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]
M door 
The door at the front of a
cab used for emergency detraining.
Warrant: LUL Jargon Buster
Plural
form: M doors
CL Vehicles and vehicle components
BT vehicle door
machine tool
Any power-operated machines,
such as lathes, used for general cutting and shaping of metal and other
substances.
Warrant: Art & Architecture Thesaurus, Getty Art History
Information Program, Oxford University Press, 1990
Plural form: machine
tools
CL Tools and equipment
BT engineering workshop tools and equipment
NT lathe
NT wheel truing machine
machine wagon
A railway vehicle dedicated
to the carriage of machinery.
Literary warrant required.
Plural form:
machine wagons
CL Vehicles and vehicle components
BT <machinery, etc. carrying vehicles>
<machinery, etc. carrying vehicles>
Railway vehicles dedicated
to the carriage of machinery.
Plural form: <machinery, etc. carrying
vehicles>
CL Vehicles and vehicle components
BT <rolling stock by load or function>
NT agricultural implement wagon
NT boiler wagon
NT case wagon
NT gas economiser wagon
NT girder wagon
NT gun set
NT implement wagon
NT low machine wagon
NT machine wagon
NT mill roll wagon
NT nuclear flask wagon
NT pulley wagon
NT skeleton wagon
NT tank transporting wagon
NT transformer wagon
NT trolley wagon
NT well wagon
NT wheel and propeller wagon
magnetic levitation stock
Vehicles operated on the
magnetic levitation system.
Literary warrant required.
Plural form:
magnetic levitation stock
CL Vehicles and vehicle components
BT fixed propulsion stock
MAG-LEV railway
A magnetic levitational
transit system.
Warrant: The Railway Dictionary, An A-Z of Railway
Terminology, Alan A Jackson, Alan Sutton Publishing, 1996
Plural form:
MAG-LEV railways
CL Railway types
BT <self-propelled railways by adhesion method>
mail exchange apparatus (lineside)
The lineside equipment used
for transferring mail bags from moving trains to the ground.
Warrant: The
British Travelling Post Office, PJ Johnson, Ian Allan Ltd, 1985
Plural form:
mail exchange apparatus (lineside)
CL Built works and components
BT <parcels and mail handling structures>
mail exchange apparatus (vehicle assembly)
The on-train equipment used
for transferring mail bags from moving trains to the ground.
Literary
warrant required.
Plural form: mail exchange apparatus (vehicle
assembly)
CL Vehicles and vehicle components
BT access component
mail train (conveying passengers)
Scope note required.
Literary warrant required.
Plural form: mail trains (conveying
passengers)
CL Vehicles and vehicle components
BT passenger train
mail train (not conveying passengers)
Scope note required.
Literary warrant required.
Plural form: mail trains (not conveying
passengers)
CL Vehicles and vehicle components
BT passenger rated traffic train
mail van
A vehicle designed
specifically for the collection, sorting, conveyance and discharge of mail
Warrant: The British Travelling Post Office, P J Johnson, Ian Allan Ltd, 1985
Plural form: mail vans
CL Vehicles and vehicle components
BT <mail, parcels, etc. carrying vehicles>
NT sorting tender
NT stowage van
NT travelling post office
<mail, parcels, etc. carrying vehicles>
Railway vehicles dedicated
to the carriage of mail, parcels, newspapers and similar traffic.
Plural
form: <mail, parcels, etc. carrying vehicles>
CL Vehicles and vehicle components
BT <rolling stock by load or function>
NT bullion van
NT full brake van
NT general utility van
NT luggage van (no passenger accommodation)
NT mail van
NT newspaper van
NT parcels van
NT theatrical scenery van
main arm
An arm of a semaphore signal
controlling a running movement.
Warrant: The History & Development of
Railway Signalling in the British Isles, Friends of the National Railway Museum
Plural form: main arms
CL Control and communications
BT signal arm
main line air gauge
Scope note required.
Literary warrant required.
Plural form: main line air gauges
CL Vehicles and vehicle components
BT <air pipes, reservoirs, etc.>
main line isolating cock control
Scope note required.
Literary warrant required.
Plural form: main line isolating cock
controls
CL Vehicles and vehicle components
BT <air pipes, reservoirs, etc.>
main line pressure switch isolating
Scope note required.
Literary warrant required.
Plural form: main line pressure switches
isolating
CL Vehicles and vehicle components
BT <pneumatic valves, gauges, etc.>
main line pressure switch test
Scope note required.
Literary warrant required.
Plural form: main line pressure switch tests
CL Vehicles and vehicle components
BT <pneumatic valves, gauges, etc.>
main line (route)
An important route linking
major traffic centres.
Warrant: Railtrack London & North Eastern, A
Glossary of Railway Terms, October 1998
Plural form: main lines (route)
CL Built works and components
BT <route by status>
RT main line (running line)
main line (running line)
Usually the fastest line(s)
in a multiple track area or the running lines in two track section.
