Light engine head codes

[Andy873]

It's been puzzling me for a while now since I received my first passenger WTT regarding light engine head codes.

Many have 0Z00, while others have for example 0H21 or 0J57. In one of the previous topics it was touched on but I never really got to the bottom of it.

Now I think the penny has dropped with this one and it goes like this:

If an LE is going to an MPD it has the code 0Z00
If an LE is going to say a station to shunt there, again it's 0Z00
If an LE is going somewhere to run a booked service it has the last three characters of that service, but because it's still at this point an LE it has to have the zero at the front e.g. 0H21. Once it gets to say a station and is coupled to (for example) passenger carriages the head code is changed to something like 2H21 (stopping passenger train).

I've checked all 50 plus pages and this does seems to be the convention for the London Midland region at this time (1963), however I only have the one WTT.

See attached 0Z00's and the 0P55.

Can anyone confirm this was the pattern?

Thanks,
Andy.

 

[etr221]

The Barrowmore Model Railway Group have at http://www.barrowmoremrg.co.uk/Prototype.html a lot of useful documents, including "BR LMR Guide to 4-position Train Identification System", dating I think from the introduction of the system, which explains things.

But basically as you suppose: to work a train 0 + last three characters of relevant train; not to work a train, 0Z00 if within LMR, Z replaced by destination region letter for inter-regional workings.

 

[Andy873]

Thank you.

And thanks for the link, they do have lots of documents there - I will have a good read.

Andy.

 

[Rover]

Off the top of my head in the 1980s I recall 0J01 light engine to Barrow Hill, 0J03 light engine to Tinsley, 0F54 light engine to Toton.
I remember well an Avenue Sidings-Immingham mgr would run as 7E43 ex Avenue, Avenue Sidings was south of Chesterfield on the LMR just over the ER boundary. It was a Barrow Hill turn and the engine would run light as 0E43 Barrow Hill to Avenue. The return Immingham-Avenue empties ran as 6M43 but the engine would then return light to Barrow Hill as 0J03.

 

[Springs Branch]

When a Light Engine was only travelling locally to pick up its train, 0 + train reporting number was usually straightforward.

When the loco had to come some distance and pass between different Divisions (so the destination letter changed), or from another Region, some anomalies in headcode conventions could arise (which should keep only the most serious pedant awake at night).

Some examples from the WCML in the early 1970s:-

• In 1971, the locos for two morning Blackpool North to Euston expresses (1A33 08:47 and 1A45 10:58 SO ex-Blackpool N) ran LE from Crewe Diesel Depot to Blackpool N as 0A33 and 0A45.
  This gave the odd situation of trains with an "A" (London) destination code departing northwards from Crewe along the WCML to Preston.
  
  
• Same year, there were two morning Liverpool Lime St - Glasgow/Edinburgh trains (1S45 and 1S46 ex-Lime Street) whose haulage came from Crewe D.D. earlier in the morning and ran light to Liverpool. So Crewe to Lime St via Runcorn trains showed 0S45 or 0S46 - a "S" (Scottish Region) destination code. Let's hope the bobby working the panel at Weaver Junction was paying attention!
  
  
• Several light engines were booked to run south along the G&SW line and across the border under reporting numbers of the trains they were to take back into Scotland (0S17 Ayr - Carlisle and 0S05 Dumfries - Carlisle to work 6S17 Rugby - Glasgow Parcels and 1S05 Carlisle - Kilmarnock News).
  
  
• One to keep the signalmen on their toes was the 1973 manifestation of 4J30, the 10:18 summer SO / 10:23 winter SO Heysham Harbour to Manchester Victoria Parcels.
  Two light engines were involved in the running of this train - one worked it only between Heysham and Morecambe, the second attached to the rear of the train at Morecambe and took it through to Manchester.
  Both these light engines used the same 0J30 reporting number on their way to the job:-
  - 0J30 09:18 SO Carnforth holding sidings to Heysham Harbour, arr. 09:42
  - 0J30 09:30 SO Blackpool North holding sidings to Morecambe, arr. 10:30
  Not only two trains in close succession with the same headcode to slightly different destinations, but a "J" (Manchester North) reporting number going north up the WCML between Preston & Lancaster.

Now I think it's time for me to get a life!

 

[Rover]

Now I think it's time for me to get a life!

I find it all very interesting! Thanks for that.

 

[Andy873]

Very very fascinating!

I love the LE with a destination of "A" (London) heading North from Crewe.

Now I think it's time for me to get a life!

I know what you mean, but the railways are such an interesting subject.

Thanks all,
Andy.

 

[Falcon1200]

In Scotland unplanned depot moves had/have specific headcodes, eg to Shields Depot xV77 and Corkerhill xV99.

 

[Western 52]

From 1976 after the display of headcodes on locos ended, many then displayed 0O00 until marker lights were fitted. But I guess this could also have been a valid light loco code with a Southern Region destination? Was it ever used I wonder?