locomotive
abutment
The supporting structure on
each side of an arch or bridge.
Warrant: Encyclopedia of Railways, O S Nock,
1977
Plural form: abutments
CL Built works and components
BT bridge component
access agreement
An agreement regulated under
the Railway Act 1993 setting out the terms and conditions under which
companies/operators obtain access to railway track, stations and depots.
Warrant: Railtrack Jargon Buster, 1999
Plural form: access agreements
CL Commercial records and equipment
BT <administration>
access component
A railway vehicle component
that allows access to and from the vehicle interior.
Literary warrant
required.
Plural form: access components
CL Vehicles and vehicle components
BT bodywork component
NT gangway component
NT hatch component
NT mail exchange apparatus (vehicle assembly)
NT traductor
NT vehicle door
NT vehicle door component
NT <foot and hand holds>
<access tools and equipment>
Equipment used for gaining
access to places that can not be reached without help.
Plural form:
<access tools and equipment>
CL Tools and equipment
BT <general tools and equipment>
NT access tower
access tower
A mechanical personnel lift
for enabling access to signals, lamps and other equipment situated high off the
ground.
Literary warrant required.
Plural form: access towers
CL Tools and equipment
BT <access tools and equipment>
accommodation bridge
A bridge connecting two
areas of land which were under common ownership but separated when the railway
was built.
Warrant: Railtrack Jargon Buster, 1999
Plural form:
accommodation bridges
CL Built works and components
BT <bridges by origin>
accommodation level crossing
A private level crossing
provided for the use of the landowner or his tenants when a parcel of land under
single ownership has been severed by construction of a railway.
Warrant: The
Railway Dictionary, An A-Z of Railway Terminology, Alan A Jackson, Alan Sutton
Publishing, 1996
Plural form: accommodation level crossings
CL Control and communications
BT <level crossings by type>
accompanied article ticket
A ticket for an article
accompanying a passenger on their journey.
Literary warrant required.
Plural form: accompanied article tickets
CL Commercial records and equipment
BT travel ticket
NT accompanied dog ticket
NT accompanied luggage ticket
accompanied dog ticket
A ticket for a dog
travelling with a passenger.
Literary warrant required.
Plural form:
accompanied dog tickets
CL Commercial records and equipment
BT accompanied article ticket
accompanied luggage ticket
A ticket for an object
carried by a passenger, not covered by the normal luggage allowances (e.g. a
musical instrument).
Literary warrant required.
Plural form: accompanied
luggage tickets
CL Commercial records and equipment
BT accompanied article ticket
NT commercial travellers luggage and samples ticket
<accounting plates, etc.>
Plates attached to wagons
(usually on the solebars) in order to indicate their status for RCH accounting
purposes.
Plural form: <accounting plates, etc.>
CL Vehicles and vehicle components
BT <vehicle identity and instruction plates>
NT commuted charge plate
NT commuted empty haulage plate
<accounting records and equipment>
Scope note required.
Plural form: <accounting records and equipment>
CL Commercial records and equipment
NT <parcel and freight traffic accounting>
NT <passenger traffic accounting>
accumulator (locomotive)
An apparatus for storing
electricity chemically (i.e. a secondary battery).
Warrant: Electric
Locomotives and Railways, H Greenly, no date p292
Plural form: accumulators
(locomotive)
CL Vehicles and vehicle components
BT <ancillary electrical equipment>
active suspension
Suspension using
microprocessor control to detect changes in track formation or direction and
signal changes in the suspension configuration.
Warrant: Railway Technical
Web Pages, Piers Connor, 2000
Plural form: active suspensions
CL Vehicles and vehicle components
BT suspension component
adaptor vehicle
A wagon or carriage fitted
with dual or multiple coupling systems to allow non-standard rolling stock (e.g.
vehicles built for overseas railway systems) to be hauled by British locomotives
or marshalled in trains next to rolling stock equiped with normal buffing and
drawgear. Sometimes referred to 'barriers' but in this thesaurus that term is
reserved for vehicles surrounding dangerous loads.
Literary warrant
required.
Plural form: adaptor vehicles
CL Vehicles and vehicle components
BT runner (vehicle)
NT adaptor wagon
NT barrier coach
adaptor wagon
A wagon fitted with dual or
multiple coupling systems to allow non-standard rolling stock to be hauled by
British locomotives or marshalled in trains next to rolling stock equipped with
normal buffing and drawgear.
Literary warrant required.
Plural form:
adaptor wagons
CL Vehicles and vehicle components
BT adaptor vehicle
adhesion railway
The basic railway, i.e. a
flanged steel wheel travelling a plain steel rail.
Warrant: Phil Atkins,
National Railway Museum
Plural form: adhesion railways
CL Railway types
BT <self-propelled railways by adhesion method>
adjustment switch
A device which allows
longitudinal rail movement to dissipate thermal forces when continuous welded
rail is adjacent to jointed track.
Warrant: Railtrack Jargon Buster, 1999
Plural form: adjustment switches
CL Track and track components
BT rail joint
<administration>
Scope note required.
