Named Multiple Units

[Strathclyder]

Oh yes, the unit with the replacement 507(?) Driving Motor car

Yes indeed, as a result of the Newton collision in July 1991. An ex-Class 507 driving motor car modified for AC operation (ofc) and with a experimental interior to boot.

 

[hexagon789]

Yes indeed, as a result of the Newton collision in July 1991. An ex-Class 507 driving motor car modified for AC operation (ofc) and with a experimental interior to boot.

I always remember the unique interior, the smoked glass partitions, different lighting and a slightly lower seating density to the standard DMs I think.

 

[Strathclyder]

I always remember the unique interior, the smoked glass partitions, different lighting and a slightly lower seating density to the standard DMs I think.

Not sure if the seating density was any different to the rest of the fleet, at least after getting refurbished 303/standard 314 seating fitted; it apparently had a mixture of different seating types fitted initially to see if any of them could form part of a wholesale fleet refurbishment (have never seen any photographic evidence to support this though). We're getting slightly off-topic here tho, such a tangent is best left for a Class 314-dedicated thread, whenever such a thing appears.

 

[Ashley Hill]

IIRC Wessex trains named some of their 150s. The Tarka Line which I think was 261 is the only one I remember.
In the 90s the chocolate and cream ex Midlands DMU based in Cornwall had Shirley on both its destination blinds,does this count?

 

[Iskra]

Some really interesting examples throughout this thread, thanks all for the contributions!

Two 333s were named under the original Northern franchise:

333007 J Arthur Godwin, First Lord Mayor of Bradford 1907
333011 Olicana - Ilkley’s Roman Fort

My suspicion is that the 442s and 159s were the first to carry official names in any kind of number. It seems to make a difference whether the name is carried on vinyls (in which case it’s easily removed) or a cast plate, in which case it’s probably too much trouble to remove without the risk of corrosion.

Never knew that about the 333’s! Thanks for that example.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 18 Oct 2021 ==

IIRC Wessex trains named some of their 150s. The Tarka Line which I think was 261 is the only one I remember.
In the 90s the chocolate and cream ex Midlands DMU based in Cornwall had Shirley on both its destination blinds,does this count?

Did the special livery 153’s receive names as well? I’m thinking the Ginsters Pasties livery one and the orange one that I remember seeing that advertised a certain line?

 

[Ashley Hill]

Did the special livery 153’s receive names as well? I’m thinking the Ginsters Pasties livery one and the orange one that I remember seeing that advertised a certain line?

The Ginsters Pasty livery was on a 158. I don't recall those 153s being named but the orange ones were often referred to as Vomit Comets due to their insipid colour.

 

[IanXC]

I'm thinking the Pendolino and Voyager fleets were the first to all be named as a matter of course?

 

[randyrippley]

were the Blue Pullman coaches ever named? or the Southern Pullman EMU coaches?

 

[AJM580]

The list of Anglia units named were
153306 Edith Cavell
153309 Gerard Fiennes
153311 John Constable
153314 Delia Smith
153322 Benjamin Britten
153326 Ted Ellis
153335 Michael Palin

150213 Lord Nelson
150217 Oliver Cromwell
150227 Sir Alf Ramsey
150231 King Edmund
150235 Cardinal Wolsey
150237 Hereward the Wake
150255 Henry Blogg
150257 Queen Boadicea

156409 Cromer Pier Seaside Special
156416 Saint Edmund

 

[Albaman]

I am sure in the early 1970s , DMUs in the Newcastle area carried names, apparently of some local significance. The same name could be seen on more that one unit, if I recall.

 

[Towers]

Apols if we've already mentioned it, but GWRs 800/802 fleets carry a good few names, unusually they have a different name at either end of the unit. No idea what all the names are but the theme is significant figures from around the network. And Paddington Bear!

