The MMPA Jargon Buster Page

Railway jargon and the multitude of abbreviations used by government departments and the railway industry can be very confusing to the uniniated. This page will attempt to unravel some of the mysteries. If you come across a word, phrase or abbreviation on this site, or on our local trains and stations, which you don't understand please inform your webmaster who will be pleased to add it to this page. He might even be prevailed upon to reword the offending page to make it more intelligible!

Words in yellow are defined elsewhere in the glossary.

Go to: A B C D E F G H I L M N O P R S T U W Y

Adelante

This is the name given to FGW's Class 180 5-car, 125 mph trains. The Adelantes were due to be phased out at the end of 2007 to be replaced by refurbished HSTs, but three units remain in service.

AHB

Automatic Half-Barrier - type of level crossing with barriers across half the width of the roadway on each side which are activated automatically by the approaching train. The crossings at Furze Platt and Cookham are AHBs (see Gallery 1, picture 10).

AOCL

Automatic Open Crossing, Locally controlled - type of level crossing without barriers or gates and with traffic signals operated by the approaching train. The crossings near Bourne End Marina on the Marlow line are AOCLs.

Arr or a.

Arrival Time

ARS

Automatic Routesetting System - normally an integral part of IECC but can be used with NX panels.

ASR

All Signals Red - panic button on a signalling panel.

ATO

Automatic Train Operation

ATOC

Association of Train Operating Companies

AWS

Automatic Warning System - indicates to the train driver by means of a "sunflower" display and either a bell or a hooter (or electronic equivalent) whether the signal he is approaching is showing a clear or a restrictive aspect. It automatically applies the breaks if the hooter warning is not acknowledged. The danger is that if a driver is used to running on single yellow or double yellow signals he could acknowledge the hooter by force of habit and carry on even if the signal is at danger. This is believed to have been the cause of the Ladbroke Grove mishap. The newer TPWS aims to overcome this drawback.

Banner Repeater

You may see these above a platform or elsewhere on the railway where visibility of a signal is impeded. It consists of a white illuminated disc (usually LED or fibre optic these days) with a black (dark) horizontal or diagonal bar across it. If the bar is horizontal it indicates to the driver that the next signal is at danger.

Bo-Bo

Axle configuration of a locomotive with two bogies each having two wheelsets which are individually powered.

Bubble car

Popular name for a single car multiple unit.

Car

Carriage. You may see a sign board on the platform bearing a number and the words " Car Stop". This indicates where the front of a train of that length should stop. A letter "S" applies to all trains.

C-C

Axle configuration of a locomotive with two bogies each having three wheelsets which are geared together.

CCTV

Closed Circuit Television - used to monitor some level crossings, and for surveillance.

Chord

Short curve (actually an arc, not a chord) joining two intersecting railway lines.

CIS

Customer Information Systems

Class (1)

Locomotives and multiple units of a particular design are assigned to a "class" in NR's computer system. The first two or three digits of the fleet number indicate the class - two digits for locomotives and three for multiple units. Those you are likely to see in our area are:
37 - English Electric classic diesel-electric locomotive. These are slowly being replaced by more modern machines.
43 - HST power cars. Western Region HSTs were originally Class 253 but the power cars are now classed as locomotives because they got swapped around so much owing to failures that it became impossible to keep sets together in their original formations. Class 43 was originally used for “Warship“ class diesel-hydraulic locomotives.;
52 - “Western” class preserved C-C diesel-hydraulic locomotives. D1015 Western Champion is based at Old Oak Common depôt;
57 - re-engined Brush classic diesel-electric locomotives (formerly class 47) still used on the Night Riviera sleeper service.
59, 66 - General Motors heavy-haul diesel-electric freight locomotives;
60 - Brush diesel-electric freight locomotive;
67 - Diesel-electric Bo-Bo 125mph mixed traffic locomotive.
97 - Departmental (i.e. Network Rail) version of the Class 37;
165 - Networker Turbo 2- or 3-car diesel multiple units used on local services;
166 - as 165 but 3-car units with air conditioning;
168 - Chiltern Railways "Clubman" DMUs;
180 - Adelante DMUs;
220 - Voyager DMUs used on Cross Country services;
332 - Heathrow Express EMUs;
360 - Heathrow Connect EMUs;
444, 450 - Siemens Desiro EMUs as used on SWT services into Reading.