Plural form: <administration>
CL Commercial records and equipment
NT access agreement
NT boiler certificate
NT qualified take over certificate
NT share offer
Adriatic locomotive
A steam locomotive with
2-6-4 wheel arrangement.
Warrant: The Railway Dictionary, An A-Z of Railway
Terminology, Alan A Jackson, Alan Sutton Publishing, 1996
Plural form:
Adriatics locomotive
CL Vehicles and vehicle components
BT six coupled locomotive
advanced starter
A stop signal placed in
advance of the starting signal.
Warrant: The Railway Dictionary, An A-Z of
Railway Terminology, Alan A Jackson, Alan Sutton Publishing, 1996
Plural
form: advanced starters
CL Control and communications
BT starting signal
advert
A colloquial abbreviation for
advertisement.
Warrant: Oxford English Dictionary
Plural form:
adverts
USE advertisement
CL Commercial records and equipment
BT <advertising and publicity>
advertisement
Scope note required.
Literary warrant required.
Plural form: advertisements
UF advert
CL Commercial records and equipment
BT <advertising and publicity>
NT enamel advertising sign
<advertising and publicity>
Scope note required.
Plural form: <advertising and publicity>
CL Commercial records and equipment
NT advertisement
NT advertising poster
NT advertising sign
NT handbill
NT handbill rack
NT map
NT poster
NT prospectus
NT timetable
NT timetable frame
NT timetable holder
NT timetable leaflet
NT timetable notice
NT <destination, etc. indicating labels>
advertising poster
Scope note required.
Literary warrant required.
Plural form: advertising posters
CL Commercial records and equipment
BT <advertising and publicity>
advertising sign
A commercial advertisement
made for display on railway premises.
Literary warrant required.
Plural
form: advertising signs
CL Commercial records and equipment
BT <advertising and publicity>
advice note
Accounting form or docket
used to record and communicate the existence of a financial obligation owed to
or by the company.
Warrant: Lexique General de Termes Ferroviares, Union
Internationale des Chemins de Fer, 1975
Plural form: advice notes
CL Commercial records and equipment
BT <parcel and freight traffic accounting>
aeroplane truck
A bogie or trestle wagon for
transporting aircraft or large aircraft components.
Literary warrant
required.
Plural form: aeroplane trucks
CL Vehicles and vehicle components
BT <other special traffic vehicles>
agricultural implement wagon
A railway vehicle intended
primarily for the carriage of agricultural implements.
Warrant: Wagons on
the LNER - North British, John Hooper, Irwell Press, 1991 p60
Plural form:
agricultural implement wagons
CL Vehicles and vehicle components
BT <machinery, etc. carrying vehicles>
agricultural railway
A railway built purely for
the movement of agricultural produce.
Warrant: The Lincolnshire Potato
Railways, S E Squires, The Oakwood Press, 1987
Plural form: agricultural
railways
CL Railway types
BT freight railway
NT potato railway
RT estate railway
air assisted discharge vehicle
Freight vehicles, typically
for conveying powdered materials in bulk, in which the load is discharged with
the aid of compressed air.
Literary warrant required.
Plural form: air
assisted discharge vehicles
CL Vehicles and vehicle components
BT <rolling stock by access/discharge arrangements>
air brake
A braking system in which
brakes are held off by compressed air acting on a piston and applied by the
controlled release of pressure.
Warrant: Great Western Railway Drawing
Registers
Plural form: air brakes
CL Vehicles and vehicle components
BT braking system
air brake ON indicator
Scope note required.
Literary warrant required.
Plural form: air brake ON indicators
CL Vehicles and vehicle components
BT <ancillary gauges and instrumentation>
RT <brake controls>
air brake pipe
Scope note required.
Literary warrant required.
Plural form: air brake pipes
CL Vehicles and vehicle components
BT brake pipe
air braked vehicle
A vehicle fitted with
continuous air brakes.
Literary warrant required.
Plural form: air
braked vehicles
CL Vehicles and vehicle components
BT fully fitted vehicle
NT Westinghouse braked vehicle
air conditioning
The equipment for cleaning
and controlliing the temperature and humidity of the air in a vehicle or
room.
Warrant: Encyclopedia of Railways, O S Nock, 1977
Plural form: air
conditioning
CL Vehicles and vehicle components
BT <environmental control components>
air horn
An audible warning device
operated by compressed air.
Warrant: Locomotive Cyclopedia 1950-1952,
Simmons-Boardman Publishing Corporation
Plural form: air horns
CL Vehicles and vehicle components
BT horn (acoustic)
air operated reverser
A reversing mechanism used
on locomotives equipped with compressors for air brake operation.
Warrant:
Railway Technical Web Pages, Piers Connor, 2000
Plural form: air operated
reversers
CL Vehicles and vehicle components
BT reverser
<air pipes, reservoirs, etc.>
General purpose air pipes,
hoses, reservoirs, etc. that serve a range of on-train pneumatic systems, not
just brakes. For pipes and reservoirs exclusively for brake operation, see
'braking system component','<brake pipes, reservoirs, etc>'.
