he works on the railways

Präp.

1. räumlich, auch fig.:

a) (in der Nähe von) near; bei Berlin near Berlin; die Schlacht bei Waterloo the Battle of Waterloo; beim Rathaus (just) near ( oder by) the town hall; (am Rathaus) at the town hall; dicht bei der Schule just next to the school; gleich beim Hotel liegt die Post the post office is just ( oder right) next to the hotel; etw. bei der Hand haben have s.th. to hand; sein Einkommen / der Wert liegt etwa bei 5000 Euro his salary / its value is around 5000 euros;

b) an einem bestimmten Ort: at; beim Metzger / Bäcker etc. at the butcher’s / baker’s etc.; hast du das bei Woolworth gekauft? did you buy that at Woolworth’s; Herr Müller ist gerade bei Tisch Mr Müller is just at the table; wir waren alle bei mir / meinen Eltern we were all at my house ( oder place) / at my parents’ (place); bei ihr zu Hause in her house, at her place; bei uns in Hessen / auf dem Land where I come from in Hessen / in the country; wir sind morgen bei Kollegen eingeladen we have been invited to visit colleagues tomorrow; er wohnt bei mir nebenan / gegenüber / um die Ecke he lives next door / opposite / on the corner where I live ( oder of my place); sie wohnt bei einem alten Ehepaar she lives with an old couple; bei (per Adresse) Schmidt c / o (= care of) Schmidt; am Telefon: hier bei Müller this is the Müllers’, Müller speaking; bei den Schotten heißt das anders the Scots call it something else; Amerika wacht gerade erst auf, bei uns ist es aber schon 13 Uhr in America they’re just waking up, but here it’s already 1 o’clock

a) bezeichnet Arbeitsverhältnis etc.: for; sie ist bei Langenscheidt she is with ( oder works for) Langenscheidt; er arbeitet oder ist bei der Post / Bahn he works for the post office / railway (Am. railroad); sie ist beim Fernsehen she works for (the) TV; beim Militär in the armed forces;

b) bei jemandem Stunden nehmen have lessons with s.o.; bei welchem Arzt bist du? which doctor do you go to?; Brit. auch who’s your GP?

3. an einer bestimmten Stelle: jemanden beim Kragen packen grab s.o. by the collar; jemanden bei der Hand etc. fassen take s.o. by the hand etc.; die Gelegenheit beim Schopf fassen seize ( oder grab umg.) the opportunity; bei Fuß! (to) heel

4. dabei, mit: with; ich habe kein Geld bei mir I have no money on me; er hatte seinen Hund bei sich he had his dog with him; das ist oft so bei Kindern that’s fairly common with children; pej. children are like that; bei mir machst du das lieber nicht you’d be advised not to try that with me, you’d better not try that with me; die Entscheidung liegt bei dir it’s your decision

5. bezeichnet Teilnahme: bei einer Veranstaltung sein be in an event; bei einer Aufführung mitwirken take part in a performance; bei Spielen: bei dieser Runde setze ich aus I’ll sit this round out

6. von Werken, Künstlern etc.: in the work of; bei Schiller steht in one of Schiller’s works it says, Schiller says; bei Tizian / den Romantikern findet man dieses Motiv you find this motif in the works of Titian / the Romantics

7. zeitlich, Umstände, Zustände:

a) zu einem gewissen Zeitpunkt: on, at; bei meiner Ankunft when I arrived, on my arrival; bei Tagesanbruch at dawn; bei Sonnenaufgang / Sonnenuntergang at sunrise / sunset; bei schönem Wetter when the weather is fine; der Park schließt bei anbrechender Dunkelheit the park closes at dusk; bei dieser Gelegenheit möchte ich.... I should like to take this opportunity to...; bei einem Unfall in an accident; Vorsicht bei Abfahrt des Zuges! take care when the train leaves;

b) (während) during, at, by; bei Nacht at night; bei Tag during the daytime, by day; beim Unterricht during a ( oder the) lesson; bei einem Glas Wein over a glass of wine; beim Lesen der Zeitung fiel mir auf... while ( oder when) I was reading the paper it struck me...; bei der Arbeit einschlafen fall asleep while working; beim Essen / Schlafen / Schreiben etc. while eating / sleeping / writing etc.;

c) (dabei, mit) with; hilfst du mir beim Umzug / bei der Arbeit? will you help me with my move / work; jemanden beim Namen nennen call s.o. by (his oder her) name;

d) (im Falle von) if there is, in case of; bei Gefahr Knopf drücken press the button in case of danger; bei Regen wird das Fest verschoben if it rains the party will be postponed; bei Nebel if it is foggy; bei Glatteis Geschwindigkeitsbegrenzung auf 30 km speed limit 30 km if there is ice; Vorsicht bei Nässe! take care in wet conditions; beim nächsten Mal (the) next time; bei nächster Gelegenheit (the) next chance, at the first ( oder earliest) opportunity; bei Fieber Bettruhe halten stay in bed if you have a temperature; bei so etwas wird mir schlecht that sort of thing makes me feel ill; bei so etwas kann er nicht mitreden he has nothing to say about that sort of thing

8. (unter) among; bei den alten Fotos among the old photos; heute war nichts für dich bei der Post there was nothing for you in the post (Am. mail) today; bei Strafe von under penalty of

9. (betreffend): bei Alkohol muss ich aufpassen I have to be careful with alcohol; bei Geldfragen muss ich passen when it comes to (questions of) money, I have to pass; bei Männern hat sie Pech she’s unlucky with men

10. (angesichts): bei deinem Gehalt! (you) with your salary!; bei meinem Gehalt kann ich mir das nicht leisten I can’t afford that on ( oder with) my salary; bei deiner Erkältung solltest du nicht rausgehen you should stay in with your cold ( oder with that cold of yours); bei 25 Euro pro Stunde at 25 euros an hour; bei so vielen Schwierigkeiten considering all the difficulties; bei so viel Hilfe sind wir schnell fertig with all this help we should be ready soon; bei der Lage der Dinge (with) matters ( oder things) the way they are; bei so vielen Teilnehmern können wir... with so many participants we can...; bei diesem Lärm / diesen Temperaturen kann man nicht schlafen with all this noise / with temperatures like this one can’t sleep

11. (trotz): bei aller Liebe, das ist zu viel verlangt much as I sympathize - that’s asking too much; und das bei all seiner Mühe! and that in spite of all his efforts

12. in bestimmtem Zustand: bei Kräften sein be in good health; bei guter Gesundheit sein be in good health; bei Besinnung sein be conscious; du bist wohl nicht ( recht) bei Trost! you’re not in your right mind; er ist heute nicht bei Laune he’s not in a very good mood today; gut bei Kasse sein have plenty of money

13. bei bestimmten Bedingungen: beim besten Willen with the best will in the world; bei Wasser und Brot with just bread and water; bei offenem Fenster with the window open; bei Kerzenlicht / Mondschein by candlelight / moonlight; bei Licht besehen ist es nur halb so schlimm seen in the light of day it’s not so bad; bei Tageslicht by daylight

14. Maß: bei weitem by far

15. Anrufung: schwören bei swear by; bei Gott! by God!; bei meiner Ehre! altm. on my hono(u)r!; bei allem, was recht ist, das geht nun wirklich zu weit in all conscience, that’s going too far

* * *

on; at; about; next to; upon; beside; in the event of

* * *

1) at

2) (next to; near; at the side of: by the door; He sat by his sister.) by

3) on

4) upon

5) (in the care of: Leave your case with the porter.) with

* * *

präp + dat

1. (räumlich: in jds Wohn-/Lebensbereich) with

\bei wem hast du die letzte Nacht verbracht? who did you spend last night with?

sie wohnt \bei ihren Großeltern she lives with her grandparents

ich war die ganze Zeit \bei meinen Eltern I was at my parents' [house] the whole time

am Wochenende sind sie entweder \bei ihm oder \bei ihr at the weekend they're either at his place or at hers

\bei jdm zu Besuch sein to be staying with [or visiting] sb

\bei jdm zu Hause at sb's house

bei uns zu Hause war das immer so üblich we always did it that way at home, that was the way we did things at home

\bei Hofe at court

\bei den Maori/Masai leben to live among the Maori/Masai

\bei Familie Schmidt (Briefanschrift) c/o Schmidt

2. (räumlich: im Tätigkeits-/Unternehmensbereich) for

\bei jdm arbeiten [o sein] to work for sb

er ist \bei Klett angestellt he works at Klett

sie arbeitet \beim Fernsehen she works in television

er arbeitet \bei der Bahn/beim Bund/einer Firma/ der Post he works for the railways/the government/a company/the post office

er arbeitet \beim Supermarkt an der Ecke he works at the supermarket on the corner

er ist neuerdings Redakteur \bei uns he joined us as an editor recently

er ist ein hohes Tier \bei der Post he's a big shot [or fish] at the post office

\bei wem lassen Sie Ihre Anzüge schneidern? who makes your suits?, who is your tailor?

