The Wordsworth Railway Dictionary

From Abadan to Zero Point, this dictionary provides an accessible guide to the fascinating language and lore which have grown up around railways since their invention in the early 19th century. It defines railway terms and includes proper names of trains, lines, companies, periodicals and manufacturers, as well as clarifying a profusion of abbreviations, acronyms and initials. The dictionary also interprets and explains in a clear, concise manner many foreign words and phrases, and the slang and colloquialisms used by professionals and amateurs alike. The text is enhanced by many helpful explanatory drawings and diagrams.

From Abadan to Zero Point, this dictionary provides an accessible guide to the language and lore which have developed around railways since their invention in the early 19th century. It defines railway terms and includes proper names of trains, lines, companies, periodicals and manufacturers, as well as clarifying the profusion of abbreviations, acronyms and initials. The dictionary also interprets and explains many foreign words and phrases, and the slang and colloquialisms used by professional and amateurs alike. The text is enhanced by many explanatory drawings and diagrams.

Like it or not, abbreviations and acronyms are now an essential ingredient of everyday life. Since the first edition of The Wordsworth Dictionary of Abbreviations & Acronyms was published in mid-1997, the compilers have been diligently collecting further examples from many walks of life

"The Modern Railways Dictionary of Railway Industry Terms is an essential guide to the complex world of the modern railway scene. Today's privatised railway industry has created for itself a whole new range of jargon to be added to that already in use in an industry whose history now spans two centuries." "In this book the reader is guided through the terminology that is in present use, reflecting the new railway structures that have replaced the old. The organisation of the railway itself is explained and its relationship with other bodies. This includes the Department for Transport and Network Rail as well as crucial areas such as the responsibility for safety and the funding arrangements for the Passenger Transport Executives." "While much of the book is arranged alphabetically, there are a number of topics - from the legal position to signalling, passenger services to rolling stock and so on - organised thematically."--BOOK JACKET.

Quotations have exercised a particular fascination for humanity since the birth of recorded language and their potency in the age of the soundbite is stronger than ever. We revel in quotations, compete to know them, love them, hate them and inscribe them in books and on buildings, and this freshly revised and updated dictionary includes a wealth of new material among its 13,000 familiar, serious, outrageous, witty and thought-provoking entries.The Wordsworth Dictionary of Quotations is an essential work of reference for every writer, journalist and speech-maker, as well as being a treasure-trove for the browser and the simply curious. From the Roman poet Ovid's observation that 'Judgement of beauty can er, what with the wine and the dark' to Oscar Wilde's that 'Experience is the name everyone gives to their mistakes', there is a wide diversity of sayings to add spice to our conversation and enrich our daily lives. The book is alphabetically arranged by author and indexed by keyword for ease of use.

Thousands of concise definitions for words used in ancient or modern law.

The first global history of the epic early days of the iron railway Railways, in simple wooden or stone form, have existed since prehistory. But from the 1750s onward the introduction of iron rails led to a dramatic technological evolution--one that would truly change the world. In this rich new history, David Gwyn tells the neglected story of the early iron railway from a global perspective. Driven by a combination of ruthless enterprise, brilliant experimenters, and international cooperation, railway construction began to expand across the world with astonishing rapidity. From Britain to Australia, Russia to America, railways would bind together cities, nations, and entire continents. Rail was a tool of industry and empire as well as, eventually, passenger transport, and developments in technology occurred at breakneck speed--even if the first locomotive in America could muster only 6 mph. The Coming of the Railway explores these fascinating developments, documenting the early railway's outsize social, political, and economic impact--carving out the shape of the global economy as we know it today.