Plural
form: <air pipes, reservoirs, etc>
CL Vehicles and vehicle components
BT <pneumatic system infrastructure>
NT filtered main line isolating cock
NT main line air gauge
NT main line isolating cock control
NT main reservoir
NT main reservoir pipe
air pump (brake)
A device for maintaining a
reservoir of compressed air, fitted to locomotives to enable the operation of
the brakes.
Warrant: Locomotives and Their Working, C R H Simpson & F B
Roberts, Virtue & Co Ltd, 1952
Plural form: air pumps (brake)
CL Vehicles and vehicle components
BT <brake pumps, etc.>
NT steam/air pump
<air pumps, etc.>
General purpose air pumps
that serve a range of on-train pneumatic systems, not just brakes. For pumps
exclusively for brake operation, see 'braking system component', '<brake
pumps, etc.>'.
Plural form: <air pumps, etc.>
CL Vehicles and vehicle components
BT <pneumatic system infrastructure>
ale truck
A special wagon dedicated
to the conveyance of beer (normally in casks). Warrant: Phil Atkins, National
Railway Museum
Plural form: ale trucks
USE beer van
CL Vehicles and vehicle components
BT <beer, etc. carrying vehicles>
ale van
A railway vehicle dedicated
to the carriage of ale casks.
Plural form: ale vans
USE beer van
CL Vehicles and vehicle components
BT <beer, etc. carrying vehicles>
ale wagon
A special wagon dedicated
to the conveyance of beer (normally in casks). Warrant: Phil Atkins, National
Railway Museum
Plural form: ale wagons
USE beer van
CL Vehicles and vehicle components
BT <beer, etc. carrying vehicles>
alias plate
A plate which indicates the
radio identification number for a signal, in cases where this differs from the
signal number.
Warrant: The History & Development of Railway Signalling
in the British Isles, Friends of the National Railway Museum
Plural form:
alias plates
CL Control and communications
BT signal identification plate
Allan valve gear
Valve gear type designed by
Alexander Allan, similar to Stephenson valve gear but the reversing lever moved
both the link and the block at the same time instead of only the link, enabling
the link to be made straight and of less vertical height.
Warrant:
Developments in Locomotive Practice, Bowen Cooke, 1910
Plural form: Allan
valve gears
CL Vehicles and vehicle components
BT valve gear
allocation plate
A cast plate that indicates
the name or code of the motive power depot or sub-depot to which the locomotive
or unit is currently allocated.
Literary warrant required.
Plural form:
allocation plates
UF shed plate
CL Vehicles and vehicle components
BT <owners identity plates>
alphanumeric route indicator
A route indicator that
conveys its information by alphanumeric characters.
Warrant: The History
& Development of Railway Signalling in the British Isles, Friends of the
National Railway Museum
Plural form: alphanumeric route indicators
CL Control and communications
BT route indicator
alternator
A machine which converts
rotary mechanical energy to electrical energy and generates alternating
current.
Warrant: Encyclopedia of Railways, O S Nock, 1977
Plural form:
alternators
CL Vehicles and vehicle components
BT <ancillary electrical equipment>
alumina wagon
A special vehicle dedicated
to the conveyance of alumina (bauxite).
Warrant: Phil Atkins, National
Railway Museum
Plural form: alumina wagons
CL Vehicles and vehicle components
BT <mineral carrying vehicles>
aluminium works railway
A private mineral railway
used to convey raw material materials and finished products between an aluminium
works and the transhipment point.
Warrant: The Lochaber Narrow Gauge Railway,
Patrick Howat, Famedram Publishing Ltd, 1986
Plural form: aluminium works
railways
CL Railway types
BT factory railway
ambulance car
Scope note required.
Literary warrant required.
Plural form: ambulance cars
CL Vehicles and vehicle components
BT <passenger carriages by function>
ambulance train
A train of passenger railway
stock specially converted for the conveyance of wounded military personnel.
Warrant: Phil Atkins, National Railway Museum
Plural form: ambulance
trains
CL Vehicles and vehicle components
BT passenger train
anchor link
The link in Joy's valve gear
running between a fixed fulcrum point on the motion bracket and the connecting
link.
Warrant: Valves and Valve Gear for Steam Locomotives, C S Lake & A
Reidinger, Percival Marshall & Co. Ltd, undated
Plural form: anchor
links
CL Vehicles and vehicle components
BT valve gear component
<ancillary controls>
Scope note required.
Plural form: <ancillary controls>
CL Vehicles and vehicle components
BT <driving and control components>
NT de-icing control
NT sleet brush manual control
NT train equipment panel
<ancillary electrical equipment>
Scope note required.
Plural form: <ancillary electrical equipment>
CL Vehicles and vehicle components
BT vehicle component
NT accumulator (locomotive)
NT alternator
NT battery (vehicle)
NT bridge rectifier
NT cut out
NT electric motor
NT isolating contactor
NT isolation equipment
NT knife switch
NT tachogenerator
NT <fault detection and safety equipment>
<ancillary gauges and instrumentation>
Scope note required.