Warrant:
Railtrack London & North Eastern, A Glossary of Railway Terms, October 1998
Plural form: main lines (running lines)
CL Track and track components
BT <running lines by speed of working>
RT main line (route)
main reservoir
A pressure vessel mounted in
or under a railway vehicle to store compressed air for pneumatic systems such as
brakes, power doors and air suspension.
Warrant: Railway Technical Web Pages,
Piers Connor, 2000
Plural form: main reservoirs
CL Vehicles and vehicle components
BT <air pipes, reservoirs, etc.>
main reservoir pipe
Air pipe connecting all main
reservoirs on a train from which supplies for pneumatic systems are drawn.
Warrant: Railway Technical Web Pages, Piers Connor, 2000
Plural form: main
reservoir pipes
CL Vehicles and vehicle components
BT <air pipes, reservoirs, etc.>
main steam pipe
The pipe which connects the
regulator valve with the cylinder steam chest, steam passes down this pipe when
the regulator valve is opened by the driver.
Literary warrant required.
Plural form: main steam pipes
UF steam pipe
CL Vehicles and vehicle components
BT <steam transmission components>
makers plate
A cast metal plate
identifying the vehicle date and location of manufacture of the vehicle to which
it affixed.
Warrant: British Locomotive Builders' Plates, K Buckle & D
Love, Midland Publishing Ltd, 1994
Plural form: makers plates
USE works plate
CL Vehicles and vehicle components
BT <builders identity plates>
Mallet combined rack and adhesion locomotive
A locomotive of the Mallet
wheel/cylinder configuration which also drives itself through a rack and pinion
system on steep grades.
Warrant: Articulated Locomotives, L Wiener, 1930
Plural form: Mallet combined rack and adhesions
CL Vehicles and vehicle components
BT rack locomotive
manhole cover (boiler)
A removable cover giving
access to the interior of a locomotive boiler.
Warrant: The Locomotive of
Today, Locomotive Publishing Company, 1927
Plural form: manhole covers
(boiler)
CL Vehicles and vehicle components
BT boiler component
manhole cover (ground)
A cast metal cover for the
opening to a inspection shaft or chamber at ground level.
Warrant: Railway
Terminology Working Group
Plural form: manhole covers
CL Built works and components
BT <built work components by type>
manhole (vehicle)
Scope note required.
Literary warrant required.
Plural form: manholes (vehicle)
CL Vehicles and vehicle components
BT hatch component
manifold (steam)
The steam pipe in
the cab which supplied all the cab control valves such as whistle, injectors,
train heating, blower, sanders, etc.
Warrant: Locomotives and Their Working,
C R H Simpson & F B Roberts, Virtue & Co Ltd, 1952
Plural form:
manifolds (steam)
USE steam manifold
CL Vehicles and vehicle components
BT <steam transmission components>
manned level crossing
A level crossing that is
operated or supervised by a railway employee.
Warrant: The History &
Development of Railway Signalling in the British Isles, Friends of the National
Railway Museum
Plural form: manned level crossings
CL Control and communications
BT <level crossings by operation>
NT locally controlled manned level crossing
NT remotely controlled manned level crossing
Mansell wheel
A carriage wheel, the centre
of which consists of wooden segments.
Warrant: Modern Railway Working, A
Practical Treatise by Engineering and Administrative Experts, Volume 5, John
Macaulay (Ed), The Gresham Publishing Company, 1913
Plural form: Mansell
wheels
CL Vehicles and vehicle components
BT disc wheel
mantle testing machine
Scope note required.
Literary warrant required.
Plural form: mantle testing machines
CL Unattributed
BT <unattributed>
manually controlled barrier
A manned level crossing with
full barriers and operated locally at a control centre, signalbox or
gatebox.
Warrant: The History & Development of Railway Signalling in the
British Isles, Friends of the National Railway Museum
Plural form: manually
controlled barriers
CL Control and communications
BT level crossing barrier
manure wagon
A railway vehicle dedicated
to the carriage of manure.
Literary warrant required.
Plural form:
manure wagons
CL Vehicles and vehicle components
BT <other special traffic vehicles>
map
A document, poster or sign
showing stations, routes and locations served in cartographic form.
Warrant:
Railway Relics and Regalia, Ed P Whitehouse, Country Life, 1975
Plural form:
maps
CL Commercial records and equipment
BT <advertising and publicity>
marker board
A double-sided yellow board
with two vertical red-yellow flashing lights on one side and two yellow lights
on the other used to indicate a work site.
Warrant: Railtrack Jargon Buster,
1999
Plural form: marker boards
CL Control and communications
BT <trackside indicators>
market ticket
A ticket offered at a
discounted price to the regular fare for travellers attending the market at the
destination town.
Literary warrant required.
Plural form: market
tickets
CL Commercial records and equipment
BT <travel tickets by discount, etc.>
<marshalling complexes>
Scope note required.
Plural form: <marshalling complexes>
CL Built works and components
BT <complexes>
NT marshalling yard
RT <marshalling buildings & structures>
<marshalling structures>
Buildings and other
structures connected with the operation of train marshalling facilities.