 

[EbbwJunction1]

This is the latest list (from Mr W Pedia, hence the numbers) of GWR Named Class 800 IETs:

800003	13 June 2017	Queen Elizabeth II / Queen Victoria[28]
800004	30 June 2016	Isambard Kingdom Brunel / Sir Daniel Gooch[29]
800008	7 June 2018	#trainbow[30]
800009	7 March 2018	Sir Gareth Edwards / John Charles[31]
800010	10 January 2018	Michael Bond / Paddington Bear[32]
800014	8 March 2019	Megan Lloyd George / Edith New
800019	22 June 2018	Johnny Johnson / Joy Lofthouse[33]
800020	18 April 2018	Bob Woodward / Elizabeth Ralph[34]
800030	5 July 2021	Lincoln Callaghan / Henry Cleary[35]
800023	18 April 2019	Kathryn Osmond / Firefighter Fleur Lombard[36]
800025	29 April 2020	Captain Tom Moore[37]
800026	6 August 2018	Don Cameron[38]
800031	25 August 2021	Mazen Salmou / Charlotte Marsland[35]
800036	30 October 2020	Dr Paul Stephenson[39]
800306	9 November 2018	Harold Day DSC / Allan Leonard Lewis VC (Armistice Centenary Commemoration train)[40]
800310	7 May 2021	Wing Commander Ken Rees (Stalag Luft III)[41]
800314	6 March 2020	Odette Hallowes[42]
800317	September 2021	Freya Bevan[43]
800321	15 June 2020	'The Mask'[44]

As you can see, the variety of names is very wide, and there are quite a few subjects that I had not heard of until I saw the reason for them being used.

I like named units / locos and in fact services, because it adds a bit of individuality to what might be seen as everything looking the same (and that is another argument, which I don't want to go into).

 

[pdeaves]

This is the latest list (from Mr W Pedia, hence the numbers) of GWR Named Class 800 IETs:

800003	13 June 2017	Queen Elizabeth II / Queen Victoria[28]
800004	30 June 2016	Isambard Kingdom Brunel / Sir Daniel Gooch[29]
800008	7 June 2018	#trainbow[30]
800009	7 March 2018	Sir Gareth Edwards / John Charles[31]
800010	10 January 2018	Michael Bond / Paddington Bear[32]
800014	8 March 2019	Megan Lloyd George / Edith New
800019	22 June 2018	Johnny Johnson / Joy Lofthouse[33]
800020	18 April 2018	Bob Woodward / Elizabeth Ralph[34]
800030	5 July 2021	Lincoln Callaghan / Henry Cleary[35]
800023	18 April 2019	Kathryn Osmond / Firefighter Fleur Lombard[36]
800025	29 April 2020	Captain Tom Moore[37]
800026	6 August 2018	Don Cameron[38]
800031	25 August 2021	Mazen Salmou / Charlotte Marsland[35]
800036	30 October 2020	Dr Paul Stephenson[39]
800306	9 November 2018	Harold Day DSC / Allan Leonard Lewis VC (Armistice Centenary Commemoration train)[40]
800310	7 May 2021	Wing Commander Ken Rees (Stalag Luft III)[41]
800314	6 March 2020	Odette Hallowes[42]
800317	September 2021	Freya Bevan[43]
800321	15 June 2020	'The Mask'[44]

As you can see, the variety of names is very wide, and there are quite a few subjects that I had not heard of until I saw the reason for them being used.

I like named units / locos and in fact services, because it adds a bit of individuality to what might be seen as everything looking the same (and that is another argument, which I don't want to go into).

Also:
800022 Tulbahadur Pun
(I wouldn't call 'the mask' a name, more a description of a livery modification!)

 

[ChiefPlanner]

Some really interesting examples throughout this thread, thanks all for the contributions!


Never knew that about the 333’s! Thanks for that example.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 18 Oct 2021 ==


Did the special livery 153’s receive names as well? I’m thinking the Ginsters Pasties livery one and the orange one that I remember seeing that advertised a certain line?

Yes - 153316 I think - "Dylan Thomas" by his daughter who I met in a bookshop , mentioned it to Chris Gibb (then MD) and as the anniversary of his birth was coming up , he made it happen. The special livery had some of the poets work , but Arriva removed the livery and eventually the plate.

 

[Strathclyder]

Furhter to the named ScotRail 150 further upthread (linked photo copyright of Flickr's Matt Taylor), just came across this which may be of interest to some. How common were the 150s at Dunblane by June 1999 incidentally, given that's what the blind says? lol

150285, Edinburgh Waverley, June 24th 1999

1239 Bathgate-Edinburgh Waverley.

www.flickr.com

 

[pdeaves]

Oh, I've just remembered three 143s were named after swans, in connection with the south Wales 'Swan line' service. Berwick's Swan, Mute Swan and another that I cannot recall now.