Plural form: <ancillary gauges and instrumentation>
CL Vehicles and vehicle components
BT <driving and control components>
NT air brake ON indicator
NT aniseed bomb
NT audible alarms indicator
NT cab display unit
NT cab indicator
NT de-icing ON indicator
NT flag switch
NT flag (coast)
NT flag (weak field)
NT line light
NT overload trip and test indicator
NT sleet brush DOWN indicator
angle cock
A pneumatic isolating cock
used on railway vehicles to shut off and on, or drain air pipes between
vehicles, normally positioned at vehicle ends to allow the inter-connecting
hoses to be isolated and depressurised before being uncoupled.
Warrant:
Railway Technical Web Pages, Piers Connor, 2000
Plural form: angle cocks
CL Vehicles and vehicle components
BT <brake pipes, reservoirs, etc.>
<animal motive power>
Any animal (including human
beings) moving (by propelling or pulling) a railway or tramway vehicle.
Plural form: <animal motive power>
CL Vehicles and vehicle components
BT <off-track motive power>
NT draught animal
NT human prime mover
animal powered railway
A railway on which trains
are hauled by animals (including humans).
Literary warrant required.
Plural form: animal powered railways
CL Railway types
BT <traction source moving with train>
NT horse railway
aniseed bomb
A device mounted inside a
steam locomotive big end which gives warning of overheating by emitting a
distinctive aniseed smell.
Warrant: Locomotives of the LNER, Part 2A, The
Railway Correspondence and Travel Society, 1973
Plural form: aniseed
bombs
CL Vehicles and vehicle components
BT <ancillary gauges and instrumentation>
announcer control unit
Scope note required.
Literary warrant required.
Plural form: announcer control units
CL Tools and equipment
BT <station tools and equipment>
annunciator (station announcer)
Scope note required.
Literary warrant required.
Plural form: annunciators (station announcer)
CL Tools and equipment
BT <station tools and equipment>
annunciator (track circuit)
A device giving a remote
audible indication of the passage of a train at any given point.
Warrant:
The Railway Dictionary, An A-Z of Railway Terminology, Alan A Jackson, Alan
Sutton Publishing, 1996
Plural form: annunciators
CL Control and communications
BT <control displays and indicators>
anticlimb buffer
Scope note required.
Literary warrant required.
Plural form: anticlimb buffers
CL Vehicles and vehicle components
BT buffer
antispall layer
Scope note required.
Literary warrant required.
Plural form: antispall layers
CL Vehicles and vehicle components
BT <power collection components>
anti-vacuum valve
A valve provided on engines
with piston valves to allow air into the steam passages while the locomotive is
moving with the regulator closed.
Warrant: Locomotives and Their Working, C
R H Simpson & F B Roberts, Virtue & Co Ltd, 1952
Plural form:
anti-vacuum valves
CL Vehicles and vehicle components
BT <cylinders and associated components>
apron (rolling stock)
A metal platform between a
locomotive and tender or between passenger cars.
Warrant: The Railway
Dictionary, An A-Z of Railway Terminology, Alan A Jackson, Alan Sutton
Publishing, 1996
Plural form: aprons (rolling stock)
CL Vehicles and vehicle components
BT <bodywork areas>
arc protection
Materials used to protect
vehicles or other equipment from damage due to heavy current arcing.
Warrant: LUL Jargon Buster
Plural form: arc protections
CL Unattributed
BT <unattributed>
arc splash protection
Materials used to protect
vehicles or other equipment from the effects of damage caused by incandescent
particles.
Warrant: LUL Jargon Buster
Plural form: arc splash
protections
CL Unattributed
BT <unattributed>
arch rail
A curved horizontal rail
forming the top part of the framing of a vehicle body end.
Warrant: Railway
Carriages and Wagons: Their design and construction (reprinted articles from The
Railway Engineer 1892-7), Sidney Stone, republished by Peter Kay, circa 1997 Fig
469
Plural form: arch rails
CL Vehicles and vehicle components
BT end framing
NT deck roof arch rail
area post
Scope note required.
Literary warrant required.
Plural form: area posts
CL Unidentified
BT <unidentified terms>
<areas within vehicle body>
Scope note required.
Plural form: <areas within vehicle body>
CL Vehicles and vehicle components
BT bodywork component
NT cab
NT compartment
NT corridor
NT gangway
NT gangway area
NT saloon
NT vestibule
arm repeater
An electrical indicator
which shows the position of a semaphore signal arm to the controlling
signalman.
Warrant: Railtrack London & North Eastern, A Glossary of
Railway Terms, October 1998
Plural form: arm repeaters
CL Control and communications
BT <signal confirmation>
armature
The revolving part of a DC
electric machine which has fixed poles which are continually excited in a
surrounding frame. Also the moving part of an electric relay.
Warrant:
Electric Locomotives and Railways, H Greenly, no date p52
Plural form:
armatures
CL Vehicles and vehicle components
BT <electric motor components>
armorial device
Heraldic or pseudo-heraldic
device used as the insignia of the Railway Company. Often used on locomotives,
passenger rolling stock, uniform buttons, stationery and official
publications.
