DY444 Posted June 9, 2021 Share Posted June 9, 2021 (edited) Do you have any idioms used by railway enthusiasts that rub you up the wrong way? I have two. Prompted by seeing one of them used in a recent post I thought I'd gently vent my spleen. For the avoidance of doubt, this is not a dig at the individual who used that particularly term recently as many use it. 1. DIT = "Dead in Tow". DIT was always "Dead In Train" but has become "Dead In Tow" in some enthusiast circles. I do have a suspicion as to who first coined this and it grates for two reasons. Firstly in what context do UK railways ever use the word "tow" relating to the movement of unpowered/dead vehicles? "Haul" is the universal word. Secondly if it's dead how can it be anything other than being hauled/"towed"? So to my mind it uses a very non-railway word and it's tautology. 2. "Dragged" for the hauling of a (usually electric) dead locomotive/multiple unit by a (usually diesel) locomotive. I can only think of two legitimate railway contexts for "drag". The S&C gradients and not fully released brakes. Every time I see that unit xyz was "dragged" somewhere I think "well release the ******* brakes then". Edited June 9, 2021 by DY444 8 3 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Popular Post rodent279 Posted June 9, 2021 RMweb Gold Popular Post Share Posted June 9, 2021 (edited) I've been aware of the use of the word "drag" in the context of a diesel hauling (choosing my words very carefully here....) an electric locomotive/multiple unit, for a long time, usually because power is off. But I can see your point. Personally, it grates whenever I hear "Midland Region" or "Great Western Region", when referring to the former LMR & WR respectively. Another pet hate is "train station". They were always railway stations when I were a lad. Also, why do trains "arrive into" stations now, rather than "arrive at" ? Not quite sure I can explain why, but the former doesn't sound right, grammatically. Edited June 9, 2021 by rodent279 8 16 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post 60021 Pen-y-Ghent Posted June 9, 2021 Popular Post Share Posted June 9, 2021 Not railway ennthusiasts but operator related (although they might disagree with me) but every time I've been on a Northern service that stops in Shipley on the way to Leeds the nice man cheerfully announces "The next station is Leeds. This train terminates here." No no no! This train terminates THERE or we'd never arrive! Here is where we are at that moment in time. 9 16 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
woodenhead Posted June 9, 2021 Share Posted June 9, 2021 22 minutes ago, DY444 said: 1. DIT = "Dead in Tow". DIT was always "Dead In Train" but has become "Dead In Tow" in some enthusiast circles. I do have a suspicion as to who first coined this and it grates for two reasons. Firstly in what context do UK railways ever use the word "tow" relating to the movement of unpowered/dead vehicles? "Haul" is the universal word. Secondly if it's dead how can it be anything other than being hauled/"towed"? So to my mind it uses a very non-railway word and it's tautology. Except when it is pushed....... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nearholmer Posted June 9, 2021 Share Posted June 9, 2021 It’s too easy to get pointlessly worked-up about this sort of thing, which has been going-on since the dawn of railways, and is unstoppable. I get irritated by the widespread use of the term “loco”, for instance, when the proper term is “locomotive engine”, and always has been. 5 1 6 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barclay Posted June 9, 2021 Share Posted June 9, 2021 Jinty - what a stupid name ! I understand that it was never used by railways or railwaymen in relation to the LMS 3F 0-6-0T in any case ? 2 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
F-UnitMad Posted June 9, 2021 Share Posted June 9, 2021 Spelling "Kadee" as 'Kaydee'. 1 10 2 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Right Away Posted June 9, 2021 RMweb Gold Share Posted June 9, 2021 20 minutes ago, rodent279 said: .............. Another pet hate is "train station". They were always railway stations when I were a lad. ............ Right on. Another “Americanism” which has crept to the fore! Doesn’t personally irritate, but examples of this modernistic re-phrasing of our native tongue might represent to some, even further degradation of our history in the interests of media fashion. 4 1 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
woodenhead Posted June 9, 2021 Share Posted June 9, 2021 Without sounding harsh, this thread will become one. It will start off all Bulleid v Bullied and before we know it there will be talk of rucksacks, gronks, peds and duffs, train stations and it will go on and on for pages like this. Be careful what you wish for is all I can say. 5 7 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium iands Posted June 9, 2021 RMweb Premium Share Posted June 9, 2021 There are probably many examples that will irk someone, somewhere. I suspect that it possibly stems from people "outside" the industry not knowing the "correct" railway terminology and using a word/phrase they think "fits" the situation. One that irks me is the use of the term "relay box" for "signalling location" (or signalling loc). 