Re: [General] Railway language - trivia warning!

["Ronald BESDANSKY" <ronbest@bigpond.com>]

"Deeg" <galtfd@att.net> wrote in message
41=MOc5aoyMdGk6A1x1bvTnqEkRC@4ax.com">news:41=MOc5aoyMdGk6A1x1bvTnqEkRC@4ax.com...
> On Sat, 23 Sep 2000 16:27:34 +1000, "Ronald BESDANSKY"
> <ronbest@bigpond.com> wrote:
>
> >I am curious as to whether some British railway terms are being / have
been
> >used here:
> >
> >On / off (of signals)
> >Bobby (signaller)
> >Link (driver's table)
> >Top link ("best" driver's table)
> >One on (said by flagperson when warning of approaching train)
> >
>
> The only one of these that I find familiar - remembered most vividly
> from reading L T C Rolt's account of the Hawes Junction disaster - is
> on/off, meaning signals set at danger/clear. But I wonder if it is
> still in use even in the UK. Perhaps it has faded away in the era of
> colour lights?
>
Can't see what difference that makes! I don't think "on" and "off" are
related to the physical position of a semaphore. In fact, I don't know where
the terms come from. Might try uk.rail

--
Rgds

Ron Besdansky
(Computer system project manager and rail enthusiast)