Warrant: Railway Heraldry, G Dow, David & Charles, 1973
Plural form: armorial devices
CL Commercial records and equipment
BT <corporate identity>
armour plate wagon
A special vehicle dedicated
to the conveyance of armour plate.
Warrant: The LMS Wagon, R J Essery & K
R Morgan, David & Charles, 1977
Plural form: armour plate wagons
CL Vehicles and vehicle components
BT plate wagon
armoured train
A formation of vehicles
armoured for military purposes.
Warrant: The Armoured Train, G Balfour, B T
Batsford Ltd, 1981
Plural form: armoured trains
CL Vehicles and vehicle components
BT <trains by form>
articulated carriage
A railway carriage which
shares a single bogie at one or both ends with the next vehicle in the
train.
Literary warrant required.
Plural form: articulated carriages
CL Vehicles and vehicle components
BT <passenger carriages by wheel arrangement>
articulated girder wagon set
A set of special freight
vehicles for carrying long beams.
Literary warrant required.
Plural
form: articulated girder wagon sets
CL Vehicles and vehicle components
BT girder wagon
articulated locomotive
A steam locomotive which has
two sets of cylinders each driving an independent group of wheels supporting two
sets of frames joined by a pivot or hinged joint.
Warrant: Encyclopedia of
Railways, O S Nock, 1977
Plural form: articulated locomotives
CL Vehicles and vehicle components
BT <locomotives by wheel arrangement>
articulated vehicle
A vehicle consisting of two
sections permanently coupled together with a flexible connection.
Literary
warrant required.
Plural form: articulated vehicles
CL Vehicles and vehicle components
BT <rolling stock by wheel arrangement>
<artificial lighting components>
Scope note required.
Plural form: <artificial lighting components>
CL Vehicles and vehicle components
BT lighting component (vehicle)
NT cab lighting
NT carriage lamp
NT carriage roof lamp protector
NT coach lamp
NT ducket lamp
NT gas roof lamp
NT headlight
NT locomotive lamp
NT vehicle lamp
asbestos removal staff changing room (vehicle)
A railway vehicle used to
provide changing facilities for railway employees or contractors engaged in the
removal of asbestos from railway vehicles or premises.
Warrant: Departmental
Coaching Stock, Roger Butcher & Peter Fox, Platform 5 Publishing Ltd, 3rd
edition, 1987
Plural form: asbestos removal staff changing rooms
(vehicles)
CL Vehicles and vehicle components
BT staff changing coach
ash
The residue remaining from
the burning of coal.
Warrant: Locomotives and Their Working, C R H Simpson
& F B Roberts, Virtue & Co Ltd, 1952
Plural form: ashes
CL Vehicles and vehicle components
BT spent fuel
RT ash ballast
ash ballast
Scope note required.
Warrant: Locomotives and Their Working, C R H Simpson & F B Roberts, Virtue
& Co Ltd, 1952
Plural form: ash ballast
CL Track and track components
BT ballast
RT ash
ash box
Scope note required.
Literary warrant required.
Plural form: ash boxes
CL Vehicles and vehicle components
BT ash disposal component
ash disposal component
Scope note required.
Literary warrant required.
Plural form: ash disposal components
CL Vehicles and vehicle components
BT <fuel storage and handling components>
NT ash box
NT ashpan
NT hopper ashpan
ashpan
A box structure fitted below
the firebox of a steam locomotive to catch the hot ashes falling from the
grate.
Warrant: Locomotives and Their Working, C R H Simpson & F B
Roberts, Virtue & Co Ltd, 1952
Plural form: ashpans
CL Vehicles and vehicle components
BT ash disposal component
<asset management>
Scope note required.
Plural form: <asset management>
CL Commercial records and equipment
NT <corporate identity>
NT <ownership markers>
NT <stock registers>
asset plate
A plate attached to
equipment to indicate ownership.
Literary warrant required.
Plural form:
asset plates
CL Commercial records and equipment
BT <ownership markers>
asset register
A register of equipment
owned by a particular company.
Literary warrant required.
Plural form:
asset registers
CL Commercial records and equipment
BT <stock registers>
ATC ramp
A train warning ramp laid
between running lines indicating the aspect of a distant signal.
Warrant:
Two Centuries of Railway Signalling, G Kichenside & A Williams, Oxford
Publishing Company, 1998
Plural form: ATC ramps
CL Control and communications
BT automatic train control equipment
Atlantic locomotive
A steam locomotive with
4-4-2 wheel arrangement.
Warrant: Locomotive Cyclopedia of American
Practice, 13th Edition, 1947
Plural form: atlantics
CL Vehicles and vehicle components
BT four coupled locomotive
atmospheric engine house
A building housing the
equipment and machinery used for the operation of the atmospheric propulsion
system.
Warrant: Atmospheric Railways, C Hadfield, David & Charles, 1967
Plural form: atmospheric engine houses
UF engine house (atmospheric haulage)
CL Built works and components
BT <atmospheric propulsion structures and equipment>
RT pumphouse
atmospheric pipe
A pipe utilising negative
pressure (vacuum) to propel locomotives affixed to a piston within the pipe.
