BR coach numbering

[Smudger105e]

Something I read the other day that I didn't realise, was that after nationalisation, BR put two letters on the coach numbers, e.g. S12345S.

The reason for this was the first letter was the region on which the vehicle worked (or was it allocated?), and the last one was the region that maintained the vehicle.

Does anyone know if there were ever any vehicles that displayed different letters at each end, e.g. S12345W?

Or was what I read total rubbish? :roll:

 

[Schnellzug]

i think that was used for pre-nationalisation stock, when there might obviously have been coaches with the same number from different companies, and the last letter was the company it came from. So if a WR coach was transferred to the Southern, then it might well have happened (although I don't suppose many ex GWR coaches would have been transferred elsewhere, on account of the braking differences).

 

[dubscottie]

The letter after the number was only used to show which company it had come from..
S - Ex Southern
W - Ex GWR
E - Ex LNER
M - Ex LMS

Some Ex LNER Buffets were transferred to the Southern so would have had S1973E for example.

Scottish region coaches could have had either Sc1234M or Sc1234E depending on if they were ex LMS or LNER.
There was also a GE prefix used for a while. (GE1234E for example)

Also I don't think ex GWR coaches got transferred to other regions too often as, if I remember right, They were built to the slightly larger WR loading gauge.

Some BR designed vehicles like the Anglo Scottish Car Carriers and some GUV's had an E after their number as they were deemed "non standard"