Nicknames for specific engines or types of engine

[Dunfanaghy Roa]

A couple more to add:
Flittermouse - LSWR Class O2 (on account of they ran so quietly; flittermouse being an old word for bat);
BTH - BR Class 24 when on loan to BR(S).
Pat

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 30 Nov 2025 ==

A list of LSWR nicknames that I copied from a 1928 Railway Magazine:
Beattie Well-tanks - Swan Necks;
Beattie 0-6-0ST - Saddlebacks;
Adams 46 class 4-4-0T - Ironclads;
Adams 380 class 4-4-0 - Steamrollers;
Adams 395 class 0-6-0 - Jumbo;
Adams A12 0-4-2 - Jubilee;
Drummond 4-2-4T - The Bug (officially Mr Drummond's Car);
Drummond Double Singles - Butterflies (they spent the winters in store);
Drummond M7 0-4-4T - Motor Tanks;
Drummond K10 4-4-0 - Grasshoppers (then Small Hoppers)
Drummond L11 4-4-0 - Large Hoppers;
Drummond L12 4-4-0 - Bulldog;
Drummond E14 4-6-0 - The Turkey;
Drummond C14 2-2-0T - Rockets, or Potato Cans.
No shortage of imagination among the footplate grades, it seems.
It is interesting that several railways have used names such as Jumbo, Bulldog, Ironclad, &c.
Pat

 

[anothertyke]

My favourite railway book title--- Buckjumpers, Gobblers and Clauds.

Buckjumper-- Holden J69.

 

[75A]

Going back to 1960ish: Class 76 were BoBos never Tommys, 77 were CoCos. The early built 40s and 44s that were around were both called MLDs (Main Line Diesels) with no differentiation between the two. in those days we didn't see any other diesel classes , largely still a steam area.

In my time on the railway, 33's were only ever called Crompton's, with 33/1's called Bagpipes & 33'2's Slim Jim's.
Only ever heard 73's called ED's.
The 47's were called Brush's although the more common name from Brighton men was shi.boxes as the cabs were always filthy and we wiped our feet on leaving.
They were always cold and it was common to see Newspapers used as insulation where the floor and body met.

 

[MarlowDonkey]

Single carriage DMU units of class 121 and 122 were known as "Bubblecars". These were introduced in the 1960s, but I suspect the name came later as I don't recall it from when I used to travel to school on them.

 

[Gloster]

Single carriage DMU units of class 121 and 122 were known as "Bubblecars". These were introduced in the 1960s, but I suspect the name came later as I don't recall it from when I used to travel to school on them.

I think it may have come fairly early in their life as it was a reference to the various Isetta cars that had been around since before the 121 and 122 appeared. As mentioned in #64 it was one nickname used by railwaymen.

 

[Magdalia]

I think it may have come fairly early in their life as it was a reference to the various Isetta cars that had been around since before the 121 and 122 appeared. As mentioned in #64 it was one nickname used by railwaymen.

I agree. The original use of "bubble car" was for road vehicles, particularly the Heinkel Cabin Scooter, see here:

The Heinkel 175cc Cabin Scooter bubble car

Rare handbook / manual for the 175 cc 3 wheeler from Germany

www.oldclassiccar.co.uk

The Heinkel 'bubble car' was built between 1955 and 1964, a classic time for all fans of bubble cars.

By the 1970s bubble cars were not very common on the road, outcompeted by the success of the Mini in the 1960s.

 

[Rescars]

I agree. The original use of "bubble car" was for road vehicles, particularly the Heinkel Cabin Scooter, see here:

The Heinkel 175cc Cabin Scooter bubble car

Rare handbook / manual for the 175 cc 3 wheeler from Germany

www.oldclassiccar.co.uk

By the 1970s bubble cars were not very common on the road, outcompeted by the success of the Mini in the 1960s.

......though now available again today in the form of the battery powered Microlino. Unlike the Mini, the 21st century version of the road-going bubble car is still in gauge (i.e. not a lot bigger than the original)!

 

[D6130]

In our little trainspotting group in the West of Scotland in the early 1970s, we took to calling class 27s 'buckets' after hearing an older enthusiast using that nickname at the end of the platform at Glasgow Queen Street one evening. It was quite some considerable time later that I met him again on a Scottish Railfans Society coach trip and realised in conversation that he had been referring to the class 40 awaiting departure from platform 7 with an Aberdeen express. Unfortunately by that time, the name had stuck with us and we continued to refer to class 27s as 'buckets'.