3 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wheatley Posted June 9, 2021 Share Posted June 9, 2021 "Dead in train" / "Dead in tow" - I've been on the railways 34 years this year and heard both used interchangeably all that time. Similarly "drag" or "dragging" was/is in common use for diesels hauling (normally) electric sets. Conversely the S&C was never referred to as 'The Drag / Long Drag' when I was working on it, it was always 'The Midland' to distinguish it from the North East, the North West, the M&C (or 'The West Line') and The Caley which were the other lines then radiating out of Carlisle. If you were referring to the North West and the Caley as a continuous route then it was 'The Main Line'. But if you went to Newcastle 'The West Line' was what Carlisle men called 'The North East' - context being everything with geographical names. Does it really matter ? "Train station" - ok that one really matters, I'm surprised our social media team haven't blocked me. Any quirks to do with announcements on 333s is likely to be because it costs a fortune to alter anything. The auto-announcer was a unique system when it was introduced and is now completely non-standard, so it mostly says whatever CAF originally programmed it to say. Personally it annoys me more that, unless it's stopping at Kirkstall Forge, it starts announcing Leeds almost immediately it leaves Shipley or Guiseley ! 2 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium DLT Posted June 9, 2021 RMweb Premium Share Posted June 9, 2021 (edited) 9 minutes ago, Wheatley said: "Train station" - ok that one really matters, I'm surprised our social media team haven't blocked me. I hate "Train Station" but it seems to be a broadcast media phrase. Its less syllables than Railway Station, so does that make it easier to say? I guess it brings it into line with others, "Bus Station" or bus stop is normal, but trains have been around a lot longer than buses, so perhaps we should call bus stations "Road Stations"... I dislike "Arriving Into" as well. Blimey, I'm starting to sound like my Dad! Edited June 9, 2021 by DLT 3 5 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold The Pilotman Posted June 9, 2021 RMweb Gold Share Posted June 9, 2021 (edited) 56 minutes ago, Nearholmer said: It’s too easy to get pointlessly worked-up about this sort of thing Enough said, in my humble opinion… Edited June 9, 2021 by Western Aviator 2 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
APOLLO Posted June 9, 2021 Share Posted June 9, 2021 Well it will always be single or double amber for me, yellow is for diesel front ends !!!! Brit15 2 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Welchester Posted June 9, 2021 RMweb Premium Share Posted June 9, 2021 2 hours ago, rodent279 said: Personally, it grates whenever I hear "Midland Region" or "Great Western Region", when referring to the former LMR & WR respectively. Yes, except that I get the feeling that 'Great Western Region' was how the WR thought of itself for some time after nationalisation. 5 2 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium petethemole Posted June 9, 2021 RMweb Premium Share Posted June 9, 2021 1 hour ago, Nearholmer said: I get irritated by the widespread use of the term “loco”, for instance, when the proper term is “locomotive engine”, and always has been. Do you travel by omnibus, or get annoyed by traffic jams where there are empty omnibus lanes? 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Phil Bullock Posted June 9, 2021 RMweb Gold Share Posted June 9, 2021 2 hours ago, rodent279 said: I've been aware of the use of the word "drag" in the context of a diesel hauling (choosing my words very carefully here....) an electric locomotive/multiple unit, for a long time, usually because power is off. But I can see your point. Personally, it grates whenever I hear "Midland Region" or "Great Western Region", when referring to the former LMR & WR respectively. Another pet hate is "train station". They were always railway stations when I were a lad. Also, why do trains "arrive into" stations now, rather than "arrive at" ? Not quite sure I can explain why, but the former doesn't sound right, grammatically. Absolutely right! We can arrive in the town of Reading but we arrive at the specific point .... Reading station 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold russ p Posted June 9, 2021 RMweb Gold Share Posted June 9, 2021 2 hours ago, DY444 said: Do you have any idioms used by railway enthusiasts that rub you up the wrong way? I have two. Prompted by seeing one of them used in a recent post I thought I'd gently vent my spleen. For the avoidance of doubt, this is not a dig at the individual who used that particularly term recently as many use it. 1. DIT = "Dead in Tow". DIT was always "Dead In Train" but has become "Dead In Tow" in some enthusiast circles. I do have a suspicion as to who first coined this and it grates for two reasons. Firstly in what context do UK railways ever use the word "tow" relating to the movement of unpowered/dead vehicles? "Haul" is the universal word. Secondly if it's dead how can it be anything other than being hauled/"towed"? So to my mind it uses a very non-railway word and it's tautology. 2. "Dragged" for the hauling of a (usually electric) dead locomotive/multiple unit by a (usually diesel) locomotive. I can only think of two legitimate railway contexts for "drag". The S&C gradients and not fully released brakes. Every time I see that unit xyz was "dragged" somewhere I think "well release the ******* brakes then". I'm glad DIT winds other people up I thought it was just me! When I hear a driver say it I tell them to read their bloody TOPS list Shows a DT warning and says check number of locos authorised DEAD IN TRAIN. Don't get me started on railwaymen using TRAIN STATION!! 4 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Reorte Posted June 9, 2021 RMweb Premium Share Posted June 9, 2021 1 hour ago, DLT said: I hate "Train Station" but it seems to be a broadcast media phrase. Its less syllables than Railway Station, so does that make it easier to say? I guess it brings it into line with others, "Bus Station" or bus stop is normal, but trains have been around a lot longer than buses, so perhaps we should call bus stations "Road Stations"... Flying from a planeport? 