The LNER Encyclopedia

Why is the O2/3 referred to as a Tango? I know the O4 is referred to as Robinson after the CME who designed it but from what I can see the O2 was designed by Gresley before grouping.
Cheers

I hadn't heard of the O4 being called a 'Robinson'. 'Mexborough Pacific' was the only nickname I'd heard of for them.

I believe 'Tango' came from the motion of the cab when travelling. K2s or K3s were called 'Jazzers' for a similar reason, IIRC?

It was the K3's that were referred to as "Jazzers"

You're right. K2s were 'Ragtimers'?

Thanks for the help. I didn’t realise that about the K3.
My first OO scale loco I bought was Bachmann’s O4 Robinson. Beautiful loco and still runs really well.

J

post removed, not relevant enough.

J

I don't think the O4s were ever referred to as "Robinsons". That's just Bachmann's box labelling. Robinson's team designed them, but they designed a lot of other locos too.
On the GCR where they originated they were known ironically as "Tinies", and the great subsequent surplus of those built for the Railway Operating Division of the War Ministry during the Great War were widely known as "RODs".

The GNR, and subsequently the GN section, was quite richly endowed with clearly unofficial names for loco classes. The Ivatt 0-8-0 rejoiced in 'Long Tom' while the small atlantics were 'Klondykes' for the gold rush at the time of their introduction. The 0-6-0ST were for some reason 'Humpies' while the 0-6-2T was more logically a Met tank, and the Ivatt/Gresley 0-6-0 LNER J6 was a Knick-Knack, and once heard coasting you knew why. Gresley's 0-6-0T was a 'Submarine' and his enlargement of the 0-6-2T logically enough a 'Big Met': and thus the soubriquet of 'Swedey Met' was evolved after the grouping for the N7s allocated to Hatfield. Given the parochiality of the railway system, it should be added that these were what I knew from the KX inner suburban area at the end of steam, and may not be universally applicable.

Or Klondike

G'day Gents

Tango, Ragtimer, Jazzers, all named after popular dances of the time.

manna

An Immingham driver I knew very well and spent most of his time on steam would always refer to a either an 'O4' or 'O2' as a 'straight 8'. The trouble is I cannot remember which one it was! When he talked about a passenger turn he never used the term 'carriage or coach', it was always 'cars'.

harry lamb wrote: ↑Sat Apr 04, 2020 12:55 pm An Immingham driver I knew very well and spent most of his time on steam would always refer to a either an 'O4' or 'O2' as a 'straight 8'. The trouble is I cannot remember which one it was! When he talked about a passenger turn he never used the term 'carriage or coach', it was always 'cars'.

Good illustration of variations in local use, before the age of ubiquitous comunication and travel.

Let's make a guess that the O4 might be the 'straight 8': the plane of the footplate the full length of the loco frame a very distinctive feature. (Whereas the O2 was very curvy in Doncaster style in this department.) 50% chance of landing on the correct choice...

My wife's uncle spent a short time at Immingham, cleaning / firing after WW2, before joining one of the household cavalry regiments. I remember him referring to "straight eights".