Warrant: Atmospheric Railways, C Hadfield, David & Charles, 1967
Plural
form: atmospheric pipes
CL Track and track components
BT vacuum propulsion track component
<atmospheric propulsion structures and
equipment>
For vacuum tubes, etc.
forming part of the track see Track and track components.
Plural form:
<atmospheric propulsion structures and equipment>
CL Built works and components
BT <stationary propulsion structures and equipment>
NT atmospheric engine house
atmospheric railcar
A vehicle moved by
atmospheric propulsion.
Warrant: Atmospheric Railways, C Hadfield, David
& Charles, 1967
Plural form: atmospheric railcars
CL Vehicles and vehicle components
BT atmospheric railway stock
atmospheric railway
A system of traction tried
in the mid 19th century. Air was partially evacuated from the pipe, in which a
piston travelled, by a stationary steam engine. The train was coupled to the
piston carriage. The vacuum created was sufficient to pull the train
forward.
Warrant: The Railway Dictionary, An A-Z of Railway Terminology,
Alan A Jackson, Alan Sutton Publishing, 1996
Plural form: atmospheric
railways
CL Railway types
BT <stationary traction source>
atmospheric railway stock
Rolling stock operated upon
an atmospheric railway.
Warrant: Phil Atkins, National Railway Museum
Plural form: atmospheric railway stock
CL Vehicles and vehicle components
BT fixed propulsion stock
NT atmospheric railcar
atmospheric tube
A pipe utilising negative
pressure (vacuum) to propel locomotives affixed to a piston within the pipe.
Warrant: Atmospheric Railways, C Hadfield, David & Charles, 1967
Plural
form: atmospheric tubes
CL Track and track components
BT vacuum propulsion track component
ATP by-pass switch
Scope note required.
Literary warrant required.
Plural form: ATP by-pass switches
CL Vehicles and vehicle components
BT <on-train automatic train protection equipment>
attendant path
On a horse powered railway,
the path where the person holding the horse's head walks at the side of the
railway.
Warrant: Jim Rees, Beamish North of England Open Air Museum
Plural form: attendant paths
CL Track and track components
BT walkway
audible alarms indicator
Scope note required.
Literary warrant required.
Plural form: audible alarms indicators
CL Vehicles and vehicle components
BT <ancillary gauges and instrumentation>
audible fog signal
A sound emitting device used
to bring the attention of drivers to the aspect of a distant signal or the
presence of a temporary speed restriction.
Warrant: An Illustrated History of
Signalling, M A Vanns, Ian Allan Publishing, 1997
Plural form: audible fog
signals
CL Control and communications
BT <audible signals>
<audible signals>
Scope note required.
Plural form: <audible signals>
CL Control and communications
BT <signals>
NT audible fog signal
NT detonator
NT detonator container
NT detonator placer
NT fog rattle
NT fogging lever frame
NT shunters bell
auto announcer indicator
Scope note required.
Literary warrant required.
Plural form: auto announcer indicators
CL Control and communications
BT <central control>
autocoupler
A device which couples two
train units together mechanically, electrically and pneumatically without the
intervention of a shunter or guard.
Warrant: LUL Jargon Buster
Plural
form: autocouplers
CL Vehicles and vehicle components
BT coupling
autocoupler contact block
An arrangement of spring
loaded connections within the autocoupler, providing the electrical coupling
between vehicles.
Warrant: LUL Jargon Buster
Plural form: autocoupler
contact blocks
CL Vehicles and vehicle components
BT coupling component
autocoupler control
Scope note required.
Literary warrant required.
Plural form: autocoupler controls
CL Vehicles and vehicle components
BT <autocoupler controls>
RT autocoupler
<autocoupler controls>
Scope note required.
Plural form: <autocoupler controls>
CL Vehicles and vehicle components
BT <driving and control components>
NT autocoupler control
NT uncoupler switch
NT uncoupler unit
NT uncoupler unit control
autocoupler wedge
The mechanical part of the
wedgelock autocoupler which locks the adjacent tongues when coupled.
Warrant: LUL Jargon Buster
Plural form: autocoupler wedges
UF wedge (coupling component)
CL Vehicles and vehicle components
BT coupling component
autodriver box
Scope note required.
Literary warrant required.
Plural form: autodriver boxes
CL Vehicles and vehicle components
BT <unidentified vehicle components>
automatic air brake
An automatic brake system
whose control is by means of a compressed air pipe which must be kept charged to
release the brakes.
Warrant: LUL Jargon Buster
Plural form: automatic
air brakes
CL Vehicles and vehicle components
BT continuous brake
NT Westinghouse brake
automatic barrier
A level crossing barrier
which is actuated by approaching trains.
Warrant: Lexique General de Termes
Ferroviares, Union Internationale des Chemins de Fer, 1975
Plural form:
automatic barriers
CL Control and communications
BT level crossing barrier
automatic barrier crossing
An automatic level crossing
equipped with half barriers and road traffic light signals.
Literary warrant
required.