Plural form: <marshalling structures>
CL Built works and components
BT <single built works>
RT <marshalling complexes>
marshalling yard
A complex of sidings in
which marshalling of trains takes place.
Warrant: The Railway Dictionary, An
A-Z of Railway Terminology, Alan A Jackson, Alan Sutton Publishing, 1996
Plural form: marshalling yards
CL Built works and components
BT <marshalling complexes>
NT gridiron
Martin disc signal
A type of signal used on the
London and South Western Railway in the nineteenth century that gave an
indication by means of a circular board with a semicircular cut-out rotating
about both a vertical and horizontal axis allowing just one signal to give
danger and clear indications in all permutations for running lines in both
directions.
Literary warrant required.
Plural form: Martin disc
signals
CL Control and communications
BT <primitive disc and bar signals>
RT disc signal
master control switch
An electrical switch
operated by the control key, which, when operated, changes the operational state
of a train.
Warrant: LUL Jargon Buster
Plural form: master control
switches
CL Vehicles and vehicle components
BT <master controls>
master controller
A driver's power control
device located in the cab.
Warrant: Lexique General de Termes Ferroviares,
Union Internationale des Chemins de Fer, 1975
Plural form: master
controllers
CL Vehicles and vehicle components
BT <master controls>
<master controls>
Scope note required.
Plural form: <master controls>
CL Vehicles and vehicle components
BT <driving and control components>
NT drivers control
NT drivers key
NT driving key from electric locomotive
NT electric locomotive control key
NT master control switch
NT master controller
NT traction control cut-out switch
NT vigilance device
master logic unit
Scope note required.
Literary warrant required.
Plural form: master logic units
CL Unidentified
BT <unidentified terms>
match truck
A wagon placed beneath an
overhanging crane jib or freight load on an adjoining vehicle. Also used to mean
a vehicle with more than one type of drawgear to enable wagons with
non-compatible drawgear to be marshalled in the same train. In this thesaurus
the latter sense is covered by the terms 'adaptor vehicle' and 'adaptor
wagon'.
Warrant: The Railway Dictionary, An A-Z of Railway Terminology, Alan
A Jackson, Alan Sutton Publishing, 1996
Plural form: match trucks
UF match wagon
CL Vehicles and vehicle components
BT runner (vehicle)
match wagon
A wagon placed beneath
an overhanging crane jib or freight load on an adjoining vehicle. Also used to
mean a vehicle with more than one type of drawgear to enable wagons with
non-compatible drawgear to be marshalled in the same train. In this thesaurus
the latter sense is covered by the terms 'adaptor vehicle' and 'adaptor
wagon'.
Warrant: Encyclopedia of Railways, O S Nock, 1977
Plural form:
match wagons
USE match truck
CL Vehicles and vehicle components
BT runner (vehicle)
matchstriker
Scope note required.
Literary warrant required.
Plural form: matchstrikers
CL Vehicles and vehicle components
BT <passenger and staff facility components>
materials handling tug
An on-track machine used for
handling track maintenance materials.
Warrant: On-track plant on British
Railways, Roger Butcher, Platform 5 Publishing Ltd, 4th edition, 1981, p13
Plural form: materials handling tugs
CL Vehicles and vehicle components
BT <track maintenance vehicles>
Matisa instrument
A device for calibrating the
gauges in the cab of Matisa track inspection vehicles.
Warrant: National
Railway Museum
Plural form: Matisa instruments
CL Tools and equipment
BT track testing equipment
mayday alarm control
Scope note required.
Literary warrant required.
Plural form: mayday alarm controls
CL Vehicles and vehicle components
BT passenger emergency communication
mayday alarm indicator
Scope note required.
Literary warrant required.
Plural form: mayday alarm indicators
CL Vehicles and vehicle components
BT passenger emergency communication
<meat and poultry product carrying
vehicles>
Railway vehicles dedicated
to the carriage of raw and processed meat and poultry products.
Plural form:
<meat and poultry product carrying vehicles>
CL Vehicles and vehicle components
BT <foodstuff carrying vehicles>
NT egg van
NT meat van
NT sausage van
meat container
A demountable freight
container intended for the carriage of meat.
Literary warrant required.
Plural form: meat containers
CL Vehicles and vehicle components
BT freight container
meat van
A wagon intended for the
carriage of meat.
Literary warrant required.
Plural form: meat vans
CL Vehicles and vehicle components
BT <meat and poultry product carrying vehicles>
NT insulated meat van
NT refrigerated meat van
NT ventilated meat van
NT ventilated/insulated meat van
<mechanical brake transmission
components>
Parts of the braking system
that transmit movement mechanically from a slave brake cylinder (or directly
from a brake lever or wheel) to the brake itself.
Plural form:
<mechanical brake transmission components>
CL Vehicles and vehicle components
BT braking system component
NT brake hanger
NT brake pivot
NT brake rigging
NT brake rod
NT brake shaft
NT crossbeam
NT safety loop
NT tread brake unit
<mechanical brake tripping devices>
Scope note required.
