mda Railway Object Name Thesaurus
0-9, A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I, J, K, L, M, N, O, P, Q, R, S, T, U, V, W, X, Y, Z, [Contents]

identity plate
Scope note required.
Literary warrant required.
Plural form: identity plates

CL Vehicles and vehicle components
BT <vehicle identity and instruction plates>
NT registration plate
NT <builders identity plates>
NT <owners identity plates>

implement wagon
A wagon used for transporting agricultural and other machinery, e.g. Lowfit, Lowmac and Hymac.
Warrant: John Robinson, The Transport Trust
Plural form: implement wagons

CL Vehicles and vehicle components
BT <machinery, etc. carrying vehicles>

incline plane
A slope laid with rails enabling trucks on a tramway or railway to be raised up a steep rise by wire powered by steam, electricity, water, horse or gravity.
Warrant: Railway Terminology Working Group
Plural form: incline planes

USE inclined plane
CL Built works and components
BT earthworks

inclined plane
A slope laid with rails enabling trucks on a tramway or railway to be raised up a steep rise by wire powered by steam, electricity, water, horse or gravity.
Warrant: Railway Terminology Working Group
Plural form: inclined planes

UF incline plane
CL Built works and components
BT <route by inclination, etc.>
RT meeting

<individual multiple unit vehicles>
Scope note required.
Plural form: <individual multiple unit vehicles>

CL Vehicles and vehicle components
BT multiple unit stock
NT multiple unit car
NT <multiple units by control>
NT <multiple units by coupling arrangements>
NT <multiple units by power>

industrial locomotive
A steam locomotive designed for the movement of vehicles on industrial premises or on industrial tramways or railways.
Warrant: Hunslet Engine Company Catalogues
Plural form: industrial locomotives

CL Vehicles and vehicle components
BT <locomotives by operating environment>
NT gasworks locomotive

industrial railway
A private railway or siding complex serving industrial premises.
Warrant: John Robinson, The Transport Trust
Plural form: industrial railways

CL Railway types
BT freight railway
NT factory railway
NT gasworks railway
NT mineral railway
NT water board railway

ingot wagon
A wagon for conveying steel ingots.
Warrant: John Robinson, The Transport Trust
Plural form: ingot wagons

CL Vehicles and vehicle components
BT <steel carrying vehicles>

injector
A device using live steam from the boiler or exhaust steam from the steam chest to force water from the water tank into the boiler of a steam locomotive.
Warrant: Great Western Railway Drawing Registers
Plural form: injectors

UF steam injector
CL Vehicles and vehicle components
BT <water feed components>
NT combination injector
NT combination injector/ejector
NT exhaust steam injector
NT Giffards injector
NT Gresham vertical combination injector
NT live steam injector
NT restarting injector

injector component
Scope note required.
Literary warrant required.
Plural form: injector components

CL Vehicles and vehicle components
BT <water feed components>
NT exhaust injector cone
NT injector overflow pipe
NT injector section
NT injector valve
NT injector water valve

injector cone gauge
A gauge for checking the dimensions of the injector cone.
Literary warrant required.
Plural form: injector cone gauges

CL Tools and equipment
BT locomotive testing equipment

injector overflow end pipe
A pipe that allows the injector to dispose of air or water that is surplus to its correct operating requirements.
Warrant: The Locomotive of Today, Locomotive Publishing Company, 1927
Plural form: injector overflow end pipes

USE injector overflow pipe
CL Vehicles and vehicle components
BT injector component

injector overflow pipe
A pipe that allows the injector to dispose of air or water that is surplus to its correct operating requirements.
Warrant: The Locomotive of Today, Locomotive Publishing Company, 1927
Plural form: injector overflow pipes

UF injector overflow end pipe
CL Vehicles and vehicle components
BT injector component

injector section
Scope note required.
Literary warrant required.
Plural form: injector sections

CL Vehicles and vehicle components
BT injector component

injector valve
Scope note required.
Warrant: Great Western Railway Drawing Registers
Plural form: injector valves

CL Vehicles and vehicle components
BT injector component

injector water valve
A valve regulating the supply of water to the injector.
Warrant: First Principles of the Locomotive, M Reynolds, Biggs & co, 1895
Plural form: injector water valves

