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Words, grammatical forms and meanings linked to the ontology.

loose-coupled en · ADJ

Meanings

  1. (UK, historical, not-comparable) Of older railway wagons, having a chain coupling between them, without the buffers on each wagon touching those of the next wagon when the train was in motion.
    • The line here rises in the up direction, for the most part on a 1 in 132 gradient, and three spring-operated catch points—Basildon West, Basildon and Vange—are provided at intervals on the up line between the two stations, to derail any runaway wagons of a loose-coupled freight train. 1961 December, “Talking of Trains: Derailment near Laindon”, in Trains Illustrated, page 717:
    • It consists exclusively of loose-coupled open mineral wagons and a guard's brake van; owing to the isolation of the branch the last-named is equipped with a first aid box and a jack, to enable any emergency to be dealt with rapidly. 1940 December, Charles E. Lee, “The Wenford Mineral Line”, in Railway Magazine, page 643: