390006 a name or a statement

[NSE]

Interesting comments. Firstly, I'm touched that posters on here think mental health is related to needing condoms or pantyliners. I do however have no issue with spreading the message of safe sex on a train, it's an important message, but I am laughing that people think mental health struggles are all the same. I don't see any issue with naming a train after a charity. Especially if theres a small launch or some money raising that helps the charity. But there we go.

I don't really have any interest in naming trains. Though I see it making more sense with Locos as they could be hauling different things in different parts of the country, but not quite the same as having a Crossrail EMU called 'Jeff' that will always be found on the same route. However, its yet another thing that ultimately comes down to personal taste. As much as I don't care about things like 'Tangmere' or the 'Princess Elizabeth Loco' I'd be well up for naming a train after Sol Campbell or Alan Pardew or Chris Kamara or something like that. Something fun and interesting that'll brighten my day up.

 

[Starmill]

Naming a train after a charity sounds good to me. The random slogans are a bit odd I agree but they're generally in the minority.

I rather get the feeling that most of these things are down to the oppourtunity for the naming ceremony which gives both the train company and the charity or other subject of naming positive publicity. Hopefully it also involves a donation of actual money to the charity, but even if it doesn't the publicity probably helps.

There are a lot of charity promotions generally now too that seem to have almost nothing to do with their subject. Only today I saw this advert:


It appears to do very little other than sell underpants and offer a pun about a bottle.

 

[whhistle]

It's simply jumping on the bandwagon.

I mean, they could have done it at any time but only since it's become more covered in news. Personally, there are many people who say they have "mental heath problems" but they actually aren't. This, of course waters down the effect for those that really DO have problems. A good example is Jade (?) Cunningham.

Whether it's good or not, I don't know, but I can't get past my thinking of it's just Virgin being VIrgin and trying to be current, and a hit.

 

[Dougal2345]

It was inevitable that this thread would become frenzy of strawmen suggestions. Why should loco's, EMUs or any railway assets not be given names that are important to modern society?

I suppose the problem is that we don't expect a loco name to be like that. You could for example name a child "Rethink Mental Illness", but people would think that a bit strange (although very worthy of course) because that's not the traditional type of name for a person

 

[AM9]

I suppose the problem is that we don't expect a loco name to be like that. ...

I don't know who 'we' refers to. Even in this thread there are posters who don't have a hang up with using what is advertising space on a train for good causes. The world is changing all the time and if I in my late '60s can live with it I can't see why many who are a lot younmger than me struggle with such a matter. It's quite east to ignore if it does trouble anyone.

 

[GatwickDepress]

I suppose the problem is that we don't expect a loco name to be like that. You could for example name a child "Rethink Mental Illness", but people would think that a bit strange (although very worthy of course) because that's not the traditional type of name for a person

It's hardly anything new though, is it? InterCity had locomotives named after television units, newspapers, and charities, and while I understand the comparisons between children, they are both very different entities.

I don't know who 'we' refers to. Even in this thread there are posters who don't have a hang up with using what is advertising space on a train for good causes. The world is changing all the time and if I in my late '60s can live with it I can't see why many who are a lot younmger than me struggle with such a matter. It's quite east to ignore if it does trouble anyone.

Exactly. I think we should reach a compromise and start naming Pacers and Electrostars after figures of myth and legend, to bring back some of that "glitz and glam". This is the 1153 service to East Grinstead, operated by Goliath and Excalibur!

 

[driver_m]

It's simply jumping on the bandwagon.

I mean, they could have done it at any time but only since it's become more covered in news. Personally, there are many people who say they have "mental heath problems" but they actually aren't. This, of course waters down the effect for those that really DO have problems. A good example is Jade (?) Cunningham.

Whether it's good or not, I don't know, but I can't get past my thinking of it's just Virgin being VIrgin and trying to be current, and a hit.

You're actually very wrong. They've really pushed this through the company and it isn't the first mental health charity that they've partnered with.

They are changing the culture of trying to not speak about MH issues and I applaud them for it. What you've got to bear in mind is, that we have had to deal with the tragic results of people who've not dealt with their problems or felt unable to do something directly. Our chain of care is recognised as being superb for a long time.

I'm also very intrigued by your apparent qualifications in being able to diagnose mental health issues. Particularly hypochondria. What makes you able to say people haven't got it?

 

[DarloRich]

It's simply jumping on the bandwagon.

I mean, they could have done it at any time but only since it's become more covered in news. Personally, there are many people who say they have "mental heath problems" but they actually aren't. This, of course waters down the effect for those that really DO have problems. A good example is Jade (?) Cunningham.

Whether it's good or not, I don't know, but I can't get past my thinking of it's just Virgin being VIrgin and trying to be current, and a hit.

It will be Virgins house charity of year - perhaps chosen by the staff. But yeah. band wagon jumping. As if getting people to talk about mental health issues is a bad thing. They should just man up. whiners. Most are malingers out to extract the urine anyway. etc

 

[Bromley boy]

It's simply jumping on the bandwagon.

I mean, they could have done it at any time but only since it's become more covered in news. Personally, there are many people who say they have "mental heath problems" but they actually aren't. This, of course waters down the effect for those that really DO have problems. A good example is Jade (?) Cunningham.

Whether it's good or not, I don't know, but I can't get past my thinking of it's just Virgin being VIrgin and trying to be current, and a hit.

Careful with statements like that.

I think by far the greater problem is under reporting and lack of understanding of mental illness including depression and anxiety etc. which can be just at debilitating and lethal (via suicide) as more traditional forms of “mental illness”.

I would probably do a double take at this “name” on a loco but, now knowing it’s the name of a charity, it makes a lot more sense and I’m in favour of it.

If it gets people talking about the subject of mental health, so much the better.

 

[Bromley boy]

Exactly. I think we should reach a compromise and start naming Pacers and Electrostars after figures of myth and legend, to bring back some of that "glitz and glam". This is the 1153 service to East Grinstead, operated by Goliath and Excalibur!

There used to be an SE 375 running around named Bromley Travelwise, which sounds horribly like it was named after a travel agent.

The mind boggles.

 

[sd0733]

In a fairly similar way there was also the triple naming at Euston a few years back 'Chad Varah' to a 350, 390 and 57 I believe. The railway does a lot of work with Mental Health charities due to the obvious effects on the industry. Just look around most major stations and there are a lot of posters especially for Samaritans

 

[BestWestern]

An honourable cause no doubt, but better executed as promotional vinyl as per the EC 225s or some FGW power cars I feel. A cast iron nameplate should really carry only a 'proper' name in my (traditional!) personal opinion, if it's an 'ad' as such then apply like an ad.

 

[Domh245]

A cast iron nameplate should really carry only a 'proper' name in my (traditional!) personal opinion

You're in luck then as the newly repainted Pendolinos are getting Vinyl "nameplates" instead!