Class (2)

Trains are classified according to the type of service. The classes are broadly as follows:
1. Express passenger train.
2. Ordinary passenger train, breakdown train or OLE train.
3. Freight train which can run at more than 75mph, or parcels train.
4. Freight train limited to 75mph
5. ECS train.
6. Freight train limited to 60mph
7. Freight train limited to 45mph
8. Freight train limited to or timed to run at not more than 35mph
9. Eurostar train
0. Lignt locomotive.
The train class is the first digit of the reporting number.

Class (3)

Standard of passenger accommodation (first class and standard class).

Clock Face

Phrase often used to mean regular departures at the same minutes past each hour.

CLRL

Cross London Rail Link - the organisation responsible for delivering Crossrail.

Co-Co

Axle configuration of a locomotive with two bogies each having three wheelsets which are individually powered.

CP

Control Period - a five year period used for railway planning. We are now in CP3. CP4 runs from 2009 to 2014, CP5 from 2014 to 2019 and so on.

CrossRail

Scheme to connect lines east and west of London with a tunnel between Paddington and Liverpool Street stations (web site).

CSR

Cab Secure Radio

CTRL

Channel Tunnel Rail Link

Dep or d.

Departure Time

DfT

Department for Transport - government department.

DfT Rail

Part of the DfT responsible for railways. It replaced the Strategic Rail Authority (web site).

Diagram

This refers to the timetable for a particular train and/or train crew. It consists of a number of journeys usually starting and finishing at a depôt or other stabling point. The word comes from the graphical representation of the timetable with time along the X-axis and distance on the Y-axis.

DLR

Docklands Light Railway

DMU

Diesel Multiple Unit train, e.g. the Class 165 Turbo used by FGW and Chiltern Railways on suburban services.

Down or DN

Direction of travel away from London

DVT

Driving Van Trailer - an unpowered vehicle with a driving cab and guard's van or luggage space. It is used at the opposite end of a push-pull train from the locomotive in order to drive the train when the locomotive is propelling it from the rear.

Dwell Time

The length of time the train takes for a station stop.

ECS

Empty Coaching Stock - i.e. an empty train running to or from a depôt or stabling point or between service journeys.

EMU

Electric Multiple Unit

Engine

A component of a locomotive or power car or DMU which generates power. Except in the case of steam engines, an engine is not a locomotive or vice-versa!

ERTMS

European Railway Train Management System - a moving block signalling system using in-cab displays instead of trackside signals that is currently being implemented on the Cambrial Line.

ETCS

European Train Control System

Eurostar

Brand name for services between London and Brussels or Paris via the Channel Tunnel (web site).

EWS

English Welsh and Scottish Railway - freight operator.

Feather

A row of five white (strictly speaking, lunar) lights on top of a signal head to show when a diverging route is set. The first feather is at 45° to the vertical on the appropriate side, and additional feathers may be added at 90° and 135°.

FGW

First Great Western - part of First Group plc and holder of the train operating franchise for our line.

Flying Scotsman

LNER A3 pacific locomotive no. 4472.

Flying Scotsman, The

Named train which runs between London King's Cross and Edinburgh.

Four foot

The gap between the rails (actually 4' 8½")

FPL

Facing Point Lock - to prevent the points moving under a passing train at a diverging junction.

GRIP

Guide to Railway Investment Projects - Network Rail’s management and control process for enhancements. more information

Ground Frame

A signal lever frame mounted on the ground usually in the open but can be covered or inside a hut (see Gallery 1).

Headcode

A code displayed on the front of a train. In most areas this was the train's reporting number and may still be displayed on some freight locomotives. On the former Southern Region, two character headcodes are used to indicate the route but are not used on some types of train.

HEx

Heathrow Express - the fast service between Paddington and Heathrow Airport.

HS1

High Speed One - high speed line between London St. Pancras and the Channel Tunnel, formerly CTRL.

HST

High Speed Train, also known as the InterCity 125 and used on FGW's long distance services.

HLOS

High Level Output Specification - sets the outputs that the government wished to purchase from the railway industry during a Control Period (CP).

