pointwork

English edit

point +‎ work

pointwork (uncountable)

(rail transport) The engineering of sets of points on a railway, tramway, etc.
- 1979 August, Michael Harris, “A line for all reasons: the North Yorkshire Moors Railway”, in Railway World, page 412:
  Before long, this box will be installed nearer Grosmont (NYM) level crossing to permit control of the crossing gates (presently hand-worked) and to replace the eight-lever ground frame which currently operates the pointwork.
- 2020 March 25, William Barter, “HS2: Euston or Old Oak Common?”, in Rail, page 58:
  And for maintenance of pointwork, a six-platform service can be operated whichever throat is under possession.
(ballet) Alternative form of pointework
- 2007 December 13, Alastair Macaulay, “A Beloved Spanish Gypsy Returns to Frances Arms”, in New York Times‎^[1]:
  Though Mr. Lacotte makes certain nods to the early 19th-century ballet style of the first act of Giselle and August Bournonvilles ballets, he asks all his female dancers to do the sustained pointwork known to be late-19th-century in style.