Re: Secs What are they ?

[G.Lambert@unsw.edu.au (Geoff Lambert)]

rcook@pcug.org.au (Owen Cook) wrote:

>A coroners report on the death of a lengthsman in 1891, uses the
>word   "secs" . I would have thought it meant sections, exception
>the word section is spelt out a number of times in the report.

>Quote

>Gangers evidence......

> I said good night and left him there - he was then standing on
>the secs on the northern side. Another Lengthsman named Harry
>Bosling was present. ...........

>Hendrick Bosling being duly sworn says I am a lengthsman of No. 3
>length on the Central Railway, ............
> About 4am I was on my way to the camp when I saw deceased lying
>on the Secs on the Northern side of the line, 

>End quotes

>So, what are secs ?

I'm sure this was the court reporter's mishearing of "cess", being a
(largely British) term for the drain or depressed piece of ground that
lies either side of the ballast on some lines.

That's what I think, anyway.

geoff Lambert