Locomotive names which may be unacceptable these days

[delt1c]

My Favourite Deltic Black Watch in todays PC world who knows

 

[Peter Mugridge]

My Favourite Deltic Black Watch in todays PC world who knows

The regiment still exists doesn't it?

 

[Ediswan]

My Favourite Deltic Black Watch in todays PC world who knows

First thing that came to my mind was one of Clive Sinclair's least reliable products: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_Watch_(wristwatch)

 

[341o2]

73692 Dick Mabbutt

 

[WAB]

The regiment still exists doesn't it?

It survives as a battalion of the Royal Regiment of Scotland

 

[185143]

Surprised 68030 Black Douglas hasn't been mentioned.

 

[tomuk]

Surprised 68030 Black Douglas hasn't been mentioned.

Why?

 

[Towers]

I'm always a tad surprised when I see XC's Voyager 'Hixon 1968' roll in (I've no idea which one it is) - a rail accident that killed 11 people. Is this the only example of naming a train after a fatal rail crash?

 

[DarloRich]

I am fairly certain use of the world "black" is perfectly acceptable ( despite what the Daily Mail and it's readers seem to think) UNLESS it is used in an expressly racial context

Therefore naming a train after the Black Watch who are the 3rd Battalion of Royal Regiment of Scotland would be perfectly acceptable.

 

[SargeNpton]

I am fairly certain use of the world "black" is perfectly acceptable ( despite what the Daily Mail and it's readers seem to think) UNLESS it is used in an expressly racial context

Therefore naming a train after the Black Watch who are the 3rd Battalion of Royal Regiment of Scotland would be perfectly acceptable.

An old pub in Northampton causes consternation whenever a picture of it appears in nostaglia articles: "The Black Boy". Nothing to do with race, its name is a reference to Charles II.

 

[DarloRich]

An old pub in Northampton causes consternation whenever a picture of it appears in nostaglia articles: "The Black Boy". Nothing to do with race, its name is a reference to Charles II.

There is a similar named pub in Newcastle. I think the owners changed the name back to a previous name to avoid any misconception. I can see why.

 

[joebassman]

And bongo-bongo land was an offensive way of referring to anywhere that somebody coloured might come from, etc.

Though now days coloured is seen as an offensive word. My gran used to use it all the time. However, people of colour is seen as acceptable and the now favoured word to use.

Seems a bit contradictory to me.

 

[Towers]

Though now days coloured is seen as an offensive word. My gran used to use it all the time. However, people of colour is seen as acceptable and the now favoured word to use.

Seems a bit contradictory to me.

The word has particuar political/historic connotations as I understand it, hence it's deemed offensive. I agree though that it's easy to become confused if you're not of a generation who understand the historic aspects of it all (myself included).

 

[Western 52]

Some of the LMS Jubilee class had country names that are not appropriate now. For example, Northern Rhodesia and Southern Rhodesia.

 

[ExRes]

The only warship called Invader that I can trace was one of the carriers in Alistair Maclean’s H.M.S.Ulysses. There was a HMS Dark Invader, a 1950s high-speed patrol boat. Anyway, I thought the Westerns just had a series of almost random names, chosen because they sounded impressive.

I just hope that nobody ever mentions the fact that HMS Dark Invader was one of 18 'Dark' class fast patrol boats all prefixed Dark and that this class succeeded the Gay class... oops

 

[Western 52]

More Jubilee class names unlikely to be used today would be Vindictive or Inflexible!

 

[Gloster]

More Jubilee class names unlikely to be used today would be Vindictive or Inflexible!

Do you think that certain politicians might feel that the names are aimed at them?

 

[nw1]

87012 Royal Bank of Scotland springs to mind.

That was something else originally, and certainly was in 1983/84 (checked: Coeur de Lion).

Definitely preferred the original name. Coeur de Lion is much more evocative as a loco name than a bank.

