Are head codes ever visible

[andy33gmail]

I’m curious as to why headcodes were phased out as a physical sign on the front of a train (https://www.railforums.co.uk/thread...ne-help-please.122839/?utm_source=chatgpt.com)

I appreciate they’re internal to the operators/signallers

But just out of curiosity, are there any situations where they are publicly visible still? For example, hidden in the corner of a next destination screen or wherever

 

[Tetragon213]

VT Pendolinos, on the door displays, usually have the headcode there. I don't recall seeing anything of the sort on a Voyager or Evero display.

 

[Trainman40083]

The original purpose of a headcode was for the signalman to be able to see what train was. Over time, power signalboxes would show the headcode on a panel. On trains the headcode panel was plated over. The only place I can recall seeing the headcode was on the side of Pendolinos, maybe Voyagers , where the display was near where passengers get on.

 

[RJ]

They were phased out because of technological advancements. I doubt the traincrew missed having to do the winding to show the correct number!

 

[Vexed]

But just out of curiosity, are there any situations where they are publicly visible still? For example, hidden in the corner of a next destination screen or wherever

I belive the Elizabeth Line class 345s still display the headcode on the exterior side destination displays.

 

[Royston Vasey]

VT Pendolinos, on the door displays, usually have the headcode there. I don't recall seeing anything of the sort on a Voyager or Evero display.

Not in service but I saw a 13 car Voyager at Birmingham New St last week, certainly with 5D01 on each of the nose destination displays, and I think on the side panels as well.

Realtime Trains | 5D01 2355 Birmingham New Street to Barton Under Needwood Rsmd | 10/11/2025

Real-time train running information for 5D01 2355 departure from Birmingham New Street to Barton Under Needwood Rsmd on 10/11/2025. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.

www.realtimetrains.co.uk

 

[plugwash]

I've also seen "staff information" screens pop up at a few larger stations showing a display of the track layout round the station with headcodes on it.

 

[The exile]

I've also seen "staff information" screens pop up at a few larger stations showing a display of the track layout round the station with headcodes on it.

And very useful they are too!!!

 

[zwk500]

I've also seen "staff information" screens pop up at a few larger stations showing a display of the track layout round the station with headcodes on it.

There is also a 'staff information' screen at Birmingham New Street that just lists the services, but with TID and TIPLOC codes.

 

[norbitonflyer]

The original purpose of a headcode was for the signalman to be able to see what train was. Over time, power signalboxes would show the headcode on a panel. On trains the headcode panel was plated over. The only place I can recall seeing the headcode was on the side of Pendolinos, maybe Voyagers , where the display was near where passengers get on.

Draughts? Hazard if the glass broke if it hit something (bird for example)? Increaseb the size of the yellow area? Good place to fit marker lights?

 

[D6130]

Cost of maintaining the roller blinds and lights perhaps?....especially on Scottish Region locos, where full four character headcodes were not used internally until May 1973, resulting in a lot of the headcode hardware being poorly maintained and missing a lot of parts. The exceptions were the Haymarket-allocated class 40s, 47s and 55s, which were used extensively on East Coast Main Line inter-regional services.

 

[Mattplans]

All Elizabeth Line trains display Headcodes. And in the COS stations there are staff panels with them displaying next train times as well

 

[Trainman40083]

Draughts? Hazard if the glass broke if it hit something (bird for example)? Increaseb the size of the yellow area? Good place to fit marker lights?

Draughts? Well many of the loco cabs I saw in Derby Loco had an awful lot of masking tape. Hope the heaters worked.

 

[Peter0124]

If only we could communicate a train service by a reporting number of some kind (in a publicly friendly form), rather than "the 17:15 from..."

 

[andy33gmail]

If only we could communicate a train service by a reporting number of some kind (in a publicly friendly form), rather than "the 17:15 from..."

