Glossary of United Kingdom Railway Terms - S

S

• Shed: A Canadian-built Class 66 diesel-electric locomotive (from the roof shape and also the corrugated bodysides).

• Silver bullet: China Clay slurry wagons

• Skipper: Class 142 DMUs

• Slam-door Trains: Any diesel or electric multiple unit with manually opening hinged doors, mostly the British rail classes 423 and 421. So-called after the noise made by passengers slamming the doors shut.

• Slim Jim: Narrow-bodied version of the British Rail Class 33 diesel-electric locomotive (identified as sub-class 33/2) – built for the confined loading gauge on the Hastings line. (Also see Crompton and Hastings Unit).

• Stop and examine: A former British Railways rule which is now defunct, this required train crew to stop the train and examine the cause of an unexpected noise, vibration, etc. Section TW of the Network Rail rulebook covers the requirements when working a modern train.