The LNER Encyclopedia

Of course the project is only in the early investigative stages and we don't have any role in naming it, but we can still bounce around some naming ideas!

The original P2s had a range of interesting and colourful names chosen from the area around Edinburgh-Aberdeen route - ranging from a large cannon to a medieval baron of villainous repute.

I'll kick things off with William McGonagall and The North British Railway.

Looking on a map, it looks the line isn't that far from Glamis. So this gives us more options:

Thane of Glamis - Macbeth's title at the start of The Scottish Play
Elizabeth of Glamis - One of the names given to the Queen Mother (eg. the second movement of Eric Coates' Three Elizabeths suite)
Monster of Glamis - possibly fictional story about a 19th century member of the Bowes-Lyon family. (I'm thinking along the lines of Wolf of Badenoch except he was a villain rather than a hunchback)


Richard

I've a few ideas...

Bird Names:

Eastern Eagle*
Great Snipe
Snowfinch
Buzzard


Other Animals & Racehorses:

Pegasus
Desert Orchid*
Red Rum
Silver Patriach
Further Flight
Midnight Line
Bayardo



Notable Persons:

Harold Holcroft*


Other Names

British Enterprise

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*The three I like the most.

Who decided what the original names should be ? was it S.N.G. himself or a panel of L.N.E.R. directors ?,was a poll ever taken ?, was permission sought to use the titles ?. Should they decide to use a Royal name would Royal consent be needed.



Border Reiver
MacDonell of Glengarry
Knights Templar
Sir William Wallace
The Earl of Murray
Lady of Lochleven
The Earl of March

Redtoon beat me too it with Border Reiver, which I would vote for.

Some other suggestions -

Thomas the Rhymer (with the Reivers, more associated with the Waverley route)

What about the patron saint of Scotland - Saint Andrew?

Would there be some commercial mileage in a golf course? Saint Andrew's, for instance. (I don't really like the idea, but it may generate some interest amongst the sporting & wealthy fraternities).

Lady of Lochleven

I really like that suggestion Redtoon, what's the story behind that name?

British Enterprise for me too +++ Pegasus ++++ Phoenix

Lady of Lochleven was I believe Mary Queen of Scots.


British Enterprise - sounds like a B.P. oil tanker from the 60s as they were all named British something or other.

Saints, Earls and Castles may be more politically acceptable in the South west of the Country likewise Duchesses on the west coast let us be a little more original with our choice of name. I like some of the suggestions so far among them Lord Advocate and Thomas the Rhymer. I have a personal dislike of reusing names carried before although BR did reuse some NBR names.
I know the nameplates were cast for British Enterprise but for the same reasons stated above i have a dislike of this name.
I think it should be chosen with care and have a recognisable Scottish theme a name i would like to put into the mix is The Cheviot, the largest of the hill range of the same name which straddles the England Scotland border. I know it is really a name which should have gone on a peak diesel but it got missed.
We all have our personal likes and dislikes but this is quite an interesting thread i hope we get plenty of postings.

"British Enterprise" is associated with another locomotive and I think should be skipped. Similarly birds are usually A4 names - although a particularly Scottish bird would be a good choice.

I like the idea of honouring Harold Holcroft although I am not aware of any Scottish connections, and the Swindon crowd would gloat for at least a few decades! Perhaps someone should start a new-build K3 project - this would be a very appropriate class to carry the name.

I suspect (as with Tornado), the name would be chosen by a sponsor, I just hope that sponsor is a prominent one along the Edinburgh-Aberdeen route so we get something appropriate!


Richard

May we expect. "The Famous Grouse" or " Irn Bru" or even "Tartan Bitter"

Sorry Gents, just a bit of fun but wasnt a Southern preserved loco named after the brewery that restored its ale, Greene King ?.

redtoon1892 wrote:May we expect. "The Famous Grouse" or " Irn Bru" or even "Tartan Bitter"

Sorry Gents, just a bit of fun but wasnt a Southern preserved loco named after the brewery that restored its ale, Greene King ?.

Double Diamond

Scottish region 1948-1994. Bring back BR. Micky

richard wrote:"British Enterprise" is associated with another locomotive and I think should be skipped. Similarly birds are usually A4 names - although a particularly Scottish bird would be a good choice.

True enough on British Enterprise, but bird names were used on the Peppercorn A1s as well.

I like the idea of honouring Harold Holcroft although I am not aware of any Scottish connections, and the Swindon crowd would gloat for at least a few decades!

Sorry, didn't think about that! A good point, though my reason for choosing it was it was he along with Gresley who developed the conjugated valve gear.

Perhaps someone should start a new-build K3 project - this would be a very appropriate class to carry the name.

I'd love a new build K3...but saying that, a new build V1/3 would be a better choice for preserved railways (for that matter, a V4 is probably the best choice period for power/weight/RA etc).

I suspect (as with Tornado), the name would be chosen by a sponsor, I just hope that sponsor is a prominent one along the Edinburgh-Aberdeen route so we get something appropriate!

Richard

Not sure about that - none of the rumblings from the A1 Trust I've heard have had any leaning towards that. Mind, Tornado's name was picked, yes, by a sponsor, but there was already in place a desire to name it after a portion of the Armed Forces which were taking part in the first Gulf War. Tornado was more a development of that original idea, with a great tribute to RAF Cottesmore and Leeming in the shape of the nameplates.

It's been said that the name isn't suitable for a Peppercorn A1 as it's not historically a name that would have been used - I'm not sure such a name has ever been more apt for a specific steam locomotive. Tornado sums up 60163 like no other name ever could. Its reliability and sheer speed and power - probably best shown in the Top Gear episode - might not have had the same emphasis if the name had not been Tornado.

Strange how it works, but the name fits it like a glove.

The P2 will definitely need a name that fits it in the same way as Tornado. Just what is another thing...I keep thinking about Desert Orchid as a name, would sound better for a new-build A2/3 (anyone want to join me in building a new one? ).

Whatever the name does end up being, you can be sure it'll have a little time as 2001 Cock O' The North, surely...

The K3 was more for the name "Holcroft". It might not be the best practical choice as a new build, but it was the first to use the Gresley/Holcroft conjugated valve gear.

Richard

Just like Deltic keep it simple,,,,,, "Pee Two" !!!

Mr B.