Re: Aussie railway slang

["gm4201" <gm4201@nospambigpond.com>]

"Tezza" <tezza2000@dingoblue.net.au> wrote in message
3a8416ae$0$16397$7f31c96c@news01.syd.optusnet.com.au">news:3a8416ae$0$16397$7f31c96c@news01.syd.optusnet.com.au...
>
> | Sprag officially per the rules, was a thick piece of wood with pointy
ends
> | used to stick in the holes or between the spokes of wheels when the hand
> | brake was U/S to prevent the vehicle rolling away.
>
>
> I seem to recall 20 odd years ago that a trainee shunter was called a
sprag.
>
>
Does that mean that trainee shunters were stuck in the wheels to stop wagons
rolling away? :)