Plural form: automatic barrier crossings
CL Control and communications
BT automatic level crossing
NT automatic barrier crossing locally monitored
NT automatic half-barrier crossing
automatic barrier crossing locally monitored
An automatic level crossing
equipped with half barriers and road traffic light signals at which the correct
operation of the crossing equipment is monitored by the train driver.
Warrant: The History & Development of Railway Signalling in the British
Isles, Friends of the National Railway Museum
Plural form: automatic barrier
crossings locally monitored
UF ABCL
UF crossing locally monitored
CL Control and communications
BT automatic barrier crossing
automatic brake
A system of braking
some or all vehicles in a train simultaneously under the control of driver or
guard which is also self-applying in the event of severance of the train or
other failure in the normal running pressure.
Warrant: The Railway
Dictionary, An A-Z of Railway Terminology, Alan A Jackson, Alan Sutton
Publishing, 1996
Plural form: automatic brakes
USE continuous brake
CL Vehicles and vehicle components
BT braking system
RT passenger emergency communication
automatic brake valve
Scope note required.
Literary warrant required.
Plural form: automatic brake valves
CL Vehicles and vehicle components
BT <slave brake actuators>
automatic coupler
A coupler allowing two
vehicles to be attached to each other merely by pushing the vehicles
together.
Warrant: Modern Railway Working, A Practical Treatise by
Engineering and Administrative Experts, John Macaulay (Ed), The Gresham
Publishing Company, 1914
Plural form: automatic couplers
CL Vehicles and vehicle components
BT coupling
automatic half-barrier crossing
An automatic level crossing
equipped with half-barriers, road traffic light signals and telephones
communicating with the supervising signal box.
Warrant: The History &
Development of Railway Signalling in the British Isles, Friends of the National
Railway Museum
Plural form: automatic half-barrier crossings
UF half barrier crossing
CL Control and communications
BT automatic barrier crossing
automatic level crossing
A level crossing which is
operated by approaching trains and not interlocked with protecting signals. Road
traffic signals are provided.
Warrant: Railtrack London & North Eastern,
A Glossary of Railway Terms, October 1998
Plural form: automatic level
crossings
CL Control and communications
BT <level crossings by operation>
NT automatic barrier crossing
NT automatic open crossing
<automatic level crossing actuation
equipment>
Train approach detecting
equipment for instigating the operation of automatic level crossings. For manual
controls see <point and signal actuation> - <central control> or
<local control>.
Plural form: <automatic level crossing actuation
equipment>
CL Control and communications
BT <level crossing operating equipment>
NT Fredy
automatic locomotive superheater flue tube damper
motor
A motor, usually steam,
which operates the dampers fitted to stop cold air being drawn through the super
heater flues.
Warrant: Steam Locomotion, E C Poultney & C R H Simpson,
Caxton Publishing Company, 1951
Plural form: automatic locomotive
superheater flue tube damper motors
CL Vehicles and vehicle components
BT superheater component
automatic open crossing
An automatic level crossing
equipped with road traffic signals only. Barriers are not provided.
Literary
warrant required.
Plural form: automatic open crossings
CL Control and communications
BT automatic level crossing
NT automatic open crossing locally monitored
NT automatic open crossing remotely monitored
automatic open crossing locally monitored
An automatic level crossing
equipped with road traffic signals at which the correct operation of the
crossing equipment is monitored by the train driver. Barriers are not
provided.
Warrant: The History & Development of Railway Signalling in
the British Isles, Friends of the National Railway Museum
Plural form:
automatic open crossings locally monitored
CL Control and communications
BT automatic open crossing
automatic open crossing remotely monitored
An automatic level crossing
equipped with road traffic signs but without barriers which is monitored
remotely from a signal box.
Warrant: The History & Development of
Railway Signalling in the British Isles, Friends of the National Railway Museum
Plural form: automatic open crossings remotely monitored
CL Control and communications
BT automatic open crossing
automatic signal
A signal which operates
automatically as trains pass on and off track circuits ahead.
Warrant:
Railtrack Jargon Buster, 1999
Plural form: automatic signals
CL Control and communications
BT <signals by control method>
automatic train control equipment
Scope note required.
Warrant: Lexique General de Termes Ferroviares, Union Internationale des Chemins
de Fer, 1975
Plural form: automatic train control equipment
UF train protection system equipment
CL Control and communications
BT <automatic train protection equipment>
NT ATC ramp
NT Automatic Train Protection (ATP) equipment
NT Automatic Warning System (AWS) equipment
NT transponder
NT <mechanical brake tripping devices>
<automatic train control indicators>
Scope note required.
Plural form: <automatic train control indicators>
CL Vehicles and vehicle components
BT <driving and control components>
NT AWS indicator
NT cab signal
NT cancelling indicator (AWS)
NT tripcock delay indicator
automatic train protection
A system which will stop a
train automatically or regulate its speed if a driver fails to respond to signal
indication or speed restrictions.
Warrant: The Railway Dictionary, An A-Z of
Railway Terminology, Alan A Jackson, Alan Sutton Publishing, 1996
Plural
form: automatic train protection
CL Vehicles and vehicle components
BT <on-train automatic train protection equipment>
<automatic train protection equipment>
Systems that detect the
presence of a train on a particular section of track or detect the aspect of an
approaching signal and automatically set signals to danger or apply brakes to
prevent a possible collision.
