Nicknames of Multiple Unit Trains

[Welly]

Several have mention nicknames for the Class 153s here, I know of at least at least 10 nicknames for the 153s which is remarkable for a boring train!

Dogbox
Doodlebug
Scud
Chicken coop
Tin or Plastic Rocket
Flying Brick
Skateboard
Taxi
Bus
Super Bubble

Also my mate and I called the Class 319 EMUs "Maggots" since their front ends resemble something that comes out of rotten fruits.

 

[Dave1954]

Ive nicknamed the class 170 dmus as Catapillars especially the green livery of London Midland regards Dave1954.

 

[61653 HTAFC]

The OP mentions Sir Bradley Wiggins as an influence on a nickname... That should really go to 221s, as they lean into corners and were born in Belgium!

 

[Ash Bridge]

The OP mentions Sir Bradley Wiggins as an influence on a nickname... That should really go to 221s, as they lean into corners and were born in Belgium!

Like that

 

[tsr]

321s are Dusty's/Dusty Bins after the quality 1980s gameshow 3-2-1

Also the nickname occasionally given to bell code 3-2-1 ("Testing doors"), though that is a little off-topic!

 

[matchmaker]

Single car first generation DMUs are known as bubble cars, principally classes 121 and 122.

Classes that have official names like 'Sprinter' and 'Turbo' tend to just have those names used. There often seems to be disagreement among enthusiasts as to whether 158s and 159s qualify as Sprinters or not. Those two classes get called coffins sometimes for the shape of the end gangway.

The official names for the 156 and 158 were I'm sure "Super Sprinter" and "Express Sprinter".

I've heard that 170's are nicknamed either Dorniers or Heinkels (not sure which!) due to them sounding like a WW2 German bomber.

The AM3/1 EMUs (that's a 303 for the youngsters!) were called "Blue Trains" on their introduction due to their Caledonian Blue livery, and that name stuck for many years, even after they ended up in Rail Blue or even worse SPT Orange.

 

[SpacePhoenix]

465s & 466s - Networkers

 

[Techniquest]

170s have, for a long time, been nicknamed Flymos. 153s, well my favourites are Dog Box and Brick

323s originally got nicknamed upon introduction to the Midlands Starships, but it didn't stick. I try to keep the nickname alive, but you never hear of anyone using it really.

Only one I've ever heard for 333s is CAFs. Wonder if anyone's ever come up with one for one of the forgotten workhorse fleets, the 357s.

As for 150/156/158/159s, I believe it went Sprinter/Super Sprinter/Super Sprinter Express officially.

I do like some of the nicknames I've read on this thread!
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
Almost forgot the one for 220s and 221s! They were, by me at least, nicknamed VVVs. Virgin Vibrating Voyagers

 

[FQ]

Almost forgot the one for 220s and 221s! They were, by me at least, nicknamed VVVs. Virgin Vibrating Voyagers

For me they are UHTs. Unspeakably Horrible Things

 

[Techniquest]

Next time I see UHT milk I'm going to be picturing Voyagers now

 

[atomicdanny]

465s & 466s - Networkers

That also includes the 165, 166 and 365 too

165 and 166 - Networker Turbo
365 Networker Express

(although i've heard notworker before!)

 

[HarleyDavidson]

456 - Snot machines, they green bogied and not nice.

I want to see 456014 which is the first refurbished one.

 

[Galvanize]

Some of my nicknames for units.
456s: I used to refer to them as "Mickey Mouse trains" when I was little, on account of the fact they used to run as 2 car units, particularly on London Bridge-Victoria "South London line" services.

320s: Class 321 GTi is a nickname I've used once or twice.
377/6: Nightstars-Paying homeage to Class 37/6s originally earmarked for EPS sleeper services.
377/7: Heavyweights: Paying homeage to Class 37/7s which had ballast weight fitted to make them heavier.

Collectively I refer to the 377/6s and /7s as "ClunkEx's", as the familliar Bells used in the Driver-Guard communication has been replaced by a generic "Clunk" noise.

 

[Welshman]

Cl. 175[0] and 175[1] are sometimes known as "Hippos" [presumably because of their front appearance].

 

[sprinterguy]

...Super Sprinter Express officially.