Plural form: <mechanical brake tripping devices>
CL Control and communications
BT automatic train control equipment
NT trainstop
NT trainstop ramp
NT trip arm lever
NT tripcock arm
mechanical door lock
Scope note required.
Literary warrant required.
Plural form: mechanical door locks
CL Vehicles and vehicle components
BT vehicle door component
mechanical frame
An interlocking mechanism
controlling the movement of points and signals.
Warrant: Ray Towell, Curator
of Operations, National Railway Museum
Plural form: mechanical frames
CL Control and communications
BT <lever frames by transmission>
mechanical governor
Scope note required.
Literary warrant required.
Plural form: mechanical governors
CL Vehicles and vehicle components
BT governor
mechanical horse
A specialised road vehicle
with a tight turning circle widely used by the railways for delivery
purposes.
Warrant: Mechanical Horses, B Aldridge, Trans-Pennine Publishing,
2000
Plural form: mechanical horses
CL Vehicles and vehicle components
BT road vehicle
<mechanical interlocking equipment>
Mechanically operated
equipment for controlling the setting and releasing of signals and points to
prevent unsafe conditions arising.
Plural form: <mechanical interlocking
equipment>
CL Control and communications
BT lever frame component
NT interlocking gear
NT lever frame lock cover
NT lock (interlocking component)
NT locking bar (interlocking component)
NT tappet (interlocking component)
RT <electrical interlocking equipment>
mechanical line clear indicator
Scope note required.
Literary warrant required.
Plural form: mechanical line clear indicators
CL Control and communications
BT block instrument
mechanical lubricator
An oil distribution system
activated by pump action provided by mechanical connections to the valve gear of
a steam locomotive.
Warrant: Lexique General de Termes Ferroviares, Union
Internationale des Chemins de Fer, 1975
Plural form: mechanical
lubricators
CL Vehicles and vehicle components
BT lubricator
<mechanical off-track motive power>
Any powered vehicle not
running on rails used for moving railway vehicles.
Plural form:
<mechanical off-track motive power>
CL Vehicles and vehicle components
BT <off-track motive power>
NT electric tow tractor
NT shunting tractor
NT tractor
mechanical points
Points which are operated
without any form of power assistance.
Warrant: Railtrack Jargon Buster, 1999
Plural form: mechanical points
CL Track and track components
BT <turnouts by operation>
<mechanical protection>
Equipment remote from the
control centre that mechanically protects trains from accident by preventing
conflicting movements of points and signals, points and approaching trains, etc.
Plural form: <mechanical protection>
CL Control and communications
BT <point and signal actuation>
NT < mechanical train detection, etc.>
NT <point detection, etc.>
NT <point locking equipment>
mechanical stoker
A system for feeding coal
into the firebox removing the need for it to be done manually by the
fireman.
Warrant: Lexique General de Termes Ferroviares, Union
Internationale des Chemins de Fer, 1975
Plural form: mechanical stokers
CL Vehicles and vehicle components
BT <fuel supply components>
<mechanical train detection, etc.>
Mechanical equipment that
detects the presence of vehicles passing over points, fouling another track or
standing in a terminal or bay platform, etc. and in consequence locks points or
signals in order to prevent conflicting movements.
Plural form: <train
detection, etc.>
CL Control and communications
BT <mechanical protection>
NT depression bar
NT facing point lock bar
NT fouling bar
RT <train detection systems>
mechanical transmission locomotive
A locomotive where the
wheels and the prime mover are mechanically coupled in order to transmit
power.
Warrant: Modern Railway Traction, Railway Manufacturers Association,
undated
Plural form: mechanical transmission locomotives
CL Vehicles and vehicle components
BT <locomotives by transmission>
NT chain driven locomotive
RT diesel mechanical locomotive
<mechanical transmission>
Equipment that transmits
control from the control point to the equipment to be actuated by purely
mechanical means. Includes equipment such as point rodding, signal wires, etc.
and their associated pulleys, cranks, bearings, etc..
Plural form:
<mechanical transmission>
CL Control and communications
BT <control transmission>
NT < rod transmission>
NT <wire transmission>
medium sided wagon
An open railway wagon with
sides two or three planks high.
Warrant: An Illustrated History of BR
Wagons, Volume 1, Paul Bartlett, David Larkin, Trevor Mann, Roger Silsbury &
Andrew Ward, Oxford Publishing Company, 1985
Plural form: medium sided
wagons
CL Vehicles and vehicle components
BT <open vehicles by height>
meeting
The passing loop in the
middle of an incline where two sets were run simultaneously to allow them to
pass each other.
Warrant: Railtrack Jargon Buster, 1999
Plural form:
meetings
CL Track and track components
BT <loops, refuges, etc.>
RT inclined plane
merry-go-round train
A formation of mineral
hopper wagons which can be loaded with and discharge coal whilst on the
move.
