The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 4 plus 4 letter word FREE RIDE
I've seen this crossword clue in The Guardian
F
R
E
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More clues leading to the result FREE RIDE
Buddy explains!
The straight part
We know that "Non-contributory benefit for railway staff" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case non-contributory benefit for railway staff = free ride.The cryptic/wordplay part
In cryptic crossword there's often an wordplay/cryptic part as well.This part involves a more complex hint, such as an anagram, homophone, hidden word, etc.
Sadly, We don't have an explanation for this specific crossword clue yet.
What does FREE RIDE mean?
FREE RIDE verb- To take a free ride; to take advantage of a benefit without contributing.
- To buy and sell shares or other securities without actually having the capital to cover the trade.