The LNER Encyclopedia

I don't recall these being called 'Streaks' when living in the Hatfield area 1950s/1960s. Was it a term used elsewhere or one dreamed up by the rather childish editorial staff of a certain enthusiast publication?

During occasional forays to my local bridges in the Hadley Wood-Greenwood-New Barnet-Oakleigh Park area for 'spotting' purposes in the early 1960s days of steam's last fling, if more extrovert others of similar mind were present, I can certainly recall, in some instances, the shout "Streak!" going up from whichever one of them was first to spot one approaching in the distance.

A regular shout at Grantham in the early 60s

Ditto among us Stevenage lads, as well. Hmmm . . . Always wondered about Hatfield.

"Streak" was definately the term used at Knebworth as they powered their way through the station and cutting, a fantastic sight ... Still is on specials!
Steve

Good morning all

Here in the deepest south, we knew the A4 as "Streaks" in the 50's. You had bragging rights at school, if you visited Kings Cross and saw A4's.

Earlswood nob

Ditto for the rabble which used to congregate at the end of Kings + 1950 - 54!

Yes always known as streaks to us lot on Dicky Bridge in York, DMU's were known as bog cars cos they were considered sh*t.

Certainly at Doncaster & York A4s were known as "Streaks" & like StevieG I well remember the shout going up whenever one appeared. No other loco was treated that way.

Ditto Grantham early 1950 s.

Authentic in the Hatfield area too. One of the station staff at WGC in the 1960s filled me in on the loco nicknames, including some I was too young to have seen in action. Ally Sloper, Arrer, Bed Iron, Big Met, Bongo, Buckjumper, Clauds, Footballers, Jazzer, Klondyke, Knick Knack, Long Tom, Met Tank, Pom Pom, Racehorse, Ragtimer, Rods, Sandies STREAK! Swedey Met, Tango.

'Streak' was the one that was shouted loudly among those of relatively few years at the appropriate lineside moment.

Incidentally, it was on seeing the second Knick Knack of the day, that my father used this to demonstrate the magic of 'the number', which enabled him to tell me that this was a different loco from the first one. I was four at the time, and later that day would hurl myself down a flight of stone steps and mightily gash my head, thus making it a memorable day in family legend...

Eightpot wrote:I don't recall these being called 'Streaks' when living in the Hatfield area 1950s/1960s. Was it a term used elsewhere or one dreamed up by the rather childish editorial staff of a certain enthusiast publication?

I can't imagine what you mean by "childish editorial staff of a certain enthusiast publication" but I think you have picked the wrong loco for a moan about silly nicknames.

I think that came in with the diesel fraternity, and became almost undecipherable to me from about 30 years ago.

Apparently someone was bowled by a duff on the motley which was then caped, so it was a spoon to the rhubarb.

Where did "BONGO" come from, never heard that in Shefiield area, always a Spingbok or B1.
And there were plenty of them around as I think Darnall had a very good allocation

In Newsletter 179 of the LNER Study Group (as it then was), the late Malcolm Crawley remarked 'I never heard the B1 described as a 'Bongo' in my entire railway career: Was it a GE term?'

The short answer from subsequent correspondence was 'yes', and also, it would seem, at the southern end of the GN.

In this neck of the woods 'Bongo' was, and still is, much more commonly used than 'Springbok', on both sides of the fence.

Now, I used to work as a translator, but other than observing that the last line of Strang Steel's post is something about 47s, I have absolutely no idea what it means in English.

D

On Tyneside they were known as "Streaks" or after the war as "Blueies" but the later was before they started painting them funny colours!

ArthurK