 

[McRhu]

In our little trainspotting group in the West of Scotland in the early 1970s, we took to calling class 27s 'buckets' after hearing an older enthusiast using that nickname at the end of the platform at Glasgow Queen Street one evening. It was quite some considerable time later that I met him again on a Scottish Railfans Society coach trip and realised in conversation that he had been referring to the class 40 awaiting departure from platform 7 with an Aberdeen express. Unfortunately by that time, the name had stuck with us and we continued to refer to class 27s as 'buckets'.

I had a picture in my mind of a group of sage enthusiasts (looking rather like Greek philosophers but wearing anoraks and bobble hats) sitting round a big debating chamber arguing over official nicknames before public release. Something akin to The Design Panel whose word became law. I always assumed that calling 27s 'buckets' was written in stone. Now after all these years I find that I have been living a lie!

 

[D6130]

I had a picture in my mind of a group of sage enthusiasts (looking rather like Greek philosophers but wearing anoraks and bobble hats) sitting round a big debating chamber arguing over official nicknames before public release. Something akin to The Design Panel whose word became law. I always assumed that calling 27s 'buckets' was written in stone. Now after all these years I find that I have been living a lie!

Not a lie....just a genuine misunderstanding!

 

[Trackman]

I had a picture in my mind of a group of sage enthusiasts (looking rather like Greek philosophers but wearing anoraks and bobble hats) sitting round a big debating chamber arguing over official nicknames before public release. Something akin to The Design Panel whose word became law. I always assumed that calling 27s 'buckets' was written in stone. Now after all these years I find that I have been living a lie!

It's what you make them, sod everyone else.

 

[xotGD]

27s were referred to as Lawnmowers down our way for some reason.

 

[TheLancsNinja]

I did read in a book somewhere that early in the 31's lives they were known as Toffee Apples owing to their power handle design, which I always thought was odd. The sole 89 seems to be universally known as a Badger.

Getting into units as well, we can't forget Dusty Bins for the 321s

 

[Magdalia]

I did read in a book somewhere that early in the 31's lives they were known as Toffee Apples owing to their power handle design, which I always thought was odd.

There is a lot of misunderstanding about this. The "Toffee Apple" nickname only applied to the prototype locos D5500-19, and the nickname was widely used, both by railway staff and enthusiasts, to distinguish them from the rest of the class. It was in common usage right up to when the last prototype locos were withdrawn in 1980.

Inside the cab, the power handle, which was toffee apple shaped, was the most obvious difference between a prototype loco and the rest of the class, so the nickname was very useful for traincrew.

 

[Harpo]

Lots of railwaymens’ nicknames came from straightforward facts-
08s - 350s
24/25 - Baby/babby Sulzer
31/0 - Toffee Apple (see above)
33 - Crompton
37 - Noses (Hither Green term)
40s - 2000 (GE area)
45 - Crompton (Add Bath Road crew)
47 - 4 & a half (West mids after years of class 40s)
73 - JA/JB

There’s lots of derogatory staff nicknames too,

10800 - The wonder loco. (‘Wonder if it’ll work today’)
90 - Skoda. At a time when that brand made British cars look reliable.
153 - Scuds. After a highly unreliable type of missile they never quite reached its destination.


One other steam enthusiast name is ‘vulture’ for the 80000 tanks as they seemed to land on dead and dieing bits of railway after ending their suburban work.

 

[RyanOPlasty]

Class 66 are also known as Ying-yings from the noise they make.

 

[D6130]

Does anyone know why class 25s became known as 'Rats' ....South of the border?

 

[Ashley Hill]

Inside the cab, the power handle, which was toffee apple shaped,

Does anyone have a picture of one of these toffee apple shaped controllers?

 

[hexagon789]

Does anyone know why class 25s became known as 'Rats' ....South of the border?

...common as "rats"

 

[Gloster]

Does anyone have a picture of one of these toffee apple shaped controllers?

A rather convoluted way of finding one. Google ‘ class 31 toffee apple drivers desk ‘ and go to Images. The first one (in my search) is ‘ 31/0 and 31/1 (skinhead) detail differences ‘. Go to the RMweb page (I know, the dark side) and further down is a washed-out red image of the toffee apple. (I hope this works.)

 

[Harlequinuk]

In my time on the railway, 33's were only ever called Crompton's, with 33/1's called Bagpipes & 33'2's Slim Jim's.
Only ever heard 73's called ED's.
The 47's were called Brush's although the more common name from Brighton men was shi.boxes as the cabs were always filthy and we wiped our feet on leaving.
They were always cold and it was common to see Newspapers used as insulation where the floor and body met.

