Last Updated on April 23, 2026
The tradition of bestowing a name to a railway locomotive has, over the years, brought pleasure and interest to the railway enthusiast and travel-ling public alike. A name seems to give any machine a character and identity of its own and this is regarded by many as being particularly true of a railway locomotive.
Many people agree that it is much more grand to be hauled by a locomotive which bears a name rather than to be drawn by a machine with a comparatively anonymous identity. “Thor or Thruster’ are so much more interesting and evocative than 47.091 or D853!
On a rail journey from Yorkshire to East Anglia as a small boy the author can well remember changing trains at Doncaster station and being impressed as Class A1 Pacific No 60136 Alcazar swept by hauling an express from King’s Cross to the North. This very incident was probably the catalyst which started a lifetime of interest in railways and made that rail journey the precursor of many other such travels as a fare paying passen-ger. What a Pacific did for the author can easily
done
for
today’s
youth
by a Class 50
hammering past at speed.
The aim of this book is to focus on the named locomotives which have run on BR during the modern traction period and to examine them in words and pictures. Where possible the reasons behind certain namings have been discussed as have the changing BR attitudes towards naming of locomotives. Each chapter opens with a written description or history of a locomotive class or a group of locomotive classes. This is followed by a pictorial section which attempts to amplify and underline points made in the text. Finally a list of the names given to the class is provided together with their naming date where possible.
Over 500 non-steam locomotives have now carried an official name and these make a diverse and interesting
list. It was thought useful,
therefore, to compile a glossary which tried to convey the meanings or origins of some of these names. At times this section proved to be a challenging and difficult research project.
Although this book is not a volume concerned specifically with nameplates, a few interesting examples have been included in the glossary. The idea is to emphasise the different styles of lettering and to underline the types of moulding which make up the plates.
The compilation of this book has been a demanding task and I have relied on many friends and fellow photographers for provision of information and pictures. Thanks are due to all of them but a special mention must go my friend Colin Marsden for his invaluable assistance with picture research and to John Day of Ipswich Transport Society for much valuable information which was freely given. The latter gentleman also suffered the daunting task of accompanying the author on many photographic treks to secure illustrations of named locomotives in action. Despite their large numbers, named locomotives can still be surprisingly elusive.
I hope that readers enjoy browsing through this volume as much as I have enjoyed preparing it.
Michael J. Collins
Colchester
October 1983
This book was previously for sale at Margot’s Books. The shop is now closed — this post is kept as an archive record only.
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