Train Nicknames...

[sprinterguy]

A couple more to add:
I've heard of the nicknames 'Lazers' and 'Skodas' but I don't know what classes they apply to.

Lazers is the nickname of class 87s, because of their original small diameter headlight on the front ends. They've since been replaced, but when you saw one in the dark with the original style light it was understandable.

90s are "Skodas" because they have crap electrics: Just like Skoda cars in the early nineties. One of the derogatory nicknames applied to locos.

 

[Nick O. Teen]

One of my colleagues has named 166201 "Brian". Brian's even got his own Faceache page!

 

[4SRKT]

I seem to recall a brief fashion for 153s being called 'coffin nails' because if one appeared on your branch line it was not a good sign.

Can someone please explain the origin of the term 'spoon'? Duffs is a pretty self-explanatory name for these tedious locos, but spoons...?

Moving off topic slightly, can someone explain the origin of the term 'my lordz' (or 'my lords', depending on individual stylistic preference)? I've tried to get explanations of this before, but without any convincing success.

 

[sprinterguy]

"Duff" was originally a Western Region term for 47s, used when they turned up on a working instead of a hydraulic (Whizzo or Warship). It then spread...

I'm curious to know about the origin of "Spoon" and "My Lordz" as well.

 

[LE Greys]

Can someone please explain the origin of the term 'spoon'? Duffs is a pretty self-explanatory name for these tedious locos, but spoons...?

Supposedly it's something to do with the horn note.

sp-ooOOn

 

[Vulcan]

It says you have a right to your opinion. Which is true. This isn't a get out of jail free card for not having a sense of humour (at least on this subject anyway). Equally the poster who said you don't have a sense of humour has a right to his opinion on that.

Other people having a bit of a laugh about nicknames, some of which are pretty inventive, seems an odd thing to find annoying. You can just ignore it rather than get irritated.

It also said 'like it or lump it', not 'tell me what you think of this'.

And I do have a sence of humour, unlike Mr Taylor who clearly doesn't (only post I've ever seen him make is 'get a life', who does that??).

Also, its not as though I'm trying to stop everyone from using nicknames, as that would be impossible. But it does annoy me when people use these really contrived and daft-sounding names and expect me to know what I'm on about, when saying the TOPS number would have been a whole lot easier for all concerned.

 

[4SRKT]

It also said 'like it or lump it', not 'tell me what you think of this'.

And I do have a sence of humour, unlike Mr Taylor who clearly doesn't (only post I've ever seen him make is 'get a life', who does that??).

Also, its not as though I'm trying to stop everyone from using nicknames, as that would be impossible. But it does annoy me when people use these really contrived and daft-sounding names and expect me to know what I'm on about, when saying the TOPS number would have been a whole lot easier for all concerned.

I'm sure you do have a sense of humour. I've always found your posts to be well thought out and often light hearted. This is why I was a bit surprised to find you taking such umbrage about this pretty trivial matter.

If however, you're going to tell people on a forum what you think of them or some of their activities, you are going to have to expect that they might tell you what they think. It's a two way street after all.......
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
Anyway, back onto the 'my lordz' question (which nobody's answered yet BTW). Did anyone else, when being hauled by rateable traction, used to jump out at stations when the train was still moving, and call this activity a 'leaping lord'?

 

[Vulcan]

I'm sure you do have a sense of humour. I've always found your posts to be well thought out and often light hearted. This is why I was a bit surprised to find you taking such umbrage about this pretty trivial matter.

If however, you're going to tell people on a forum what you think of them or some of their activities, you are going to have to expect that they might tell you what they think. It's a two way street after all.......
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
Anyway, back onto the 'my lordz' question (which nobody's answered yet BTW). Did anyone else, when being hauled by rateable traction, used to jump out at stations when the train was still moving, and call this activity a 'leaping lord'?