 

[61653 HTAFC]

Oh, I've just remembered three 143s were named after swans, in connection with the south Wales 'Swan line' service. Berwick's Swan, Mute Swan and another that I cannot recall now.

Whooper Swan?

 

[Mat17]

Likewise I don't think the green 101's "Daisy" moniker was official.

It was unofficial for many years (with 'Green Goddess' and 'Daisy' scrawled near the buzzer in the guard's van). However in the unit's last week (or two) of service it became official.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 30 Oct 2021 ==

One of the 142s was named 'Newton Heath' I believe.

 

[317666]

Apologies if already mentioned, but 3 x Class 379s are named:

-City of Cambridge
-The West Anglian
-Ely Cathedral

There's another two, 'Stansted Express' and 'Go Discover'.

 

[pdeaves]

Whooper Swan?

Yes, that's it, thanks.

 

[D6130]

I am sure in the early 1970s , DMUs in the Newcastle area carried names, apparently of some local significance. The same name could be seen on more that one unit, if I recall.

Yes, I remember them too. One was called "Cushy Butterfield" after the character in a comic Tyneside folk song. Another was called "Blaydon Races"....another musical connection. However I don't recall having ever seen a unit named "When the Boat Comes In" or "The Keel Row"! The names were carried in the form of bright yellow and orange cartoon-like stickers applied to the brakevan sides and below the centre windscreens of the driving cars.

 

[EbbwJunction1]

Also:
800022 Tulbahadur Pun
(I wouldn't call 'the mask' a name, more a description of a livery modification!)

Thanks; I didn't know about the last one; it was obviously named after Mr Pedia put together his list. As I'm not a reader of Marvel Comics, I'll be guided by you about the proper description of "The Mask"!

Yes - 153316 I think - "Dylan Thomas" by his daughter who I met in a bookshop , mentioned it to Chris Gibb (then MD) and as the anniversary of his birth was coming up , he made it happen. The special livery had some of the poets work , but Arriva removed the livery and eventually the plate.

I saw this on many occasions, and I don't remember it having a special livery or any extracts from his works, so if this did happen, it was very briefly. The name plate (just a vinyl, rather than an actual plate) lasted for quite a long time, as did Myfanwy (142073).

 

[ChiefPlanner]

Thanks; I didn't know about the last one; it was obviously named after Mr Pedia put together his list. As I'm not a reader of Marvel Comics, I'll be guided by you about the proper description of "The Mask"!

I saw this on many occasions, and I don't remember it having a special livery or any extracts from his works, so if this did happen, it was very briefly. The name plate (just a vinyl, rather than an actual plate) lasted for quite a long time, as did Myfanwy (142073).

The 5 or so 153's were in a pleasant orange and yellow vinyl livery and had the quotation from the poet "and floating fields from the farm in the cup of the dales" ,

They were "Arrivaised" and special livery removed , and after a few hints , the "plate" went back on , to give another Dylan quote , the livery "did not go gently into that good night"

 

[Flange Squeal]

I think these are all the names that vehicles in the South West Trains (and now South Western Railway) fleet have carried in their times in those respective fleets? All but one are multiple units. The 442s lost theirs upon leaving the fleet (the first time round!), the 455s lost their names at refurb, and 159s/Desiros have been losing theirs at/before repaint into SWR livery (except 444044 and 450067 named by SWR, and 450127 which retains its name commemorating a guard killed in a hit and run).

(73109 Battle of Britain 50th Anniversary)

159001 City of Exeter
159002 City of Salisbury
159003 Templecombe
159004 Basingstoke and Deane
159005 West of England Line
159006 The Seaton Tramway

421497 Freshwater
421498 Farringford

423417 Gordon Pettitt

442401 Beaulieu
442402 County of Hampshire
442403 The New Forest
442404 Borough of Woking
442405 City of Portsmouth
442406 Victory
442407 Thomas Hardy
442408 County of Dorset
442409 Bournemouth Orchestras
442410 Meridian Tonight
442411 The Railway Children
442412 Special Olympics
442415 Mary Rose
442416 Mum in a Million Doreen Scanlon
442417 Woking Homes
442418 Wessex Cancer Trust
442419 BBC South Today
442420 City of Southampton
442422 Operation Overlord
442423 County of Surrey
442424 Gerry Newson

