Automatic
Warning
System (AWS) |
Used
to give advance warning to drivers of a signal,
a temporary speed restriction or a permanent
speed restriction more than 30% slower than
the current limit |
| Ballast |
Graded
stone base used for drainage and support of
the railway track. |
| Bobby |
Traditional
slang for a signalman (the original signalmen
were actually Railway Police Officers) |
| Bridge |
A
bridge carries a road or railway across a river,
a valley or another obstacle. The simplest
bridge is a beam supported at each end by pillars.
Beam bridges cannot stretch across wide gaps,
so other kinds must be used, such as arch bridges
and suspension bridges. In a suspension bridge,
the road hangs from the wire cables. |
| Bullet
Train |
A bullet train
is a high-speed train that is shaped rather
like a bullet. Bullet trains are streamlined
so that they can travel faster. |
| Conductor
Rail |
A rail through
which direct current (DC) electricity is supplied
to electric trains operating on the third rail
system |
| Cutting |
Excavation
for a railway track (or road) through high
ground to allow the track to be as level as
possible |
| Diamond
Crossing |
Arrangement
of a line where the point at which two lines
cross is in the shape of a diamond |
| Down
Line |
Rail line
taking trains away from London (generally) |
| Fish
Plate (fishplate) |
Steel plate
to secure the ends of two rails together (in
jointed track) |
| Gauge |
Distance between
the inner running faces of two rails on the
same track. standard gauge is 1,435mm(4ft 8
1/2ins) |
| Goods
Line |
A line which
does not have signals to the standard required
for running passenger trains |
| Level
Crossing |
A crossing
of a railway and road at the same level |
| Light
Loco |
A locomotive
running on its own without a train (usually
to or from a depot for maintenance) |
| Locomotive |
An engine
for drawing trains along a railway track |
| Loop
Line |
A siding with
a connection to the running line at each end,
used to enable a locomotive to run round a
train or to allow a slower train to be overtaken
by a faster train |
| Main
Line |
Usually the
fastest line(s) in a multiple track or the
running lines in a two track section |
| Mass
transit |
Mass transit
is a transport system that can carry large
numbers of passengers. It transports them over
short distances in a short time. Mass transit
systems are used in cities, where the roads
often become blocked with traffic. A mass transit
system may include buses, trams, an underground
railway and a surface railway. |
| Overhead
Lines |
Electric cables
that carry alternating current (AC) electricity.
Used to power electric locomotives through
a pantograph (see below) |
| Pantograph |
Device on
the roof of an electric locomotive or multiple
unit through which electric power is drawn
from the overhead lines |
| Parkway
Station |
A railway
station with a large car park and easy road
access |
| Piggyback |
The carrying
of lorry trailers by train |
| Points |
Tapering moveable
rail to direct a train from one track to another |
| Power
Operated Points |
Points operated
by a means other than mechanical (e.g. electric
motor, hydraulics or compressed air) Mechanical
Points - points which are operated without
any form of power assistance |
| Q-Trains |
Trains with
British Transport Police on-board to combat
route crime |
| Relief
line or Slow Line |
The slower
line in a multiple track area. |
| Rolling
Stock |
The total
amount of locomotives, passenger and freight
vehicles owned or operated by a company |
| Railway |
A railway
is a transport system in which trains run on
steel rails. On most railways, the tracks consists
of two rails which are placed exactly 143.5
cm apart. This is called the standard gauge.
Tracks with rails which are closer together
are known as narrow gauge. |
| Railway
Carriage |
Vehicle used
to carry railway passengers and hauled by a
locomotive. A number of carriages (or freight
wagons) and a locomotive makes up a train |
| Semaphore
Signals |
Signals usually
worked mechanically by wire from a signal box,
but can be electrically operated. These are
mechanical arms rather than coloured lights |
| Sleeper |
Wood, concrete
or steel section which holds the rails apart
and supports the track on the ballast |
| Station |
A stopping
place for trains where railway passengers can
get on and get off. The size can range from
an unmanned station with a shelter and one
platform to a large station with many staff,
platforms and passenger facilities. |
| Steam
engine |
A steam engine
produces power to drive machinery. Steam engines
were the first successful engines. They were
the main power source in industry in the 1700's
and 1800's, and also on the railway until the
middle of this century. |
| Third
Rail |
An
additional rail beside the two running rails.
Used to carry direct current (DC) power to
electrified trains - the alternative to alternating
current (AC) used in overhead line electrification |
| Train |
A
train is a vehicle that travels on the railways.
It is made up of a locomotive and a number
of passenger carriages or goods wagons. The
train locomotive provides the power to pull
the train. |
| Tunnel |
A
structure provided to allow a railway line
(or road) to pass under higher ground, and
which has been excavated without disturbing
the surface of that ground |
| Underground
railway |
An
underground railway travels in tunnels below
the surface. It is sometimes called a subway
or metro. Underground railways are useful in
busy cities because they are not affected BT
traffic jams on the streets above. The London
Underground (opened in 1863) was the first
underground railway and is still the biggest
in the world. |
| Up
Line |
Track
with a normal direction of running generally
towards London |
| Viaduct |
A
bridge structure with a series of arches or
spans carrying a railway (or road) across a
valley or dip in the ground |
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