Warrant: Phil Atkins, National Railway Museum
Plural form:
merry-go-round trains
CL Vehicles and vehicle components
BT <trains by traffic flow>
merry-go-round wagon
A special hopper wagon used
in merry-go-round trains for coal distribution from colliery or other bulk
loading point to a power station.
Warrant: Railtrack Jargon Buster, 1999
Plural form: merry-go-round wagons
CL Vehicles and vehicle components
BT <rolling stock by route/operating pattern>
mess van
A downgraded vehicle used by
railway staff for eating and resting.
Warrant: Phil Atkins, National Railway
Museum
Plural form: mess vans
CL Vehicles and vehicle components
BT <personnel accommodation>
metro
A passenger railway that
primarily serves an urban area, typically a city centre and its suburbs,
operating an intensive service with closely spaced stations, at least some of
which are likely to be underground.
Literary warrant required.
Plural
form: metros
CL Railway types
BT <railways by places served>
RT overhead railway
RT underground railway
micrometer
A gauge for accurate
small-scale measurement.
Warrant: Oxford English Dictionary
Plural form:
micrometers
CL Tools and equipment
BT <general test equipment>
middle bearer
Any carriage or wagon
underframe cross member other than the two end ones, which are designated
'headstocks'.
Warrant: Railway Mechanical Engineering, A R Bell et al.,
Gresham Publishing Company Ltd, 1923 p99
Plural form: middle bearers
UF crossbar
CL Vehicles and vehicle components
BT underframe component
mikado locomotive
A steam locomotive with a
2-8-2 wheel arrangement.
Warrant: Locomotive Cyclopedia of American
Practice, 13th Edition, 1947
Plural form: mikados
CL Vehicles and vehicle components
BT eight coupled locomotive
mile post
A post set at quarter mile
intervals measuring the distance along the railway line.
Warrant: Lexique
General de Termes Ferroviares, Union Internationale des Chemins de Fer, 1975
Plural form: mile posts
CL Built works and components
BT <signs and markers>
mileage plate
A plate fixed to a railway
vehicle that states when the next service is due.
Warrant: Railway
Terminology Working Group
Plural form: mileage plates
CL Vehicles and vehicle components
BT <running record plates, etc.>
military railway
A railway built either to
support a military campaign, to by the military for training purposes.
Warrant: The Longmoor Military Railway, D W Ronald & R J Carter, David &
Charles, 1974
Plural form: military railways
CL Railway types
BT <railways by function>
NT munitions railway
NT range railway
NT trench railway
RT state railway
<milk and dairy product carrying
vehicles>
Railway vehicles dedicated
to the carriage of milk and dairy products.
Plural form: <milk and dairy
product carrying vehicles>
CL Vehicles and vehicle components
BT <foodstuff carrying vehicles>
NT butter van
NT cheese van
NT milk tank wagon
NT milk tanker wagon
NT milk van
NT road-rail milk tank wagon
milk tank wagon
A railway vehicle dedicated
to the carriage of milk in bulk.
Literary warrant required.
Plural form:
milk tank wagons
CL Vehicles and vehicle components
BT <milk and dairy product carrying vehicles>
milk tanker wagon
A flat railway vehicle
dedicated to the conveyance of road trailers for milk.
Literary warrant
required.
Plural form: milk tanker wagons
CL Vehicles and vehicle components
BT <milk and dairy product carrying vehicles>
milk train
Scope note required.
Literary warrant required.
Plural form: milk trains
CL Vehicles and vehicle components
BT perishable traffic train
milk van
A railway van for
transporting milk in churns.
Warrant: An Illustrated History of Midland
Wagons Vol.2, R J Essery, Oxford Publishing Company, 1980
Plural form: milk
vans
CL Vehicles and vehicle components
BT <milk and dairy product carrying vehicles>
mill roll wagon
A railway vehicle dedicated
to the carriage of rolls for the rolling of iron and steel.
Literary warrant
required.
Plural form: mill roll wagons
CL Vehicles and vehicle components
BT <machinery, etc. carrying vehicles>
Mills C3R clip fastening
A flat bottom rail fastening
spring steel clip.
Warrant: British Railway Track: Design, Construction and
Maintenance, C L Heeler (Ed ), The Permanent Way Institution, 5th Edition, 1979
p68
Plural form: Mills C3R clip fastenings
CL Track and track components
BT rail clip (track fastening)
mine railway
An industrial railway
serving a coal mine.
Warrant: British Small Mines (North), A J Booth,
Industrial Railway Society, 2000
Plural form: mine railways
CL Railway types
BT mineral railway
NT lead mine railway
<mineral carrying vehicles>
Railway vehicles dedicated
to the carriage of mineral traffic.
Plural form: <mineral carrying
vehicles>
CL Vehicles and vehicle components
BT <rolling stock by load or function>
NT alumina wagon
NT china clay wagon
NT coal wagon
NT covered hopper wagon
NT mineral wagon
NT salt wagon
NT soda ash wagon
NT stone wagon
NT sulphate wagon
mineral empties train
Scope note required.
Literary warrant required.