CL Vehicles and vehicle components
BT injector component

inner home signal
A home signal within station limits in situations where an outer home signal has been provided. The inner home is in advance of the outer home and usually to the rear of the signalbox.
Literary warrant required.
Plural form: inner home signals

CL Control and communications
BT home signal

inoperable signal
A lineside signal which is permanently set at stop or caution.
Literary warrant required.
Plural form: inoperable signals

UF fixed signal (inoperable)
CL Control and communications
BT <signals by control method>

inside admission piston valve
Scope note required.
Warrant: Locomotives and Their Working, C R H Simpson & F B Roberts, Virtue & Co Ltd, 1952
Plural form: inside admission piston valves

CL Vehicles and vehicle components
BT <cylinders and associated components>

inside casing board
A board forming part of the inner lining of a railway carriage body.
Warrant: Railway Carriages and Wagons: Their design and construction (reprinted articles from The Railway Engineer 1892-7), Sidney Stone, republished by Peter Kay, circa 1997 Fig 489
Plural form: inside casing boards

CL Vehicles and vehicle components
BT <basic structural components>
RT partition floor bearer
RT partition roof stick

inside cylinder
A cylinder mounted between the frames of the steam locomotive with pistons driving a crank axle via connecting rods.
Warrant: Locomotives and Their Working, C R H Simpson & F B Roberts, Virtue & Co Ltd, 1952
Plural form: inside cylinders

CL Vehicles and vehicle components
BT <cylinders and associated components>

inside cylinder locomotive
A steam locomotive which is operated by cylinders between the frames with pistons driving on to a crank axle via connecting rods.
Warrant: The Locomotive of Today, Locomotive Publishing Company, 1927
Plural form: inside cylinder locomotives

CL Vehicles and vehicle components
BT <piston driven steam locomotives>

inspection saloon
A service vehicle used for inspecting the railway track.
Warrant: Lexique General de Termes Ferroviares, Union Internationale des Chemins de Fer, 1975
Plural form: inspection saloons

CL Vehicles and vehicle components
BT inspection vehicle

inspection train
A train used for inspecting the railway.
Warrant: John Robinson, The Transport Trust
Plural form: inspection trains

CL Vehicles and vehicle components
BT service train

inspection vehicle
A vehicle used by railway personnel for inspecting the railway.
Warrant: John Robinson, The Transport Trust
Plural form: inspection vehicles

CL Vehicles and vehicle components
BT <personnel transport and accommodation>
NT inspection saloon
NT OHLM inspection car
NT tunnel inspection vehicle

instanter
A three link coupling where the middle link has a short side and a long side to enable loose coupled vehicles to be coupled together more closely.
Warrant: Railway Carriages and Wagons - Theories and Practices, L Lynes, Locomotive Publishing Co Ltd, 1959
Plural form: instanters

USE instanter coupling
CL Vehicles and vehicle components
BT coupling

instanter coupling
A three link coupling where the middle link has a short side and a long side to enable loose coupled vehicles to be coupled together more closely.
Warrant: Great Western Railway Drawing Registers
Plural form: instanter couplings

UF instanter
CL Vehicles and vehicle components
BT coupling

instruction plate
Scope note required.
Warrant: Great Western Railway Drawing Registers
Plural form: instruction plates

CL Vehicles and vehicle components
BT <vehicle identity and instruction plates>

instruction train
A departmental train operated for the instruction of drivers and other staff.
Literary warrant required.
Plural form: instruction trains

CL Vehicles and vehicle components
BT service train
NT route learning train

instructional sign
A sign giving orders or directions.
Warrant: Oxford English Dictionary
Plural form: instructional signs

CL Built works and components
BT <signs and markers>

instrument light
A light contained on the block shelf to indicate the position of a colour light signal.
Warrant: Ray Towell, Curator of Operations, National Railway Museum
Plural form: instrument lights

CL Control and communications
BT <non-specific control equipment>

insulated block joint
A joint of two rail sections with insulation.
Warrant: The History & Development of Railway Signalling in the British Isles, Friends of the National Railway Museum
Plural form: insulated block joints

CL Track and track components
BT rail joint

insulated meat van
A goods wagon dedicated to the conveyance of fresh meat.
Warrant: John Robinson, The Transport Trust
Plural form: insulated meat vans

