Rail enthusiast lingo

[Spaceship323]

Travelling on a loco hauled train was known as a pull (by the locomotive), as in "I got a 50 pull from new street".

 

[NorthWestRover]

Yeah, when I first starting spotting, I used to put a P in my book next to locos that pulled my trains.

 

[xotGD]

Yeah, when I first starting spotting, I used to put a P in my book next to locos that pulled my trains.

Which would still work for "Push" if you had a 47/7!

 

[Ashley Hill]

For me it was
H - Haulage
C - Cabbed
CR - Cab Ride
ER - Engine Room

 

[Richard Scott]

For me it was
H - Haulage
C - Cabbed
CR - Cab Ride
ER - Engine Room

Agreed, P was for photo!
Not that H (or any others) gets much use nowadays due to limited loco haulage.

 

[NorthWestRover]

Which would still work for "Push" if you had a 47/7!

If I had to have a Duff.

By 1980, I was still just spotting so would have used P at that point. Not sure when I had my first 47/7, maybe 1982, by which time I'd basically stopped spotting and was just doing haulage.

 

[Cambus731]

I don't think it ever really caught on that much, but I remember myself and a few others referring to Class 313/315s as Portacabins.

 

[Mag_seven]

I don't think it ever really caught on that much, but I remember myself and a few others referring to Class 313/315s as Portacabins.

Due to their shape no doubt!

 

[Strathclyder]

I don't think it ever really caught on that much, but I remember myself and a few others referring to Class 313/315s as Portacabins.

Don't think I've ever heard of 314s being labelled with that name. Can certainly see the resemblance though lol

 

[ABB125]

I use H for haulage (locomotives) or R (ridden on) for multiple units. Sight is simply a tick in the book.

"Cabbage" is a good one to put in (C), can't remember if I've actually noted cabbage in the book though!

 

[Peter Mugridge]

I use H for haulage (locomotives) or R (ridden on) for multiple units. Sight is simply a tick in the book.

"Cabbage" is a good one to put in (C), can't remember if I've actually noted cabbage in the book though!

My own system is to use:

Underlining for sight.

(P) for haulage
(R) for a non-powered vehicle that would otherwise have been a haulage, such as a locomotive hauled carriage.
(C) for having visited the cab.
(d) the most prized one and extremely rare... I'm sure you can work it out, and I have this note behind A4 class Sir Nigel Gresley's number...

Photos I show with a green highlighter.

 

[DorkingMain]

Class 50s used to be nicknamed "50/50s" because it was a 50/50 chance whether they made it to the end of the route or not.

Class 321s = "dusty bins", from the booby prize in the gameshow 3-2-1

HSTs = "trams", because they were originally considered units (Class 253 / 254)

"Duff gen" - gen that's proven to be incorrect.

"Required" - a loco / unit that a basher hasn't managed to get yet. If you managed to get one, you'd "score" that loco

"Piece" - a ticket

-ex is a common suffix that enthusiasts use. "Wedgex" would be a busy train, "Vegex" would be a railtour full of enthusiasts, "Footex" a train full of football fans

"Seminar" - a photograph of a group of enthusiasts in front of a train

 

[Gloster]

Class 321s = "dusty bins", from the booby prize in the gameshow 3-2-1

So that is where that nickname came from. I had heard it or read of it, but not having a TV had no idea of the origin.

-ex is a common suffix that enthusiasts use. "Wedgex" would be a busy train, "Vegex" would be a railtour full of enthusiasts, "Footex" a train full of football fans

There was also “Yobex”, which was effectively the same as a “Footex”.

 

[xotGD]

So that is where that nickname came from. I had heard it or read of it, but not having a TV had no idea of the origin.



There was also “Yobex”, which was effectively the same as a “Footex”.

When JP II visited the UK we also had Popexes.

A railtour is a Nedex.

Unless it is steam hauled, then it is a Kettlex.

A wine and dine service is a Poshex.

Many diesel galas run an evening Beerex.

This approach would also be used for services that were regularly used by certain individuals. So if Dave always caught the 17:10, that would become known as the Davex.

Slightly different, the Barnsley - Scarborough was known as "The Cloth Caps".

 

[adrock1976]

I've heard Class 153s referred to as Dogbox or Tin Rocket.

 

[D6130]

I've heard Class 153s referred to as Dogbox or Tin Rocket.

Think we've already had those in another thread, along with: Skateboard, Doodlebug, Runaway Carriage, etc.

 

[Ashley Hill]

I've heard Class 153s referred to as Dogbox or Tin Rocket.

The tangerine Heart of Wales 153s were known as Vomit Comets long before Voyagers acquired the name.
153s were also referred to as Scuds after the unreliable Scud missiles.