Plural form: empty wagon trains
CL Vehicles and vehicle components
BT empty wagon train
mineral railway
Scope note required.
Warrant: Mineral Railways of the West Country, T Fairclough & E Shepherd, D
Bradford Barton Ltd, 1975
Plural form: mineral railways
UF extractive railway
CL Railway types
BT industrial railway
NT brickworks railway
NT colliery railway
NT mine railway
NT peat railway
NT quarry railway
mineral wagon
vehicle purpose designed for
the conveyance of minerals, particularly coal, iron ore etc.
Warrant:
Encyclopedia of Railways, O S Nock, 1977
Plural form: mineral wagons
CL Vehicles and vehicle components
BT <mineral carrying vehicles>
miniature arm
An arm of a semaphore signal
which is smaller than a main arm controlling other than running movements.
Warrant: The History & Development of Railway Signalling in the British
Isles, Friends of the National Railway Museum
Plural form: miniature
arms
CL Control and communications
BT signal arm
miniature lever frame
An interlocking frame with
very small levers controlling power signalling.
Warrant: The Railway
Dictionary, An A-Z of Railway Terminology, Alan A Jackson, Alan Sutton
Publishing, 1996
Plural form: miniature lever frames
CL Control and communications
BT power frame
miniature locomotive
A locomotive built primarily
to be miniature version, or model, powered by the same method as its 'full size'
original.
Literary warrant required.
Plural form: miniature
locomotives
CL Vehicles and vehicle components
BT <locomotives by scale>
miniature railway
A passenger-carrying railway
of any gauge between 3 inches and 15 inches operated with locomotives that are
models of real or imaginary full size types from one eighth full size
upwards.
Warrant: The Railway Dictionary, An A-Z of Railway Terminology,
Alan A Jackson, Alan Sutton Publishing, 1996
Plural form: miniature
railways
CL Railway types
BT <railways by scale>
NT garden railway
RT leisure railway
miniature red/green warning light
Small red and green warning
lights at minor level crossings, operated by approaching trains for the guidance
of road users.
Warrant: BR Signalling Handbook, Stanley Hall, Ian Allan,
1992 p80
Plural form: miniature red/green warning lights
CL Control and communications
BT <level crossing user warning equipment>
miniature repeat ticket
Scope note required.
Literary warrant required.
Plural form: miniature repeat tickets
CL Commercial records and equipment
BT <tickets by print features>
minimum gauge railway
A railway built to 15 inch
gauge which is generally considered to be the minimum practical gauge for useful
haulage purposes.
Warrant: Fifteen Inch Gauge Railways, D Mosley & P Van
Zeller, David & Charles, 1986
Plural form: minimum gauge railways
CL Railway types
BT <railways by gauge>
RT miniature railway
mixed traffic locomotive
A locomotive designed to
pull both freight and passenger vehicles. Usually fitted with continuous
brakes.
Warrant: Modern Locomotive Design Bowen Cooke 1910
Plural form:
mixed traffic locomotives
CL Vehicles and vehicle components
BT <locomotives by intended load>
mixed train
A train comprising both
passenger and freight vehicles.
Literary warrant required.
Plural form:
mixed trains
CL Vehicles and vehicle components
BT passenger train
model locomotive
A scaled down locomotive
built primarily to look like a miniature version of the real thing.
Literary
warrant required.
Plural form: model locomotives
CL Vehicles and vehicle components
BT <locomotives by scale>
model railway
A railway of any gauge below
7 1/4in (18.4cm) which is a model of a real or imaginary full size system.
Literary warrant required.
Plural form: model railways
CL Railway types
BT <railways by scale>
RT leisure railway
RT model locomotive
mogul locomotive
A steam locomotive with a
2-6-0 wheel arrangement.
Warrant: Locomotive Cyclopedia of American
Practice, 13th Edition, 1947
Plural form: mogul locomotives
CL Vehicles and vehicle components
BT six coupled locomotive
monitor swap switch
Scope note required.
Literary warrant required.
Plural form: monitor swap switches
CL Unidentified
BT <unidentified terms>
monobloc crossing
A one piece cast manganese
steel crossing able to withstand grater wear than a built-up vee crossing.
Warrant: British Railway Track: Design, Construction and Maintenance, C L Heeler
(Ed), The Permanent Way Institution, 5th Edition, 1979 p99
Plural form:
monobloc crossings
CL Track and track components
BT <crossing rails>
monobloc wheel
A railway wheel cast in a
single bloom and machined to the required profile.
Warrant: Railway
Technical Web Pages, Piers Connor, 2000
Plural form: monobloc wheels
CL Vehicles and vehicle components
BT disc wheel
monocoque body
A vehicle structure with
underframe and body designed to form a single unit on aircraft construction
priniciples.
Warrant: Lexique General de Termes Ferroviares, Union
Internationale des Chemins de Fer, 1975
Plural form: monocoque bodies
CL Vehicles and vehicle components
BT body
monorail
A railway system where the
track consists of a single rail.
