RAILWAY locomotives have carried names for as long as there have been trains. Spectator generally welcomes them for, as well as bestowing an element of individuality, they are generally intended to honour or celebrate notable people, places or events and the gesture involved in making a couple of nameplates is unlikely to have much noticeable impact on fares.

On recent train travels, Spectator was touched to notice that a Freightliner locomotive is now identified not only by its official number but also by the name of Driver Steve Dunn, loyally commemorating the company employee who died tragically in the Selby rail disaster three years ago leaving a widow and a young family.

Dignity is also the name of the game for GNER. On the power cars of its electric expresses plying between London, Yorkshire and the North-East you can choose between County of Northumberland, David Livingstone, The Samaritans, City of Leeds, Grantham, Archbishop Thomas Cranmer or the present Queen.

GNER might take a more pragmatic view but Spectator's only reservation is that, compared with the proper plates commissioned by the old British Rail, the modern equivalents appear to be represented by cheaper stick-on letters capable of being changed virtually overnight if someone comes up with a brighter idea.

Sir Richard Branson has apparently taken to naming entire train sets on his Virgin Voyagers, whose decibel counts must be open to question judging by the example roaring away while standing at Darlington station the other day.

Given the trains' exploratory seagoing connotations, Sir Martin Frobisher and Sir Francis Chichester seem entirely reasonable names. But Doctor Who? Get real, Sir Richard, as some in your trendy circle would probably say, particularly as you have gone to the expense of having a proper nameplate made.