 

[Merle Haggard]

When JP II visited the UK we also had Popexes.

A railtour is a Nedex.

Unless it is steam hauled, then it is a Kettlex.

A wine and dine service is a Poshex.

Many diesel galas run an evening Beerex.

This approach would also be used for services that were regularly used by certain individuals. So if Dave always caught the 17:10, that would become known as the Davex.

Slightly different, the Barnsley - Scarborough was known as "The Cloth Caps".

Possibly mentioned already, enthusiasts' trains were called 'crankex' on some parts of the railway - but yours are more innovative and amusing!
A particularly 'efficient' ticket inspector (and the holders of privs were, if anything, treated more rudely than others by some of their number) would be called a 'Grippenfuhrer' (mentioned it once, think I got away with it...)

 

[Trackman]

A particularly 'efficient' ticket inspector (and the holders of privs were, if anything, treated more rudely than others by some of their number) would be called a 'Grippenfuhrer' (mentioned it once, think I got away with it...)

Thought a 'Grippenfuhrer' would be a 'Goldie'
Apart from highly efficient gripping coupled with a sixth sense, I've seen them bollock guards and drivers- with some authority too. Now extinct.

 

[NorthWestRover]

Oh my, I'd totally forgotten about Goldies. I'll have nightmares now.

 

[XAM2175]

A particularly 'efficient' ticket inspector (and the holders of privs were, if anything, treated more rudely than others by some of their number) would be called a 'Grippenfuhrer' (mentioned it once, think I got away with it...)

Okay, that's priceless

 

[D6130]

Possibly mentioned already, enthusiasts' trains were called 'crankex' on some parts of the railway - but yours are more innovative and amusing!
A particularly 'efficient' ticket inspector (and the holders of privs were, if anything, treated more rudely than others by some of their number) would be called a 'Grippenfuhrer' (mentioned it once, think I got away with it...)

Would that mean that a regional chief ticket inspector could be referred to as an 'Obergrippenfuehrer?'

 

[GRALISTAIR]

A railtour is a Nedex.

Yes that is my recollection too. New Engine Desperado EXcursion

 

[hexagon789]

Yes that is my recollection too. New Engine Desperado EXcursion

I read that as Ned-Ex - Non-educated delinquent Excursion!

 

[SteveM70]

And if the required class does not turn up you are "bowled".

Sometimes also referred to as being withered

When JP II visited the UK we also had Popexes.

A railtour is a Nedex.

Unless it is steam hauled, then it is a Kettlex.

A wine and dine service is a Poshex.

Many diesel galas run an evening Beerex.

This approach would also be used for services that were regularly used by certain individuals. So if Dave always caught the 17:10, that would become known as the Davex.

Slightly different, the Barnsley - Scarborough was known as "The Cloth Caps".

And also Mystex - mystery tours for normals but less mysterious if you had the gen

 

[GRALISTAIR]

I remember those - ran in the 70s and 1980s. I got one once from Preston - it went to Leicester. Not particularly inspiring. Class 85 to Nuneaton was good though.

 

[Trackman]

I remember those - ran in the 70s and 1980s. I got one once from Preston - it went to Leicester. Not particularly inspiring. Class 85 to Nuneaton was good though.

There are still some 'Mystex's' going.
A friend in the pub was going on one the following day, I looked it up on RTT and told him I'd give him £20 if he could guess where it was going before I left the pub.
My £20 was safe, it was going to Lichfield TV! Think it was more of a food and drink jaunt more than a Mystex visiting a town element.

 

[xotGD]

And also Mystex - mystery tours for normals but less mysterious if you had the ge

Ah yes - crank with a loud voice standing on the platform: "Is this the Mystex to Blackpool?"

 

[Inversnecky]

I've just quickly scanned through my copy and can find no reference to class 40s as "Empresses": 40s are referred to as "Whistlers" or "Tat" in the text, which is corroborated by the glossary of railway nicknames at the back of the book. Mine is the revised 2015 edition though, the original text may have been different.

I see the Wikipedia entry has been updated to remove references to ‘Empress’ or ‘Tat’:

British Rail Class 40 - Wikipedia

en.m.wikipedia.org

 

[GRALISTAIR]

I told the story on this forum before. 1980s. Electric failure or other on a Glasgow or Edinburgh to Euston. Class 31 attached at Carlisle and dragged the train via the Settle and Carlisle line to Preston. I was on the train and alighted at Preston. Normals start bitching like crazy. NEDs on the platform in a very loud voice:

"The ungrateful bar- stewards- they have just had a ride down the S&C behind a NB Goyle and they are beeatching. There is no pleasing some people"