CL Vehicles and vehicle components
BT meat van

insulated rail joint
A joint of two rail sections with insulation.
Warrant: Lexique General de Termes Ferroviares, Union Internationale des Chemins de Fer, 1975
Plural form: insulated rail joints

CL Track and track components
BT rail joint

insulated van
A vehicle with heat insulation to protect the load from extremes of temperature.
Literary warrant required.
Plural form: insulated vans

CL Vehicles and vehicle components
BT <rolling stock by climate control>

insulator (conductor rail)
The support for an electrical conductor rail which insulates the current from earth.
Literary warrant required.
Plural form: insulators (conductor rail)

USE conductor rail insulator
CL Track and track components
BT conductor rail equipment

insulator (overhead line)
The support for an overhead traction supply wire which insulates the current from earth.
Literary warrant required.
Plural form: insulators (overhead line)

USE overhead line insulator
CL Track and track components
BT overhead line equipment

integrated electronic control centre
A computerised signalling control centre.
Warrant: The History & Development of Railway Signalling in the British Isles, Friends of the National Railway Museum
Plural form: integrated electronic control centres

CL Control and communications
BT <central control>

integrated electronic control centre component
A component part of a computerised signalling control centre.
Literary warrant required.
Plural form: integrated electronic control centre components

CL Control and communications
BT <central control>
NT tracker ball (IECC)

intercepting goods shed
A goods shed used specifically for the transhipment of consignments arriving in 'foreign' company's wagons into wagons of the intercepting company. This was done in order to make better use of the wagon stock, reduce mileage charges on foreign wagons, etc.
Warrant: GWR Goods Services: An introduction, T Atkins & D Hyde, Wild Swan Publications, 2000 p40
Plural form: intercepting goods sheds

CL Built works and components
BT goods shed

interlocking frame
A frame in which the levers working all signals and points in an area are mounted together and interlocked to avoid conflicting movements.
Warrant: Lexique General de Termes Ferroviares, Union Internationale des Chemins de Fer, 1975
Plural form: interlocking frames

UF interlocking machine
CL Control and communications
BT lever frame
NT 45 degree tappet lever frame
NT catch-handle locking lever frame
NT direct lever locking lever frame
NT duplex locking lever frame
NT horizontal tappet lever frame
NT tumbler frame
NT vertical tappet lever frame
NT vertical tappet signal lever frame

interlocking gear
The equipment for controlling the setting and releasing of signals and points to prevent unsafe conditions arising.
Warrant: The History of Railway Signalling, Friends of the National Railway Museum
Plural form: interlocking gears

CL Control and communications
BT <mechanical interlocking equipment>

interlocking machine
A frame in which the levers working all signals and points in an area are mounted together and interlocked to avoid conflicting movements.
Literary warrant required.
Plural form: interlocking machines

USE interlocking frame
CL Control and communications
BT <central control>

intermediate block home signal
A stop signal controlling exit from an intermediate block section into the blocked section ahead.
Warrant: Railtrack Jargon Buster, 1999
Plural form: intermediate block home signals

CL Control and communications
BT home signal

intermediate block instrument
A mechanism, for actuating intermediate block signals.
Warrant: Ray Towell, Curator of Operations, National Railway Museum
Plural form: intermediate block instruments

CL Control and communications
BT block instrument

intermediate block switch
A mechanism, for actuating intermediate block signals.
Warrant: Ray Towell, Curator of Operations, National Railway Museum
Plural form: intermediate block switches

CL Control and communications
BT <block system working>

intermediate floor bearer
A transverse member supporting a vehicle floor.
Warrant: Railway Carriages and Wagons: Their design and construction (reprinted articles from The Railway Engineer 1892-7), Sidney Stone, republished by Peter Kay, circa 1997.
Plural form: intermediate floor bearers

CL Vehicles and vehicle components
BT bottom framing

intermediate siding tablet instrument
A mechanism for unlocking a lever frame remotely from a block post.
Warrant: Ray Towell, Curator of Operations, National Railway Museum
Plural form: intermediate siding tablet instruments

CL Control and communications
BT electric token instrument

internal combustion engine
Scope note required.
Literary warrant required.
Plural form: internal combustion engines

UF internal combustion power unit
CL Vehicles and vehicle components
BT engine

<internal combustion exhaust components>
Vehicle components concerned with removal of exhaust gases, silencing, etc.
Plural form: <internal combustion exhaust components>

