Class 99 nickname

[buckett]

Don't know if this has been discussed previously but it occurred to me that we will need a nickname for the class 99 e.g. such as Westerns, Gronks, Hoovers, Grids, etc.

I should like to put forward 'Flakes' in part for the obvious ice cream reference but I also love the idea of the irony that such a powerful loco could be called a Flake.

Just thinking ahead!!

 

[ExRes]

Don't know if this has been discussed previously but it occurred to me that we will need a nickname for the class 99 e.g. such as Westerns, Gronks, Hoovers, Grids, etc.

I should like to put forward 'Flakes' in part for the obvious ice cream reference but I also love the idea of the irony that such a powerful loco could be called a Flake.

Just thinking ahead!!

There was a thread titled "GBRf Class 99 - 30 locomotives now ordered" which was closed in February 2023 after 9 pages and 210 posts, you could ask the mods to reopen that thread

 

[61653 HTAFC]

Until we know what they'll sound like, a pun on the class number is the best we'll be able to do. "Flake" would be the obvious one on that front. There is precedent with "Dusty Bins" (321s) and "YingYangs" (69s), although my suggestion of "Jackpot" for 777s doesn't seem to have caught on!

 

[buckett]

There was a thread titled "GBRf Class 99 - 30 locomotives now ordered" which was closed in February 2023 after 9 pages and 210 posts, you could ask the mods to reopen that thread

Thank you, I'll do that

 

[birchesgreen]

Well they are going to be big units and TOPS Class 99 was previously used by ferries so Ships would be a decent name for them.

 

[buckett]

Until we know what they'll sound like, a pun on the class number is the best we'll be able to do. "Flake" would be the obvious one on that front. There is precedent with "Dusty Bins" (321s) and "YingYangs" (69s), although my suggestion of "Jackpot" for 777s doesn't seem to have caught on!

Good point about the sound although the nicknames are not always based on that of course. I hadn't heard, but like, your 777 Jackpot suggestion - certainly works for me and will use it.

Well they are going to be big units and TOPS Class 99 was previously used by ferries so Ships would be a decent name for them.

Nice!

 

[xotGD]

Red balloons?

 

[43096]

Red balloons?

Nenas?

 

[buckett]

Red balloons?

Also nice! or perhaps Nenas then?

 

[D365]

Don't know if this has been discussed previously but it occurred to me that we will need a nickname for the class 99 e.g. such as Westerns, Gronks, Hoovers, Grids, etc.

”Need” is a very strong word… but yes ’99’ does offer several possibilities.

 

[Ashley Hill]

Well,we’ve had “Ice Cream Van” with 25322.

 

[buckett]

”Need” is a very strong word… but yes ’99’ does offer several possibilities.

Indeed, 'Need' was somewhat tongue in cheek

 

[DarloRich]

Don't know if this has been discussed previously but it occurred to me that we will need a nickname for the class 99 e.g. such as Westerns, Gronks, Hoovers, Grids, etc.

I should like to put forward 'Flakes' in part for the obvious ice cream reference but I also love the idea of the irony that such a powerful loco could be called a Flake.

Just thinking ahead!!

We dont need a nickname. Enthusiasts like nicknames for items to give them some internal/secret lingo to spout - same as any group. (Same with my board game club or cricket club)

I find all these enthusiast nicknames dull and tiresome. I can't abide them tbh.

I will call them class 99

Ps - yes, I am quite fun at parties

 

[ExRes]

Nenas?

You're obviously too young, 99 Red Balloons by Nena was in the charts in 1984, and people say we had it easier than the youth of today

 

[Cowley]

Until we know what they'll sound like, a pun on the class number is the best we'll be able to do. "Flake" would be the obvious one on that front. There is precedent with "Dusty Bins" (321s) and "YingYangs" (69s), although my suggestion of "Jackpot" for 777s doesn't seem to have caught on!

I think that might have been me(about five years ago now). I don’t think it caught on though?

 

[buckett]

We dont need a nickname. Enthusiasts like nicknames for items to give them some internal/secret lingo to spout - same as any group. (Same with my board game club or cricket club)

I find all these enthusiast nicknames dull and tiresome. I can't abide them tbh.

I will call them class 99

Ps - yes, I am quite fun at parties

I'd never seen it like that, I always saw them as just amusing. The first class I recall knowing had a nickname were the 50s being Hoovers which seemed spot on.

look forward to bumping into you at a party sometime

 

[61653 HTAFC]

I think that might have been me(about five years ago now). I don’t think it caught on though?

