boat train

English

Noun

boat train (plural boat trains)

1. (UK, Ireland, travel, rail transport) A travel service with a train timed to arrive at a ferry port in time for the onward travel by ferry (or vice versa). Alternatively, a service scheduled to connect with the arrival or departure of an ocean liner.
   • 1943 July and August, “Restaurant-Car Services in Ireland”, in Railway Magazine, page 210:

     In 1906 the cross-channel service was inaugurated between Fishguard and Rosslare Harbour. For this the Great Southern & Western Railway built two boat trains of corridor stock, with a restaurant car (57½ ft. in length), to run between Rosslare and Cork.

   • 1954 September, 'South Western', “Shawford Junction Signalbox”, in Railway Magazine, page 604:

     With extra traffic, numerous boat trains to and from Southampton Docks, and working of empty stock, his job, like that of most signalmen, is no sinecure.

   • 1964 March, “News and Comment: Stormy passage for BR boat trains”, in Modern Railways, page 153:

     In January BR were attacked by three of the country's major shipping companies for the poor standards of boat train services run from Tilbury and Southampton Docks.

Anagrams

• boar taint