\bei wem haben Sie Deutsch gelernt? who taught you German?

sie hat ihr Handwerk \bei einem sehr erfahrenen Meister gelernt she learnt her trade from a very experienced master craftsman

beim Bäcker/Friseur at the baker's/hairdresser's

\bei der Citybank sein (ein Konto haben) to bank [or have an account] with the Citybank

\bei Klett erschienen published by Klett

\bei der Marine/beim Militär in the navy/military

\bei jdm Unterricht haben [o nehmen] to have lessons with [or take lessons from] sb

3. (räumlich: in jds Werk)

▪ \bei jdm in

das Zitat steht [irgendwo] \bei Goethe the quotation comes from [somewhere in] Goethe

\bei wem hast du denn das gelesen? where did you read that?

das kannst du alles \bei Schopenhauer nachlesen you can look it all up in Schopenhauer

4. (räumlich: mit sich haben) with

etw \bei sich dat haben [o tragen] to have sth with [or on] one

ich habe die Unterlagen leider nicht \bei mir I'm afraid I haven't got the papers with me

ich habe gerade kein Geld \bei mir I don't have [or I'm not carrying] any money on [or with] me at the moment

jdn \bei sich dat haben to have sb with one

zum Glück hatte ich meinen Bruder \bei mir fortunately, my brother was with me

5. (räumlich: im eigenen Bereich) to

ich dachte \bei mir... I thought [or was thinking] to myself...

etw \bei sich behalten to keep sth to oneself

behalte die Nachricht bitte noch \bei dir please don't tell anyone else the news for now, please keep the news to yourself for now

6. (räumlich: in der Nähe) near

Böblingen ist eine Stadt \bei Stuttgart Böblingen is a town near Stuttgart

er wohnt \beim Bahnhof he lives near [to] [or close to] the station

wir treffen uns \bei der Kirche/der Post we'll meet by the church/post office

er saß \bei ihr (direkt neben) he sat beside [or next to] her; (in der näheren Umgebung) he sat close to [or near] her

geh du, ich bleibe \bei den Kindern you go, I'll stay with the children

\bei der ersten/zweiten Kreuzung at the first/second crossing

\beim Fluss by the river

die Schlacht \bei Hastings the battle of Hastings

7. (räumlich: an) by

jdn \bei der Hand nehmen to take sb by the hand; ÖSTERR (fig)

etw \bei der Hand haben to have sth at hand

8. (räumlich: zwischen, unter) among

er war auch \bei den Demonstranten he was also among the demonstrators

die Unterlagen sind \bei den Akten the papers are amongst the files

9. (Angabe von Zeitspanne) during; (Angabe von Zeitpunkt) at

unterbrechen Sie mich bitte nicht dauernd \bei meiner Rede! please stop interrupting my speech!

\bei dem Zugunglück starben viele Menschen many people died in the train crash

\bei der Aufführung darf nicht geraucht werden smoking is not permitted during the performance

Vorsicht \bei der Abfahrt [des Zuges] please stand clear of the doors, the train is about to leave

\bei jds Abreise/Ankunft on sb's departure/arrival

ich hoffe, du bist \bei meiner Abreise auch da I hope you will be there when I leave [or on my departure]

\bei Anbruch der Dunkelheit/des Tages at nightfall/daybreak

\bei der Geburt/dem Tod at his/her etc. birth/death

\bei Nacht/Tag by night/day

\bei Tag und Nacht day and night

\bei Tisch at table

10. (gibt Teilnahme an)

\bei einer Aufführung mitwirken to be involved in a performance/play

\bei einem Gottesdienst/einer Hochzeit sein to be at a church service/wedding

11. (während einer Tätigkeit) while

das ist mir beim Bügeln eingefallen it occurred to me when [or as] [or while] I was ironing; NORDD

\bei sein, etw zu tun to be on the verge of doing sth [or about to do sth

12. (Begleitumstände) by

wir können das ja \bei einer Flasche Wein besprechen let's talk about it over a bottle of wine

\bei Schnee ist Weihnachten immer am schönsten Christmas is always nicest when it snows

\bei diesem Wetter setze ich keinen Fuß vor die Tür! I'm not setting foot outside the door in this weather!

\bei der Arbeit sein to be working [or at work]

\bei/nicht \bei Bewusstsein sein to be conscious/unconscious

\bei Kerzenlicht by candlelight

\bei Kräften/guter Laune sein to be well [or fit]/in good spirits

\bei dieser Hitze/Kälte in such heat/cold

\bei Tageslicht arbeiten to work in daylight

nicht mehr \bei Verstand sein to have taken leave of one's senses, to not be in one's right mind

\bei Wind und Wetter come rain or shine

13. (ungefähr) around

der Preis liegt \bei etwa Euro 1.000 the price is around [or about] 1,000 euros

14. (zur Angabe eines erreichten Wertes)

der DAX lag \bei 3.554 the DAX closed at 3,554 points

die Temperatur lag \bei 38,3° im Schatten the temperature was 38.3° in the shade

15. (im Falle von etw) in case of

„bei Feuer Scheibe einschlagen“ “in case of fire break glass”

\bei Nebel/Regen werde ich nicht fahren I won't go if it's foggy/it rains

16. (wegen, mit) with

\bei seiner Sturheit könnte man manchmal wirklich verzweifeln one could sometimes really despair at his stubbornness

\bei so viel Dummheit ist wirklich alle Liebesmüh vergebens all effort is futile in the face of such stupidity

\bei diesem Sturm bleiben wir lieber zu Hause in view of [or due to] this storm we'd better stay at home

\bei deinen Fähigkeiten with your talents [or skills

17. (trotz) in spite of, despite

\bei aller Freundschaft, das geht einfach zu weit we may be friends but that's just going too far

es geht \beim besten Willen nicht even with the best will in the world it's just not possible

18. (in Schwurformeln) by

ich schwöre es, \bei meiner toten Mutter! I swear on my mother's grave!

\bei meiner Ehre [up]on my honour

\bei Gott! (veraltend) by God!

„ich schwöre \bei Gott, die Wahrheit zu sagen und nichts als die Wahrheit“ “I swear to tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth, so help me God”

▶ nicht [ganz] \bei sich dat sein (fam) to be not [quite] oneself

* * *

Präposition mit Dat

1) (nahe) near; (dicht an, neben) by

2) (unter) among

3) (an) by

4) (im Wohn-/Lebens-/Arbeitsbereich von)

5) (im Bereich eines Vorgangs) at

6) (im Werk von)

7) (im Falle von) in the case of

8) (Zeitpunkt)

9) (modal)

10) (im Falle des Auftretens von)

11) (angesichts) with

12) (trotz)

13) (in Beteuerungsformeln) by

* * *

bei präp

1. räumlich, auch fig: (in der Nähe von) near;

bei Berlin near Berlin;

die Schlacht bei Waterloo the Battle of Waterloo;

beim Rathaus (just) near ( oder by) the town hall; (am Rathaus) at the town hall;

dicht bei der Schule just next to the school;

gleich beim Hotel liegt die Post the post office is just ( oder right) next to the hotel;

etwas bei der Hand haben have sth to hand;

sein Einkommen/der Wert liegt etwa bei 5000 Euro his salary/its value is around 5000 euros; an einem bestimmten Ort: at;

beim Metzger/Bäcker etc at the butcher’s/baker’s etc;

hast du das bei Woolworth gekauft? did you buy that at Woolworth’s;

Herr Müller ist gerade bei Tisch Mr Müller is just at the table;

wir waren alle bei mir/meinen Eltern we were all at my house ( oder place)/at my parents’ (place);

bei ihr zu Hause in her house, at her place;

bei uns in Hessen/auf dem Land where I come from in Hessen/in the country;

wir sind morgen bei Kollegen eingeladen we have been invited to visit colleagues tomorrow;

er wohnt bei mir nebenan/gegenüber/um die Ecke he lives next door/opposite/on the corner where I live ( oder of my place);

sie wohnt bei einem alten Ehepaar she lives with an old couple;

bei (per Adresse)

Schmidt c/o (= care of) Schmidt; am Telefon:

hier bei Müller this is the Müllers’, Müller speaking;

bei den Schotten heißt das anders the Scots call it something else;

Amerika wacht gerade erst auf, bei uns ist es aber schon 13 Uhr in America they’re just waking up, but here it’s already 1 o’clock

2. bezeichnet Arbeitsverhältnis etc: for;

sie ist bei Langenscheidt she is with ( oder works for) Langenscheidt;

er arbeitet oder

ist bei der Post/Bahn he works for the post office/railway (US railroad);

sie ist beim Fernsehen she works for (the) TV;

beim Militär in the armed forces;

bei jemandem Stunden nehmen have lessons with sb;

bei welchem Arzt bist du? which doctor do you go to?; Br auch who’s your GP?

