Cucumbers

[whole diary]

[grahame]

Nicknames for trains .... we've come across the Nodding Donkeys, the Doodlebugs and the Coffin Nails ... just seen a reference to "Cucumbers".  Anyone else heard that one?

[JayMac]

GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) green IETs^▸ (Intercity Express Train - replacement for HSTs (manufactured by Hitachi in Kobe, Japan))?

[johnneyw]

Just had to google this, slightly unlikely results:

[eightonedee]

GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) green IETs^▸ (Intercity Express Train - replacement for HSTs (manufactured by Hitachi in Kobe, Japan))?

Especially any vinyl wrapped ones! (Is there a barcode which can be read which gives you the leasing cost?)

[Bmblbzzz]

There's an old bus known as a cucumber in Poland. It wasn't green nor especially cucumber shaped.
https://pl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jelcz_043

I haven't head the name used for a train but it makes more sense (for colour and pointy ends) than the bus.

[Clan Line]

Nicknames for trains .... we've come across the Nodding Donkeys, the Doodlebugs and the Coffin Nails ... just seen a reference to "Cucumbers".  Anyone else heard that one?

Are you sure that this isn't what you saw ??

https://www.wikihow.com/Train-Cucumbers

[stuving]

I've referred to X73500s as bananas, but they have other names (in French, obviously) that include cucumbers, sausages, shells/bullets, blue whales (liveries vary), and (very Frenchly) suppositories...

(Image from http://transportrail.canalblog.com/pages/x73500---digne-successeur-de-l-x2800/27614277.html)

[Adelante_CCT]

Don't forget Network Rails 'Flying Banana'

[eightonedee]

I'm warming even more to BNM's idea-

GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) green IETs^▸ (Intercity Express Train - replacement for HSTs (manufactured by Hitachi in Kobe, Japan))?

The five car units could become "half cucumbers"

And if GWR would take the idea on, perhaps they could replace the rather dull and worthy names they are using with names like - "The Cornish Cucumber", "The Cardiff Cucumber" and the "Cotswold Cucumber"

[stuving]

I'm warming even more to BNM's idea-

GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) green IETs^▸ (Intercity Express Train - replacement for HSTs (manufactured by Hitachi in Kobe, Japan))?

The five car units could become "half cucumbers"

And if GWR would take the idea on, perhaps they could replace the rather dull and worthy names they are using with names like - "The Cornish Cucumber", "The Cardiff Cucumber" and the "Cotswold Cucumber"

Would that make short-formed but busy services "cucumber sandwiches"?

[grahame]

The five car units could become "half cucumbers"

Courgettes??

[eightonedee]

Courgettes??

from what we read in this forum, perhaps "Squashes" maybe more appropriate!

[patch38]

They are fairly straight cucumbers. Does this mean they'll be allowed through the Tunnel?

[Umberleigh]

I've referred to X73500s as bananas, but they have other names (in French, obviously) that include cucumbers, sausages, shells/bullets, blue whales (liveries vary), and (very Frenchly) suppositories...

(Image from http://transportrail.canalblog.com/pages/x73500---digne-successeur-de-l-x2800/27614277.html)

My name for them is “Better than 142, 143, 150 and 153”

[PhilWakely]

Nicknames for trains .... we've come across the Nodding Donkeys, the Doodlebugs and the Coffin Nails ... just seen a reference to "Cucumbers".  Anyone else heard that one?

I've also heard that GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway)'s 2+4 HST^▸ (High Speed Train (Inter City class 43 125 units)) GTi is commonly called a 'Chalet' rather than the completely innappropriate 'Castle' nomenclature. I am sure this doesn't need an explanation, but [apparently], if a 2+8 is a 'full house', then a 2+4 is a 'half house', aka 'chalet'.