Locomotive names which may be unacceptable these days

[Magdalia]

The LNER attraction to racehorses produced some pretty exotic names too.

I have a great liking for the racehorse-name theme: find it a stroke of genius on the part of whoever thought of it.

I agree with @Calthrop that the LNER choice of racehorses as a source of Pacific names was excellent

Loco names using racehorses would have made commercial sense for the LNER. Three of the five "classics" were in LNER territory, the 2000 Guineas and 1000 Guineas at Newmarket and the St Leger at Doncaster. It also had other big race meetings such as the Dante and Ebor meetings at York.

Race traffic was big business for the LNER and it wasn't just about moving spectators, it was about moving the horses too. An example, not linked to race meetings, is the horsebox trains that would run to Holyhead after the yearling sales at Newmarket to take horses to Ireland for training.

 

[Western Sunset]

There was even a racecourse platform on the LNER (ex-GN) line to Derby.

 

[Gloster]

One name that certainly did cause offence was that of Great Central 9P, later LNER B3, Lloyd George. Sir Frederick Banbury, last chairman of the Great Northern, is supposed to have been so angry about grouping that he ordered the loco’s plates to be removed. How he did this I cannot see as he retired at the end of 1922 and the names are reported to have been taken off in August 1923: perhaps he made it a condition of having an A1 named after him. The plates reappeared from behind a partition when Top Shed was demolished in 1963.

 

[xotGD]

One name that certainly did cause offence was that of Great Central 9P, later LNER B3, Lloyd George. Sir Frederick Banbury, last chairman of the Great Northern, is supposed to have been so angry about grouping that he ordered the loco’s plates to be removed. How he did this I cannot see as he retired at the end of 1922 and the names are reported to have been taken off in August 1923: perhaps he made it a condition of having an A1 named after him. The plates reappeared from behind a partition when Top Shed was demolished in 1963.

"Lloyd George hauled my father
My father bashed Lloyd George"

 

[Merthyr Imp]

Not really related, but does anyone know the 'correct' to pronounce 'Jub'? You know, short for 'Jubilee'? As in I copped three Jubs last week? I always supposed it was said 'Jubb' (maybe because of the 1963 Keith Waterhouse novel) but I have heard people saying 'Joob'.

In my day in the Nottingham area it was always 'Jubes'.

 

[52290]

In my day in the Nottingham area it was always 'Jubes'.

In Lancashire they were always Jubs to rhyme with Tubs.

 

[USRailFan]

Virgin Invader probably isn't aging too well.

Good thing there never was a Virgin Penetrator I guess....

 

[EbbwJunction1]

The Great Western is, rightly, known for the themes (Stars, Castles, Kings, Halls etc.) that they adopted from the 1900s onwards.

However, prior to this, their naming policy seems to have been a bit haphazard. Taking one example, the 3001 Dean Single class, built over quite a few years in the 1890s. In a series of 80 engines, there's several different "topics" covered - Royalty, Famous People, Now Not-so-Famous People (but doubtless well known at the time?), but there's also quite a few that don't seem to be part of a specific "topic".

I wonder whether they didn't really have a policy at that time, but reacted to things that happened and named locos after them?

 

[Rescars]

The Great Western is, rightly, known for the themes (Stars, Castles, Kings, Halls etc.) that they adopted from the 1900s onwards.

However, prior to this, their naming policy seems to have been a bit haphazard. Taking one example, the 3001 Dean Single class, built over quite a few years in the 1890s. In a series of 80 engines, there's several different "topics" covered - Royalty, Famous People, Now Not-so-Famous People (but doubtless well known at the time?), but there's also quite a few that don't seem to be part of a specific "topic".

I wonder whether they didn't really have a policy at that time, but reacted to things that happened and named locos after them?

The choice of names for broad gauge locomotives was rather random too, but with some focus on Greek myths and Roman history. I can imagine that such names may have been the result of personal choices and could never survive under the constraining oversight of corporate identity experts. More's the pity, variety being the spice of life and all that.

 

[xotGD]

LNER should resurrect the racehorse naming theme. As the Azumas are based in Doncaster, then naming the fleet after past winners of the St Ledger would be appropriate.

Then instead of calling them Azumas, they could be referred to as "St Ledger Class".

 

[Western Sunset]

I think we're stuck with the Azuma name, however ridiculous an archaic Japanese word for "eastwards" is applied to rolling stock.

 

[Harvester]

I'm fairly sure Woolwinder was my first A3 'cop' - though I have not clear recollection of what it was doing. It was also one of the earliest withdrawn locos, in 61, I think. IIRC, there was a colour? photo of it in one of the Trains Illustrated annuals at the time - perhaps coming over one of the Tyne bridges with an express, which is why it stuck in my young mind when I saw it.

A3 60055, named after the 1907 St Ledger winner Wool Winder, was one of the few A3s I failed to see. Another was Solario the first to be withdrawn, both uncommon sights in the North East where I spent my spotting days. Woolwinder was also the first of the class (excluding the experimental Humorist) to be fitted with Kylchap double chimney in 1958. It acquired small ineffective smoke deflectors at it’s next General Repair, but early withdrawal saved it from receiving a pair of “elephant ears”.