To be honest I don't move in enthusiast circles often enough to know, but I remember thinking it was clever at the time!

 

[norbitonflyer]

The first class I recall knowing had a nickname were the 50s being Hoovers which seemed spot on.

When I took up the hobby in 1972, most diesels were not known by the new-fangled TOPS classes, but as "Brush 2", "EE3", "Metrovick" etc, and of course some had official names like Warships, Peaks, (both names actually embracing three classes) and Deltics. "Baby Warship" and "Baby Deltic" were obvious ones for classes 22 and 23, but many others were a bit arbitrary - why, of all the ten Sulzer-engined classes (24-27, 33, 44-48), did only the Class 24s and 25s get called "Sulzers"? And likewise why only were Class 33s called "Cromptons" when classes 26, 27, 44 and 45 all had electrical equipment from that manufacturer? Likewise DMUs were usually known by their builders - Cravens, Gloucester, Swindon etc (which often embraced several classes) although some specialised ones like the Transpennine sets had their own identities.

 

[Trackman]

I suppose what it looks like, concept drawings give it some character, looks mean as if it's frowning-so some scope.

 

[sprinterguy]

We dont need a nickname. Enthusiasts like nicknames for items to give them some internal/secret lingo to spout - same as any group. (Same with my board game club or cricket club)

Thank you; nicknames are garnered organically based on attributes identified after a class has entered service. Not every class has one, not every class needs one, and to try and apply one to a class yet to enter service just seems awkward and forced.

Ps - yes, I am quite fun at parties

You've always struck me as the sort of bloke I'd enjoy knocking back a couple of pints with, I must admit.

 

[Spaceship323]

why only were Class 33s called "Cromptons" when classes 26, 27, 44 and 45 all had electrical equipment from that manufacturer?

Classs 45's were known as Cromptons by their drivers, it's just enthusiasts that called them peaks

 

[xotGD]

Classs 45's were known as Cromptons by their drivers, it's just enthusiasts that called them peaks

Or "Wagons" from those who were not fans of them.

 

[jh64]

We dont need a nickname. Enthusiasts like nicknames for items to give them some internal/secret lingo to spout - same as any group. (Same with my board game club or cricket club)

I find all these enthusiast nicknames dull and tiresome. I can't abide them tbh.

I will call them class 99

Ps - yes, I am quite fun at parties

Spot on! Nothing worse than a forced meme.

 

[Thornaby 37]

Until we know what they'll sound like, a pun on the class number is the best we'll be able to do. "Flake" would be the obvious one on that front. There is precedent with "Dusty Bins" (321s) and "YingYangs" (69s), although my suggestion of "Jackpot" for 777s doesn't seem to have caught on!

Thee 777s have been nicknamed "Buzzy Bees" by some enthusiasts in the North West

 

[birchesgreen]

777s should have been called Zeldas as the fronts look like her cube soldiers in Terrahawks.

 

[Dunfanaghy Rd]

We dont need a nickname. Enthusiasts like nicknames for items to give them some internal/secret lingo to spout - same as any group. (Same with my board game club or cricket club)

I find all these enthusiast nicknames dull and tiresome. I can't abide them tbh.

I will call them class 99

Ps - yes, I am quite fun at parties

Is the right answer.
Pat

 

[Neptune]

We dont need a nickname. Enthusiasts like nicknames for items to give them some internal/secret lingo to spout - same as any group. (Same with my board game club or cricket club)

I find all these enthusiast nicknames dull and tiresome. I can't abide them tbh.

I will call them class 99

Ps - yes, I am quite fun at parties

It’s funny because the subject of class nicknames seems to come up a lot when a new class is introduced. However how many actually happen?

Since privatisation all new loco classes are identified by their class number from what I can tell. It seems more prevalent on units, however these are never coined by enthusiasts and are either brand names by the constructor (Turbostar, Desiro etc..) or forced nicknames by the operators (Voyager, Azuma etc…).

So yes, it always amuses me how enthusiasts today want a nickname for everything yet never seem able to come up with one.

 

[LBMPSB]

Well they are going to be big units and TOPS Class 99 was previously used by ferries so Ships would be a decent name for them.

Maybe call them "Fairies" then! Or even "Big Fairies" LOL

 

[davido39]

Well since 99 was used for ships and boats maybe Boaty Mc Boatface.