Warrant: Encyclopedia of Railways, O S
Nock, 1977
Plural form: monorails
CL Railway types
BT <railways by form>
NT Brennan monorail
NT Lartigue monorail
NT Palmer monorail
monorail locomotive
A locomotive designed to run
on a single rail (sometimes with the help of subsidiary guide rails).
Warrant: Hunslet Engine Company Catalogues
Plural form: monorail
locomotives
CL Vehicles and vehicle components
BT <locomotives by gauge>
NT Lartigue monorail locomotive
motion
The pistons, connecting rods
and valve gear of a steam locomotive.
Warrant: The Railway Dictionary, An A-Z
of Railway Terminology, Alan A Jackson, Alan Sutton Publishing, 1996
Plural
form: motions
CL Vehicles and vehicle components
BT <power transmission components>
motion bracket
A bracket mounted on the
locomotive frames behind the cylinders supporting the ends of the slide bars and
valve spindles.
Warrant: Great Western Railway Drawing Registers
Plural
form: motion brackets
CL Vehicles and vehicle components
BT valve gear component
motion plate
A large bracket attached to
the locomotive frame to support parts of the valve gear.
Warrant: Railway
Technical Web Pages, Piers Connor, 2000
Plural form: motion plates
CL Vehicles and vehicle components
BT <locomotive frame assemblies>
motive power depot
A depot for stabling,
servicing and maintaining locomotives.
Warrant: Locomotive Running Shed
Notes, Locomotive Publishing Company, undated.
Plural form: motive power
depots
UF locomotive depot
CL Built works and components
BT <vehicle stabling and servicing complexes>
RT <MPD structures>
<motive power stabling and servicing
structures>
Buildings and other
structures connected with the housing, maintenance and repair of locomotives and
other forms of motive power.
Plural form: <motive power stabling and
servicing structures>
CL Built works and components
BT <vehicle stabling and servicing structures>
NT coal stage
NT coaling stage
NT coaling tower
NT engine house (loco shed)
NT engine shed
NT kettle
NT water column
NT water crane
NT water tower
RT motive power depot
motor and wheelset
Scope note required.
Literary warrant required.
Plural form: motor and wheelsets
CL Vehicles and vehicle components
BT <wheel assemblies>
RT electric traction motor
motor bogie
A bogie having driving
wheels or motored axles.
Warrant: Lexique General de Termes Ferroviares,
Union Internationale des Chemins de Fer, 1975
Plural form: motor bogies
CL Vehicles and vehicle components
BT bogie
motor car van
A railway van with end doors
designed for transporting motor cars.
Warrant: GWR Freight Wagons and Loads
in service on the Great Western Railway and British Rail, Western Region, J H
Russell, Oxford Publishing Company, 1981 fig78-83 Warrant: A History of GWR
Goods Wagons, A G Atkins, W Beard et al, David & Charles, 2nd Edn, 1986 p118
Plural form: motor car vans
CL Vehicles and vehicle components
BT <road vehicle carrying stock>
motor coach
A passenger vehicle in a
multiple unit train which is provided with traction power equipment.
Warrant: Lexique General de Termes Ferroviares, Union Internationale des Chemins
de Fer, 1975
Plural form: motor coaches
CL Vehicles and vehicle components
BT <multiple units by power>
motor generator set
An electric motor and
generator mechanically coupled for the purpose of converting direct current from
one voltage to another.
Warrant: Encyclopedia of Railways, O S Nock, 1977
Plural form: motor generator sets
CL Vehicles and vehicle components
BT <traction current transmission components>
motor nose
An integral part of the
motor casing used to secure the motor to the bogie frame via a motor nose
linkage (used on axle hung motors only).
Warrant: LUL Jargon Buster
Plural form: motor noses
CL Vehicles and vehicle components
BT <electric motor components>
motor nose linkage
A resilient mounting
arrangement, used to transmit motor torque to the bogie.
Warrant: LUL Jargon
Buster
Plural form: motor nose linkages
CL Vehicles and vehicle components
BT <electric motor components>
motor parcel van
A self-propelled
parcels van.
Warrant: The British Railcar, AEC to HST, R M Tufnell, David
& Charles, 1984
Plural form: motor parcel vans
USE motor parcels van
CL Vehicles and vehicle components
BT single unit stock
motor parcels van
A self-propelled parcels
van.
Literary warrant required.
Plural form: motor parcels vans
UF motor parcel van
CL Vehicles and vehicle components
BT single unit stock
motor transmission
Scope note required.
Literary warrant required.
Plural form: motor transmissions
CL Vehicles and vehicle components
BT <power transmission components>
motorised flap unit
Scope note required.
Literary warrant required.
Plural form: motorised flap units
CL Unidentified
BT <unidentified terms>
mould for thermit welding
A ceramic mould that is
fitted round the ends of two lengths of rail into which thermit welding compound
is poured in order to join the rails.
Literary warrant required.
Plural
form: moulds for thermit welding
CL Tools and equipment
BT track laying equipment
mountain locomotive (environment)
A locomotive designed to
pull vehicles up steep inclines.
Warrant: Modern Locomotive Design Bowen
Cooke 1910
Plural form: mountain locomotives (environment)
CL Vehicles and vehicle components
BT <locomotives by operating environment>
RT rack locomotive
mountain locomotive (wheel arrangement)
A steam locomotive with
4-8-2 wheel arrangement.
Warrant: The Railway Dictionary, An A-Z of Railway
Terminology, Alan A Jackson, Alan Sutton Publishing, 1996
Plural form:
mountains locomotive (wheel arrangement)
CL Vehicles and vehicle components
BT eight coupled locomotive
mountain railway
A specialised form of
railway for ascending mountains.
Warrant: Encyclopedia of Railways, O S
Nock, 1977
Plural form: mountain railways
CL Railway types
BT <railways by location>
mounting board
Scope note required.
Literary warrant required.
Plural form: mounting boards
CL Unidentified
BT <unidentified terms>
mud ring
The base upon which the
firebox is built joining the outer and inner firebox shells and sealing the
water space around the inner firebox.
Warrant: Railway Technical Web Pages,
Piers Connor, 2000
Plural form: mud rings
USE foundation ring
CL Vehicles and vehicle components
BT firebox component
muffled pop safety valve
Scope note required.
Literary warrant required.
Plural form: muffled pop safety valves
CL Vehicles and vehicle components
BT safety valve
multi journey ticket
A ticket valid for a number
of journeys.
Literary warrant required.
Plural form: multi journey
tickets
CL Commercial records and equipment
BT <travel tickets by number of journeys>
multiple collection locomotive
A locomotive which collects
it electric power from more than one device ie more than one pantograph or more
than shoe-beam.
Warrant: Electric Locomotives and Their Development, Henry
Greenly pp1-38
Plural form: multiple collection locomotives
CL Vehicles and vehicle components
BT <electric locomotives by current collection>
RT dual voltage locomotive
multiple contact switch
An electrical switch
affecting interlocking between signal levers.
Warrant: Ray Towell, Curator of
Operations, National Railway Museum
Plural form: multiple contact
switches
CL Unattributed
BT <unattributed>
multiple unit
An electric or diesel
powered train in which the motive power is distributed over a number of car
axles instead of being concentrated in a locomotive or power car.
Warrant:
The Railway Dictionary, An A-Z of Railway Terminology, Alan A Jackson, Alan
Sutton Publishing, 1996
Plural form: multiple units
CL Vehicles and vehicle components
BT <complete units>
NT diesel multiple unit
multiple unit car
Scope note required.
Literary warrant required.
Plural form: multiple unit cars
CL Vehicles and vehicle components
BT <individual multiple unit vehicles>
multiple unit stock
Scope note required.
Literary warrant required.
Plural form: multiple unit stock
CL Vehicles and vehicle components
BT <self-propelled stock by formation>
NT <complete units>
NT <individual multiple unit vehicles>
<multiple units by control>
Scope note required.
Plural form: <multiple units by control>
CL Vehicles and vehicle components
BT <individual multiple unit vehicles>
NT reversible unit
<multiple units by coupling
arrangements>
Scope note required.
Plural form: <multiple units by coupling arrangements>
CL Vehicles and vehicle components
BT <individual multiple unit vehicles>
NT uncoupling car
<multiple units by power>
Scope note required.
Plural form: <multiple units by power>
CL Vehicles and vehicle components
BT <individual multiple unit vehicles>
NT motor coach
NT power car
NT trailer car
multiple-aspect signal
A colour light signal that
can display more than two aspects.
Literary warrant required.
Plural
form: multiple-aspect signals
CL Control and communications
BT <colour light signals by number of aspects>
NT four aspect signal
NT three aspect signal
multiplier
Scope note required.
Literary warrant required.
Plural form: multipliers
CL Unidentified
BT <unidentified terms>
multi-coupon ticket
Scope note required.
Literary warrant required.
Plural form: multi-coupon tickets
CL Commercial records and equipment
BT <tickets by print features>
multi-lamp route indicator
A type of alphanumeric route
indicator, normally used in conjunction with main signals which comprises a
matrix of lamps which, when illuminated, display individual characters.
Warrant: The History & Development of Railway Signalling in the British
Isles, Friends of the National Railway Museum
Plural form: multi-lamp route
indicators
CL Control and communications
BT route indicator
multi-tube boiler
A boiler containing a number
of tubes that allowed the hot gases from the fire to pass through the boiler to
the chimney at the other end, leading to a more even distribution of the heating
effect and to more efficient steam production.
Warrant: Railway Technical
Web Pages, Piers Connor, 2000
Plural form: multi-tube boilers
CL Vehicles and vehicle components
BT boiler
munitions railway
A railway for transporting
munitions.
Literary warrant required.
Plural form: munitions
railways
CL Railway types
BT military railway
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]
| © Collections Trust 2002. You may freely download this page for non-profit use, but must acknowledge Collections Trust (formerly MDA) & the Railway Terminology Working Group in any output in which it is used. |