IECC

Integrated Electronic Control Centre - our area is controlled by the IECC at Slough Signalling Centre.

IEP

Intercity Express Programme - programme to design and build a replacement for the HST

Interlocking

Part of the signalling system which ensures the safety of the railway. It ensures that a route cannot be set if it conflicts with another route that has aready been set or if the section ahead is occupied. It also ensures that a signal cannot be cleared until a route has been set (i.e. the points set and proved for the intended course) and the section ahead is unoccupied. Interlocking can be achieved by means of a mechanical system of bars and levers or by means of electrical relays or solid state (computer based) systems.

ITSO

Integrated Transport Smartcard Organisation - body formed to draw up standard specifications for interoperable smartcard based ticketing systems similar to (but not including) Oyster.

LCD

Liquid Crystal Display - used for flat screen displays in PIS.

LED

Light Emitting Diode - used in modern signalling and PIS.

Light Locomotive

A locomotive running on its own, without a train.

Loading Gauge

Outline or profile which is not exceeded by any part of the train. There is a series of standard loading gauges which apply to different types of train. The term is also applied to a device comprising an arc suspended over the line at the exit of a goods yard, colliery, quarry, etc. to check that wagons have not been overloaded.

Locomotive

A motive power unit used to haul and/or propel a train. A locomotive is not a train. Flying Scotsman is a locomotive: The Flying Scotsman is a named train.

LUL

London Underground Limited

Main Lines

In the local context, the fast lines between London and the West of England which are on the south side of the railway between Didcot Parkway and Paddington. Also used in a more general sense to mean not the branch lines.

MMPA

Marlow-Maidenhead Passengers' Association - action group representing public transport users.

Multiple Unit

A set of coaches which is semi-permanently coupled (or a single railcar) and which has a driving cab at each end. It is called a multiple unit because it can work in multiple with other units of the same type with the whole train being controlled by a driver in the leading cab.

National Rail

An umbrella organisation for the TOCs which provides travel enquiry and booking services. It is also used as a generic name for heavy rail services as distinct from light rail, Underground and Metro services. National Rail Enquiries

Networker

Series of DMUs and EMUs of Classes 165, 166, 365 and 465 introduced by Network SouthEast.

NLRIP

North London Route Improvement Plan

NR

Network Rail - the company which owns the railway infrastructure and signalling, and which operates principal stations such as London Paddington.

NX

Entrance-Exit - type of signalling control panel on which the signaller sets a route by first pushing the button at the start (entrance) of the route, and then the button at the end (exit) of the route.

Occupation crossing

A level crossing provided for the use of owners of adjacent property (typically farms). The crossing has gates across the roadway but no traffic signals. There is usually a telephone for contacting the signalman if a long vehicle or a herd of cattle has to be taken across the line.

Off

State of a signal which is not at danger (cf On). You may see an illuminated OFF box on a station platform. It indicates to platform staff and train crew that the starting signal is off. If the line is reversible the OFF box will also indicate for which direction (up or down) the signal is off.

OLE

Overhead Line Equipment (for electric traction)

On

State of a signal at danger i.e. red (cf Off).

ORR

Office of Rail Regulation

OTMR

On Train Monitoring Recorder - railway equivalent of the “black box”

Passenger Focus

National rail consumer watchdog. (web site).

PIS

Passenger Information System, also known as CIS.

Possession

A stretch of line handed over to engineering departments for maintenance and not available for use by trains other than engineer's trains and special vehicles needed for the work.

Power Car

Although similar to a locomotive, a power car is designed to be used as part of a fixed formation train and may include a guard's van. A power car has a driving cab at one end only although it may have basic controls at the other end for use when shunting in a depôt. An HST has a power car at each end.

PTA, PTE

Passenger Transport Authority / Executive

PW

Permanent Way - the railway track itself, and the track bed.

RA (1)

Right Away - signal to driver to start. You may see an illuminated RA box at the end of the platform.

RA (2)

Route Availability - a number from 1 to 10 which indicates what motive power units can use what routes, which depends mainly on axle loadings and overall weight. A locomotive may not use a route with a lower RA number than its own except with special dispensation and possible speed restrictions.