3. an einer bestimmten Stelle:

jemanden beim Kragen packen grab sb by the collar;

jemanden bei der Hand etc

fassen take sb by the hand etc;

die Gelegenheit beim Schopf fassen seize ( oder grab umg) the opportunity;

bei Fuß! (to) heel

4. dabei, mit: with;

ich habe kein Geld bei mir I have no money on me;

er hatte seinen Hund bei sich he had his dog with him;

das ist oft so bei Kindern that’s fairly common with children; pej children are like that;

bei mir machst du das lieber nicht you’d be advised not to try that with me, you’d better not try that with me;

die Entscheidung liegt bei dir it’s your decision

5. bezeichnet Teilnahme:

bei einer Veranstaltung sein be in an event;

bei einer Aufführung mitwirken take part in a performance; bei Spielen:

bei dieser Runde setze ich aus I’ll sit this round out

6. von Werken, Künstlern etc: in the work of;

bei Schiller steht in one of Schiller’s works it says, Schiller says;

bei Tizian/den Romantikern findet man dieses Motiv you find this motif in the works of Titian/the Romantics

7. zeitlich, Umstände, Zustände: zu einem gewissen Zeitpunkt: on, at;

bei meiner Ankunft when I arrived, on my arrival;

bei Tagesanbruch at dawn;

bei Sonnenaufgang/Sonnenuntergang at sunrise/sunset;

bei schönem Wetter when the weather is fine;

der Park schließt bei anbrechender Dunkelheit the park closes at dusk;

bei dieser Gelegenheit möchte ich …. I should like to take this opportunity to …;

bei einem Unfall in an accident;

Vorsicht bei Abfahrt des Zuges! take care when the train leaves; (während) during, at, by;

bei Nacht at night;

bei Tag during the daytime, by day;

beim Unterricht during a ( oder the) lesson;

bei einem Glas Wein over a glass of wine;

beim Lesen der Zeitung fiel mir auf … while ( oder when) I was reading the paper it struck me …;

bei der Arbeit einschlafen fall asleep while working;

beim Essen/Schlafen/Schreiben etc while eating/sleeping/writing etc; (dabei, mit) with;

hilfst du mir beim Umzug/bei der Arbeit? will you help me with my move/work;

jemanden beim Namen nennen call sb by (his oder her) name; (im Falle von) if there is, in case of;

bei Gefahr Knopf drücken press the button in case of danger;

bei Regen wird das Fest verschoben if it rains the party will be postponed;

bei Nebel if it is foggy;

bei Glatteis Geschwindigkeitsbegrenzung auf 30 km speed limit 30 km if there is ice;

Vorsicht bei Nässe! take care in wet conditions;

beim nächsten Mal (the) next time;

bei nächster Gelegenheit (the) next chance, at the first ( oder earliest) opportunity;

bei Fieber Bettruhe halten stay in bed if you have a temperature;

bei so etwas wird mir schlecht that sort of thing makes me feel ill;

bei so etwas kann er nicht mitreden he has nothing to say about that sort of thing

8. (unter) among;

bei den alten Fotos among the old photos;

heute war nichts für dich bei der Post there was nothing for you in the post (US mail) today;

bei Strafe von under penalty of

9. (betreffend):

bei Alkohol muss ich aufpassen I have to be careful with alcohol;

bei Geldfragen muss ich passen when it comes to (questions of) money, I have to pass;

bei Männern hat sie Pech she’s unlucky with men

10. (angesichts):

bei deinem Gehalt! (you) with your salary!;

bei meinem Gehalt kann ich mir das nicht leisten I can’t afford that on ( oder with) my salary;

bei deiner Erkältung solltest du nicht rausgehen you should stay in with your cold ( oder with that cold of yours);

bei 25 Euro pro Stunde at 25 euros an hour;

bei so vielen Schwierigkeiten considering all the difficulties;

bei so viel Hilfe sind wir schnell fertig with all this help we should be ready soon;

bei der Lage der Dinge (with) matters ( oder things) the way they are;

bei so vielen Teilnehmern können wir … with so many participants we can …;

bei diesem Lärm/diesen Temperaturen kann man nicht schlafen with all this noise/with temperatures like this one can’t sleep

11. (trotz):

bei aller Liebe, das ist zu viel verlangt much as I sympathize - that’s asking too much;

und das bei all seiner Mühe! and that in spite of all his efforts

12. in bestimmtem Zustand:

bei Kräften sein be in good health;

bei guter Gesundheit sein be in good health;

bei Besinnung sein be conscious;

du bist wohl nicht (recht) bei Trost! you’re not in your right mind;

er ist heute nicht bei Laune he’s not in a very good mood today;

gut bei Kasse sein have plenty of money

13. bei bestimmten Bedingungen:

beim besten Willen with the best will in the world;

bei Wasser und Brot with just bread and water;

bei offenem Fenster with the window open;

bei Kerzenlicht/Mondschein by candlelight/moonlight;

bei Licht besehen ist es nur halb so schlimm seen in the light of day it’s not so bad;

bei Tageslicht by daylight

14. Maß:

bei weitem by far

15. Anrufung:

schwören bei swear by;

bei Gott! by God!;

bei meiner Ehre! obs on my hono(u)r!;

bei allem, was recht ist, das geht nun wirklich zu weit in all conscience, that’s going too far

* * *

Präposition mit Dat

1) (nahe) near; (dicht an, neben) by

2) (unter) among

3) (an) by

4) (im Wohn-/Lebens-/Arbeitsbereich von)

5) (im Bereich eines Vorgangs) at

6) (im Werk von)

7) (im Falle von) in the case of

8) (Zeitpunkt)

9) (modal)

10) (im Falle des Auftretens von)

11) (angesichts) with

12) (trotz)

13) (in Beteuerungsformeln) by

* * *

to be in one's right mind expr.

to be of sound mind expr. präp.

at prep.

by prep.

next to prep.

on prep.

f EISENB. railway, Am. railroad; (Zug) train; Spielzeug: model railway (Am. railroad), train set; mit der Eisenbahn by rail, by train; Bahn 5; es ist ( aller-) höchste Eisenbahn umg., fig. it’s high time we got going etc.

* * *

railroad; railway; train

* * *

* * *

1) (a track with (usually more than one set of) two (or sometimes three) parallel steel rails on which trains run: They're building a new railway; ( also adjective) a railway station.) railway

2) ((sometimes in plural) the whole organization which is concerned with the running of trains, the building of tracks etc: He has a job on the railway; The railways are very badly run in some countries.) railway

3) ((American) a railway.) railroad

* * *

1. (Zug) train

2. (Spielzeug) train set

▶ es ist [aller]höchste \Eisenbahn (fam) it is high time, there is no more time to waste

* * *

1) railway; railroad (Amer.)

2) (Bahnstrecke) railway line; railroad track (Amer.)

3) (Spielbahn) train or railway set

* * *

Eisenbahn f BAHN railway, US railroad; (Zug) train; Spielzeug: model railway (US railroad), train set;

mit der Eisenbahn by rail, by train; → Bahn 5;

es ist (aller-)höchste Eisenbahn umg, fig it’s high time we got going etc

Eisenbahn… im subst → auch Bahn…, Zug

* * *

1) railway; railroad (Amer.)

2) (Bahnstrecke) railway line; railroad track (Amer.)

3) (Spielbahn) train or railway set

* * *

railroad (US) n.

railway (UK) n.

train n.

railway ['reɪlweɪ]

1 noun

(a) (system, organization) chemin m de fer;

∎ I'd never travelled by Russian railway or on the Russian railways je n'avais jamais pris le train en Russie;

∎ he works on the railways il est cheminot

(b) (track) voie f ferrée

2 compound-forming noun

(bridge, traffic, link, tunnel) ferroviaire; (company) ferroviaire, de chemin de fer; (journey, travel) en train; (employee, union) des chemins de fer

►► railway carriage wagon m, voiture f;

railway crossing passage m à niveau;

railway cutting traversée f en déblai;

railway embankment remblai m;

railway engine locomotive f;

railway engineer ingénieur m des chemins de fer;

railway guide indicateur m des chemins de fer;

railway line (route) ligne f de chemin de fer; (track) voie f ferrée; (rail) rail m;

railway network réseau m ferroviaire ou de chemin de fer;

railway signal signal m ferroviaire;

railway station (gen) gare f (de chemin de fer); (in France) gare f SNCF;

railway strike grève f des chemins de fer;

railway system réseau m ferroviaire ou de chemin de fer;

railway ticket billet m de train;

railway timetable horaires mpl des chemins de fer;

railway track voie f ferrée;

railway worker (gen) employé(e) m,f des chemins de fer; (for track, rolling stock) cheminot m;

railway yard dépôt m

1 [weg van rails] railway (line)

2 [meervoud] [bedrijf] railways

♦voorbeelden:

1   een knooppunt van spoorwegen • a railway junction

     een spoorweg aanleggen • build a railway

2   hij werkt bij de Spoorwegen • he works for the railways

bei [bai] präp

1) ( räumlich)

\bei jdm; ( in jds Wohn-/ Lebensbereich) with sb;

am Wochenende sind sie entweder \bei ihm oder \bei ihr at the weekend they will either be at his place or at hers;

dein Schlüssel müsste \bei dir in der Schreibtischschublade sein your key should be in your desk drawer;

\bei uns zu Hause wurde früher vor dem Essen immer gebetet we always used to say grace before a meal at our house;

\bei wem hast du die letzte Nacht verbracht? who did you spend last night with?;

ich war die ganze Zeit \bei meinen Eltern I was at my parents' [house] the whole time;

\bei Familie Schmidt ( Briefanschrift) c/o Schmidt

2) ( räumlich)

\bei jdm; ( in jds Unternehmensbereich/ Institution) in;

\bei wem lassen Sie Ihre Anzüge schneidern? who makes your suits?, who is your tailor?; sch from;

sie hat ihr Handwerk \bei einem sehr erfahrenen Meister gelernt she learnt her trade from a very experienced master craftsman;

\bei diesem Professor hören die Studenten immer gerne Vorlesungen the students always enjoy this professor's lectures;

\bei wem nimmst du Klavierstunden? who do you have your piano lessons with?;

( in einem Geschäft) at;

beim Bäcker/ Friseur at the baker's/hairdresser's;

