Although sometimes unpopular with many rail enthusiasts, due to their ubiquity and having caused the displacement of several older types of (mostly) British built locomotives, their high reliability has helped rail freight to remain competitive. Rail enthusiasts labelled the type "The Red Death" as they displaced many older types of locomotive[3] whilst also acquiring the nicknames of "sheds" for the EWS (now DBS) locomotives (due to their upturned roof looking like a shed roof)[4] with the Freightliner locomotives being called "Freds" as a portmanteau of Freightliner and Shed.[5]
因为它加速了很多老机车的退役(Class47应该也是其中之一),所以在英国车迷之间可能就像和谐系列在国内车迷心目中的存在一样,并且它深红色的涂装(实际好像不都是这个颜色,有黄色和绿色的双色涂装,但不知是不是英国的,因为这车在欧洲大陆也有)赢得了“红色死神(原创翻译"The Red Death" )”的外号,同时它像瓦房顶的车体造型也为它赢得了“棚屋”的外号。