British Rail Class 40 - The Named 40's

The Named 40's

Locomotives in the range D210–D235 were to be named after ships operated by the companies Cunard Line, Elder Dempster Lines, and Canadian Pacific Steamships, as they hauled express trains to Liverpool, the home port of these companies. The only locomotive not to carry a name was D226 which was to carry the name Media but never did so. From approximately 1970, with Class 40s no longer working these trains, the nameplates were gradually removed. In the early 1980's the names started to reappear, courtesy of enthusiasts and depot staff. The names carefully stencil painted onto a red background.

Names of Class 40 locomotives D210–D235
Loco Name Shipping line Date named
D210 Empress of Britain Canadian Pacific Steamships 01960-05-01May 1960
D211 Mauretania Cunard Line 01960-09-01September 1960
D212 Aureol Elder Dempster Lines 01960-09-01September 1960
D213 Andania Cunard Line 01962-06-01June 1962
D214 Antonia Cunard Line 01961-05-01May 1961
D215 Aquitania Cunard Line 01962-05-01May 1962
D216 Campania Cunard Line 01962-05-01May 1962
D217 Carinthia Cunard Line 01962-05-01May 1962
D218 Carmania Cunard Line 01961-07-01July 1961
D219 Caronia Cunard Line 01962-06-01June 1962
D220 Franconia Cunard Line 01963-02-01February 1963
D221 Ivernia Cunard Line 01961-03-01March 1961
D222 Laconia Cunard Line 01962-10-01October 1962
D223 Lancastria Cunard Line 01961-05-01May 1961
D224 Lucania Cunard Line 01962-08-01August 1962
D225 Lusitania Cunard Line 01962-03-01March 1962
D226 Media Cunard Line Never
D227 Parthia Cunard Line 01962-06-01June 1962
D228 Samaria Cunard Line 01962-09-01September 1962
D229 Saxonia Cunard Line 01963-03-01March 1963
D230 Scythia Cunard Line 01961-04-01April 1961
D231 Sylvania Cunard Line 01962-05-01May 1962
D232 Empress of Canada Canadian Pacific Steamships 01961-03-01March 1961
D233 Empress of England Canadian Pacific Steamships 01961-09-01September 1961
D234 Accra Elder Dempster Lines 01962-05-01May 1962
D235 Apapa Elder Dempster Lines 01962-05-01May 1962

A series of unofficial names were applied to the Class 40's by enthusiasts, and enthusiastic depot staff. Some locos ran in service with these names applied for many months, others were painted out within days.

The locos to carry these unofficial names were:

  • 40060 'Ancient Mariner' (while in departmental duties as 97405)
  • 40104 'Warrior'
  • 40129 'Dracula'
  • 40131 'Spartan'
  • 40132 'Hurricane'
  • 40134 'Andromeda'
  • 40137 'Trojan'
  • 40145 'Panther'
  • 40164 'Lismore'

Read more about this topic:  British Rail Class 40

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