( angestellt sein) for;

er ist [Beamter] \bei der Bahn/ Post/ beim Bund he works for the railways/post office/armed forces;

er ist neuerdings auch Redakteur \bei uns he joined us as an editor recently too;

seit wann bist du eigentlich \bei dieser Firma? how long have you been working for this company?;

er ist ein hohes Tier \bei der Post he is a big shot [or fish] at the post office

3) ( räumlich)

\bei jdm; (in jds [künstlerischem] Werk) in;

das Zitat steht irgendwo \bei Goethe the quotation comes from somewhere in Goethe;

\bei wem hast du denn das gelesen? where did you read that?;

das kannst du alles \bei Schopenhauer nachlesen you can look it all up in Schopenhauer

4) ( räumlich) ( mit sich führen oder haben);

\bei sich with;

etw \bei sich haben to have sth with [or on] one;

ich habe die Unterlagen leider nicht \bei mir I'm afraid I haven't got the papers with me;

ich habe gerade kein Geld \bei mir I haven't any money on me at the moment;

jdn \bei sich haben to have sb with one

5) ( räumlich)

\bei etw; ( in der Nähe von) near sth;

Böblingen ist eine Stadt \bei Stuttgart Böblingen is a town near Stuttgart

6) ( räumlich)

\bei etw; ( Berührung) by;

jdn \bei der Hand nehmen to take sb by the hand;

er packte sie grob \bei den Haaren he grabbed her roughly by the hair

7) (\bei einem Vorgehen)

\bei einer Aufführung/ Hochzeit/ einem Gottesdienst at a performance/wedding/church service;

\bei dem Zugunglück starben viele Menschen many people died in the train crash

8) ( räumlich)

\bei etw; (dazwischen, darunter) among;

die Unterlagen sind \bei den Akten the papers are amongst the files;

\bei den Demonstranten waren auch einige gewalttätige Chaoten there were also several violent hooligans among the demonstrators

9) ( ungefähr) around;

der Preis liegt \bei etwa 1.000 Euro the price is around [or about] 1,000 euros

10) (Zeitspanne: während) during;

ich habe \bei dem ganzen Film geschlafen I slept through the whole film;

\bei der Vorführung darf nicht geraucht werden smoking is not permitted during the performance;

unterbrechen Sie mich bitte nicht dauernd \bei meiner Rede! please stop interrupting my speech!; (Zeitspanne: Zeitpunkt betreffend) at;

\bei jds Abreise/ Ankunft on sb's departure/arrival;

ich hoffe, du bist \bei meiner Abreise auch zugegen I hope you will be there when I leave [or on my departure];

sei bitte \bei meinem Eintreffen auf dem Bahnhof! please be waiting for me at the station when I arrive!;

\bei Beginn der Vorstellung wurde die Beleuchtung im Kino langsam dunkler as the film began the lights in the cinema gradually went dim

11) ( während einer Tätigkeit) while;

beim Lesen kann ich nicht gleichzeitig Radio hören I cannot read and listen to the radio at the same time;

das ist mir beim Wäschebügeln eingefallen it occurred to me when [or as] [or while] I was ironing;

störe mich bitte nicht ständig \bei der Arbeit! please stop disturbing me constantly when I'm working!

12) ( Begleitumstände) by;

wir aßen \bei Kerzenlicht we had dinner by candlelight;

wir können das ja \bei einer Flasche Wein besprechen let's talk about it over a bottle of wine;

\bei Schnee ist Weihnachten immer am schönsten Christmas is always nicest when it snows;

\bei diesem Wetter setze ich keinen Fuß vor die Tür! I'm not setting foot outside the door in this weather!;

\bei dieser Hitze/ Kälte in such a heat/cold;

\bei Wind und Wetter come rain or shine

13) ( im Falle von etw) in case of;

„bei Feuer Scheibe einschlagen“ “in case of fire break glass”;

\bei 45º unter null at 45º below zero;

\bei Nebel/ Regen when it is foggy/raining, when there is fog/rain

14) (wegen, mit) with;

\bei deinen Fähigkeiten with your talents [or skills];

\bei der Sturheit, die er an den Tag legt, könnte man manchmal wirklich verzweifeln one could sometimes really despair at the stubbornness he shows;

\bei so viel Dummheit ist wirklich alle Liebesmüh vergebens all effort is futile in the face of such stupidity

15) ( trotz)

\bei all/aller... in spite of all, despite all;

\bei alledem... for [or despite] all that...

16) ( in Schwurformeln) by;

\bei meiner Ehre [up]on my honour;

ich schwöre es, \bei meiner toten Mutter! I swear on my mother's grave!;

\bei Gott! (veraltend) by God!;

„ich schwöre \bei Gott, die Wahrheit zu sagen und nichts als die Wahrheit“ “I swear to tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth, so help me God”

nicht [ganz] \bei sich sein ( fam) to be not [quite] oneself

he works for the railways

SUBJECT AREA: Civil engineering, Land transport, Railways and locomotives

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Joseph Locke was the son of a colliery viewer who had known George Stephenson in Northumberland before moving to Yorkshire: Locke himself became a pupil of Stephenson in 1823. He worked with Robert Stephenson at Robert Stephenson \& Co.'s locomotive works and surveyed railways, including the Leeds \& Selby and the Canterbury \& Whitstable, for George Stephenson.

When George Stephenson was appointed Chief Engineer for construction of the Liverpool \& Manchester Railway in 1826, the first resident engineer whom he appointed to work under him was Locke, who took a prominent part in promoting traction by locomotives rather than by fixed engines with cable haulage. The pupil eventually excelled the master and in 1835 Locke was appointed in place of Stephenson as Chief Engineer for construction of the Grand Junction Railway. He introduced double-headed rails carried in chairs on wooden sleepers, the prototype of the bullhead track that became standard on British railways for more than a century. By preparing the most detailed specifications, Locke was able to estimate the cost of the railway much more accurately than was usual at that time, and it was built at a cost close to the estimate; this made his name. He became Engineer to the London \& Southampton Railway and completed the Sheffield, Ashton-under-Lyme \& Manchester Railway, including the 3-mile (3.8 km) Woodhead Tunnel, which had been started by Charles Vignoles. He was subsequently responsible for many British main lines, including those of the companies that extended the West Coast Route northwards from Preston to Scotland. He was also Engineer to important early main lines in France, notably that from Paris to Rouen and its extension to Le Havre, and in Spain and Holland. In 1847 Locke was elected MP for Honiton.

Locke appreciated early in his career that steam locomotives able to operate over gradients steeper than at first thought practicable would be developed. Overall his monument is not great individual works of engineering, such as the famous bridges of his close contemporaries Robert Stephenson and I.K. Brunel, but a series of lines built economically but soundly through rugged country without such works; for example, the line over Shap, Cumbria.

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See also: Brassey, Thomas

SUBJECT AREA: Electricity, Land transport, Railways and locomotives

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Aspinall's father was a QC, Recorder of Liverpool, and Aspinall himself became a pupil at Crewe Works of the London \& North Western Railway, eventually under F.W. Webb. In 1875 he was appointed Manager of the works at Inchicore, Great Southern \& Western Railway, Ireland. While he was there, some of the trains were equipped, on trial, with continuous brakes of the non-automatic vacuum type. Aspinall modified these to make them automatic, i.e. if the train divided, brakes throughout both parts would be applied automatically. Aspinall vacuum brakes were subsequently adopted by the important Great Northern, Lancashire \& Yorkshire, and London \& North Western Railways.

In 1883, aged only 32, Aspinall was appointed Locomotive Superintendent of the Great Southern \& Western Railway, but in 1886 he moved in the same capacity to the Lancashire \& Yorkshire Railway, where his first task was to fit out the new works at Horwich. The first locomotive was completed there in 1889, to his design. In 1899 he introduced a 4–4–2, the largest express locomotive in Britain at the time, some of which were fitted with smokebox superheaters to Aspinall's design.

Unusually for an engineer, in 1892 Aspinall was appointed General Manager of the Lancashire \& Yorkshire Railway. He electrified the Liverpool-Southport line in 1904 at 600 volts DC with a third rail; this was an early example of main-line electrification, for it extended beyond the Liverpool suburban area. He also experimented with 3,500 volt DC overhead electrification of the Bury-Holcombe Brook branch in 1913, but converted this to 1,200 volts DC third rail to conform with the Manchester-Bury line when this was electrified in 1915. In 1918 he was made a director of the Lancashire \& Yorkshire Railway.

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See also: Gresley, Sir Herbert Nigel; Schmidt, Wilhelm; Westinghouse, George

SUBJECT AREA: Electricity, Public utilities, Railways and locomotives

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After attending the Technical College in Winterthur, Brown served with Emile Burgin in Basle before entering the Oerlikon engineering works near Zurich. Two years later he became Director of the electrical department of Oerlikon and from that time was involved in the development of electrical equipment for the generation and distribution of power. The Lauffen-Frankfurt 110-mile (177 km) transmission line of 1891 demonstrated the commercial feasibility of transmitting electrical power over great distances with three-phase alternating current. For this he designed a generator and early examples of oil-cooled transformers, and the scheme gave an impetus to the development of electric-power transmission throughout Europe. In 1891, in association with Walter Boveri, Brown founded the works of Brown Boveri \& Co. at Baden, Switzerland, and until his retirement in 1911 he devoted his energies to the design of polyphase alternating-current machinery. Important installations included the Frankfurt electricity works (1894), the Paderno-Milan transmission line, and the Lugano tramway of 1894, the first system in Europe to use three-phase traction motors. This tramway was followed by many other polyphase and mountain railways. The acquisition by Brown Boveri \& Co. in 1900 of the manufacturing rights of the Parsons steam turbine directed Brown's attention to problems associated with high-speed machines. Recognizing the high centrifugal stress involved, he began to employ solid cylindrical generator rotors with slots for the excitation winding, a method that has come to be universally adopted in large alternators.

