Stanier Black Five

[Bullfield WEst]

Something that bugging me and a couple of mates is.. How and Why were Black Fives given the name of "Mickey's"? Well, at least in Lancashire they were.

Ken Ward.

 

[Phil6219]

Not sure as never heard that one myself but perhaps "Mickey Bliss"?

As a derogatory term along the lines of "Duff" after all a Class 47 is the diesel equivalent of a Black 5.

Phil

 

[spongsdad]

Something that bugging me and a couple of mates is.. How and Why were Black Fives given the name of "Mickey's"? Well, at least in Lancashire they were.

Ken Ward.

I can certainly confirm that that's how they were known to me and to other young spotters in 1950s Lancashire. I always thought it was because they were mixed traffic engines but I've no idea why it should apply to the Black Fives and not to other mixed traffic locos. Incidentally, in my part of the world, East Lancashire, the Horwich Crabs were invariably known as "Moggies".

 

[Monty]

I've never heard the Black 5s be referred to that before, though somewhat ironically the Ivatt Class 2 2-6-0s where known as a 'Mickey Mouse'.

 

[341o2]

I thought the Ivatt 2-6-2T 41xxx series which were sent to the former SR lines west of Salisbury in the closing years of BR steam and were so popular with enginemen there were nicknamed "Mickey Mouses" (or should that be mice?)

 

[46223]

Born, bread and buttered in Lancashire and Black 5s were always known as 'Mickeys'.
Never found out why.

 

[Bevan Price]

Born, bread and buttered in Lancashire and Black 5s were always known as 'Mickeys'.
Never found out why.

Agree with both points.

And any old freight loco with a tallish chimey was called a "coffee pot".

 

[60163]

Sorry for huge.

Maybe because there's a lot of the colour black on him? First thing that came to mind, if tenuous.