stoppage

plural stoppages

1. A pause or halt of some activity.

   The brakes were specially developed by the Westinghouse Air Brake Company to provide smooth stoppages under automatic operation.

   1961 February, “Talking of Trains: Automated trains in New York”, in Trains Illustrated, page 78

   3 more examples

   The length of the stoppages could not well be reduced; indeed, they are already too short if we are to believe the tale now current of a wandering Jew sort of passenger—a lady of advanced years who can only alight from a train backwards. Every time she begins to get out a porter rushes up crying "Hurry up, ma'am; train's going!"—and pushes her in again!

   1944 May and June, “When the Circle was Steam Operated”, in Railway Magazine, page 150

   A "who-does-what" labour dispute at Swindon works during April led to a stoppage of work on the construction of the new 0-6-0 Type 1 diesel-hydraulic locomotives of the D9500 series and work had not been resumed as we closed for press.

   1964 June, “Motive Power Miscellany: BR Workshops”, in Modern Railways, page 432

   The laws are controversial. Forcing someone to work during a lawful strike is a major step. It was always likely to inflame a situation, and so it proved with LNER. ASLEF's counter-tactic came as a five-day walkout, which would have been the longest stoppage for many years had LNER not withdrawn its plan.

   2024 February 7, Philip Haigh, “Railway's fragile resilience”, in RAIL, number 1002, page 3

   Synonyms: hiatus, moratorium, recess, break, breather, cessation, demurral, gap

2. Something that forms an obstacle to continued activity; a blockage or obstruction.

   Synonyms: jam