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f; -, -en

1. (Weg) way, path; Bahn frei! make way!, stand aside!; fig.: die Bahn ist frei the road is clear; (für etw.) freie Bahn haben have the go-ahead, have the green light umg. (for s.th.); du hast freie Bahn it’s all yours; sich (Dat) Bahn brechen (sich durchsetzen) win through; Idee etc.: gain acceptance; (vorwärtskommen) forge ahead; einer Sache Bahn brechen pioneer s.th., blaze the trail for s.th.; auf die schiefe Bahn geraten oder kommen go astray, stray off the straight and narrow; in die richtige(n) Bahn(en) lenken direct into the right channels; sich in den gewohnten Bahnen bewegen move along the same old track, be stuck in the same old rut pej.; bewusst: keep to the well-trodden paths; wieder in geregelten Bahnen verlaufen be back to normal again; auf ähnlichen Bahnen along similar lines; jemanden aus der Bahn werfen oder bringen throw s.o. off track; seelisch etc.: knock s.o. sideways

2. (Eisenbahn) railway, Am. railroad; (Zug) train; (Straßenbahn) tram, Am. streetcar, trolley; mit der Bahn by train; Waren per Bahn schicken WIRTS. send goods by rail; ( mit der) Bahn fahren travel by train; ich fahre gern ( mit der) Bahn auch I enjoy travel(l)ing on trains, I enjoy rail travel; jemanden zur Bahn bringen take s.o. to the station, see s.o. off (at the station); jemanden von der Bahn abholen (go and) meet s.o. at the station; in der Bahn on the train; ich setze mich einfach auf die Bahn und komme morgen umg. I’ll just hop on a train and be with you tomorrow

3. nur Sg.; in BRD bis 1994 Behörde: railway (Am. railroad) authorities Pl. ( oder operators Pl.); bei der Bahn arbeiten work for the railway (Am. railroad)

4. (Fahrbahn) lane

5. (Flugbahn) trajectory

6. ASTRON., von Mond, Sonne: course; (Umlaufbahn) orbit (auch eines Elektrons); von Komet: path

a) Anlage: (Rennbahn) track; (Eis-, Rollschuhbahn) rink; (Schlitten-, Bobbahn) run; (Kegelbahn) alley;

b) für einzelne Läufer, Schwimmer etc.: lane

8. von Tapete: length; aus Papier, Kunststoff: web; Tuch etc.: width; eines Rocks: gore

9. TECH., bei Amboss, Hammer, Hobel: face

10. TECH. (Führung) guide, track

* * *

(Eisenbahn) railway; railroad;

(Fahrbahn) lane;

(Planetenbahn) orbit;

(Rennbahn) course

* * *

f -, -en

1) (= Weg) path, track; (von Fluss) course; (fig) path; (= Fahrbahn) carriageway

2) (= Eisenbahn) railway (Brit), railroad (US); (= Straßenbahn) tram (esp Brit), streetcar (US); (= Zug) (der Eisenbahn, U-Bahn) train; (der Straßenbahn) tram (esp Brit), streetcar (US); (= Bahnhof) station; (Verkehrsnetz, Verwaltung) railway usu pl (Brit), railroad (US)

3) (SPORT) track; (für Pferderennen auch) course; (in Schwimmbecken) pool; (= Kegelbahn) (bowling) alley; (für einzelne Teilnehmer) lane; (= Schlittenbahn, Bobbahn) run

4) (PHYS, ASTRON) orbit, path; (= Raketenbahn, Geschossbahn) (flight) path, trajectory

5) (= Stoffbahn, Tapetenbahn) length, strip

6) (TECH von Werkzeug) face

* * *

1) (a long narrow area used for the games of bowling or skittles: a bowling alley.) alley

2) (a journey or course round something: the earth's circuit round the sun; three circuits of the race-track.) circuit

3) ((also racetrack) a course on which runners, cyclists etc race: a running track; ( also adjective) the 100 metres sprint and other track events.) track

* * *

1. (Eisenbahn) train; (Straßenbahn) tram; (Verkehrsnetz, Verwaltung) railway[s]

mit der \Bahn/per \Bahn by train [or rail]

frei \Bahn ÖKON free on rail, carriage paid

2. SPORT track; Schwimmbecken lane; (Kegelbahn) alley; (Schlittenbahn, Bobbahn) run; (Pferderennbahn) course, track

3. ASTRON orbit, path

4. MIL [flight] path

5. (Stoffbahn, Tapetenbahn) length, strip

6. (Weg, Lauf) course; TRANSP (Fahrbahn) lane

\Bahn frei! make way!, mind your backs!

▶ sich dat eine \Bahn brechen to force one's way, to make headway

▶ etw dat \Bahn brechen to blaze the trail for sth

▶ freie \Bahn [für etw akk/bei jdm] haben to have the go-ahead [for sth/from sb]

▶ aus der \Bahn geraten to get off track

▶ in geregelten \Bahnen verlaufen to take an orderly course

▶ etw in die richtigen \Bahnen lenken to lead sth in the right channels

▶ jdn auf die schiefe \Bahn bringen to get sb off the straight and narrow

▶ auf die schiefe \Bahn kommen [o geraten] to get off the straight and narrow

▶ jdn aus der \Bahn werfen to get sb off course

▶ jdn wieder auf die rechte \Bahn bringen to put sb back on the right track [or straight and narrow]

* * *

1) (Weg) path; way; (von Wasser) course; (fig.)

2) (Strecke) path; (UmlaufBahn) orbit; (einer Rakete) [flight-] path; (eines Geschosses) trajectory

3) (Sport) track; (für Pferderennen) course (Brit.); track (Amer.); (für einzelne Teilnehmer) lane; (KegelBahn) alley; (SchlittenBahn, BobBahn) run; (BowlingBahn) lane

4) (Fahrspur) lane

5) (EisenBahn) railways pl.; railroad (Amer.); (Zug) train

6) (StraßenBahn) tram; streetcar (Amer.)

7) (Schienenweg) railway [track]

8) (Streifen) (StoffBahn) length; (TapetenBahn) strip; length

* * *

Bahn f; -, -en

1. (Weg) way, path;

Bahn frei! make way!, stand aside!; fig:

die Bahn ist frei the road is clear;

(für etwas) freie Bahn haben have the go-ahead, have the green light umg (for sth);

du hast freie Bahn it’s all yours;

sich (dat)

Bahn brechen (sich durchsetzen) win through; Idee etc: gain acceptance; (vorwärtskommen) forge ahead;

einer Sache Bahn brechen pioneer sth, blaze the trail for sth;

auf die schiefe Bahn geraten oder

kommen go astray, stray off the straight and narrow;

in die richtige(n) Bahn(en) lenken direct into the right channels;

sich in den gewohnten Bahnen bewegen move along the same old track, be stuck in the same old rut pej; bewusst: keep to the well-trodden paths;

wieder in geregelten Bahnen verlaufen be back to normal again;

auf ähnlichen Bahnen along similar lines;

jemanden aus der Bahn werfen oder

bringen throw sb off track; seelisch etc: knock sb sideways

2. (Eisenbahn) railway, US railroad; (Zug) train; (Straßenbahn) tram, US streetcar, trolley;

mit der Bahn by train;

Waren per Bahn schicken WIRTSCH send goods by rail;

(mit der) Bahn fahren travel by train;

ich fahre gern (mit der) Bahn auch I enjoy travel(l)ing on trains, I enjoy rail travel;

jemanden zur Bahn bringen take sb to the station, see sb off (at the station);

jemanden von der Bahn abholen (go and) meet sb at the station;

in der Bahn on the train;

ich setze mich einfach auf die Bahn und komme morgen umg I’ll just hop on a train and be with you tomorrow

3. nur sg; in BRD bis 1994 Behörde: railway (US railroad) authorities pl ( oder operators pl);

bei der Bahn arbeiten work for the railway (US railroad)

4. (Fahrbahn) lane

5. (Flugbahn) trajectory

6. ASTRON, von Mond, Sonne: course; (Umlaufbahn) orbit (auch eines Elektrons); von Komet: path

7. SPORT Anlage: (Rennbahn) track; (Eis-, Rollschuhbahn) rink; (Schlitten-, Bobbahn) run; (Kegelbahn) alley; für einzelne Läufer, Schwimmer etc: lane

8. von Tapete: length; aus Papier, Kunststoff: web; Tuch etc: width; eines Rocks: gore

9. TECH, bei Amboss, Hammer, Hobel: face

10. TECH (Führung) guide, track

* * *

1) (Weg) path; way; (von Wasser) course; (fig.)

2) (Strecke) path; (UmlaufBahn) orbit; (einer Rakete) [flight-] path; (eines Geschosses) trajectory

3) (Sport) track; (für Pferderennen) course (Brit.); track (Amer.); (für einzelne Teilnehmer) lane; (KegelBahn) alley; (SchlittenBahn, BobBahn) run; (BowlingBahn) lane

4) (Fahrspur) lane

5) (EisenBahn) railways pl.; railroad (Amer.); (Zug) train

6) (StraßenBahn) tram; streetcar (Amer.)

