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emeritus · 6th Mar 2018, 4:48 pm

Terms such as engineer, conductor, cross-tie, and even railroad, were used by George Stevenson in his writings (and patents) and were taken to the USA with the early railway technology. For whatever reason, usage changed in the UK to Driver, Guard, sleeper and railway while the Americans have continued to use Stevenson's original terminology.

There have been various initiatives addressing the problem of the status and what was perceived to be a shortage of engineers over the years: there was the "Finneston" enquiry in the late 1970's, and there has been at least one more whose name I can't remember. Usual thing with governments of any persuasion: set up an enquiry and by the time it reports, people have lost interest. As others have commented, the UK seems to be unique in its engineers having a relatively low status in society.

I hate to think what it would have cost to have paid someone repair my cassette deck last month, what with the time it took to dismantle it with its numerous springs and clips, clean and relubricate and re-assemble using a replacement gear that had to be modified from a different type, the original part being long unobtanium. Definitely a labour of love.

6th Mar 2018, 4:48 pm	#80
emeritus Dekatron Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: Brentwood, Essex, UK. Posts: 5,349	Re: End of an era. Terms such as engineer, conductor, cross-tie, and even railroad, were used by George Stevenson in his writings (and patents) and were taken to the USA with the early railway technology. For whatever reason, usage changed in the UK to Driver, Guard, sleeper and railway while the Americans have continued to use Stevenson's original terminology. There have been various initiatives addressing the problem of the status and what was perceived to be a shortage of engineers over the years: there was the "Finneston" enquiry in the late 1970's, and there has been at least one more whose name I can't remember. Usual thing with governments of any persuasion: set up an enquiry and by the time it reports, people have lost interest. As others have commented, the UK seems to be unique in its engineers having a relatively low status in society. I hate to think what it would have cost to have paid someone repair my cassette deck last month, what with the time it took to dismantle it with its numerous springs and clips, clean and relubricate and re-assemble using a replacement gear that had to be modified from a different type, the original part being long unobtanium. Definitely a labour of love.