Travels with old woman in express: one to hold up train? (10)
I believe the answer is:
bridesmaid
'hold up train?' is the definition.
Although both the answer and definition are singular nouns, I can't see how they can define each other.
'travels with old woman in express one' is the wordplay.
I cannot quite understand how this works, but
'travels' could be 'rides' (riding is a kind of traveling) and 'rides' is found within the answer.
'woman' could be 'maid' (maid is a kind of woman) and 'maid' is found in the answer.
A single letter 'b' remains which might be clued in a way I don't understand.
This explanation may well be incorrect...
'to' acts as a link.
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for bridesmaid that I've seen before include "match participant" , "Attendant at wedding" , "one's holding up train perhaps" .)