7) (Schienenweg) railway [track]

8) (Streifen) (StoffBahn) length; (TapetenBahn) strip; length

* * *

alley n.

course n.

path n.

pathway n.

railway n.

way n.

SUBJECT AREA: Land transport, Railways and locomotives

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George Stephenson was the son of the fireman of the pumping engine at Wylam colliery, and horses drew wagons of coal along the wooden rails of the Wylam wagonway past the house in which he was born and spent his earliest childhood. While still a child he worked as a cowherd, but soon moved to working at coal pits. At 17 years of age he showed sufficient mechanical talent to be placed in charge of a new pumping engine, and had already achieved a job more responsible than that of his father. Despite his position he was still illiterate, although he subsequently learned to read and write. He was largely self-educated.

In 1801 he was appointed Brakesman of the winding engine at Black Callerton pit, with responsibility for lowering the miners safely to their work. Then, about two years later, he became Brakesman of a new winding engine erected by Robert Hawthorn at Willington Quay on the Tyne. Returning collier brigs discharged ballast into wagons and the engine drew the wagons up an inclined plane to the top of "Ballast Hill" for their contents to be tipped; this was one of the earliest applications of steam power to transport, other than experimentally.

In 1804 Stephenson moved to West Moor pit, Killingworth, again as Brakesman. In 1811 he demonstrated his mechanical skill by successfully modifying a new and unsatisfactory atmospheric engine, a task that had defeated the efforts of others, to enable it to pump a drowned pit clear of water. The following year he was appointed Enginewright at Killingworth, in charge of the machinery in all the collieries of the "Grand Allies", the prominent coal-owning families of Wortley, Liddell and Bowes, with authorization also to work for others. He built many stationary engines and he closely examined locomotives of John Blenkinsop's type on the Kenton \& Coxlodge wagonway, as well as those of William Hedley at Wylam.

It was in 1813 that Sir Thomas Liddell requested George Stephenson to build a steam locomotive for the Killingworth wagonway: Blucher made its first trial run on 25 July 1814 and was based on Blenkinsop's locomotives, although it lacked their rack-and-pinion drive. George Stephenson is credited with building the first locomotive both to run on edge rails and be driven by adhesion, an arrangement that has been the conventional one ever since. Yet Blucher was far from perfect and over the next few years, while other engineers ignored the steam locomotive, Stephenson built a succession of them, each an improvement on the last.

During this period many lives were lost in coalmines from explosions of gas ignited by miners' lamps. By observation and experiment (sometimes at great personal risk) Stephenson invented a satisfactory safety lamp, working independently of the noted scientist Sir Humphry Davy who also invented such a lamp around the same time.

In 1817 George Stephenson designed his first locomotive for an outside customer, the Kilmarnock \& Troon Railway, and in 1819 he laid out the Hetton Colliery Railway in County Durham, for which his brother Robert was Resident Engineer. This was the first railway to be worked entirely without animal traction: it used inclined planes with stationary engines, self-acting inclined planes powered by gravity, and locomotives.

On 19 April 1821 Stephenson was introduced to Edward Pease, one of the main promoters of the Stockton \& Darlington Railway (S \& DR), which by coincidence received its Act of Parliament the same day. George Stephenson carried out a further survey, to improve the proposed line, and in this he was assisted by his 18-year-old son, Robert Stephenson, whom he had ensured received the theoretical education which he himself lacked. It is doubtful whether either could have succeeded without the other; together they were to make the steam railway practicable.

At George Stephenson's instance, much of the S \& DR was laid with wrought-iron rails recently developed by John Birkinshaw at Bedlington Ironworks, Morpeth. These were longer than cast-iron rails and were not brittle: they made a track well suited for locomotives. In June 1823 George and Robert Stephenson, with other partners, founded a firm in Newcastle upon Tyne to build locomotives and rolling stock and to do general engineering work: after its Managing Partner, the firm was called Robert Stephenson \& Co.

In 1824 the promoters of the Liverpool \& Manchester Railway (L \& MR) invited George Stephenson to resurvey their proposed line in order to reduce opposition to it. William James, a wealthy land agent who had become a visionary protagonist of a national railway network and had seen Stephenson's locomotives at Killingworth, had promoted the L \& MR with some merchants of Liverpool and had carried out the first survey; however, he overreached himself in business and, shortly after the invitation to Stephenson, became bankrupt. In his own survey, however, George Stephenson lacked the assistance of his son Robert, who had left for South America, and he delegated much of the detailed work to incompetent assistants. During a devastating Parliamentary examination in the spring of 1825, much of his survey was shown to be seriously inaccurate and the L \& MR's application for an Act of Parliament was refused. The railway's promoters discharged Stephenson and had their line surveyed yet again, by C.B. Vignoles.

The Stockton \& Darlington Railway was, however, triumphantly opened in the presence of vast crowds in September 1825, with Stephenson himself driving the locomotive Locomotion, which had been built at Robert Stephenson \& Co.'s Newcastle works. Once the railway was at work, horse-drawn and gravity-powered traffic shared the line with locomotives: in 1828 Stephenson invented the horse dandy, a wagon at the back of a train in which a horse could travel over the gravity-operated stretches, instead of trotting behind.

Meanwhile, in May 1826, the Liverpool \& Manchester Railway had successfully obtained its Act of Parliament. Stephenson was appointed Engineer in June, and since he and Vignoles proved incompatible the latter left early in 1827. The railway was built by Stephenson and his staff, using direct labour. A considerable controversy arose c. 1828 over the motive power to be used: the traffic anticipated was too great for horses, but the performance of the reciprocal system of cable haulage developed by Benjamin Thompson appeared in many respects superior to that of contemporary locomotives. The company instituted a prize competition for a better locomotive and the Rainhill Trials were held in October 1829.

Robert Stephenson had been working on improved locomotive designs since his return from America in 1827, but it was the L \& MR's Treasurer, Henry Booth, who suggested the multi-tubular boiler to George Stephenson. This was incorporated into a locomotive built by Robert Stephenson for the trials: Rocket was entered by the three men in partnership. The other principal entrants were Novelty, entered by John Braithwaite and John Ericsson, and Sans Pareil, entered by Timothy Hackworth, but only Rocket, driven by George Stephenson, met all the organizers' demands; indeed, it far surpassed them and demonstrated the practicability of the long-distance steam railway. With the opening of the Liverpool \& Manchester Railway in 1830, the age of railways began.

Stephenson was active in many aspects. He advised on the construction of the Belgian State Railway, of which the Brussels-Malines section, opened in 1835, was the first all-steam railway on the European continent. In England, proposals to link the L \& MR with the Midlands had culminated in an Act of Parliament for the Grand Junction Railway in 1833: this was to run from Warrington, which was already linked to the L \& MR, to Birmingham. George Stephenson had been in charge of the surveys, and for the railway's construction he and J.U. Rastrick were initially Principal Engineers, with Stephenson's former pupil Joseph Locke under them; by 1835 both Stephenson and Rastrick had withdrawn and Locke was Engineer-in-Chief. Stephenson remained much in demand elsewhere: he was particularly associated with the construction of the North Midland Railway (Derby to Leeds) and related lines. He was active in many other places and carried out, for instance, preliminary surveys for the Chester \& Holyhead and Newcastle \& Berwick Railways, which were important links in the lines of communication between London and, respectively, Dublin and Edinburgh.

He eventually retired to Tapton House, Chesterfield, overlooking the North Midland. A man who was self-made (with great success) against colossal odds, he was ever reluctant, regrettably, to give others their due credit, although in retirement, immensely wealthy and full of honour, he was still able to mingle with people of all ranks.

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SUBJECT AREA: Canals, Civil engineering, Ports and shipping, Railways and locomotives

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William Jessop inherited from his father a natural ability in engineering, and because of his father's association with John Smeaton in the construction of Eddystone Lighthouse he was accepted by Smeaton as a pupil in 1759 at the age of 14. Smeaton was so impressed with his ability that Jessop was retained as an assistant after completion of his pupilage in 1767. As such he carried out field-work, making surveys on his own, but in 1772 he was recommended to the Aire and Calder Committee as an independent engineer and his first personally prepared report was made on the Haddlesey Cut, Selby Canal. It was in this report that he gave his first evidence before a Parliamentary Committee. He later became Resident Engineer on the Selby Canal, and soon after he was elected to the Smeatonian Society of Engineers, of which he later became Secretary for twenty years. Meanwhile he accompanied Smeaton to Ireland to advise on the Grand Canal, ultimately becoming Consulting Engineer until 1802, and was responsible for Ringsend Docks, which connected the canal to the Liffey and were opened in 1796. From 1783 to 1787 he advised on improvements to the River Trent, and his ability was so recognized that it made his reputation. From then on he was consulted on the Cromford Canal (1789–93), the Leicester Navigation (1791–4) and the Grantham Canal (1793–7); at the same time he was Chief Engineer of the Grand Junction Canal from 1793 to 1797 and then Consulting Engineer until 1805. He also engineered the Barnsley and Rochdale Canals. In fact, there were few canals during this period on which he was not consulted. It has now been established that Jessop carried the responsibility for the Pont-Cysyllte Aqueduct in Wales and also prepared the estimates for the Caledonian Canal in 1804. In 1792 he became a partner in the Butterley ironworks and thus became interested in railways. He proposed the Surrey Iron Railway in 1799 and prepared for the estimates; the line was built and opened in 1805. He was also the Engineer for the 10 mile (16 km) long Kilmarnock \& Troon Railway, the Act for which was obtained in 1808 and was the first Act for a public railway in Scotland. Jessop's advice was sought on drainage works between 1785 and 1802 in the lowlands of the Isle of Axholme, Holderness, the Norfolk Marshlands, and the Axe and Brue area of the Somerset Levels. He was also consulted on harbour and dock improvements. These included Hull (1793), Portsmouth (1796), Folkestone (1806) and Sunderland (1807), but his greatest dock works were the West India Docks in London and the Floating Harbour at Bristol. He was Consulting Engineer to the City of London Corporation from 1796to 1799, drawing up plans for docks on the Isle of Dogs in 1796; in February 1800 he was appointed Engineer, and three years later, in September 1803, he was appointed Engineer to the Bristol Floating Harbour. Jessop was regarded as the leading civil engineer in the country from 1785 until 1806. He died following a stroke in 1814.

