Carriage, coach, or car?

[whole diary]

[JayMac]

On a train from Basingstoke to Farnborough Main earlier and the guard made the following announcement:

"Welcome aboard this SWR^» (South Western Railway - about) service to London Waterloo... this train has five carriages.
(stops details and safety information)
You can find me in coach five of this five car train."

Well, it amused me!

[eightonedee]

It does seem that "car" is only used to describe the length of a train, otherwise it's coach or carriage. Shows how sometimes it's easy to cause misunderstanding by not using precise language, but sometimes there's many ways to say the same thing. Funny old thing, the English language.

[JayMac]

Funny old thing, the English language.

Indeed it is. And often wobbled through the prism of empire and colonialism.

Brief chat with the guard as I alighted at Farnborough Main. She is originally from Canada.

[grahame]

It does seem that "car" is only used to describe the length of a train, otherwise it's coach or carriage. Shows how sometimes it's easy to cause misunderstanding by not using precise language, but sometimes there's many ways to say the same thing. Funny old thing, the English language.

Mind,these user to be buffet CARs in the past, before their daft removal.

[JayMac]

these user to be buffet CARs in the past, before their daft removal.

Yup. With the announcement: "You can find the buffer car in coach F."

[eightonedee]

And often wobbled through the prism of empire and colonialism.

A two-way organic process? In my only trip to India, back in 1986, I found it amusing that the term "bogie" was used to describe a coach, carriage or car.

Empire and imperialism - a crucible for linguistic innovation and evolution?

[Bmblbzzz]

these user to be buffet CARs in the past, before their daft removal.

Yup. With the announcement: "You can find the buffer car in coach F."

If the buffer car doesn't stop at the end of the line, it will hit the buffets. And that would give the diners (and their dinners) a buffeting. 

[Clan Line]

If the buffer car doesn't stop at the end of the line, it will hit the buffets. And that would give the diners (and their dinners) a buffeting. 

Oh dear ! - I think you need to buff up your pronounciation ! 

[Fourbee]

It does seem that "car" is only used to describe the length of a train, otherwise it's coach or carriage. Shows how sometimes it's easy to cause misunderstanding by not using precise language, but sometimes there's many ways to say the same thing. Funny old thing, the English language.

Mind,these user to be buffet CARs in the past, before their daft removal.

I would have credited that post to another member if I'd not just seen your forum name grahame

The SWR^» (South Western Railway - about) platform auto-announcers got re-recorded some time back and 'carriages' was substituted for 'coaches'. I think 'coaches' sounds more natural and is also consistent with the on-board displays. 'Carriages' reminds me of Annie & Clarabel from Thomas the Tank Engine!

[GBM]

Coaches are vehicles that run on tarmac with rubber tyres and carry some passengers.
Annie and Clarabel are carriages!

[didcotdean]

London Underground used to be exclusively "car", as it imported much American terminology in the early 1900s along with the electric equipment. Although "carriage" is now used on the Elizabeth line internal displays.

[Bmblbzzz]

In America, car can apply to a goods unit too, as in box car. Has that usage ever been current in British English too?

[Red Squirrel]

London Underground used to be exclusively "car", as it imported much American terminology in the early 1900s along with the electric equipment. Although "carriage" is now used on the Elizabeth line internal displays.

That’s interesting… the Elizabeth line isn’t ‘Underground’ with a capital ‘U’, is it, so perhaps that’s why it uses the more usual terminology?