railway servant?

[ruthm]

i have a George & Sarah Turner listed as railway servant in 1881 Reddish [Stockport] are they just a general dogsbody? I have this vision of a kind of locomotive trolley dolly! with respect to all air stewards - i wish i could do your job!

[ Class: RG11; Piece: 3475; Folio: 115; Page: 50; ]

[Peter Goodey]

Servant in this context is simply an employee of unspecified type.

[ruthm]

Peter to the rescue again! thanks once more.

BTW I have another who's listed as a locomotive engine driver - would this be a train? sorry but my railway knowledge does'nt extend past thomas the tank engine.

[Peter Goodey]

'Locomotive' just means it moves from place to place. It could refer to a railway train but I think that would more usually be 'train driver'. I would guess it most probably refers to a locomotive in a factory, mine, docks etc.

[Sue Mackay]

Thomas the Tank Engine is a Locomotive. When he's pulling Annie and Clarabel, they are a Train.

Locomotive means an engine which can move from place to place under its own power, as opposed to a 'stationary engine' which would be fixed in one place driving machinery, for example in a factory, mine or mill. Both would have drivers, but a locomotive engine driver (or train driver if you prefer) would probably have worked for a railway company although many industries had their own engines for shunting goods wagons in their own sidings.

This answer courtesy of my railwayman husband!

[ruthm]

thank you all! i think i'm right but i'll have to check that he appears in 1901 as an engine driver [stationary] which would fit in, or maybe he moves.
also in a Stockport directory of 1901 [i think it is] he's listed as an 'engineer' which i feel would imply the stationary engine approach by then at least.