The puff of smoke, the shriek of the whistle and the chug-chug-chug of the engine: there’s something magical about a steam train. Steam railways began in Britain, and today Brits still queue up to ride the old trains on weekends and holidays. Here are the words you need, whether you’re a train fan or just along for the ride.
Words in the Photo
Three words you can see in the photo at the top of this page, in alphabetical order.
carriage (noun): one of the separate parts of a train where passengers sit. · In the photo
“We found two empty seats in the last carriage.”
engineer (noun): the person who drives a train (British English usually says engine driver or train driver). · In the photo
“The engineer waved to the children as the train went past.”
steam locomotive (noun): a railway engine that is powered by steam. · In the photo
“The old steam locomotive pulled six carriages up the hill.”
12 More Steam Train Words
From the platform to the footplate, the words you’ll hear on any steam railway.
boiler (noun): the large tank where water is heated to make steam.
“The fireman kept the boiler hot all day.”
coal (noun): a hard black rock that is burned for heat.
“Steam engines burn tonnes of coal.”
funnel (noun): the chimney on top of a steam engine where the smoke comes out.
“Smoke poured out of the funnel as the train left the station.”
guard (noun): the railway worker who looks after a train and its passengers.
“The guard blew his whistle and the train began to move.”
heritage railway (noun): an old railway kept running for visitors, often with steam trains.
“We spent Sunday on a heritage railway in Yorkshire.”
platform (noun): the raised area next to the track where you get on and off the train.
“The train to York leaves from platform 4.”
puff (verb): to blow out small clouds of smoke or steam.
“The little engine puffed its way along the valley.”
return ticket (noun): a ticket to a place and back again (Americans say round-trip ticket).
“A return ticket to the coast, please.”
signal (noun): a light or sign next to the track that tells the driver to stop or go.
“We waited at a red signal for ten minutes.”
timetable (noun): a list of the times when trains arrive and leave.
“Check the timetable. The last train is at 6pm.”
track (noun): the metal rails that a train runs on.
“Never walk on the track!”
whistle (noun): a device that makes a loud, high sound.
“You could hear the train’s whistle from miles away.”
Where It All Began
Britain gave the world the steam railway. A few dates every train fan knows:
- 1825: the Stockton and Darlington Railway opens, the first public railway to use steam locomotives.
- 1829: George Stephenson’s Rocket wins a famous competition at Rainhill and becomes the most famous early locomotive.
- 1934: the Flying Scotsman becomes the first steam locomotive officially recorded at 100 miles per hour.
Steam trains disappeared from Britain’s main lines in the 1960s, but volunteers saved many old engines. Today, heritage railways all over the country run steam trains for visitors, often with tea rooms on the platform.
UK or US? Brits say railway, carriage, train driver and return ticket. Americans say railroad, car, engineer and round-trip ticket.
Steam idioms: if you let off steam, you do something to get rid of stress or energy. If you run out of steam, you get tired and stop. And when a plan goes full steam ahead, it moves forward with lots of energy. For modern trains, buses and the Tube, see our public transport vocabulary.
Learn More
Look it upFlying ScotsmanWikipediaFrequently Asked Questions
In British English, both words can mean the part of a train where passengers sit. Americans usually say “car”.
A heritage railway is an old railway line that is kept running for visitors, often with restored steam trains and volunteers in old-fashioned uniforms.
It means to do something that helps you relax or get rid of stress or extra energy, like going for a run or shouting at the football on TV.
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