Only knew the 73 as the `Little ED`, and the 74 as the `Big ED`

 

[Trackman]

Does anyone have a picture of one of these toffee apple shaped controllers?

There is a lot of misunderstanding about this. The "Toffee Apple" nickname only applied to the prototype locos D5500-19, and the nickname was widely used, both by railway staff and enthusiasts, to distinguish them from the rest of the class. It was in common usage right up to when the last prototype locos were withdrawn in 1980.

Inside the cab, the power handle, which was toffee apple shaped, was the most obvious difference between a prototype loco and the rest of the class, so the nickname was very useful for traincrew.

It was the control key IIRC, I have seen a picture, but Google is not throwing anything up.
I'm not sure if the control key was part of the reverser too, but drivers would carry around 'toffee apples'
edit -- already been explained!!!!

 

[hexagon789]

It was the control key IIRC, I have seen a picture, but Google is not throwing anything up.
I'm not sure if the control key was part of the reverser too, but drivers would carry around 'toffee apples'
edit -- already been explained!!!!

I thought it was the power handle, which looks like a Toffee Apple on a stick:

 

[D6130]

I thought it was the power handle, which looks like a Toffee Apple on a stick:

View attachment 193261
View attachment 193262

Yes....you are correct. The reverser is the smaller handle in the centre of the desk with the driver's key inserted.

 

[SW Rover]

Does anyone have a picture of one of these toffee apple shaped controllers?

Dawlish trains website has a view of the toffee apple shaped controller.

Dawlish Trains Cabs Link

 

[Trackman]

I thought it was the power handle, which looks like a Toffee Apple on a stick:

View attachment 193261
View attachment 193262

Apparently, it did this after some digging:

https://www.rmweb.co.uk/topic/154057-class-310-and-311-skinhead-detail-differences/

The Controller's the knob on a stick, resembling a toffee apple (right),


It's rotated for the functions of the usual Master Switch; Off, Reverse, Engine Only, Forward,


and goes forward in notches for power.

 

[Mag_seven]

...common as "rats"

I thought it was because the front of one kind of resembled the the front view of a rats face with teeth? And because they "skuttled" about a bit?

I've learnt whilst reading one of Stuart Taylor's books covering Lancashire that certain engines and types of engines were given nicknames.

Example, the Aspinall 0-6-0 engines built by the Lancashire & Yorkshire railway:
One was nicknamed "Puffing Billy", and one "Thunderbird and Mallard" presumably as these were small old engines (by the mid 1950's) which worked the slow push and pull services. These engines were generally known as "Lanky's", maybe over in Yorkshire they were known as "Yorkies".

The WD Austerity 2-8-0 engines were known as "Duggies" but can't think why.

With that, I was wondering what nicknames (not official names) you knew certain engines by or type of engines by, perhaps you worked at a station, goods yard, signaller, or maybe you were just a member of the public watching them go by...

Here is a previous (now locked) thread on this topic:

ALL the known Loco and Multiple unit nicknames

Hi all-just wondering if you know the nickname each different class of loco or multiple unit has received (if it has at all) and why. The ones I know so far are: Class 321: Dusty Bins (reference to character Dusty Bin on gameshow 3-2-1) Class 66: Sheds (they look like a garden shed)...

www.railforums.co.uk

 

[Strathclyder]

27s were referred to as Lawnmowers down our way for some reason.

Was this in reference to the class as a whole or just those variants used on the Glasgow - Edinburgh via Falkirk route? Am specifically thinking about the /2s with the 8-pot Deutz air-cooled engines fitted for ETH purposes here, as the Deutz lump would've sounded like a lawnmower when at full power.

 

[Ashley Hill]

Those pictures of the Toffee Apple are interesting. I presume D5500 at the NRM still has one of these?

 

[D6130]

Was this in reference to the class as a whole or just those variants used on the Glasgow - Edinburgh via Falkirk route? Am specifically thinking about the /2s with the 8-pot Deutz air-cooled engines fitted for ETH purposes here, as the Deutz lump would've sounded like a lawnmower when at full power.

My recollection is that you couldn't hear the Deutz engine when the loco was under power as it was totally drowned-out by the larger Vickers/Sulzer engine. I've only heard the Deutz unit when the loco was stationary....and yes, it did sound a bit like a lawnmower!