Why are Class 43s nicknamed 'Trams'?

[furgus2]

I've looked all through a now closed thread on train nicknames and see that class 43 are nicknamed 'trams' but cannot find an explanation as to why this is used. Can someone please help me out here? Thanks

 

[hairyhandedfool]

Because they were put into use as fixed formation trains in an era where loco-hauled trains, that changed loco every trip, were the norm for express trains.

 

[notadriver]

I think only northerners call them trams

 

[fowler9]

Ditto to what the Hairyhandedfool said. Flying Bananas for HST's as well. Also heard 142's called trams, just having 4 wheels on each car as well helps with that one.

I never quite understood calling class 47's Spoons,also Hoovers for 50's, although I believe that was due to a noise they made before my time. Tractors for 37's I get, and as a 37 fan I understood calling class 31's Snails. Was never sure about Peds for the 31's though, thought it may mean pedestrian. Choppers, Peaks, Rats, McRats and Cromptons I understood.

 

[driver9000]

HSTs were named Trams because they spent all day going back and forth.

47s were named Spoons due to the noise made by the horn.

31s were named Peds (short for Pedestrian) due them being rather slow.

50s were named Hoovers due to the noise made by the original radiator fans sounding like the well known vacuum cleaner.

 

[455driver]

50s were named Hoovers due to the noise made by the original radiator fans sounding like the well known vacuum cleaner.

Not the radiator fans, it was the rheostatic brake cooling fans which were mounted at the other end of the locos, underneath the 'cut out' in the roof. the rheostatic brakes were removed, and the cut out plated over, on refurbishment.

 

[driver9000]

Not the radiator fans, it was the rheostatic brake cooling fans which were mounted at the other end of the locos, underneath the 'cut out' in the roof. the rheostatic brakes were removed, and the cut out plated over, on refurbishment.

That's the one! I knew it was one of the fans...

 

[fowler9]

HSTs were named Trams because they spent all day going back and forth.

47s were named Spoons due to the noise made by the horn.

31s were named Peds (short for Pedestrian) due them being rather slow.

50s were named Hoovers due to the noise made by the original radiator fans sounding like the well known vacuum cleaner.

The horn on a Class 47 sounded like a spoon!!!!! By all means explain! Ha ha.

 

[455driver]

That's the one! I knew it was one of the fans...

I am a big 'fan' of the 50s!

 

[Keith Jarrett]

31s were named Peds (short for Pedestrian) due them being rather slow.

In the late 70s, most bashers would refer to the 31s as Pedal Cars - simply a reflection that if you wanted any more speed, then the driver had to pedal. Other nicknames were Brians (after Brian the Snail in the Magic Roundabout) and Goyles - this being short for Gargoyle on account of their lack of beauty.
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And tractors for 37s is a relatively new one - Syphons is much older. Syphon G being rhyming slang for English Electric Type Three - and with numerous bodyside grills, 37s were rather similar to Great Western Syphon G vans.

 

[fowler9]

In the late 70s, most bashers would refer to the 31s as Pedal Cars - simply a reflection that if you wanted any more speed, then the driver had to pedal. Other nicknames were Brians (after Brian the Snail in the Magic Roundabout) and Goyles - this being short for Gargoyle on account of their lack of beauty.
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And tractors for 37s is a relatively new one - Syphons is much older. Syphon G being rhyming slang for English Electric Type Three - and with numerous bodyside grills, 37s were rather similar to Great Western Syphon G vans.

Cheers for the info mate, I thought the Snail name came from the fact they seemed a bit slow and underpowered, Brians gives it a bit more colour. I thought Tractor was quite an old one and never knew where Syphon came from. Love the sound the 37's make and the 50's.

 

[cjmillsnun]

The horn on a Class 47 sounded like a spoon!!!!! By all means explain! Ha ha.

Listen to about 3 seconds in. SpooooOOOOON

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FFBQxqcanmc

 

[fowler9]

Listen to about 3 seconds in. SpooooOOOOON

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FFBQxqcanmc

Haha, I can kind of hear that!

 

[zn1]

now they are all MTU'ed they sound like trams now....HST without the shout of a valenta isnt right....its like running a rolls royce with a couple A series engines

 

[D6975]

I think only northerners call them trams

They're trams down yer in Bristle..
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now they are all MTU'ed they sound like trams now....HST without the shout of a valenta isnt right....its like running a rolls royce with a couple A series engines

I quite liked the sound of the Mirrlees.

 

[WestCountry]

Flying Bananas for HST's as well.

I've only heard that in reference to NR's yellow one, for which it's extremely appropriate.

 

[sprinterguy]

I've only heard that in reference to NR's yellow one, for which it's extremely appropriate.

It was coined right at the beginning of HST operation due, I think, to the comparatively large area of yellow on the power cars in the original colour scheme.

 

[BlythPower]

Shouldn't the title of this thread be 'Why are Class 253/254s nicknamed 'Trams'?'

 

[ainsworth74]

Shouldn't the title of this thread be 'Why are Class 253/254s nicknamed 'Trams'?'

Do we have to go down this long, winding, well-worn road...

 

[BlythPower]

Do we have to go down this long, winding, well-worn road...

I like to think of it as more of a slippery slope...

 

[Beveridges]

Laughable how HSTs are still called trams when the railway is full of units

 

[cjmillsnun]

now they are all MTU'ed they sound like trams now....HST without the shout of a valenta isnt right....its like running a rolls royce with a couple A series engines

Get yourself on the Midland Main Line. EMT HSTs still have Paxman engines, albeit VP185s rather than Valentas
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Laughable how HSTs are still called trams when the railway is full of units

The railway was full of units long before the HSTs came along.

 

[jon91]

I know I'm going to have things thrown at me here but I don't mind the MTU engines, they still make a good racket but its a more Class 60-esque earth-shaking rumble.

 

[Eagle]

I like to think of it as more of a slippery slope...

Where's the sandite when you need it?

We're dangerously close to someone mentioning the original Class 43 locomotives (aka Warships)...

 

[Beveridges]

I know I'm going to have things thrown at me here but I don't mind the MTU engines, they still make a good racket but its a more Class 60-esque earth-shaking rumble.

I can see the similarities (in that they both make a pounding noise) but an MTU does not sound anywhere near as good as a Class 60. They aren't as loud and nowhere near as much bass.

Not a fan of MTU. VP185 (Midland Mainline HST's) still sound good though!

 

[Temple Meads]

I don't mind the MTU's, but that's probably mainly down to the fact I was too young to really 'get' the Valenta...

 

[fowler9]

I don't mind the MTU's, but that's probably mainly down to the fact I was too young to really 'get' the Valenta...

Thats a shame, I used to love trips to York or Market Harborough when I was little (And they were Flying Bananas, ha ha).

 

[Rich McLean]

Back in the mid 1990's when I was a kid, used to watch them pass under the Marsh Mills flyover while accelerating towards Hemerdon Bank