The Cockney Sparrow

[RichmondCommu]

G'day everyone,

From memory back in the 1980's Stratford TMD decided to have some fun with its loco's by customizing them with a painted chirpy Cockney Sparrow. I also seem to remember fancy paint jobs on their class 47's. Was Stratford and its work force a one off or did other TMD's get in on the act?

Any contributions regarding depot emblems, customized locos, unofficial name plates or indeed anything else that comes to mind would be gratefully received.

Kind regards,

Richmond Commuter!

 

[306024]

Not just the Stratford class 47s. The class 08 Liverpool St station pilot was always immaculately turned out, a tradition that went back to steam days.

Remember Inverness getting in on the act with a highland stag.

 

[sprinterguy]

Finsbury Park was famed for giving white cab window surrounds to their Deltics, in the same way as Stratford's 47s had their silver roofs.

Tinsley depot unofficially applied the names of well known volcanoes to a number of class 37s in the late eighties, as a tongue in cheek reference to the noise and quantities of black smoke they could produce! During the second half of the eighties, Tinsley also applied a far wider range of unofficial names to many of its’ class 37 and 47 locomotives, as well as to some Peaks: A large number of class 47s gained bird inspired names, for instance.

Eastfield depot added a white stripe to brighten up the BR blue livery carried by its’ locos in the early eighties, and also, once to a visiting class 44 “Peak” that turned up for an open day! This followed on soon after the introduction of the “scottie dog” emblem, which was initially applied to four class 37/0s when they were named after lochs along the route of the West Highland line. The West Highland Terrier logo was soon officialised by BR Scotrail following sectorisation, along with other Scottish depot emblems such as the Inverness stag.

As well as Stratford’s cockney sparrow, Thornaby depot had a kingfisher emblem which was applied to their freight locomotives in the original Railfreight grey and yellow livery.

Versions of the unofficial depot emblems were made official when British Rail chose to give most of its depots their own badges as part of the rebranding to Trainload Freight in 1987, when every freight locomotive began to carry the relevant emblem on a diamond shape metal plaque affixed to the cabside.

 

[Hornet]

Unofficial "Cornish Lizard" on St Blazey based Clased 37's in the early 80's. Check out post 11 in the link below.

http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/55621-class-37181-info-and-photos-needed/

Also photo's in this link.

https://railway-photography.smugmug.com/1/Class-3140/Class-37/Cornish-Class-37s-Alan/i-VgHrCZM

 

[Helvellyn]

As has been mentioned: -

• Eastfield had the West Highland Terrier
• Inverness had the Highland Stag
• Thornaby had the Kingfisher
• Stratford had the Cockney Sparrow
• St Blazey had the Lizard

In addition: -

• Glasgow Shields used a Salmon on their Class 81 locos, but it also seems to have been used by Motherwell!
• Haymarket had a castle on their ScotRail livered 47/7s, and also Class 26s
• Tinsley had a white yorkshire rose with an embedded 'TI'
• Cardiff Canton used a red 'V' and a red dragon on the front of their Valley Lines DMUs

 

[Hornet]

Canton DMU on the 11:30 Barry Island to Rhymney at Bargoed 28th September 1985 with Dragon and V displayed.

 

[ChiefPlanner]

Carlisle (Currock) wagon depot for Speedlink embellished its stock with a Cumbrian Fox.

Neasden on the Met Line painted some A stock with maroon roofs for a while , (mid 1980' s but someone high up objected .....

 

[DarloRich]

Tinsley always seemed to have a lot of unofficial names applied to their locomotives

 

[GatwickDepress]

The 442s allocated to Stewarts Lane have the diamond plate featuring Battersea power station on them, just under the cab window. Is there or has there been any other MUs featuring diamond plates?

 

[CockneySparrow]

Tinsley always seemed to have a lot of unofficial names applied to their locomotives

Yes they was painted on rather than the usual metal plates
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The 442s allocated to Stewarts Lane have the diamond plate featuring Battersea power station on them, just under the cab window. Is there or has there been any other MUs featuring diamond plates?

Class 73 used to have the plates as well under the windows
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
There is a list here

http://www.collecting-railwayana.co.uk/DepotPlaques.html

 

[sprinterguy]

Class 73 used to have the plates as well under the windows

Although the 73s cannot be considered multiple units by any measure, as per the original request.