The 158s never had "Super" attached to the front of their name. They were titled only "Sprinter Express" (or Express Sprinter, dependent on precisely when in their early development and introduction you're considering).

 

[sonic2009]

Class 153: Burger Van ive heard before
Pacers: Bouncy Bus on Wheels

 

[Techniquest]

The 158s never had "Super" attached to the front of their name. They were titled only "Sprinter Express" (or Express Sprinter, dependent on precisely when in their early development and introduction you're considering).

Could have sworn they were Super Sprinter Express, but I could also be getting my DMU history mixed up. I could, of course, have also been fed duff gen over the years too!

Cheers for the clarification though

 

[D6975]

304s used to be called Dongs, because of the dongdongdong noise they often made when stationary.

 

[59CosG95]

The 158s never had "Super" attached to the front of their name. They were titled only "Sprinter Express" (or Express Sprinter, dependent on precisely when in their early development and introduction you're considering).

And the 159s are South Western Turbos...

 

[61653 HTAFC]

An old friend of mine from Glossop used to refer to the 303 units as "MCs" or "Grooveboxes", in honour of the Roland MC-303 synthesiser.

 

[Ash Bridge]

In the latter days of the 1st generation dmu's there was a hybrid 2 car unit formed of a Gloucester Class 100 car plus a Cravens Class 105 which earned the nickname of The Mobile Museum. I think the NRM had intentions of preserving it, but for some reason this never happened.

 

[NorthernSpirit]

I've known some of the Pacer class and some of the Sprinter Express class (158's) been given names.

153's are often refered to as Skateboards, 142's have been refered to as Boxers before now (after one struck a tree on the Sheffield to Lincoln Line aka Route SY4 a couple of years back which only the coupler been damaged).

The 144's have been given various names, 144001 and 144002 have been refered to as P'el P (for the Penistone Line Partership) and South Penniner. 144009 did have a name that escapes me as it one hit a gate on the same line as the tree damaged class 142 unit. 144023 has been refered to as 'The Last One' as in the last Pacer built, maybe Suvivor may be a better name as its centre coach suvived smoke damage.

The 158's, the Metro funded ones anyway, have been given names linked to Trainbaby, a 00 guage replica of 158905.
http://http://www.trainbaby.co.uk/

 

[D6975]

We always use to call 110s Calder Valley Sets.
124s were just TPs
114s were Lincoln Sets (all allocated there at the time)

 

[theshillito]

I know the 0717 (M-F) Manchester Piccadilly-Chester is known locally as the “Sardine Express” due to it being a crush loaded 142 usually, and I hear people referring to 142s as "railbuses" all the time, which isn't strictly wrong since they were based off the BR railbus experiments.

 

[gage75]

Thanks for all the responses, some of which were a cause of great mirth

 

[O L Leigh]

360s gained the nickname Doodlebugs on account of them often going bang in and around London when introduced.

I thought it was because that they had a nasty habit of stopping before London.

Built in Germany and sent to London in large numbers, although very often the engines would cut out just before their destination. I've also heard them called U-Boats before now due to the German connection and the fact that they would sometimes sink in service.

The most common name I heard for Cl153s was "Scud" due to their cobbled-together nature and similarity in appearance to the mobile launch vehicle (they first appeared around the time of the first Gulf War when the Iraqis were using modified Soviet Scud missiles). However, this name doesn't appear to be valid in the Midlands because the nickname was applied instead to the two Cl150 prototypes. These were known as Scud 1 and Scud 2.

I always thought a better nickname for the Cl153 was "Roller Skate", because you really need a pair of them if you want to get anywhere. But on that point I've started referring to pairs of Cl153s as "Class 155", but only if correctly formed of course.

O L Leigh

 

[hurricanemk1c]

I always knew Voyagers as Vomiters, especially just after introduction and replacing HST/Mark 2 rakes

 

[Peter Mugridge]

Not a unit, but when the mico buffet carriages ( 12xx series ) were first introduced, they quickly became known as "microbes"...

 

[61653 HTAFC]

During a short 155 hop earlier, the big 'Leyland' logos in the vestibules reminded me of their origins... "Posh Pacers" seems an appropriate nickname for them!

 

[stut]

I've heard 153 referred to as 'coffin nails', on the basis that, if they start appearing at your local station, it could be in trouble...