Pendolino Names

[GatwickDepress]

But Pendos are not locomotives, just a collection of almost identical carriages coupled together. Rediculous.

How is it "rediculous"?

 

[Chris125]

I like the "Virgin" themed names. It gives a homogenous feel to the fleet, and is in keeping with traditional values of grouping names for a particular class of loco, as with the "Westerns" and Great Western "Castles", even if the modern angle is a bit more commercial

The 'Virgin ***' names aren't just in the style of the Westerns, they directly reference them - hence the choice of Buccaneer, Pioneer, Explorer, Invader, Hero, King, Lady and many others which were all carried by that class.

Chris

 

[fowler9]

The 'Virgin ***' names aren't just in the style of the Westerns, they directly reference them - hence the choice of Buccaneer, Pioneer, Explorer, Invader, Hero, King, Lady and many others which were all carried by that class.

Chris

Ah. Good point. I do think putting Western in front of various words sounded better than putting Virgin in front of them.

 

[BurtonM]

Riding the 'Virgin Lady' always gets me.

'Western' names could also be carried on - what if Virgin don't get a franchise renewal? What happens to all the names/nameplates?

 

[fishquinn]

What if Virgin don't get a franchise renewal? What happens to all the names/nameplates?

Maybe they sell them?

I'm not buying

 

[ian959]

I always felt that some of the names like Virgin Explorer were simply a bit of fun to toss at DafT. They seem to accord with Richard Branson's humour and probably went straight over the head of the stuffed shirts at DafT.

 

[DXMachina]

Virgin OnTheRidiculous next then

 

[sprinterguy]

Maybe they sell them?

I'm not buying

I seem to recall that a number of the Voyager plates were auctioned off after they were removed from the Crosscountry units.

 

[fishquinn]

I seem to recall that a number of the Voyager plates were auctioned off after they were removed from the Crosscountry units.

Why did XC remove the name-plates? It would probably be easier to keep them, (I mean except the ones which said virgin).

 

[sprinterguy]

I suppose it’s possible that while the trains themselves are obviously leased, Virgin might actually own the nameplates that were fitted to them, and hence they could not be transferred to the new XC franchise.

 

[Chris125]

I always felt that some of the names like Virgin Explorer were simply a bit of fun to toss at DafT. They seem to accord with Richard Branson's humour and probably went straight over the head of the stuffed shirts at DafT.

Unless Richard Branson is a closet 'Western' fan I think that's unlikely, though I guess that may have been how the idea was sold to him...

Chris

 

[Lankyline]

So does anyone know what is the process by which names are given to loco's, how it decided etc ?
Given Virgin trains 2 year sponsorship of my team Preston North End, I was thinking it might be a fitting tribute to have a Pendo named after Sir Tom Finney. I believe East Coast named a class 91 after Sir Bobby Robson, so the precedent to name a footballer has been already been set