RAIB

Rail Accident Investigation Branch

Relief Lines

In the context of the Great Western lines, the relief lines are the slow lines between Didcot Parkway and London, comprising the two passenger tracks on the north side of the railway.

Reporting Number

A four-character code used to identify a train in the signalling system and in the WTT. The first digit is the train's Class (2). The second is a letter indicating the destination and is followed by two digits which indicate the particular train on that route. (further information)

Reversed

Points are said to be reversed when set away from the normal (usually straight ahead) route.

Road

The railway track. A train "has the road" when it has a route set ahead of it and the signal is off.

Rolling Stock

General name for railway vehicles including locomotives, coaches and wagons.

RoSCo

Rolling Stock leasing Company - which leases trains to the TOCs.

RPC

Rail Passengers' Council - now superseded by Passenger Focus.

RSSB

Rail Safety and Standards Board

RUS

Route Utilisation Strategy - study (by NR and previously, SRA) to determine how best the maximum capacity can be delivered by the railway with its existing assets and with the funds that are likely to become available.

S & C

Switches and Crossings - pointwork on the track.

S & T

Signals and Telecommunication

Set

A set of coaches or a multiple unit.

SFN

Strategic Freight Network

Six foot

The gap between two adjacent tracks (cf. four foot).

SoFA

Statement of Funds Available

SPAD

Signal Passed at Danger

SPATE

Speed Previously Announced Terminated Early i.e. a TSR that has been lifted earlier than planned.

SRA

Strategic Rail Authority - now superseded by DfT Rail

SPT

Signal Post Telephone

SSI

Solid State Interlocking

STANOX

Code used within TOPS to indicate a particular piece of railway (siding, station, depot, etc.). STANOX codes are not necessarily unique across the whole system.

SWT

South West Trains - TOC operating services out of London Waterloo.

TfL

Transport for London - transport authority for Greater London reporting to the Mayor of London.

TIPLOC

Timing Point Location - a unique code allocated to each point used for timetabling purposes.

TOC

Train Operating Company - company which holds a franchise to operate rail services.

Token

An object (either physical or electronic) which permits a driver to enter a single line section. On the Marlow line there are token sections between Maidenhead and Bourne End, and between Bourne End and Marlow. The tokens are in the form or large keys which are held in token instruments (see Gallery 1) at Maidenhead and Bourne End. Only one may be removed from the system at any one time, thus preventing two trains colliding on the single line. At Bourne End tokens are also required to work the ground frame. The interlocking allows one train to have use of Platform 1 and the line to Marlow while a second train operates between Platform 2 and Maidenhead.

TOPS

Total Operations Processing System - computer system used by Network Rail to keep track of all rolling stock, motive power units, train consists, etc.

TPWS

Train Protection and Warning System - this has recently superseded AWS and has the added capability to prevent trains passing signals at danger. It is effective for trains speeds up to 75mph.

Train

You probably know what a train is, but for the benefit of any hacks reading this, a locomotive is not a train!

TRTS

Train Ready To Start - you may see a TRTS plunger on the platform at major stations. It is used by the platform supervisor to indicate to the signalling system that the train is ready to depart. See also RA (1).

TSR

Temporary Speed Restriction

Turbo

Originally “Networker Turbo” or “Thames Turbo” - the name given by Thames Trains to the Class 165 and 166 diesel trains which work our local services. The Class 166 units are the ones with air conditioning (which may or may not work). These are the diesel versions of the Networker series of trains introduced by Network SouthEast in the 1980s.

UIC

Union Internationale des Chemins de Fer (International Union of Railways).

Unit

See Multiple Unit.

Up

Direction of travel towards London

W

Whistle. You will usually see a “W” sign by the line when approaching a level crossing (except for crossings with full barriers and CCTV supervision).

WSMR

Wrexham, Shropshire and Marylebone Railway Company.

WTT

Working Timetable - the timetable used by train crews and signallers. It shows times to a precision of half a minute and may differ slightly from the public timetable. It shows times at points other than station stops (e.g. passing times at junctions or stations where the train does not stop) and it includes scheduled trains other than passenger trains in service.

Yellow

Railway signals have yellow aspects, not amber!