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SUBJECT AREA: Civil engineering, Land transport, Mechanical, pneumatic and hydraulic engineering, Ports and shipping, Public utilities, Railways and locomotives

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The son of Marc Isambard Brunel and Sophia Kingdom, he was educated at a private boarding-school in Hove. At the age of 14 he went to the College of Caen and then to the Lycée Henri-Quatre in Paris, after which he was apprenticed to Louis Breguet. In 1822 he returned from France and started working in his father's office, while spending much of his time at the works of Maudslay, Sons \& Field.

From 1825 to 1828 he worked under his father on the construction of the latter's Thames Tunnel, occupying the position of Engineer-in-Charge, exhibiting great courage and presence of mind in the emergencies which occurred not infrequently. These culminated in January 1828 in the flooding of the tunnel and work was suspended for seven years. For the next five years the young engineer made abortive attempts to find a suitable outlet for his talents, but to little avail. Eventually, in 1831, his design for a suspension bridge over the River Avon at Clifton Gorge was accepted and he was appointed Engineer. (The bridge was eventually finished five years after Brunel's death, as a memorial to him, the delay being due to inadequate financing.) He next planned and supervised improvements to the Bristol docks. In March 1833 he was appointed Engineer of the Bristol Railway, later called the Great Western Railway. He immediately started to survey the route between London and Bristol that was completed by late August that year. On 5 July 1836 he married Mary Horsley and settled into 18 Duke Street, Westminster, London, where he also had his office. Work on the Bristol Railway started in 1836. The foundation stone of the Clifton Suspension Bridge was laid the same year. Whereas George Stephenson had based his standard railway gauge as 4 ft 8½ in (1.44 m), that or a similar gauge being usual for colliery wagonways in the Newcastle area, Brunel adopted the broader gauge of 7 ft (2.13 m). The first stretch of the line, from Paddington to Maidenhead, was opened to traffic on 4 June 1838, and the whole line from London to Bristol was opened in June 1841. The continuation of the line through to Exeter was completed and opened on 1 May 1844. The normal time for the 194-mile (312 km) run from Paddington to Exeter was 5 hours, at an average speed of 38.8 mph (62.4 km/h) including stops. The Great Western line included the Box Tunnel, the longest tunnel to that date at nearly two miles (3.2 km).

Brunel was the engineer of most of the railways in the West Country, in South Wales and much of Southern Ireland. As railway networks developed, the frequent break of gauge became more of a problem and on 9 July 1845 a Royal Commission was appointed to look into it. In spite of comparative tests, run between Paddington-Didcot and Darlington-York, which showed in favour of Brunel's arrangement, the enquiry ruled in favour of the narrow gauge, 274 miles (441 km) of the former having been built against 1,901 miles (3,059 km) of the latter to that date. The Gauge Act of 1846 forbade the building of any further railways in Britain to any gauge other than 4 ft 8 1/2 in (1.44 m).

The existence of long and severe gradients on the South Devon Railway led to Brunel's adoption of the atmospheric railway developed by Samuel Clegg and later by the Samuda brothers. In this a pipe of 9 in. (23 cm) or more in diameter was laid between the rails, along the top of which ran a continuous hinged flap of leather backed with iron. At intervals of about 3 miles (4.8 km) were pumping stations to exhaust the pipe. Much trouble was experienced with the flap valve and its lubrication—freezing of the leather in winter, the lubricant being sucked into the pipe or eaten by rats at other times—and the experiment was abandoned at considerable cost.

Brunel is to be remembered for his two great West Country tubular bridges, the Chepstow and the Tamar Bridge at Saltash, with the latter opened in May 1859, having two main spans of 465 ft (142 m) and a central pier extending 80 ft (24 m) below high water mark and allowing 100 ft (30 m) of headroom above the same. His timber viaducts throughout Devon and Cornwall became a feature of the landscape. The line was extended ultimately to Penzance.

As early as 1835 Brunel had the idea of extending the line westwards across the Atlantic from Bristol to New York by means of a steamship. In 1836 building commenced and the hull left Bristol in July 1837 for fitting out at Wapping. On 31 March 1838 the ship left again for Bristol but the boiler lagging caught fire and Brunel was injured in the subsequent confusion. On 8 April the ship set sail for New York (under steam), its rival, the 703-ton Sirius, having left four days earlier. The 1,340-ton Great Western arrived only a few hours after the Sirius. The hull was of wood, and was copper-sheathed. In 1838 Brunel planned a larger ship, some 3,000 tons, the Great Britain, which was to have an iron hull.

The Great Britain was screwdriven and was launched on 19 July 1843,289 ft (88 m) long by 51 ft (15.5 m) at its widest. The ship's first voyage, from Liverpool to New York, began on 26 August 1845. In 1846 it ran aground in Dundrum Bay, County Down, and was later sold for use on the Australian run, on which it sailed no fewer than thirty-two times in twenty-three years, also serving as a troop-ship in the Crimean War. During this war, Brunel designed a 1,000-bed hospital which was shipped out to Renkioi ready for assembly and complete with shower-baths and vapour-baths with printed instructions on how to use them, beds and bedding and water closets with a supply of toilet paper! Brunel's last, largest and most extravagantly conceived ship was the Great Leviathan, eventually named The Great Eastern, which had a double-skinned iron hull, together with both paddles and screw propeller. Brunel designed the ship to carry sufficient coal for the round trip to Australia without refuelling, thus saving the need for and the cost of bunkering, as there were then few bunkering ports throughout the world. The ship's construction was started by John Scott Russell in his yard at Millwall on the Thames, but the building was completed by Brunel due to Russell's bankruptcy in 1856. The hull of the huge vessel was laid down so as to be launched sideways into the river and then to be floated on the tide. Brunel's plan for hydraulic launching gear had been turned down by the directors on the grounds of cost, an economy that proved false in the event. The sideways launch with over 4,000 tons of hydraulic power together with steam winches and floating tugs on the river took over two months, from 3 November 1857 until 13 January 1858. The ship was 680 ft (207 m) long, 83 ft (25 m) beam and 58 ft (18 m) deep; the screw was 24 ft (7.3 m) in diameter and paddles 60 ft (18.3 m) in diameter. Its displacement was 32,000 tons (32,500 tonnes).

The strain of overwork and the huge responsibilities that lay on Brunel began to tell. He was diagnosed as suffering from Bright's disease, or nephritis, and spent the winter travelling in the Mediterranean and Egypt, returning to England in May 1859. On 5 September he suffered a stroke which left him partially paralysed, and he died ten days later at his Duke Street home.

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SUBJECT AREA: Land transport, Railways and locomotives

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Engerth was Chairman of the judges for the Semmering Locomotive Trials, held in 1851 to find locomotives suitable for working the sharply curved and steeply graded section of the Vienna-Trieste railway that was being built over the Semmering Pass, the first of the transalpine main lines. When none of the four locomotives entered proved suitable, Engerth designed his own. Six coupled wheels were at the fore part of the locomotive, with the connecting rods driving the rear pair: at the back of the locomotive the frames of the tender were extended forward on either side of the firebox, the front wheels of the tender were ahead of it, and the two parts were connected by a spherical pivot ahead of these. Part of the locomotive's weight was carried by the tender portion, and the two pairs of tender wheels were coupled by rods and powered by a geared drive from the axle of the rear driving-wheels. The powered drive to the tender wheels proved a failure, but the remaining characteristics of the locomotive, namely short rigid wheel-base, large firebox, flexibility and good tracking on curves (as drawbar pull was close behind the driving axle), were sufficient for the type to be a success. It was used on many railways in Europe and examples in modified form were built in Spain as recently as 1956. Engerth became General Manager of the Austro-Hungarian State Railway Company and designed successful flood-prevention works on the Danube at Vienna.

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SNCF [εsεnseεf]

( = Société nationale des chemins de fer français) French national railway company

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nom féminin (abbr = Société nationale des chemins de fer français) French national railway company

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Société nationale des chemins de fer français French national railways

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SNCF nf (abbr = Société nationale des chemins de fer français) French national railway company.

ⓘ SNCF The state-owned rail company, with access also to private finance, founded in 1937. Its remit covers the full range of rail transport services from small local trains to the high speed TGV. ⇒ TGV.