I'm afriad this is just one of the things that really bugs me. I know I didn't need to put my original post, and it probably seemed a bit grumpy, but hey, now everyone knows not to quote nicknames at me! ( I hope)

The words 'My Lordz', 'Hellfire', and the activity of flailing aslo annoy me to the same level. Just so you all know!

 

[AndyJB]

Class 70: crap

 

[gareth taylor]

Class 70s = freek show. And trash can.

 

[Vulcan]

Class 70: crap

What makes you say that? Granted they are hideous to behold, but I wouldn't have called them crap.

 

[tbtc]

The words 'My Lordz', 'Hellfire', and the activity of flailing aslo annoy me to the same level. Just so you all know!

Same with me

 

[57315]

I always referred to the class 70's as the Predator Class. That aggressive looking front end and their sheer power shows that class 66's are their prey.

 

[tbtc]

the Voyagers (now there's a nickname we can all agree on)

Voyagers makes sense as a term, because we all know what it means.

Same with Deltic/ Peak/ Warship/ Western (for those old enough to remember those trains)

However the "Duffs - because they are a bit duff" line of nicknaming seems "unhelpful" (to be polite)

 

[57315]

Voyagers makes sense as a term, because we all know what it means.

Same with Deltic/ Peak/ Warship/ Western (for those old enough to remember those trains)

However the "Duffs - because they are a bit duff" line of nicknaming seems "unhelpful" (to be polite)

Always knew them as Spoons, never duffs that's a derogatory term.

 

[Vulcan]

Apologies to anyone I may have offended with my ramblings in this thread, in retrospect I've been acting like an idiot. Its just one thing that really bus me, which I should really have kept to myself on this occasion.

Apologies again,

 

[4SRKT]

I tend to steer clear of the whole business of using nicknames for class 70s. To do so means acknowledging they exist, which I just can't bring myself to do because they're so damned ugly!

 

[Geezertronic]

Personally I hate "Pretendolino" to describe the VirginTrains Mk3 + DVT rake, sounds a bit chavvy to me

 

[4SRKT]

Personally I hate "Pretendolino" to describe the VirginTrains Mk3 + DVT rake, sounds a bit chavvy to me

I actually think that's quite witty.

 

[Juniper Driver]

What makes you say that? Granted they are hideous to behold, but I wouldn't have called them crap.

I think a nicer nickname is "chunky".

Also has anyone on here heard the 444's called Arkwrights?

 

[Vulcan]

I think a nicer nickname is "chunky".

"Aesthetically challenged"

 

[4SRKT]

"Aesthetically challenged"

Aha! Getting involved are we? I see you've caught the nickname bug at last

 

[Vulcan]

Never!

 

[ChampsRacing]

I think a nicer nickname is "chunky".

Also has anyone on here heard the 444's called Arkwrights?

Yeh i got told by nigel in the training school to call 444s arkwrights lol.
Also 455s i call Sauna On Rails during the summer

 

[AndyJB]

What makes you say that? Granted they are hideous to behold, but I wouldn't have called them crap.

Agreed - that is a better description of them.

 

[tbtc]

Personally I hate "Pretendolino" to describe the VirginTrains Mk3 + DVT rake, sounds a bit chavvy to me

At least it's easy to understand what you mean by that word. Whereas I couldn't tell you what a Duff/ Skoda etc was without looking it up

 

[57315]

At least it's easy to understand what you mean by that word. Whereas I couldn't tell you what a Duff/ Skoda etc was without looking it up

Apparently I was wrong in my presumption of Class 90's being known as skoda's. I thought they were called that as they look similar to the ZSSK class 350, Built by Skoda in CS.

 

[Juniper Driver]

"Aesthetically challenged"

Enough about me,what about the loco?

 

[Vulcan]

Enough about me,what about the loco?

lol

how about 'Like a Bulldog chewing on wasps?'

 

[4SRKT]

We always used to called 37s 'syphons', and never tractors or growlers. Indeed, I'd never heard them called tractors until a couple of years ago, when I returned to the hobby after years in the wilderness.