I am not sure if anyone remembers that old "Loco Toledo" mascot that Southern had from the early 2010s to mid 2010s to advertise their trains. It was basically their own equivalent of the LNER "Eleanor" muppet mascot. He was a Mexican wrestler. I always found it rather odd as i have no idea what a Mexican wrestler has to do with British trains or how they came up with this idea.
He was all over their website and stations posters from the early 2010s to mid 2010s and they even had some radio adverts with him. He was also on the posters above the doors in the carriages of all 377s and it took them until 2019 to fully get rid of him there. But the main point when they stopped using him as their mascot was when the DOO dispute began. I guess they thought it was probably not a good idea to have a mascot when they were so unpopular.
I was wondering does anyone have a copy of the old Loco Toledo theme song that Southern used to have on their website? I do not suppose anyone saved any copy or can find one archived anywhere?
It was a hilarious cringe bad song that it was so funny and i wish i had saved a copy. I think it was an mp3 file (or some other type of audio file) on that main Loco Toledo page on the Southern website and was probably around 2010 or 2011 or 2012 i think.
Some of the lyrics of that song that i can remember where these:
"oh i love the train, and wrestling"
"next i go to London for Mexican place to eat, go shopping for cookery books to put upon my feet"
"next i go to Milton Keynes, they have an indoor slope, but i not very good at skiing, for me there is no hope"
"next i go to Guildford, they posher than a king, they have a big cathedral with bells they like to ring"
It was sung in a Mexican accent with Mexican style music and bad grammar.
I always found it funny that Guildford featured in the song despite having only four Southern trains a day in each direction.
I would love to hear this again if anyone is able to find that recording anywhere.
I would also be curious if anyone can find any more of the radio adverts or tv adverts that were used? I think there was at least fifteen versions used over the years?
I find this website here which has four of the old tv advert videos available:
kentaylor.squarespace.com
There is also this video on youtube here of another of his tv adverts:
View attachment Southern Advert Loco Toledo.mp4
Also a few of the posters that were put up around the stations and billboards:
I remember that a lot of towns in Sussex and around the Southern network used to have these billboards alongside the road.
It was such an odd mascot choice and i would be very curious if anyone knows more of the story behind why a Mexican wrestler was chosen to promote British trains.
He was all over their website and stations posters from the early 2010s to mid 2010s and they even had some radio adverts with him. He was also on the posters above the doors in the carriages of all 377s and it took them until 2019 to fully get rid of him there. But the main point when they stopped using him as their mascot was when the DOO dispute began. I guess they thought it was probably not a good idea to have a mascot when they were so unpopular.
I was wondering does anyone have a copy of the old Loco Toledo theme song that Southern used to have on their website? I do not suppose anyone saved any copy or can find one archived anywhere?
It was a hilarious cringe bad song that it was so funny and i wish i had saved a copy. I think it was an mp3 file (or some other type of audio file) on that main Loco Toledo page on the Southern website and was probably around 2010 or 2011 or 2012 i think.
Some of the lyrics of that song that i can remember where these:
"oh i love the train, and wrestling"
"next i go to London for Mexican place to eat, go shopping for cookery books to put upon my feet"
"next i go to Milton Keynes, they have an indoor slope, but i not very good at skiing, for me there is no hope"
"next i go to Guildford, they posher than a king, they have a big cathedral with bells they like to ring"
It was sung in a Mexican accent with Mexican style music and bad grammar.
I always found it funny that Guildford featured in the song despite having only four Southern trains a day in each direction.
I would love to hear this again if anyone is able to find that recording anywhere.
I would also be curious if anyone can find any more of the radio adverts or tv adverts that were used? I think there was at least fifteen versions used over the years?
I find this website here which has four of the old tv advert videos available:
SOUTHERN RAILWAYS - Award winning campaign that's just Loco! — KEN TAYLOR
kentaylor.squarespace.com
There is also this video on youtube here of another of his tv adverts:
View attachment Southern Advert Loco Toledo.mp4
Also a few of the posters that were put up around the stations and billboards:
I remember that a lot of towns in Sussex and around the Southern network used to have these billboards alongside the road.
It was such an odd mascot choice and i would be very curious if anyone knows more of the story behind why a Mexican wrestler was chosen to promote British trains.