Background

Nicknames of locomotives and rolling stock

Ashover

Ozzy (origin unknown)

Blanche

Ricket (Ricket comes from Rocket, because it derailed on the same day as the Rocket replica in the 70's, and the national press misreported that as Ricket)

Britomart

Baby Blue (it's small, and blue)

Conway Castle

Conk Out (In its earlier days, it used to quite a lot!)

Criccieth Castle

Cricc

David Lloyd George

No. 12 (Works number)

The Dave

The Soup Dragon (The original, unfinished, livery had the same colour as soup available in Boston Lodge den)

Earl of Meirioneth

The Square (the loco has a distinctly un-rounded shape)

The Earl

Harlech Castle

Ina (Initials of previous nearly-owner)

Harold (the Works shunter)

Sh!tty (it came from a sewage works)

Linda

Dig-a-dag (resembling the sound it makes when working hard)

Nivelty/Niv (See Blanche)

Mary Ann

The Simplex (Manufacturer)

Merddin Emrys

Melvin/Merv (similar phonetics)

ME

Moel Hebog

Hedgehog

Moelwyn

Alabama Tractor/Bama (Origin unknown)

Mountaineer

Alco (She was built by the American Locomotive Company)

The Barge (from Garbage Barge. This was a large ship carrying waste which was in the news in the mid 80's, at a time when the Alco was not performing very well. No-one wanted the Garbage Barge and no-one wanted to go on the Alco either)

Palmerston

Eric (origin unclear)

Prince

Gimpy (origin unclear)

The Old Gent (due to age)

Taliesin

Tal

Ernie (Rebuilt by the same people who rebuilt Palmerston [Eric])

Upnor Castle

Uproar (The engine makes a lot of noise)

Vale of Ffestiniog

Funkey (Locomotive builders)

The Blue Brick (It's rather large, brick shaped and blue)

Carriages 1/2/3/4/5

Bug Boxes (due to small size)

Bug box 1

Zoo Car (It's sides are largely open with a wire mesh, resembling a cage)

Carriages 6/7/8

Quarrymens (original use)

17/18/19/20

Bowsiders (shape)

10x-series carriages

Barns (They were based on the Lynton and BARNstable Railway No. 14, and are much larger than previous stock)

11x-series carriages

Tin Cars (they're made of tin)

Carriage with no number (ex-7)

Flying Bench (It's a bug box without a shell, effectively a bench on wheels)

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