Plural form: <automatic train protection
equipment>
CL Control and communications
BT <train protection equipment>
NT automatic train control equipment
NT <driver warning systems>
NT <train detection systems>
Automatic Train Protection (ATP) equipment
Scope note required.
Literary warrant required.
Plural form: Automatic Train Protection (ATP)
equipment
CL Control and communications
BT automatic train control equipment
NT balise
NT Q type relay
Automatic Warning System (AWS) equipment
A system that gives the
driver an audible and visual confirmation of clear and caution indications of
signals and applies the brake if the caution warning is not acknowledged.
Warrant: The Railway Dictionary, An A-Z of Railway Terminology, Alan A Jackson,
Alan Sutton Publishing, 1996
Plural form: Automatic Warning System (AWS)
equipment
UF AWS equipment
CL Control and communications
BT automatic train control equipment
NT AWS electro-magnet
avoiding line
A railway line diverging
from the main line in order to avoid going through a station or through a
town.
Warrant: Gordon Reed, Permanent Way Institution
Plural form:
avoiding lines
CL Track and track components
BT running line
NT goods avoiding line
AWS electro-magnet
The magnet installed between
the rails to actuate the automatic warning system on locomotives in conjunction
with a permanent magnet.
Warrant: Two Centuries of Railway Signalling, G
Kichenside & A Williams, Oxford Publishing Company, 1998
Plural form:
AWS electro-magnets
CL Control and communications
BT Automatic Warning System (AWS) equipment
AWS equipment
A system used to give
advance warning to drivers of a signal aspect, a speed restriction more than 30%
than the current limit.
Warrant: Railtrack Jargon Buster, 1999
Plural
form: AWS equipment
USE Automatic Warning System (AWS) equipment
CL Control and communications
BT automatic train control equipment
AWS indicator
The visual indication in the
locomotive cab of the last caution signal passed and the driver's
acknowledgement.
Warrant: Two Centuries of Railway Signalling, G Kichenside
& A Williams, Oxford Publishing Company, 1998
Plural form: AWS
indicators
CL Vehicles and vehicle components
BT <automatic train control indicators>
axle
The shaft connecting two
wheels to form a wheel set.
Warrant: Great Western Railway Drawing Registers
Plural form: axles
CL Vehicles and vehicle components
BT <wheel assemblies>
NT crank axle
axle bearing
Scope note required.
Literary warrant required.
Plural form: axle bearings
UF bearing (axle)
CL Vehicles and vehicle components
BT axlebox component
axle brush
An axle mounted slipping
contact used to provide a return path for power circuits on electric
vehicles.
Warrant: Railway Technical Web Pages, Piers Connor, 2000
Plural form: axle brushes
CL Vehicles and vehicle components
BT <power collection components>
axle counter
A track mounted equipment
which counts number of axles entering and leaving a track section at each
extremity, to determine whether line is occupied or clear.
Warrant:
Railtrack Jargon Buster, 1999
Plural form: axle counters
CL Control and communications
BT <train detection systems>
axle dolly
Scope note required.
Literary warrant required.
Plural form: axle dollies
CL Unidentified
BT <unidentified terms>
axlebox
This provides the bearing
between the axle and the locomotive or vehicle frame.
Warrant: Great Western
Railway Drawing Registers
Plural form: axleboxes
CL Vehicles and vehicle components
BT <wheel assemblies>
NT grease axlebox
NT oil axlebox
NT roller bearing axlebox
axlebox component
Scope note required.
Literary warrant required.
Plural form: axlebox components
CL Vehicles and vehicle components
BT <wheel assemblies>
NT axle bearing
NT axlebox cover
NT axlebox oil tray
NT axlebox over groove
axlebox cover
Outer cover for an axle box
designed to retain the lubricant and to prevent the ingress of foreign
objects.
Warrant: Lexique General de Termes Ferroviares, Union
Internationale des Chemins de Fer, 1975
Plural form: axlebox covers
CL Vehicles and vehicle components
BT axlebox component
axlebox oil tray
A reservoir under the
axlebox in which the oil pad sits to lubricate the journal.
Warrant: Steam
Locomotive Lubrication, P W Skellon, MIC Publications, 1997
Plural form:
axlebox oil trays
CL Vehicles and vehicle components
BT axlebox component
axlebox over groove
A groove in the crown of a
bearing to facilitate lubrication to evenly reach the whole journal.
Warrant: Steam Locomotive Lubrication, P W Skellon, MIC Publications, 1997
Plural form: axle-box over grooves
CL Vehicles and vehicle components
BT axlebox component
axleguard
The part of the frame in
which the axle-box slides up and down as acted on by the springs.
Warrant:
Oxford English Dictionary
Plural form: axleguards
CL Vehicles and vehicle components
BT suspension component
0-9, A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I, J, K, L, M, N, O, P, Q, R, S, T, U, V, W, X, Y, Z, [Contents]
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