The origins of flagging

[billynospares]

I dont know if this is a stupid question but i was wondering the origin of the saying to flag, as in " we are flagging Gander for fuel "

[OmegaV6]

Probably way off beam .. but I was told this many years ago ...

Years back on single track railways they carried a "flag" which was permission to move along the track, without the flag you could not proceed onto the next section - this was to avoid a head-on collision. At the end of each single track section was a short piece of dual track where the opposing engine would wait, or if there was no opposing engine, there was a receptacle for the flag. There were often fuel/water facilities at hese ponts as well.

The origin of the phrase "flag stop" came from this short stop over to collect the flag and/or resupply.

Proabably an "urban myth" but I don't think they existed when I was told this !! :)

[Pontius Navigator]

Omega could well be right. OTOH is could equally be part of the myth of territorial claims. We planted a flag. We stopped at Tristian da Cuna and stopped to plant a flag.

That puts the origin back to the 15th C or earlier

[Sempre 206]

Do not know if they still do it, but about 12 years ago the rail line into Newquay still used a similar system, but with a hoop type arrangement rather than a flag.

[D-IFF_ident]

... Which could be the origin of the question "are we getting hooped in Gander tonight?"

[Roland Pulfrew]

From one online dictionary: flag stop came from railway stations where a flag was used to signal a train to stop. If the flag was not used the train was free to pass straight through the station without stopping - hence a flag stop.

[BEagle]

Well, bugger me with a fishfork, but I never knew you were a trainspotter, Roly!

Online dictionary....riiiiiiiggggggghhhhhhhhhhttt....:p

I mis-read the thread title. I thought it said 'flogging' - so was a Navy bum and baccy question. Looked again and thought it said 'fagging' - much the same, just delete the baccy.....

[Green Flash]

Do not know if they still do it, but about 12 years ago the rail line into Newquay still used a similar system, but with a hoop type arrangement rather than a flag.

Still happens today. The railway between Nairn and Forres (Moary Firth) is single line token working. When the train stops at Nairn the driver collects a a token (like a key) in a leather wallet on a metal hoop about 18" circ. This is his 'permission' to continue on the track. It's handed off to the signalman at Forres, and vice versa.









I must get out more.:\

[BEagle]

On the end of the platform with your notebook, anorak and bum-bag with spam sarnies and harvest pie....:p?

Actually, back in the '50s, the sound and fury of a Castle class-hauled train belting past at warp snot was quite something......













....allegedly!

[Toddington Ted]

I'm pleased to say that at my adopted home town on the ECML one can still see pristine A4s like Bittern, Union of South Africa, Sir Nigel Gresley etc thundering through on specials; well one can on You Tube only at present as one is currently in a country where railways are virtually non -existant and land mines are prolific.:sad:
However, stand by for the brand new Tornado later this year! (Not the aircraft but the brand new A1 named after the mighty fin)
Brief anorak excited mode off, back to living the dream.

[D-IFF_ident]

Now that's got to be difficult on a railway line - start 4, launch 3, 1 RTBs enroute. How would you know which one to put the pax in to start with? ;)

[6Z3]

BEagle

I mis-read the thread title. I thought it said 'flogging' - so was a Navy bum and baccy question. Looked again and thought it said 'fagging' - much the same, just delete the baccy.....

are you sure you don't have a barrelbumbaccyhellosailorkissmehardy fixation?

[seanbean]

...or are we talking about "fragging"?

[helen-damnation]

Speaking of Rum and Baccy :}

In the days of Semophore, you would presumably flag your message to the receiver.
Hopefully, they spoke the same language n'est pas!:E


Bring back the tot :ok:

[davejb]

Flagging,
in Gib,as I recall, was described as 'a robust alternative to a fulfilling career'.

My vote went to the guys doing it, but what do I know about international detente?

[Roland Pulfrew]

Flagging, in Gib, as I recall, was described as 'a robust alternative to a fulfilling career'.


Ah 201/7. ISTR that the Lajes element of the story caused the diplomatic incident though!! Are we talking the same incident?

[davejb]

Can't recall the crew, other than a '200 series' squadron - I suspect it's the same event however, centring on an issue of sovereignty and a feeling that our crew been a trifle blunt and insensitive at the time <g>

The flag went out of the sextant mount, I think, but in truth they could have painted the eng red, white and blue and dangled him from the bomb bay for all I recall of the fine detail... back then I thought it was much ado about very little, it's amazing how much trouble you can get into for daring to be slightly patriotic at the wrong time, isn't it?

[VMD+12]

I think that it was the Soviet Red Flag that the Eng flew out through the sextant mount in Lajes that caused the furore

[baffy boy]

Patriotic? It was a Hammer and Sickle!!

[Roland Pulfrew]

baffy

Certainly that was the incident I was thinking about. Didn't the eng liberate the flag from 120's crewroom roof to "blood it" as, IIRC, 120 had ordered it through the supply system for recce purposes.

[Not Long Here]

Twas Lajes, around 1986 ish, 201 Crew, the Eng was commissioned and a well known lay preacher.....should be a big enough clue to those who remember:}

[davejb]

Let's see...

Patriotic? It was a Hammer and Sickle!!

...that'd be the OTHER team then? Okay, scratch patriotism and insert 'typically irreverent humour' I guess :)

1980 plonk sounds about right, no sense of humour Johny foreigner...