3 1 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ejstubbs Posted June 9, 2021 Share Posted June 9, 2021 2 hours ago, F-UnitMad said: Spelling "Kadee" as 'Kaydee'. My pet hate is by no means specific to railway enthusiasts, but it does seem to proliferate on this forum significantly more than on others that I read on a regular basis. I refer to the use of the contraction "it's" in place of the third person singular neuter possessive "its". I know, I know, it's picky and pedantic but it always and without fail causes me to hesitate over the meaning as I'm reading before I recognise that I've just tripped over yet another occurrence of the error. It's almost as if my brain has to go back and apply a mental highlighter every time I come across it. It's not really the same as having two terms for the same thing e.g. Jinty vs Fowler 0-6-0T. It's a word (or a contraction in this case) that means something different to what the writer intended - like "loose" instead of "lose", or "lead" instead of "led". Their is one contributor on hear whose particularly prone to this, to the extent that sometimes I don't even read they're posts because I fear the rough mental ride I'm going to get. (See what I did there?) 4 4 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold The Stationmaster Posted June 9, 2021 RMweb Gold Share Posted June 9, 2021 1 hour ago, Wheatley said: "Dead in train" / "Dead in tow" - I've been on the railways 34 years this year and heard both used interchangeably all that time. Similarly "drag" or "dragging" was/is in common use for diesels hauling (normally) electric sets. Conversely the S&C was never referred to as 'The Drag / Long Drag' when I was working on it, it was always 'The Midland' to distinguish it from the North East, the North West, the M&C (or 'The West Line') and The Caley which were the other lines then radiating out of Carlisle. If you were referring to the North West and the Caley as a continuous route then it was 'The Main Line'. But if you went to Newcastle 'The West Line' was what Carlisle men called 'The North East' - context being everything with geographical names. Does it really matter ? "Train station" - ok that one really matters, I'm surprised our social media team haven't blocked me. Any quirks to do with announcements on 333s is likely to be because it costs a fortune to alter anything. The auto-announcer was a unique system when it was introduced and is now completely non-standard, so it mostly says whatever CAF originally programmed it to say. Personally it annoys me more that, unless it's stopping at Kirkstall Forge, it starts announcing Leeds almost immediately it leaves Shipley or Guiseley ! Dead In Tow was certainly used in the railway vernacular as was drag/dragged in the context you mention. However as far as DIT is concerned on the Western the term officially used, and also often used in the vernacular as well, was ANR - meaning 'Attached, Not Required' 'Train station' is one of the most appallingly ignorant expressions in the English language - yes, I absolutely hate it, especially when it is used anachronistically. Great Western Region was a term very commonly used at one time stemming mainly from the reappearance of chocolate and cream coaching stock and green loco liveries in the late 1950s. However I'm fairly sure that it didn't originate within the railway but started as a journalistic expression. (I have even used it in its original context for a picture caption in 'Smoke Steam' so buy a copy of that if you want to be irritated by it ). There was definitely no need for us to use it on the WR as we knew we were a cut above the rest and our various disciples - including me in two instances - took our methods elsewhere on BR although i also introduced some of them to part of SNCF and even to one railway network in Australia. 7 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium kevinlms Posted June 9, 2021 RMweb Premium Share Posted June 9, 2021 Garrett (other wrong spellings often appear, 1r or 1t are common enough) when people mean Garratt. At least when talking about articulated locomotives from Beyer Peacock & Co. (and other makers). Garrett from a railway perspective, refers to this company and it's products. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_Garrett_%26_Sons 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Popular Post Oldddudders Posted June 9, 2021 RMweb Gold Popular Post Share Posted June 9, 2021 3 hours ago, Nearholmer said: It’s too easy to get pointlessly worked-up about this sort of thing What else are forums for? 5 5 1 20 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Hodgson Posted June 9, 2021 Share Posted June 9, 2021 24 minutes ago, ejstubbs said: Their is one contributor on hear whose particularly prone to this, to the extent that sometimes I don't even read they're posts because I fear the rough mental ride I'm going to get. (See what I did there?) I don't blame individuals who can't spell - and some spell checkers aren't up to the job either. I think our educational system leaves a lot to be desired. When I was working in Europe, I couldn't help being embarrassed by the way so many of the locals had better English than the locals, and that we (myself included) are so poor at learning their languages. 1 5 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium phil-b259 Posted June 9, 2021 RMweb Premium Share Posted June 9, 2021 (edited) 'Frog'! There is no such thing in UK railway engineering - every P-way person and official bit of documentation refers to them as a 'Crossing' 'Bulb' - Bulbs grow in the ground and produce plants. The correct term for an illuminating device is a 'Lamp' - which can be prefixed by what method is used to create the light - i.e. 'Paraffin Lamp', 'Gas Lamp', 'Electric Lamp', 'LED Lamp',... Edited June 9, 2021 by phil-b259 2 4 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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