What if you wanted to dispatch two trains from the same origin, to the same destination, at the same minute

 

[GordonT]

When 2-character headcodes (more akin to route numbers) were shown on Glasgow suburban 303/311s and on Southern Region units even many "normals" found them just as helpful as a service number on a bus as added reassurance that they were on the correct train.

 

[Trainman40083]

Have I seen route codes on the former Southern region? Maybe not 4 digit, but something that determined which route.

 

[Warrior2852]

Have I seen route codes on the former Southern region? Maybe not 4 digit, but something that determined which route.

Are you thinking of the two digit route numbers on the 455's destination blinds? Not headcodes but provide routing information.

 

[Trainman40083]

Are you thinking of the two digit route numbers on the 455's destination blinds? Not headcodes but provide routing information.

Could be. Thought Networkers had them too

 

[CR165022]

Could be. Thought Networkers had them too

They do, I don't believe the 465/466s use them anymore but the 165/166s still do. The 168s do too.

 

[Horizon22]

I belive the Elizabeth Line class 345s still display the headcode on the exterior side destination displays.

Indeed they do, although they are sometimes incorrect and show the previous headcode.

 

[martin2345uk]

Eurostar trains to Paris and Brussels show the headcodes on the sides of the trains (but the continental version with 1 for "i" and 0 for "o".

 

[chrisjo]

VT Pendolinos, on the door displays, usually have the headcode there. I don't recall seeing anything of the sort on a Voyager or Evero display.

Not convinced. This was 390155 on 1A21, Sunday 15-Sep-24



And this is RTT Sun 02-Nov-25



Depends what you're calling a headcode I suppose.

 

[sabanda]

Not convinced. This was 390155 on 1A21:

View attachment 192635

Agreed - I’ve only ever seen RSIDs, as above, on the Pendolino.

 

[DanNCL]

The outgoing Tyne & Wear Metro fleet (but not the new 555s) displays the internal Metro running number on the front, which is always a three digit 1xx number. On Network Rail infrastructure a 2Ixx headcode is assigned which corresponds to the 1xx number displayed on the front, for example a train displaying 101 on the front will run as 2I01 on Network Rail infrastructure, whilst 101 is it’s running number on Nexus infrastructure.

 

[L+Y]

I've often wondered if a return to public displays and announcements of headcodes, at least for longer distance services, might be a way to help limit confusion for passengers on Advance tickets. It works for airlines...?

 

[norbitonflyer]

I've often wondered if a return to public displays and announcements of headcodes, at least for longer distance services, might be a way to help limit confusion for passengers on Advance tickets. It works for airlines...?

And Eurostar.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 21 Nov 2025 ==

Have I seen route codes on the former Southern region? Maybe not 4 digit, but something that determined which route.

Like this? (4EPB showing headcode 87)

 

[dosxuk]

I've often wondered if a return to public displays and announcements of headcodes, at least for longer distance services, might be a way to help limit confusion for passengers on Advance tickets. It works for airlines...?

That is why the Retail Service ID exists - it's just nobody seems to want to use them.

The railway headcode - as many enthusiasts appear to wish to be publicly used - is more akin to a airline callsign - which aren't used by passengers - they check in for BA1420 - not Shuttle 16C.

 

[D6130]

And Eurostar.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 21 Nov 2025 ==


Like this? (4EPB showing headcode 87)

That would be a good photo for the "Guess the Station" competition....but I know the answer so I would say that, wouldn't I?

 

[norbitonflyer]

That would be a good photo for the "Guess the Station" competition....but I know the answer so I would say that, wouldn't I?

Indeed. The headcode is for Redhill- London Bridge via Crystal Palace, or Cannon Street to the North Kent via Greenwich line, or the Brentford roundabout, or Portsmouth to Salisbury, althiough i don't think 415/4s ever ran on the south Western, (and certainly not on the unelectrified Portsmouth salisbury route!)

BIt looks like a double sided platform (doors can open both sides) but it doesn't look like Norwood Junction (which has a subway, not a footbridge)