Whilst safety on our railways is necessarily a technical subject, we have
tried to make the language used on this website as easy to understand as
possible. However, if you do need a particular term explained, we have provided a comprehensive glossary of Abbreviations and Acronyms.
GE/RT8000 - Rule Book Modules
GE/GN8510 - Railway Group Safety Performance Monitoring - Definitions/terminology
GK/GN0802 Glossary of Signalling Terms
ACOP Approved Code of Practice
AEIF - Association Europeenne pour l'Interoperabilite Ferroviaire (European Association of Railway Interoperability)
ALARP - as low as reasonably practicable
ASLEF - Associated Society of Locomotive Engineers and Firemen
ATOC - Association of Train Operating Companies
ATP - automatic train protection
AWG - Adhesion Working Group
AWS - automatic warning system
BMIS - Business Management Information System
BRT - British Rail Telecoms (Global Crossing)
BS - British Standard
BTP - British Transport Police
CBA - cost benefit analysis
CCTV - closed circuit television
CDB - Controls Database
CDM - Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 1994
CHIP - Chemical (Hazard Information and Packaging for Supply) Regulations 1994
CIRAS - Confidential Incident Reporting and Analysis System
COMPASS - Combined Performance and Safety System
COSHH - Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 1998
COSS - Controller of Site Safety
CR - Conventional Rail
CRUCC - Central Rail User Consultative Committee
CSR - cab secure radio
CtrL - Channel Tunnel Rail Link
CWR - continuous welded rail
DGN - derogation
DMU - diesel multiple unit
DOO - (P) driver only operation (Passenger)
DRA - Driver Reminder Appliance
DTLR - Department for Transport, Local Government and Regions
EC - European Commission
ECTS - European Train Control System
EMC - electromagnetic compatibility
EN - Euro Norms
EPS - enhanced permissible speed
ERA - European Rail Agency
ERTMS - European Rail Traffic Management System
EU - European Union
ExCo - Executive Committee
FOC - freight operating company
FPA - Fire Precautions Act 1971
FPW - Fire Precautions (Workplace) Regulations 1997
FMS - Fault Management System
GEOGIS - Geography and Infrastructure System
GPS - Global Positioning System
GSM-R - Global System for Mobile Communications - Railways
HABD - Hot Axlebox Detector
HMRI - Her Majesty Railway Inspectorate
HS - High Speed
HSC - Health & Safety Commission
HSE - Health & Safety Executive
HST - high-speed train
HASAW - The Health & Safety at Work etc Act 1974
IECC - integrated electronic control centre
ISO - International Standards Organisation
LOLER - Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations 1998
LRM - Layout Risk Model
LUL - London Underground Ltd
MHSW - The Management of Health & Safety at Work Regulations 1992
NC - Non-Compliance (pending a Railway Group Standard revision)
NMS - Network Management Statement
NRN - national radio network
NSFG - National SPAD Focus Group
OLE - overhead line equipment
ORR - Office of the Rail Regulator
P/WAY - Permanent Way, Track
PACTS - Parliamentary Advisory Council for Transport Safety
PICOP - Person in Charge of a Possession
PON - Periodic Operating Notice
PPE - personal protective equipment
PrEN - Provisional Euro Norms
PSR - permanent speed restriction
PTE - Passenger Transport Executives
PTSH - Personal Track Safety Handbook
PUWER - Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998
QRA - Quantified Risk Assessment
RACOP - RSSB Approved Code of Practice
RETB - radio electronic token block
RFG - Rail Freight Group
RGM - Railway Group member
RGS - Railway Group Standard
RIA - Railway Industry Association
RIAC - Railway Industry Advisory Committee
RIDDOR 1995 - Reporting of Injuries, Diseases, and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 1995
RISSC - Rail Industry Standard Strategy Committee
ROSCO - rolling stock leasing company
ROTS - Railways and Other Transport Systems (Approval of Works, Plant and Equipment)
RRV - road-rail vehicle
RSAB - Rolling Stock Acceptance Board
RSC - Railway Safety Case
SAB - Safety Advisory Board
SAMNET - Safety Management Network
SAMRAIL - Safety Management in Railways
S&T - signalling and telecommunications
SEH - Safety, Environment & Health Committee
SGI - Signaller General Instructions
SIN - Special Inspection Notice
SMIS - Safety Management Information System
SOC - station operating company
SPAD - signal passed at danger
SPADRAM - Signal Passed at Danger Reduction and Mitigation (Group)
SRA - Strategic Rail Authority
T&RS - traction and rolling stock
TEN - Trans-European Network
TNC - temporary non-compliance
TOC - train operating company
TPWS - Train Protection and Warning System
TPWS-E - Train Protection and Warning System with Eurobalise
TPWS+ - Train Protection and Warning System Plus (additional over speed sensor)
TPWS-A - Train Protection and Warning System Basic Model
TSI - Technical Specification for Interoperability
TSSG - Track Safety Strategy Group
UIC - Union Internationale des Chemins de Fer
(International Union of Railways)