Going back to racehorse names. It was, and still is, common practice to name racehorses with a mix of sire and dam names or part names, or a name of some resemblance. Some examples from upthread:

Harvester (Dam was called Wheat Ear)
Spearmint (Dam was Maid of the Mint)
Gay Crusader (Dam was Gay Laura)

 

[Rick1984]

It hasn't been changed - Greene King proposed it to be changed which led to a local uproar and many folk boycotting the other Greene King pubs in the Town. It is still named the Black Bitch.

Ah that's good news

 

[d9009alycidon]

Remember some wag telling me that the staff at Swindon wanted to name the last ever Hall to be built "Thats Effing Hall"

 

[EbbwJunction1]

Remember some wag telling me that the staff at Swindon wanted to name the last ever Hall to be built "Thats Effing Hall"

Or would it have been Llareggub" ....?

Okay, I'll get my coat!

 

[Gloster]

It was said that somewhere amongst the long list of names was one called ‘Enry Hall.

 

[Calthrop]

Remember some wag telling me that the staff at Swindon wanted to name the last ever Hall to be built "Thats Effing Hall"

It was said that somewhere amongst the long list of names was one called ‘Enry Hall.

And another such, heard at some point -- Uncle Tom Cobley And Hall (right part of the country, anyway) ....

 

[Strathclyder]

The original batch of 11Fs (LNER class D11/1) were named after directors of the GCR. The second batch (class D11/2) were built by the LNER, shortly after the grouping, to the slightly wider Scottish loading gauge for use North of the Border....and were given names of characters in Scott's novels.

Only two D11s had been named after GCR directors (most had a D10 named after them). The six-strong GCR-built batch that entered service between September & December 1922 (in the final few months leading up to Grouping) were named after major World War I battles/engagements; Jutland, Somme, Ypres and Marne are among the names cited by Wikipedia & the LNER Encyclopedia.

 

[D6130]

Only two D11s had been named after GCR directors (most had a D10 named after them). The six-strong GCR-built batch that entered service between September & December 1922 (in the final few months leading up to Grouping) were named after major World War I battles/engagements; Jutland, Somme, Ypres and Marne are among the names cited by Wikipedia & the LNER Encyclopedia.

Correct.....my apologies!

 

[GD1982]

Deleted

 

[Grumbler]

Wasn't there a proposal in the late 1960s to name a GWR express locomotive after the Transport Minister of the day - "Barbara Castle"?
Not to mention "King Kong".

 

[61653 HTAFC]

Wasn't there a proposal in the late 1960s to name a GWR express locomotive after the Transport Minister of the day - "Barbara Castle"?
Not to mention "King Kong".

There was a (Serco-era) Northern 158 named Barbara Castle.

We're lucky that a certain Leeds-based radio and TV personality didn't get an HST power car named after him. The adverts were bad enough!

 

[Strathclyder]

We're lucky that a certain Leeds-based radio and TV personality didn't get an HST power car named after him. The adverts were bad enough!

Is this the same personality that was meant to have a Class 47 (47712) named after him at some point in the late 90s? The nameplates apparently got as far as being cast, but were never applied. Indeed, we certainly were lucky to avoid that to say the least!

 

[61653 HTAFC]

Is this the same personality that was meant to have a Class 47 (47712) named after him at some point in the late 90s? The nameplates apparently got as far as being cast, but were never applied. Indeed, we certainly were lucky to avoid that to say the least!

I assume so. Presumably someone with decision-making power had heard the rumours (to be fair, by then who hadn't?) or had always thought there was something a bit "off" about said personality. Without going too far off topic, said individual would have the young me hiding behind the sofa far more than anything the Doctor Who team could come up with.

 

[Gloster]

It has been said that when the BR marketing department concerned found that he-who-must-not-be-named was the most trusted person in Britain, Sir Peter Parker asked them to look again. He probably had his doubts, but that was the public’s opinion.

 

[87 027]

I believe BR's first choice was Terry Wogan, but as you point out, the other person was very popular at the with the public at the time

 

[70014IronDuke]

It has been said that when the BR marketing department concerned found that he-who-must-not-be-named was the most trusted person in Britain, Sir Peter Parker asked them to look again. He probably had his doubts, but that was the public’s opinion.

Good grief - most trusted man in Britain? Really?
i photographed the man in c 1979 for a magazine, doing an interview. It's difficult to remember now, but I think I was pretty unimpressed. He seemed just too superficial.

 

[Grumbler]

I assume so. Presumably someone with decision-making power had heard the rumours (to be fair, by then who hadn't?) or had always thought there was something a bit "off" about said personality. Without going too far off topic, said individual would have the young me hiding behind the sofa far more than anything the Doctor Who team could come up with.

To be acceptable, the "A" in the name plate would have had to be changed to an "O".

 

[61653 HTAFC]

To be acceptable, the "A" in the name plate would have had to be changed to an "O".

Very true... Took me longer than it should have to get that!