ORDER XXII.—PERSONS EMPLOYED IN TRANSPORT AND COMMUNICATION

Sub-order 1.—Railway Workers

701.—Locomotive Engine-Drivers, Firemen, Cleaners (including Motormen)

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chargeman, engine cleaner, cleaner chargeman, cleaner shed chargeman ; foreman engine cleaner

supervises engine cleaners q.v. in railway engine depot, and is responsible to running foreman or to running shed foreman (700) q.v. for efficient performance of their duties.

cleaner, engine

cleans, with cotton waste, sponge, cloths, etc., paint, brasses and bright steel external parts (fixed and moving) of locomotive on its arrival at shed after a journey; removes dust, ash, etc., and greases steel parts in preparation for next journey.

cleaner, motor (electric railway)

an engine cleaner q.v. who cleans parts of electric rail locomotive with cotton waste and brush, and dismantles for repair when necessary.

cleaner, passed

an engine cleaner q.v. who has passed his tests for fireman q.v. on a locomotive, and is waiting for a vacancy; will relieve firemen when necessary; obsolescent.

driver, engine driver ; loco. driver (works locomotive), locomotive driver

controls running of engine generally by operating valves, throttle, etc.; keeps look-out for signals; regulates supply of steam to engine according to nature of track, load and time schedule; applies brakes when necessary; supervises work of fireman and, assisted by him, oils engine bearings, cleans and trims lamps, applies sand blast when rails are greasy; in conjunction with guard (702) q.v., is responsible for time-keeping of train.

driver, auto-car ; rail motor car driver

(i) an engine driver q.v. who drives train on rail motor branch line, engine and passenger coach usually being built as a whole;

(ii) drives auto-car, or rail motor, used for inspection trips.

driver, electric motor bogie

a motor man q.v. who drives an electrically propelled bogie used for conveying workmen, stores, etc., in connection with repair work.

driver, locomotive ; loco. driver (works locomotive)

(i) see driver;

(ii) more specifically an engine driver q.v. who drives a locomotive (steam, electric, petrol or compressed air) used for conveying materials, etc., at works, mines, quarries, docks, etc.

driver, rail motor car

see driver, auto-car.

driver, shunting; shunting engine driver

an engine driver q.v. in charge of a locomotive engaged in shunting operations in yards or sidings, and not on running lines driver, steam motor; as for driver, auto-car, except that he drives a steam motor car.

engine man

general term to cover either engine driver or fireman q.v.

engine man, shed; engine shunter

an engine driver q.v. in an engine shed employed on shunting engines, turning from one line to another by means of turntable, either manoeuvring them under own steam or pushing them with shunting engine as convenient.

engineman's mate, shed

see fireman, shed.

fireman, engine fireman, locomotive fireman ; engine stoker (locomotive), stoker (locomotive)

travels on locomotive with driver q.v. and feeds furnace by shovelling coal from tender; cleans and brightens fire by raking, or, where oil fuel is used, regulates supply of oil and cleans burners; sees that steam is maintained at correct pressure; assists driver in oiling bearings; fills, cleans and trims lamps; fills sand box with dry sand before starting journey; sometimes takes charge of engine whilst driver is looking out.

fireman, locomotive (works or mines)

stokes furnace of works locomotive and generally assists locomotive driver q.v.; watches for signals from shunters (704), and sometimes assists engine shunter q.v. by acting as shunter and pointsman; keeps boilers, etc., of locomotive clean.

fireman, shed ; shed engineman's mate

acts as fireman q.v. to shed engineman q.v.

fireman, steam motor

acts as fireman q.v. to steam motor driver q.v.

foreman engine cleaner

see chargeman engine cleaner.

motor man

drives an electric train, by operating control levers and brakes; watches for guard's starting signal and keeps look-out for signals along line; in conjunction with guard, is responsible for time-keeping of train.

pilot, pilot man

(i) an engine driver q.v. delegated to drive between two points to pick up goods train at first point and leave it at second;

(ii) after breakdown, a competent person (railway official designation) e.g. a guard (702) q.v., who accompanies a train between given points on single line, other line being temporarily out of use, to advise driver of difficulties of road, special signalling arrangements, etc.; wears distinctive badge; no train may travel on such line without pilot; cf. pilot guard (702).

stoker, engine stoker (locomotive)

see fireman.

turner, engine turner, turntable man

acting in conjunction with shed engine man q.v., operates, by hand or power, turntable upon which locomotives are turned round, to enable them to be changed from one line to another, or to face in opposite direction from that which they arrived.

turner, shed; turner-in

a turner q.v. who operates turntable to allow locomotives to run into or out of engine shed.

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From: A Dictionary of Occupational Terms Based on the Classification of Occupations used in the Census of Population, 1921,
Ministry of Labour, 1927. Digitised by Peter Christian, August, 2016.   This text is in the Public Domain.