 

[Western 52]

Do you think that certain politicians might feel that the names are aimed at them?

Quite possibly!

 

[nw1]

HST power car 43051 was named ‘The Duke and Duchess of York’ around 1987 when it became the first swallow liveried example from memory. It was no doubt de-named when they spilt up a few years later.

Hopefully not. Politicians in general should never have anything named after them as they’re generally divisive characters. Build them a statue in their hometown or whatever.

I think Churchill is one of the few politicians who would be worthy of a loco being named after them. Same would go for Attlee, or Nelson Mandela for that matter. Similarly I am not offended by an 86 being named after Harold Macmillan, even though I am not a Tory - Macmillan by all accounts was a fairly inoffensive figure.

On the other hand, more divisive politicians such as Thatcher, Blair, or Boris Johnson would, to my mind, be a no-no.

 

[Western 52]

Many class 56 and 58 locomotives were named after long defunct freight customers, such as collieries and coal power stations.

 

[Benters]

I have in my possession a 1961 edition of 'The Observer's Book of Railway Locomotives' by the late H.C. Casserley. It was given to me as a train-mad 7-year-old. It's a well-thumbed volume. The original dust jacket is long-gone, and the spine has been repaired several times. In his preface, the author grudgingly pays respect to the modern traction emerging viz "The greater part of the book is devoted to steam locomotives as these have more appeal than the more soulless electrics and diesels destined gradually to replace them" (!).
All information contained within is declared correct as of Summer 1960. There is an A-Z appendix at the back of the book listing all named locomotives then operating on BR metals. All the 'offensive' steam locomotive names such as Bongo, Gay Crusader, Call Boy and Trimbush are there, as are the Jubilee class locos bearing 'colonial' names. One name that seems to have got under the radar is late 'Warship' D835 Thruster, which some would deem offensive due to its sexual connotations (pelvic thrusts). Don't even go there with Cock O' The North, most recently carried by 87 022

 

[nw1]

Many class 56 and 58 locomotives were named after long defunct freight customers, such as collieries and coal power stations.

I remember one of the 47s was called "Appleby-Frodingham", that sounds rather like a company of some sort... was it?

 

[Ediswan]

Don't even go there with Cock O' The North, most recently carried by 87 022

This pub gets by just fine under that name: https://www.mcmullens.co.uk/cockothenorth

 

[nw1]

This pub gets by just fine under that name: https://www.mcmullens.co.uk/cockothenorth

Also the 87 was around during an era (70s-90s) when the name would also have had a sexual connotation, so to speak. Certainly by 1978, when it was named, I suspect.

 

[Benters]

Also the 87 was around during an era (70s-90s) when the name would also have had a sexual connotation, so to speak. Certainly by 1978, when it was named, I suspect.

87 015 Howard of Effingham? Wouldn't look out of place in a Carry On film

 

[6Gman]

And bongo-bongo land was an offensive way of referring to anywhere that somebody coloured might come from, etc.

But the loco wasn't named bongo-bongo land. It was named Bongo. Between 60104 Oryx and 61006 Blackbuck.

Three species of antelope.

 

[John Luxton]

My Favourite Deltic Black Watch in todays PC world who knows

Black Watch was a name used by Fred Olsen Lines for one of their ships only fairly recently pensioned off to the scrap yard.

I think the only people that might be offended by the name are Northern Ireland nationalists as the regiment had a bit of a reputation there.

 

[Western 52]

Black Watch was a name used by Fred Olsen Lines for one of their ships only fairly recently pensioned off to the scrap yard.

I think the only people that might be offended by the name are Northern Ireland nationalists as the regiment had a bit of a reputation there.

I twice travelled on that ship. It's a shame it's gone, as it was wonderful.

 

[Dr Hoo]

The Sirhowy Railway (a really pioneering line in South Wales and possibly only the third to be built under Act of Parliament for general conveyance) had a very early steam locomotive named 'F*nny'.