Trivia: Nicknames we use

[Clansman]

Throughout the forums we have all came up with some great nicknames, as well as others from elsewhere of which we use to describe certain aspects of our railway; whether that be the name of a line, to the trains themselves.

Some I can think of;

Ironing Boards - New suburban style seats emerging on many trains across the country
Dusty Bins - Class 321s
Voyagers - Class 220/221s
Meridians - Class 222
BedPan - Bedford to St. Pancras line

No doubt there's probably hundreds more we've all used through the years...

 

[fredk]

Goblin - Gospel Oak to Barking Line
Dogbox - That hellish looking 1 car "train" up north somewhere
Sheds - Class 66

One I've thought of:
Abbatoirs - Class 345, due to the seat pattern looking like piles of meat alongside metal poles and finishings

 

[J-2739]

You can get mini-Dusties as well (320s).

Here's mine for Sprinters- Stinkers. (They don't actually stink, but I find them (apart from 158/9s) to be the most soul destroying units on the network. Nothing to interest)

 

[Mag_seven]

Here are some of the loco nicknames I can think of:

Class 08 - gronks
Class 25 - rats
Class 37 - tractors (or growlers)
Class 40 - whistlers
Class 45 - peaks
Class 47 - duffs
Class 50 - hoovers
Class 66 - sheds
Class 67 - skips
Class 81, 85 - roarers
Class 86 - cans
Class 90 - skodas
Class 92 - dysons

 

[43096]

Voyagers - Class 220/221s
Meridians - Class 222

I'm not sure those are nicknames as such, as they are/were official names applied by the operator when they were introduced. I've heard 222s called "Desmonds" after the former Archbishop of Cape Town. 222022 is therefore "Desmond Tutu"...

Others not mentioned:
Class 31 - Ped / Goyle / Brians
Class 47 - spoons
Class 50 - vacs
Class 92 - caravans

 

[507021]

Here are the ones I use.

153s: Dogboxes.
155s: Double Dogboxes.
156s: Beasts. (Well, most of them are anyway)
Desiro EMUs: UFOs.
LIV-MCO stopping service: Occy Road Stopper.

 

[fyldetrainfan]

Some more I can think of:
(As well as the well known ones eg Westerns, Deltics Etc.)
Class 20s: Choppers
Class 26/27: McRats
Class 33s: Cromptons
Class 47s: Duffs
Class 56s: Grids
Class 57s: Bodysnatchers
Class 58s: Bones
Class 60s: Tugs

Also as well as class 66s being called Sheds, I have seen in magazines Freightliner ones being referred to as Freds and DRS ones as Dreds!

Also I have heard of the GWR (original one, not the current one!) diesel railcars and the Network Rail New Measurement Train HST both being called Flying Bananas!

 

[MylesHSG]

Class 58 - Bones

Edit: Ah beaten to it!

 

[D365]

Here's mine for Sprinters- Stinkers. (They don't actually stink, but I find them (apart from 158/9s) to be the most soul destroying units on the network. Nothing to interest)

Eh? Not the Pacers then?

Class 365 is the infamous "Happy Train". Though not as happy after the recent 'refurbishment'.

 

[Clansman]

I like to refer to the 385s as Spartans, because of the front end which resembles that of a spartan helmet.

 

[61653 HTAFC]

Pacers of course have several nicknames, Boneshakers and Nodding Donkeys seem quite popular. The 141s seemed to be known as (as the Merseytravel 142s are now known) "oh God, not one of these again! What did I do to deserve this?"s!

I think of 185s as "sardine cans", due to the crowding even at Sunday teatime!

 

[Agent_c]

I insist on calling Euston "Useless station", and I and my (French Canadian) jokingly call Clapham Junction Tap-de-Jambon (Literally Clap-Ham)....

 

[Polarbear]

The 220's & 221's are called Voyager & Super Voyager as a result of a competition that was run in 'Rail' magazine back in 1999/2000. So not a nickname as such.