CL Vehicles and vehicle components
BT <exhaust components>

internal combustion locomotive
A locomotive whose power source is an internal combustion engine.
Literary warrant required.
Plural form: internal combustion locomotives

CL Vehicles and vehicle components
BT <locomotives by power source>
NT <compression ignition engined locomotives>
NT <electric ignition engined locomotives>
NT <other internal combustion locomotives>

internal combustion power unit
Scope note required.
Literary warrant required.
Plural form: internal combustion power units

USE internal combustion engine
CL Vehicles and vehicle components
BT engine

internal roof vent
Scope note required.
Literary warrant required.
Plural form: internal roof vents

CL Vehicles and vehicle components
BT roof ventilator

internal user wagon
A wagon, usually near the end of its life and no longer fit for main line service, that is restricted to internal use within a railway works or yard complex.
Literary warrant required.
Plural form: internal user wagons

CL Vehicles and vehicle components
BT <rolling stock by place used>

inter-car barrier
Scope note required.
Literary warrant required.
Plural form: inter-car barriers

CL Vehicles and vehicle components
BT <vehicle safety barriers>

inter-car cable
A single core cable connection between two cars.
Warrant: LUL Jargon Buster
Plural form: inter-car cables

CL Vehicles and vehicle components
BT <secondary electrical circuitry>

inter-car jumper
A multi - core cable inter - connection between two cars.
Warrant: LUL Jargon Buster
Plural form: inter-car jumpers

CL Vehicles and vehicle components
BT <secondary electrical circuitry>

inter-city railway
Scope note required.
Literary warrant required.
Plural form: inter-city railways

CL Railway types
BT <railways by places served>
NT trunk line

invalid saloon
A special coach, fitted with bed, armchairs, wheelchair, etc, which could be chartered for the carriage of invalids.
Warrant: The Railway Dictionary, An A-Z of Railway Terminology, Alan A Jackson, Alan Sutton Publishing, 1996
Plural form: invalid saloons

CL Vehicles and vehicle components
BT <passenger carriages by function>

inverted tank and tender locomotive
A locomotive carrying its water containing tanks on its main frames plus a separate water/fuel tender.
Literary warrant required.
Plural form: inverted tank and tender locomotives

CL Vehicles and vehicle components
BT tank and tender locomotive
RT inverted tank locomotive

inverted tank locomotive
A locomotive carrying its water tanks on its main frames mounted under and to the side of its smokebox.
Literary warrant required.
Plural form: inverted tank locomotives

CL Vehicles and vehicle components
BT tank locomotive

iron bar rail
An iron bar used as a rail, the crudest form of wrought iron rail.
Warrant: Jim Rees, Beamish North of England Open Air Museum
Plural form: iron bar rails

CL Track and track components
BT <rails by form>

iron ore wagon
A specialised wagon dedicated to the conveyance of iron ore.
Warrant: Phil Atkins, National Railway Museum
Plural form: iron ore wagons

CL Vehicles and vehicle components
BT stone wagon

ironworks railway
Scope note required.
Literary warrant required.
Plural form: ironworks railways

CL Railway types
BT factory railway

island platform
A platform with two faces for through lines.
Warrant: The Railway Dictionary, An A-Z of Railway Terminology, Alan A Jackson, Alan Sutton Publishing, 1996
Plural form: island platforms

CL Built works and components
BT platform

isolating cock
A device used in pneumatic and hydraulic systems to shut off flow or to drain systems.
Warrant: Railway Technical Web Pages, Piers Connor, 2000
Plural form: isolating cocks

CL Vehicles and vehicle components
BT <unattributed vehicle components>

isolating contactor
Scope note required.
Literary warrant required.
Plural form: isolating contactors

CL Vehicles and vehicle components
BT <ancillary electrical equipment>

isolation equipment
Scope note required.
Literary warrant required.
Plural form: isolation equipment

CL Vehicles and vehicle components
BT <ancillary electrical equipment>

0-9, A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I, J, K, L, M, N, O, P, Q, R, S, T, U, V, W, X, Y, Z, [Contents]

© MDA 2002.
You may freely download this page for non-profit use, but must acknowledge MDA & the Railway Terminology Working Group in any output in which it is used.