Bright Boy
Member
Here's a question (I've got loads), here's one that's probably cropped up on here before but I cannot find a thread of such so far.
Going through the TOPS Classes as allocated in 1967, many years ago I had noticed several apparently 'missing' no.s. I have been trying to identify such ever since (on and off)
Given that BR used all the no's in sequence for each type (e.g. Type 2 = Classes 21-31, Type 4 = Classes 40-53), it appears some are missing or possibly not identified (by me that is!)
This is the original list of Classification (as what I have read of) :-
Class no.s 01-07 were for Shunters of 150-300hp
Class no.s 08-13 were for Shunters of 350-400hp
Class no.s 15-20 for Type 1 Locos 800-1000hp
Class no.s 21-31 for Type 2 Locos 1001-1499hp
Class no.s 33-37 for Type 3 locos 1500-1999hp
Class no.s 40-53 for Type 4 Locos 2000-2999hp
Class no.s 55-up for Type 5 Locos 3000+hp
It seems that BR were trying to keep to a Type/number system i.e. 0-09 for shunters, 10-19 for Type 1, 20-29 for Type 2, 30-39 for Type 3, 40-49 for Type 4 and 50-59 for Type 5, but because in some Types there were more loco classes than they had the 10 numbers for, it ended up going awry.
But just from this list immediately I see some no.s missing !! Classes 14, 32, 38 & 39 and Class 54
Class 14 is easy - an oddity (shunter or Type 1 loco ?) as a Trip Loco which were put in the D9500 no. series in the 1955 numbering system (I don't think BR could decide if it was a Shunter or a Type 1 Loco ?)
Class 32 ? Does anyone know if there was Class 32 allocated to any locos ?
Just going by the no. I believe it could be for a Type 2 or 3 loco, and my guess is it was allocated to a Type 2 loco which was still in use in 1967, the NBL prototype 10800 which had been in service since 1950 and was re-engined by Brush in 1962. My guess is it was this loco that was given the Class 32 but as it was withdrawn in 1968 (just 1 year after the Classifications were allocated) it has since been forgotten, does anyone have any ideas or argument for/against this suggestion ?
I believe Classes 38 & 39 were not allocated as there just wasn't enough Type 3 locos to fill the numbering system up, however I have since discovered that there was a Loco designed in the 1980's based on Class 58, but with less power that was allocated Class 38, but not built.
Class 54 ? was this a Type 4 or Type 5 no. ?, maybe it would have been saved for a future Type 4 ? or could it possibly been allocated as a Type 5 to HS4000 Kestrel ? although this loco was never put it capital stock, being on loan from Brush, and it was not introduced until January 1968. However it was being built in 1967, maybe BR gave it a classification on the distinct possibility that this prototype being built could manifest into a class of loco's in service ? any arguments/suggestions ?
And what of the no.s within the numbering system (above) that have apparently not been allocated to any class of loco ?
Classes 18 & 19 ? I have no idea about this, maybe BR just did not have enough Type 1 Loco's to fill that section ? but if that is the case why were the EE Type 1's (future Class 20's) allocated Class 20, skipping 18 & 19 ??
Class 30 is another easy one which I discovered a long time ago are what 31's were before being re-engined.
Class 34 ? No loco class for this no. ? I read somewhere recently (I can't remember where or in what publication ?) that the prototypes 10000 & 10001 were allocated Class 34 ? why 10000 I don't know as this was withdrawn in 1963, however 10001 was still in service until March 1966 ! as neither were not yet scrapped maybe they were given the allocation just in case, they were in the same power range ?
Class 36 ? Could this have possibly been allocated to the Brush Type 2's (future class 31) D5545 & D5655-D5670 which were uprated to 1600hp ?
Class 48 was allocated to Brush Type 4's D1702-D1706, but these were re-engine to the same as the other Brush Type 4's before Tops numbering.
Class 49 ? the only suggestion I have for this would be DP2 ? which was in service (as a prototype) until it was damaged in an accident in 1967.
It was in the Type 4 range and led onto what became the Class 50's, what do you think ?
Class 53 was D1200 (D0280 as a prototype)
Have I missed any ?
How about the electric Classes also ? I know that Class 70 were 20001-20003, Class 72 was allocated to what were the JA's E6001-E6006 and Class 80 was E2001, what about 78-79 ?
