Network Rail's "Orange Army" nickname to be renamed "Team Orange"

[alxndr]

First I've heard of it, and I find "Team Orange" just as nauseating, maybe more, than "Orange Army."

It all comes across as just cutesy management PR wibble, and in my eyes both phrases just highlight the fact that some managers have a "them and us" attitude. It feels as though us out on the ground are something "other" than them, and shouldn't we all be on the same side, all railway(wo)men?

No one actually uses it day to day anyway.

As for renaming it to encourage women... they'd be much better off not using any colloquialism at all! Issues with female employment in this sort of sector starts much earlier than this, from schools and childhoods. In any case, it wasn't the nickname or shifts or weather that put my partner off applying, it was my stories of big spiders!

 

[D365]

Both Orange Army and Team Orange have a whiff of a PR department trying to be hip, it's a little cringeworthy. Personally I prefer something like "our skilled engineers" or "engineering staff" but maybe I'm just old fashioned.

As a youngster I always thought the job title "engineer" was commandeering of respect. Or was that just me?

Having visited a few schools recently, it seems like a number of young people aren't aware of what the job title means or what engineering actually entails. I'm not sure though how this would reflect on an equivalent adult sample; whether the feedback I'd be getting would be much the same.

 

[InOban]

In the US an engineer is a train driver, I believe. In the UK it covers both those who have come up through the ranks, via an apprenticeship in an engineering company like Bombardier or R-R, and those who are graduates - they're usually identified as civil, mechanical or electrical engineers. I don't know whether NR distinguishes between the two of sees them as a continuum. Graduate engineers claim that this dual meaning has resulted in a lower status for the profession, and indeed a lower status for all those who actually make things.

In Germany Engineer is a high-status title.

 

[swt_passenger]

In the US an engineer is a train driver, I believe. In the UK it covers both those who have come up through the ranks, via an apprenticeship in an engineering company like Bombardier or R-R, and those who are graduates - they're usually identified as civil, mechanical or electrical engineers.

I blame British Gas. They simply turned all their fitters into engineers using their advertising budget...

 

[route:oxford]

Just as well Network Rail don't operate in Northern Ireland.

I wonder if this was driven by the Scotrail Alliance. "Orange Army" does conjure up images of abuse and sectarian hatred.

It's not that long ago that the firm I used to work for in Glasgow had a strict no-Catholics policy.

 

[Master29]

Both Orange Army and Team Orange have a whiff of a PR department trying to be hip, it's a little cringeworthy. Personally I prefer something like "our skilled engineers" or "engineering staff" but maybe I'm just old fashioned.

I agree. Team orange sounds like another American suck up though

 

[Starmill]

Articles in the Daily Mail are designed to get under your skin, and they are happy to make something out of literally anything they can to do that. This is nothing more than that.

Don't fall for it.

 

[lyndhurst25]

"Tangerine Team" would be better. Love On a Real Train and all that.

 

[Highlandspring]

I wonder if this was driven by the Scotrail Alliance. "Orange Army" does conjure up images of abuse and sectarian hatred.

The phrase has indeed been a source of some bemusement to the workforce in certain parts of the country since it first appeared. I grew up in a sensible part of Scotland so when I started working in Glasgow years ago most of it went straight over my head though I have been indoctrinated into it now. Although it has never been an official policy, I understand many of the S&T and Pway teams are still split along sectarian lines today...

 

[TUC]

OA is a terrible name. Highly patronising. Glad it's being phased out.

In what way is it patronising?

 

[TUC]

Both Orange Army and Team Orange have a whiff of a PR department trying to be hip, it's a little cringeworthy. Personally I prefer something like "our skilled engineers" or "engineering staff" but maybe I'm just old fashioned.

If you want the public to recognise a staff group's mportant role, it really helps to capture the public imagination. There's nothing wrong with that.

 

[Mag_seven]

I wonder if this was driven by the Scotrail Alliance. "Orange Army" does conjure up images of abuse and sectarian hatred.

It's not that long ago that the firm I used to work for in Glasgow had a strict no-Catholics policy.

That "firm" wasn't one half of "The Old Firm" was it?

 

[Darandio]

They could have used "Team Underappreciated" when you consider that because there is a reduced service in some areas during the holiday period, many want to believe that absolutely none of the railway is working. That was evident by many posts on here.

 

[DenmarkRail]

Going back to think about it, Orange Army... DUP... Hmmm

 

[Hellzapoppin]

Well I was one of the Dawlish Orange Army and at the time and in the circumstances it fitted the bill exactly.
Dawlish was unique and using OA it brought together and united all the staff in the rather difficult working conditions regardless of who they worked for.
I do think it's overused now but perhaps it should be kept for the next "Dawlish" ?

 

[Nean]

In the US an engineer is a train driver, I believe. In the UK it covers both those who have come up through the ranks, via an apprenticeship in an engineering company like Bombardier or R-R, and those who are graduates - they're usually identified as civil, mechanical or electrical engineers. I don't know whether NR distinguishes between the two of sees them as a continuum. Graduate engineers claim that this dual meaning has resulted in a lower status for the profession, and indeed a lower status for all those who actually make things.

In Germany Engineer is a high-status title.