444001 Naomi House
444012 Destination Weymouth
444018 The Fab 444
444038 South Western Railway
444044 The D-Day Story

450015 Desiro
450042 Treloar College
450067 carries the names Simon Butcher, Russell Maton and Conrad Myers
450114 Fairbridge investing in the future
450127 Dave Gunson

455711 Spirit of Rugby
455731 Variety Club
455735 The Royal Borough of Kingstown
455750 Wimbledon Train Care

960012 John Cameron

 

[EbbwJunction1]

The 5 or so 153's were in a pleasant orange and yellow vinyl livery and had the quotation from the poet "and floating fields from the farm in the cup of the dales" ,

They were "Arrivaised" and special livery removed , and after a few hints , the "plate" went back on , to give another Dylan quote , the livery "did not go gently into that good night"

Thank you; to stay with Dylan, I remember Llareggub about this!

 

[ChiefPlanner]

Thank you; to stay with Dylan, I remember Llareggub about this!

Very good - the Thomas family had strong links with the railway (Carmarthen and Swansea) , and I researched it for an article some years back !

 

[D6130]

I think I may have mentioned this on another thread but, following the transformer junction box oil bath explosions at Leeds affecting units 308 138 and 308 155 in the mid-1990s, a Skipton driver with a dry sense of humour decided to unofficially name all 21 of the Neville Hill-based units after famous explosions. The "nameplates" consisted of large white self-adhesive paper labels stuck inside each cab of the unit on the destination blind case below the unit number and maximum permitted speed. I don't currently have access to the (un)official list, but names used included "Krakatoa", "Vesuvius", "Etna", "Flixborough", "Three Mile Island", "Chernobyl" and "Hindenberg". Needless to say, management were not overly-amused by all this and attempts were made to remove the stickers when the units visited Neville Hill for maintenance, but they were replaced several times over the following year or two. Strangely enough, no written notices or warnings ever appeared concerning this practice and I think the small group of drivers involved must have just become bored with it after a while.

 

[ChiefPlanner]

In the middle of the bad graffiti attacks on the Met Line A stocks , a series of unofficial livery changes were carried out by the staff at Neasden depot to give red roofs on some of the overhauled units (representing the red tiled roofs of Metroland ?) and by giving names to some of the units ("Cyril" etc , after respected local staff) - great idea but not perpetuated.......

The longer term plan was to paint them in the red/white/blue livery , as well as a massive security and cleaning processes.

 

[Strathclyder]

I think I may have mentioned this on another thread but, following the transformer junction box oil bath explosions at Leeds affecting units 308 138 and 308 155 in the mid-1990s, a Skipton driver with a dry sense of humour decided to unofficially name all 21 of the Neville Hill-based units after famous explosions. The "nameplates" consisted of large white self-adhesive paper labels stuck inside each cab of the unit on the destination blind case below the unit number and maximum permitted speed. I don't currently have access to the (un)official list, but names used included "Krakatoa", "Vesuvius", "Etna", "Flixborough", "Three Mile Island", "Chernobyl" and "Hindenberg". Needless to say, management were not overly-amused by all this and attempts were made to remove the stickers when the units visited Neville Hill for maintenance, but they were replaced several times over the following year or two. Strangely enough, no written notices or warnings ever appeared concerning this practice and I think the small group of drivers involved must have just become bored with it after a while.

A dry, bordering on dark, sense of humor, I'd say!

The irony is though, Three Mile Island was a partial core meltdown as opposed to a explosion, at least two of which ripped Chernobyl #4 and it's reactor hall apart that fateful April morning in 1986. But I'm digressing just a wee bit here lol

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 1 Nov 2021 ==

At least 3 other ScotRail 156s were named besides 156433, all of which were named in the mid/late 90s:

• 156449 - Saint Columba
• 156465 - Bonnie Prince Charlie
• 156477 - Highland Festival

All 3 were denamed when put through Glasgow Works for refurb/repaint into ScotRail (National Express) spec throughout 2000 (449 was named for roughly 3 years if that). A EWS 47 (47767) was concurrently named Saint Columba and a GNER HST power car (43117 I believe) had the vinyl sticker name Bonnie Prince Charlie applied after the 156 was denamed. Perhaps @hexagon789 can confirm the latter if possible?