Add Lada for class 91's (build quality & lack of reliability) & Scud's for 158's (many were introduced at the time of the first US:Iraq conflict. Scud missiles used in that conflict often didn't get to their intended destination - a bit like 158's at that time).

 

[J-2739]

Eh? Not the Pacers then?

The Pacers are bad, but at least they're unique.

Meanwhile, the Sprinters (bar Class 158/9) are the most dullest things I've ever had to endure. If I wanted the body of a 150, I'd go down south and get on a 455 or even a 319. At least they make interesting motor noises.

The Sprinters meanwhile, sound more like rusted nuts and bolts tap dancing with each other, and is enough to drain my African soul out (yes, even we can't cope with that noise!).

Another nickname- Pennines (for 185s).

 

[Ash Bridge]

A few from the 70s,

Class 24, Fruit Machines
Class 25 Whirley Birds
Class 30 Toffee Apples
Class 52 Thousands
Class 404 (4COR) Nelsons

 

[Alteran Ancient]

Can't believe you've missed this one.

Class 442 - Plastic Pigs.

 

[scott118]

in Anglia, 153's are also known as scuds. probably for the same reasons, listed above

 

[AJM580]

Class 55 - Deltics
Class 23 - Baby Deltics
Class 28 - CoBos

Berks & Hants route - The desert
Somerset & Dorset - The Slow & Dirty
Great Western Railway - Gods Wonderful Railway, Great Way Round
LNER - Late & never early
M & GN Joint - Muddle & Go Nowhere

 

[meridian2]

Class 25s without code boxes - skinheads.

 

[cjmillsnun]

Vomiters - class 220/221
Super Skodas - Class 91
Shed, Ying Ying - Class 66
Skip - Class 67
Tram - HST
Flying Banana - Blue/Grey HST

 

[Mag_seven]

Waterloo and City Line - "the Drain"

 

[D365]

The Pacers are bad, but at least they're unique.

Meanwhile, the Sprinters (bar Class 158/9) are the most dullest things I've ever had to endure. If I wanted the body of a 150, I'd go down south and get on a 455 or even a 319. At least they make interesting motor noises.

The Class 150 and Class 156 fleets are perfectly adequate workhorses I find. Better than the Class 317/321s I often find myself on.

 

[grumblingalong]

As Scott118 has already mentioned 153's down our way are called Scuds. They don't get very far before they blow up.

 

[fairysdad]

Any steam engine: Kettle.

 

[swt class 450]

Red Gestapo = The incompetent GTR staff that work at the ticket barriers at P13 and P14 at London Victoria station.

 

[O L Leigh]

Cl323 - Frankie Howerd.
Cl350 - Jimmy Saville.

A pair of Cl153s is a Cl155, but it has to be formed up correctly with the original cabs outwards otherwise it's just a pair of Cl153s.

O L Leigh

 

[gimmea50anyday]

If 91s are Ladas you forgot the 90's were Skodas
91s are also hairdryers

Duff fans refer to 50s as logs
Scotrail 47/7 - shove duffs
33/0 - woodlice
33/1 - bagpipes
33/2 - slim jims
HST - trams
08 - gronks

TPE revenue Protection - The Gestapo
Signal - peg
Signaller - bobby
Rail Gourmet - Rail Gormless

Central trains - the barmouth to yarmouth


Heres a well known acronym
GNER - Going Nowhere Except Retford

 

[D365]

Cl323 - Frankie Howerd.
Cl350 - Jimmy Saville

Eh? Where on earth does that originate from.

 

[Doctor Fegg]

http://www.migweb.co.uk/forums/off-...might-come-handy.html#/topics/42725?_k=yujliy is essential reading.

 

[Chris M]

WAGN - We Ain't Going Nowhere
the underground portions of the Central, Northern and Piccadilly line - the pipe
Romford-Upminster Line - Push and Pull
Waterloo and City Line - the drain