There were a couple of petitions about this to make the title of "engineer" protected (i.e. you had to be qualified either through apprenticeship or degree to hold it) whilst I was at uni a few years ago, I never heard the outcome of it so I assume the government just fobbed it off immediately.

 

[sheff1]

If you want the public to recognise a staff group's mportant role, it really helps to capture the public imagination. There's nothing wrong with that.

The first time I heard the term "Orange Army" it certainly captured my imagination - I wondered why the activities of a sectarian organisation were suddenly being brought into a railway context.

 

[Highlandspring]

In my experience English people don't think that way, that context simply doesn't appear on their radar!

 

[sheff1]

In my experience English people don't think that way, that context simply doesn't appear on their radar!

I am English, but probably aytipical in that I am frequently in the Western Central Belt of Scotland and quite often in Northern Ireland.

 

[the sniper]

By the sounds of it from a post earlier, none. As the boss apparently made a posting on Yammer and asked for contributions.

Indeed. But why let facts get in the way of a good old moan, eh?

sshhhhhhhhhh - don't let the truth intrude

If a crisis of confidence has occurred over a well established PR program, with all material relating to it having to be withdrawn, redesigned and reproduced/printed and distributed across the country, and all this is achieved without various meetings taking place, then NR have achieved a breakthrough development... Hopefully all future decision within NR will be conducted with this new revolutionary level of efficiency, through the medium of Yammer chat!

 

[Marklund]

In what way is it patronising?

It's labelling everyone by the clothing they wear, and that alone.

They should be praised for their skills, not what they have to wear, but that wouldn't look good for Operation Dumb Down, where de-skilling roles and responsibilities (read that as cost savings) is prevalent.

 

[Master29]

Well I was one of the Dawlish Orange Army and at the time and in the circumstances it fitted the bill exactly.
Dawlish was unique and using OA it brought together and united all the staff in the rather difficult working conditions regardless of who they worked for.
I do think it's overused now but perhaps it should be kept for the next "Dawlish" ?

Except that Dawlish doesn`t have a sectarian issue...as far as I know.

 

[DarloRich]

If a crisis of confidence has occurred over a well established PR program, with all material relating to it having to be withdrawn, redesigned and reproduced/printed and distributed across the country, and all this is achieved without various meetings taking place, then NR have achieved a breakthrough development... Hopefully all future decision within NR will be conducted with this new revolutionary level of efficiency, through the medium of Yammer chat!

I would agree if there was any controlling mind behind any of it! It seems no one really planned to use the phrase, it appeared around Dawlish almost as a throw away to deflect some criticism, seemed popular and was seized upon by the media and then used in every media briefing thereafter. As far as I am aware there is no marketing material to withdraw or redesign. It seems the CEO didn't really like it and decided to change it.

 

[6Z09]

What a ridiculous story! Does anyone care or really call them either. Better spending more on equipment that that PR nonsense.

 

[Llanigraham]

What a ridiculous story! Does anyone care or really call them either. Better spending more on equipment that that PR nonsense.

But they aren't spending any money!!
Can I suggest you read the thread!

 

[EM2]

What a ridiculous story! Does anyone care or really call them either. Better spending more on equipment that that PR nonsense.

There is no money being spent! All it means is that when stories are put out, a different term is used.

 

[R Trevithick]

Always thought Orange Army was an nonsense phrase and it became cute to use it, often meaninglessly and certainly overly used.

Having said that Team Orange just conjures up an advertising agency trying to sell tango (other orangey based drinks are available)

 

[6Z09]

But they aren't spending any money!!
Can I suggest you read the thread!

I did read the thread. The story is nonsense. Who actually calls these guys the orange army? My comment about spending money is not about the press release, it is the fact that a lot of the "Orange Army" machinery is lying idle when it should be getting OHL erected! They should be spending money on that. Several projects have been put on hold. (The article in the paper mentions infrastructure spending)
As far as female engineers, there were several working on track as long ago as in the eighties, rising to senior positions as well.

 

[DarloRich]

Going back to think about it, Orange Army... DUP... Hmmm

don't think too hard

What a ridiculous story! Does anyone care or really call them either. Better spending more on equipment that that PR nonsense.

I did read the thread. The story is nonsense. Who actually calls these guys the orange army? My comment about spending money is not about the press release, it is the fact that a lot of the "Orange Army" machinery is lying idle when it should be getting OHL erected! They should be spending money on that. Several projects have been put on hold. (The article in the paper mentions infrastructure spending)
As far as female engineers, there were several working on track as long ago as in the eighties, rising to senior positions as well.

I am not sure you have quite grasped all this.

 

[Llanigraham]

I did read the thread. The story is nonsense. Who actually calls these guys the orange army? My comment about spending money is not about the press release, it is the fact that a lot of the "Orange Army" machinery is lying idle when it should be getting OHL erected! They should be spending money on that. Several projects have been put on hold. (The article in the paper mentions infrastructure spending)
As far as female engineers, there were several working on track as long ago as in the eighties, rising to senior positions as well.

I humbly suggest that you have not read and understood the thread at all.

The story is not nonsense, but was raised by the Network Rail CEO on an internal forum.
Staff use that name, the press use that name, the general public use that name.
And as for the equipment "lying idle" I suggest that you do not get out and about a lot and see the maintenance work that is being done by the "people in orange" each and every 24 hour period.

As said above, I don't think you have quite grasped all of this.