Replies are most eagerly anticipated !!
Going through the TOPS Classes as allocated in 1967, many years ago I had noticed several apparently 'missing' no.s. I have been trying to identify such ever since (on and off)
Given that BR used all the no's in sequence for each type (e.g. Type 2 = Classes 21-31, Type 4 = Classes 40-53), it appears some are missing or possibly not identified (by me that is!)
This is the original list of Classification (as what I have read of) :-
Class no.s 01-07 were for Shunters of 150-300hp
Class no.s 08-13 were for Shunters of 350-400hp
Class no.s 15-20 for Type 1 Locos 800-1000hp
Class no.s 21-31 for Type 2 Locos 1001-1499hp
Class no.s 33-37 for Type 3 locos 1500-1999hp
Class no.s 40-53 for Type 4 Locos 2000-2999hp
Class no.s 55-up for Type 5 Locos 3000+hp
It seems that BR were trying to keep to a Type/number system i.e. 0-09 for shunters, 10-19 for Type 1, 20-29 for Type 2, 30-39 for Type 3, 40-49 for Type 4 and 50-59 for Type 5, but because in some Types there were more loco classes than they had the 10 numbers for, it ended up going awry.
But just from this list immediately I see some no.s missing !! Classes 14, 32, 38 & 39 and Class 54
Class 14 is easy - an oddity (shunter or Type 1 loco ?) as a Trip Loco which were put in the D9500 no. series in the 1955 numbering system (I don't think BR could decide if it was a Shunter or a Type 1 Loco ?)
Class 32 ? Does anyone know if there was Class 32 allocated to any locos ?
Just going by the no. I believe it could be for a Type 2 or 3 loco, and my guess is it was allocated to a Type 2 loco which was still in use in 1967, the NBL prototype 10800 which had been in service since 1950 and was re-engined by Brush in 1962. My guess is it was this loco that was given the Class 32 but as it was withdrawn in 1968 (just 1 year after the Classifications were allocated) it has since been forgotten, does anyone have any ideas or argument for/against this suggestion ?
I believe Classes 38 & 39 were not allocated as there just wasn't enough Type 3 locos to fill the numbering system up, however I have since discovered that there was a Loco designed in the 1980's based on Class 58, but with less power that was allocated Class 38, but not built.
Class 54 ? was this a Type 4 or Type 5 no. ?, maybe it would have been saved for a future Type 4 ? or could it possibly been allocated as a Type 5 to HS4000 Kestrel ? although this loco was never put it capital stock, being on loan from Brush, and it was not introduced until January 1968. However it was being built in 1967, maybe BR gave it a classification on the distinct possibility that this prototype being built could manifest into a class of loco's in service ? any arguments/suggestions ?
And what of the no.s within the numbering system (above) that have apparently not been allocated to any class of loco ?
Classes 18 & 19 ? I have no idea about this, maybe BR just did not have enough Type 1 Loco's to fill that section ? but if that is the case why were the EE Type 1's (future Class 20's) allocated Class 20, skipping 18 & 19 ??
Class 30 is another easy one which I discovered a long time ago are what 31's were before being re-engined.
Class 34 ? No loco class for this no. ? I read somewhere recently (I can't remember where or in what publication ?) that the prototypes 10000 & 10001 were allocated Class 34 ? why 10000 I don't know as this was withdrawn in 1963, however 10001 was still in service until March 1966 ! as neither were not yet scrapped maybe they were given the allocation just in case, they were in the same power range ?
Class 36 ? Could this have possibly been allocated to the Brush Type 2's (future class 31) D5545 & D5655-D5670 which were uprated to 1600hp ?
Class 48 was allocated to Brush Type 4's D1702-D1706, but these were re-engine to the same as the other Brush Type 4's before Tops numbering.
Class 49 ? the only suggestion I have for this would be DP2 ? which was in service (as a prototype) until it was damaged in an accident in 1967.
It was in the Type 4 range and led onto what became the Class 50's, what do you think ?
Class 53 was D1200 (D0280 as a prototype)
Have I missed any ?
How about the electric Classes also ? I know that Class 70 were 20001-20003, Class 72 was allocated to what were the JA's E6001-E6006 and Class 80 was E2001, what about 78-79 ?
Replies are most eagerly anticipated !!
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I'm glad someone is reading my post in detail ]:roll:
