Green’s Dictionary of Slang

1. an old woman, without any remaining sexual appeal; often as old boiler.

1962		R. Cook Crust on its Uppers 19: Daisy was a right old boiler.
1968		J. Alard He who Shoots Last 91: I’ll settle fer one [a film] with a bita Lord Rex in it — dose Hollywood dolls is real table boids, not like de old boilers I gotta settle for.
1974–5		B. Humphries Barry McKenzie [comic strip] in Complete Barry McKenzie (1988) 118: Don’t tell me I’m related to that old boiler as well.
1983		J. Byrell (con. 1959) Up the Cross 79: Rusty the Kid was a better mark for pests than boiler class charlies like herself.
1989		M. Amis London Fields 38: ‘Just a woman I used to work for.’ ‘Young?’ ‘No no.’ [...] ‘Shows respect. Even if it’s just some old boiler.’.
1998		I. Welsh Filth 237: Watching an old boiler you’ve just fucked struggling into her clothes without dignity.

2. a woman, usu. an unattractive one.

1963		B. Naughton Alfie I iii: I’ve had me share of ugly birds — yeh, [...] Right old boilers you might say.
1967		Kings Cross Whisper (Sydney) xxxvii 7/1: You go to a party where there are many dolls to spare. Do you [...] end up with a boiler?
1977		D. Powis Signs of Crime 174: Boiler A mature woman, especially one who dresses or acts in a fashion younger than her years. Can be a term of abuse towards such a woman.
1982		Rhoda with Specials A.K.A. ‘The Boiler’ 🎵 For so many years, I’ve been left on the shelf. / An old boiler.
1998		I. Welsh Filth 144: We take some seats [...] next to these two boilers.
2000		Guardian Guide 12–18 Feb. 24: I sometimes forget which kind of female pop acts I hate more, desperate rock boilers [...] or professionally knock-kneed pseudo-intellectual singer-songwriter bims.
2012		(con. 1980s) I. Welsh Skagboys 87: Ah suddenly think aboot Begbie and that mad wee Pilton biler.
2024		J. Meades Empty Wigs (t/s) 291: [T]ransit-van fucks with borderline-STI boilers [...] all over you like clingfilm on a buffet.