Something maritime going on!

[rail-britain]

I'm looking into the history of departmental wagons
Does anyone know why such wagons are named after animals or fish from the sea?

 

[60081 50B]

I've not yet been able to trace why engineers wagons are named after fish

but I did find a list of wagon names on the link below

http://www.btinternet.com/~second_engineering/fishkinds_and_tops.htm

There is however a discussion on the following web page

http://www.theanswerbank.co.uk/Phrases-and-Sayings/Word-Origins/Question477490.htm

 

[Juniper Driver]

Wasn't it so generally shunters and drivers knew what wagons they were talking about and this was a simple way round it.I may be talking bull of course.

Used to find it easier when I was at Stratford.