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Could anyone have a look at the 1891 and 1901 census for me please? I can't work out what the occupation is for an Alfred Peckham born 1860 in Bury St Edmunds and living in Cherry Hinton, Cambridgeshire. The '91 is Rail something and the '01 is Rail something and Pilot? All help much appreciated!

In 1901 I believe he's a G. R. Rail Loco Pilot. Margaret

1891 Railway Coupler A coupling (or a coupler) is a mechanism for connecting railway cars in a train. The design of these couplings is a standard almost as important as the railway gauge, since flexibility and convenience are maximised if the couplings can work together no matter what order they come in. The keyslot of a railway coupler shank is modified to eliminate the interference between the coupler shank and draft key during conditions of buff or draft during vertical curve negotiation of the cars when traversing uneven track. The upper and lower walls of the keyslot diverge from the rear bearing surface of the keyslot adjacent the butt of the coupler shank. Thus the keyslot opening is wider in the front portion than at the rear portion.

What a great response, thanks everyone :D

1901 looks like he worked for the great eastern? railway, 'rail lock pilot' A variation of the token system is pilot working, where the place of the token is taken by a person who is designated the pilotman. This person rides on the locomotive in lieu of the driver taking the token. If more than one train needs to proceed in a given direction before a train returns, the pilotman can instruct the driver to proceed through the section, and then ride on the last train in that direction. Pilot working is used as a temporary replacement should the token instruments become defective, for a missing token or to work trains during single-line working. [edit] Present day use

In 1891 he's a Railway Coupler. Margaret