Has the Class 70 got a nickname yet?

[Peter Sarf]

Nicknames aren't just an enthusiast thing, many come from inside the industry. It not just the railways that do it either, many planes have nicknames, the military often uses nicknames, reporting names and codenames. Most modern train types are named anyway, often with far more stupid and irelevant names than the nicknames given. Nicknames do have some purpose too, they are often shorter and easier to pronounce than the real name (many are one or two syllables, wheras saying "class X" is always going to be at least 3 syllables if not 4).

Someone mentioned ANORAKS. Well saying "class 31" sounds more anorak to me than saying "TOFFEE APPLE" - does it not ?. I reckon the point of nicknames is to give a short easy to say/remember name. This name will probably reflect the look/behaviour of said object. Anyway it tends to humanise the object. OK a lot of nicknames might apprear for one loco and, arguably, a battle should ensue to arrive at a consensus.

I know the hydraulics (bias here) seemed to have one name for each class :- Warships and Westerns (wizzos is not far off) obvious from their name plates. Hymeks (pass but I think it was based from Hydraulic Mekhydro), Teddy-Bears for the class 17s (?). Nicknames are a way of personalising things. So my argument is they are a natural phenomenon - you cannot fight it. Only question is why do some classes of loco/unit achieve so many nicknames and no consensus seems to be arrived at.

Some classes never got a nickname - go on then prove me wrong...

 

[IanPooleTrains]

They actually called Froths

 

[colchesterken]

Why FROTH ? I do like the nickname Leggo brick they do look like a leggo engine

 

[60163]

Ugly Betties, Powerhauls...

...a prize to someone who can invent a nickname that references the unfourtunate fate of 70012.

 

[Peter Mugridge]

...a prize to someone who can invent a nickname that references the unfourtunate fate of 70012.

Twisters?

 

[IanPooleTrains]

Why FROTH ?

Because the sound that they make is almost like frothing hence the name Froth

 

[Helvellyn]

One I heard was that they should be called Boyles, as in Susan Boyle - you don't want to look at it, but you could listen to it all day.

 

[Eng274]

Because the sound that they make is almost like frothing hence the name Froth

the mocha-motive..? (as opposed to locomotive)

mocha = frothy variation of coffee often found in overpriced Amurrcan coffee emporiums..i admit the hot choc is fantastic though!

 

[fgwrich]

Ugly Betties, Powerhauls...

...a prize to someone who can invent a nickname that references the unfourtunate fate of 70012.

Fuglys, Plugs, Orvilles...

 

[Bald Rick]

Frightliner

 

[spudfan]

As they are now being assembled in Turkey, how about "Turks" or even "Turkeys"?

 

[tbtc]

They actually called Froths

I love the way you use the word "actually" as if it makes it official

 

[swt_passenger]

Powerhauls...

... is certainly not a nickname - it's what the manufacturer calls them:

http://www.gereports.com/battle-of-britain-1st-powerhaul-locomotives-ship-to-uk/

 

[IanPooleTrains]

I love the way you use the word "actually" as if it makes it official

And I love the way that you use that smile as a way of mocking me :roll:

 

[Waddon]

As they are 70's maybe they should have a name that's connected with the decade of the 1970's...
Savilles? Showaddywaddys? Discos? Gene Hunts? Cortinas? I could go on... (but won't)

 

[60163]

Fuglys, Plugs, Orvilles...

Orvilles! That's brilliant

 

[Tufty]

70's nicknames. When talking to friends and photters about them, I tend to call them 70's but in gen posting's I tend to call them Bettys but have also seen posting's calling them

Fuglys
Preds
Powerhauls
70's
Sexys (not sure about that one tho!)

 

[phillipsalan09]

70012 should definitely be called the flying banana! Although that's a name I've heard for NR's NMT!

 

[tbtc]

I think the fact that we've had almost fifty comments (with several suggesting more than one name) and not agreed on anything shows that the answer is that there is no proper nickname for these machines.

Back in the day you knew what someone said if they mentioned a Peak or a Hymek. Nowadays everyone seems to have their own nickname for modern units which defeats the purpose. The only nicknames for anything modern which I think a lot of people use are Pretendolino and Dusty Bin, few others are "common".

 

[SouthEastern-465]

I've seen magazines refer the them as '58s on steroids'.

I just call them 'Megablocks' as they remind me of... Megablocks and look like they've been built from them.

 

[Oswyntail]

70012 should definitely be called the flying banana! Although that's a name I've heard for NR's NMT!

The original "Flying Bananas" were the Class 253s on the GW. The original livery (IIRC) had quite a lot of yellow!

 

[Sapphire Blue]

I've seen magazines refer the them as '58s on steroids'.

I just call them 'Megablocks' as they remind me of... Megablocks and look like they've been built from them.

In a similar vein I've heard them called Legos, as they look like they are built from the versatile building blocks.

 

[Crossover]

In a similar vein I've heard them called Legos, as they look like they are built from the versatile building blocks.

Funnily enough I was just thinking Lego as I was reading through the rest of the thread since I posted the other day.

Another alternative would be something (this is too lengthy) like Jelly Moulds - they are very angular and look like they could have been made in a jelly/plastic mould
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

...a prize to someone who can invent a nickname that references the unfourtunate fate of 70012.

See posts 28/29

Banana and Bender are ones I saw elsewhere on the forums, I have to say.

Have to say I am quite taken with Chain Breakers