Why do railway engines have names?
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- Опубліковано 17 жов 2024
- we all do it, we all die inanimate objects names. favourite teddies, cars, even my computer has a name! but why do we do it? and how did some railway engines get some wonderful and some more unusual names?
The question really ought to be when and why locomotives acquired numbers - the pioneer engines in most countries had names only, mostly derived from the horses and stagecoaches they replaced.
The GWR originally did not have numbers, merely the names. I like the almost unthinking selection such as Terrible (after a naval ship?) and the GW's absorbed loco, Slaughter (named after the builders). As to the LNER I do think the powerful A3 Pretty Polly was such a cute name. The LNWR had a Psyche but engine crew had difficulty with this and it was known variously as 'Fish' or 'Pish'. It was supposed that the GW's Flower class bore names taken from Churchward's own garden (such as Stephanotis).
In summary, loco names have an eclectic - and sometimes eccentric - but always an interesting mix of sources. Apparently all the B17 Football team names were offered to the relevant clubs when they were scrapped.
Yes, more please!
Many thanks for another interesting video
I loved video this Dawn and please do some more. The video is well presented and shows the time and effort you've put into it. Thank you
Named locomotives in North America are not rare but not common either. Normally passenger cars, like sleepers and diners, or business cars carry names. Back in the 1800's several railroads did have locos named after company officials' or places the railroad passed through. The Baltimore & Ohio Railroad had a class of steam locomotives named after American presidents. The Frisco Railroad named their passenger diesels after race horses. In Canada the shortline railway, Cape Breton & Central Nova Scotia back in the 90's early 2000's had diesel locos named after a few writers, poets, and Canadian prime ministers. A few Writers names were Robert Burns, Robert Louis Stevenson, John Gault, Sir Richard Maitland and Prime Ministers like Sir John A Macdonald, Sir Charles Tupper and Sir Robert Laird Borden. Sadly CB&CNS no longer name their locomotives.
interesting video as always! =D