61027 Madoqua

[chaz harrison]

As I have just taken delivery of an O gauge model of this B1 I wonder if anyone has any information or pictures of it?
I chose this particular loco as it was the only one with an antelope name that I used to see regularly as a boy - it was shedded at Hitchin for a while.

Chaz

[52D]

Hi Chaz i will have to have a bit of a rant over the naming policy of the B1s a Madoqua is a genus not a specific species and roughly translated means little antelope, sometimes known as dik dik.
There are four or five separate species of Madoqua.
The LNER when naming the B1s did not consult a Zooligist as there are several examples of the same antelope with different names and other species totally missed out in the B1 class.
Thompson as i have said before on these forums should have sent the tea boy or equivilant round to Regents Park where im sure they could have supplied any amount of Antelope names for consideration.

Anyway rant over and i think the name sounds fine even though my choice for the same reason as you would be 61014 Oribi. It seems to have spent its life at New England and Hitchin.
P.S. Post a pic.

[chaz harrison]

Yes indeed 52D, I was aware that the names of the antelope B1s were dodgy. But then the A4 bird names were similarly so, why "Peregrine" as well as "Falcon"? And there is no species "Seagull", it's a vague cover-all for numerous species, one of which is the herring gull. And "Wild Swan" - which of three possible species did Doncaster have in mind? On the other hand it was a fine name for a locomotive. I doubt if some of the more obscure birds had much meaning for the average traveller. How many of you have actually seen a bittern? I'm a bird-watcher as well as a railway modeller and enthusiast and have only had brief glimpses of this elusive bird.
I will take a snap of the model and post it some time in the next day or two. WTS.

Chaz

[manna]

G'Day Gents
I suppose it all comes down to, who's the 'dik dik' that named these loco's. Jokes aside it would be very difficult to name every member of a class of over 400 locomotives, and not have a few stuff ups.
I'm not much of a bird-watcher, although I can tell the differance between a Sparrow and a Wedge tailed eagle, but are'nt ' Merlins'-----'Falcons' or are we now onto King Arthur and Merry men,
manna

Medications not working is it

[52D]

Chaz & Manna yes Gresley and Thompson should have consulted specialists over the naming policy of the wildlife although the Heralds should have been consulted on at least two occasions over Knight of Thistle and MacCaillin Mor as i seem to recall certain problems with both those names.
As for 60019 i have seen the loco both in BR service and preservation but like you as a keen ornitholigist i have only heard not seen a real live one. At least i heard it on LNER turf at Potteric Carr nature reserve near Doncaster.
At least the only problem with racehorse names would be if we reused certain ones they would be deemed politically incorrect these days, for example St Simon might offend a none christian and as for Gay Crusader the same sex enthusiasts may take him as a champion while others would frown upon the choice of name.
Overall i like what names the LNER used and was especially thrilled when the Essex Regiment was named from something else and the original name was never reused as my loyalty lies with 61654.

How many LNER names are perpetuated these days i can think of Sheffield Wednesday and Sunderland off the top of my head but there surely have to be others.

[chaz harrison]

.....but are'nt ' Merlins'-----'Falcons'

Yes indeed Manna. The smallest British falcon with the peregrine the largest. And, of course, with loco names in mind I should also mention the kestrel.

On your point about 60108, 52D, it was always a favourite of mine and if I had an A3 on my layout (Unfortunately a Pacific would be out of place) I might well choose it for name and number. The adjective may have been highjacked and now used as a term of abuse in the playgrounds but I think we could stick out for its earlier meaning.
I remember a time when you could announce "I feel gay" without provoking derision.

Chaz

[giner]

Falcon, Peregrine, Merlin, Kestrel, etc. So where, ornithologically, does a Sparrow Hawk fit into all of this?

[chaz harrison]

Falcon, Peregrine, Merlin, Kestrel, etc. So where, ornithologically, does a Sparrow Hawk fit into all of this?

You will not be surprised to hear that a sparrowhawk (all one word) is a hawk! The hawks (or accipters) are a separate group with just two British members, sparrowhawk and goshawk. Then we have harriers, kites, buzzards, eagles and the osprey, which together with the falcons and hawks make up the birds of prey. You might expect the owls to be in there as well but no.

As an aside a hobby is a falcon that visits us in summer, its latin name is falco subbuteo....

Chaz

[manna]

G'Day Gents
And whats a Gadwell or a Pochard?????
Well the LNER might have come out with some weird and wonderful names, but it's soooooooo much better than 3,000 'Castles' and 2,000 'Halls,Names like, 'Ormonde'--'Firdaussi'--'Papyrus' even 'Manna' roll off the tongue, and inspire, what can you say to names like 'Rusty Castle' or 'Long Hall'. Long live the LNER's incongruous racehorse names, inspired by genius
manna

[chaz harrison]

All this talk of loco names. What a strange thing to put a name on a machine. I know the Germans had an "Adler" (eagle) but I don't think they went in for names on any scale, certainly not in modern times. What about other european countries?
I suppose the habit descends from ships, they have universally carried names.
Not that I am decrying the practice but when I see a some of the names inflicted upon modern traction ("Brighton Evening Argus"?) I do wonder.....

Chaz

[Flamingo]

Possibly some of the names bestowed in recent years are the result of sponsorship deals struck by the organisations who the names belong to. Many of these names are only carried by modern traction units for a short time it seems. These days, if you can afford it, you can have your brand name put on almost anything - football teams shirts and even the leagues their clubs play in, for example.

[manna]

G'Day Gents

Yeah! they've had some pretty naff ones over the years, 'Pebble Mill at One' HA.
manna

[chaz harrison]

G'Day Gents
And whats a Gadwell or a Pochard?????manna

Ducks, sir, as is a garganey. Oh and, by the way, its gadwall.

Chaz

[chaz harrison]

...and I did promise a snap or two....

I will (lightly) weather the model, particularly the motion, but not for a week or two.

That porter is obviously stunned at such a clean B1.

Chaz

[chaz harrison]

....and I'm still hoping for any pictures of 61027 or information about it. Come on chaps!

Chaz