(abréviation de Société nationale des chemins de fer français) nom propre féminin

il travaille à la SNCF he works for the (French) railways

SUBJECT AREA: Land transport, Railways and locomotives

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In the mid-1850s Saxby was a foreman in the Brighton Works of the London Brighton \& South Coast Railway, where he had no doubt become familiar with construction of semaphore signals of the type invented by C.H. Gregory; the London-Brighton line was one of the first over which these were installed. In the 1850s points and signals were usually worked independently, and it was to eliminate the risk of accident from conflicting points and signal positions that Saxby in 1856 patented an arrangement by which related points and signals would be operated simultaneously by a single lever.

Others were concerned with the same problem. In 1855 Vignier, an employee of the Western Railway of France, had made an interlocking apparatus for junctions, and in 1859 Austin Chambers, who worked for the North London Railway, installed at Kentish Town Junction an interlocking lever frame in which a movement that depended upon another could not even commence until the earlier one was completed. He patented it early in 1860; Saxby patented his own version of such an apparatus later the same year. In 1863 Saxby left the London Brighton \& South Coast Railway to enter into a partnership with J.S.Farmer and established Saxby \& Farmer's railway signalling works at Kilburn, London. The firm manufactured, installed and maintained signalling equipment for many prominent railway companies. Its interlocking frames made possible installation of complex track layouts at increasingly busy London termini possible.

In 1867 Saxby \& Farmer purchased Chambers's patent of 1860, Later developments by the firm included effective interlocking actuated by lifting a lever's catch handle, rather than by the lever itself (1871), and an improved locking frame known as the "gridiron" (1874). This was eventually superseded by tappet interlocking, which had been invented by James Deakin of the rival firm Stevens \& Co. in 1870 but for which patent protection had been lost through non-renewal.

Saxby \& Farmer's equipment was also much used on the European continent, in India and in the USA, to which it introduced interlocking. A second manufacturing works was set up in 1878 at Creil (Oise), France, and when the partnership terminated in 1888 Saxby moved to Creil and managed the works himself until he retired to Sussex in 1900.

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SUBJECT AREA: Metallurgy

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Wöhler, the son of a schoolteacher, was born at Soltau on the Luneburg Heath and received his early education at his father's school, where his mathematical abilities soon became apparent. He completed his studies at the Technical High School, Hannover.

In 1840 he obtained a position at the Borsig Engineering Works in Berlin and acquired there much valuable experience in railway technology. He trained as an engine driver in Belgium and in 1843 was appointed as an engineer to the first Hannoverian Railway, then being constructed between Hannover and Lehrte. In 1847 he became Chief Superintendent of rolling stock on the Lower Silesian-Brandenhurg Railway, where his technical abilities influenced the Prussian Minister of Commerce to appoint him to a commission set up to investigate the reasons for the unusually high incidence of axle failures then being encountered on the railways. This was in 1852, and by 1854, when the Brandenburg line had been nationalized, Wöhler had already embarked on the long, systematic programme of mechanical testing which eventually provided him with a clear insight into the process of what is now referred to as "fatigue failure". He concentrated initially on the behaviour of machined iron and steel specimens subjected to fluctuating direct, bending and torsional stresses that were imposed by testing machines of his own design.

Although Wöhler was not the first investigator in this area, he was the first to recognize the state of "fatigue" induced in metals by the repeated application of cycles of stress at levels well below those that would cause immediate failure. His method of plotting the fatigue stress amplitude "S" against the number of stress cycles necessary to cause failure "N" yielded the well-known S-N curve which described very precisely the susceptibility to fatigue failure of the material concerned. Engineers were thus provided with an invaluable testing technique that is still widely used in the 1990s.

Between 1851 and 1898 Wöhler published forty-two papers in German technical journals, although the importance of his work was not initially fully appreciated in other countries. A display of some of his fracture fatigue specimens at the Paris Exposition in 1867, however, stimulated a short review of his work in Engineering in London. Four years later, in 1871, Engineering published a series of nine articles which described Wöhler's findings in considerable detail and brought them to the attention of engineers. Wöhler became a member of the newly created management board of the Imperial German Railways in 1874, an appointment that he retained until 1889. He is also remembered for his derivation in 1855 of a formula for calculating the deflections under load of lattice girders, plate girders, and other continuous beams resting on more than two supports. This "Three Moments" theorem appeared two years before Clapeyron independently advanced the same expression. Wöhler's other major contribution to bridge design was to use rollers at one end to allow for thermal expansion and contraction.

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SUBJECT AREA: Public utilities, Railways and locomotives

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Clegg received scientific instruction from John Dalton, the founder of the atomic theory, and was apprenticed to Boulton \& Watt. While at their Soho factory in Birmingham, he assisted William Murdock with his experiments on coal gas. He left the firm in 1804 and set up as a gas engineer on his own account. He designed and installed gas plant and lighting in a number of factories, including Henry Lodge's cotton mill at Sowerby Bridge and in 1811 the Jesuit College at Stoneyhurst in Lancashire, the first non-industrial establishment to be equipped with gas lighting.

Clegg moved to London in 1813 and successfully installed gas lighting at the premises of Rudolf Ackermann in the Strand. His success in the manufacture of gas had earned him the Royal Society of Arts Silver Medal in 1808 for furthering "the art of gas production", and in 1813 it brought him the appointment of Chief Engineer to the first gas company, the Chartered Gas, Light \& Coke Company. He left in 1817, but remained in demand to set up gas works and advise on the formation of gas companies. Throughout this time there flowed from Clegg a series of inventions of fundamental importance in the gas industry. While at Lodge's mill he had begun purifying gas by adding lime to the gas holder, and at Stoneyhurst this had become a separate lime purifier. In 1815, and again in 1818, Clegg patented the wet-meter which proved to be the basis for future devices for measuring gas. He invented the gas governor and, favouring the horizontal retort, developed the form which was to become standard for the next forty years. But after all this, Clegg joined a concern in Liverpool which failed, taking all his possessions with it. He made a fresh start in Lisbon, where he undertook various engineering works for the Portuguese government. He returned to England to find railway construction gathering pace, but he again backed a loser by engaging in the ill-fated atmospheric-rail way project. He was finally discouraged from taking part in further enterprises, but he received a government appointment as Surveying Officer to conduct enquiries in connection with the various Bills on gas that were presented to Parliament. Clegg also contributed to his son's massive treatise on the manufacture of coal gas.

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SUBJECT AREA: Land transport, Railways and locomotives

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Ramsbottom's initial experience was gained at the locomotive manufacturers Sharp, Roberts \& Co. At the age of 28 he was Manager of the Longsight works of the Manchester \& Birmingham Railway, which, with other lines, became part of the London \& North Western Railway (L \& NWR) in 1846. Ramsbottom was appointed Locomotive Superintendent of its north-eastern division. Soon after 1850 came his first major invention, that of the split-ring piston, consisting of castiron rings fitted round the piston to ensure a steam-tight fit in the cylinder. This proved to be successful, with a worldwide application. In 1856 he introduced sight-feed lubrication and the form of safety valve that bears his name. In 1857 he became Locomotive Superintendent of the L \& NWR at Crewe, producing two notable classes of locomotives: 2–4–0s for passenger traffic; and 0–6–0s for goods. They were of straightforward design and robust construction, and ran successfully for many years. His most spectacular railway invention was the water trough between the rails which enabled locomotives to replenish their water tanks without stopping.

As part of his policy of making Crewe works as independent as possible, Ramsbottom made several metallurgical innovations. He installed one of the earliest Bessemer converters for steelmaking. More important, in 1866 he coupled the engine part of a railway engine to a two-high rolling mill so that the rolls could be run in either direction, and quickly change direction, by means of the standard railway link reversing gear. This greatly speeded up the rolling of iron or steel into the required sections. He eventually retired in 1871.

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SUBJECT AREA: Metallurgy, Railways and locomotives

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Reynolds was born into a Quaker family, his father being an iron merchant and a considerable customer for the products of the Darbys (see Abraham Darby) of Coalbrookdale in Shropshire. After education at a Quaker boarding school in Pickwick, Wiltshire, Reynolds was apprenticed to William Fry, a grocer of Bristol, from whom he would have learned business methods. The year before the expiry of his apprenticeship in 1757, Reynolds was being sent on business errands to Coalbrookdale. In that year he met and married Hannah Darby, the daughter of Abraham Darby II. At the same time, he acquired a half-share in the Ketley ironworks, established not long before, in 1755. There he supervised not only the furnaces at Ketley and Horsehay and the foundry, but also the extension of the railway, linking this site to Coalbrookdale itself.

On the death of Abraham Darby II in 1763, Reynolds took charge of the whole works during the minority of Abraham Darby III. During this period, the most notable development was the introduction by the Cranage brothers of a new way of converting pig-iron to wrought iron, a process patented in 1766 that used coal in a reverberatory furnace. This, with other processes for the same purpose, remained in use until superseded by the puddling process patented by Henry Cort in 1783 and 1784. Reynolds's most important innovation was the introduction of cast-iron rails in 1767 on the railway around Coalbrookdale. A useful network had been in operation for some time with wooden rails, but these wore out quickly and were expensive to maintain. Reynolds's iron rails were an immediate improvement, and some 20 miles (32 km) were laid within a short time. In 1768 Abraham Darby III was able to assume control of the Coalbrookdale works, but Reynolds had been extending his own interest in other ironworks and various other concerns, earning himself considerable wealth. When Darby was oppressed with loan repayments, Reynolds bought the Manor of Madely, which made him Landlord of the Coalbrookdale Company; by 1780 he was virtually banker to the company.

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