blue train, noun phrase

1. Usually with initial capitals. [So called for the colour of the livery.] A luxury passenger train, inaugurated in 1946, which runs between Cape Town and Pretoria (now Tshwane). Also attributive.
1948 Press Digest No.7, 50Just travel in the blue train and you will see.
1949 J. Mockford Golden Land 250Pretoria is linked with Cape Town by the Blue Train, the fastest Train in South Africa.
1959 M.W. Spilhaus Under Bright Sky 88Instead of catching the Blue Train to Jo’burg from the ship, he has arranged to go on round the coast to Durban.
1966 Cape Argus 19 Sept. 1A ‘Substantial Plot’ to derail the Blue Train between Worcester and Touws River where the railway line passes through a tunnel, was mentioned.
1979 B. Zurnamer Locomotives of S. Afr. Railways 87In 1933, the dining car Protea, was placed into service...Protea was not painted in the official livery of imperial brown, but in a combination of blue and cream. The colour scheme was so appealing that the Limited and Express were painted blue and cream in 1935 — the colour scheme of the present Blue Train.
1979 S. Afr. Railways & Harbours Handbk 93The war..delayed the start of the operations of this luxurious train...Finally, in 1946, the Blue Train was officially inaugurated by the then Minister of Transport.
1988 N. Patterson in Cape Times 11 Jan. 7The five-star hotel on wheels, the Blue Train.
2. slang. Also with initial capitals. [So called for the colour of methylated spirit, which, because it is toxic, is dyed blue and made unpalatable (drinkers using bread to strain it); a play on sense 1 (see quotations 1982 and 1984).] Methylated spirit when taken as an alcoholic drink; vlam sense a. See also ai-ai.
1980 Sunday Times 4 May 19He said people also drank ethylated spirits — which has replaced methylated spirits or ‘blue train’.
1982 R. Joseph in Sunday Times 28 Feb. 19The one-way ‘blue train’ of death — blue train is the name meth drinkers give their habit.
1984 True Love Nov. 77Despite romantic allusions to..‘riders of the blue train’ (methylated spirits) their lives are squalid and lonely, often passed in a blur of alcohol.
1987 L. Beake Strollers 71Saturdays the money was less, so they had to drink Blue Train, and methylated spirits made them mean, man, real mean.
1988 Weekend Argus 19 Mar. 17I’m drunk. I’m riding the Blue Train...I drink meths to keep me warm.
Usually with initial capitals.A luxury passenger train, inaugurated in 1946, which runs between Cape Town and Pretoria (now Tshwane). Also attributive.
Also with initial capitals.Methylated spirit when taken as an alcoholic drink; vlam sense a.
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blue tongue, noun phrasen. phr.blushing bride, noun phrasen. phr.
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