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Understanding TOPS headcodes

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plikma

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Can anyone tell me what TOPS headcodes mean, and where I can get lists of tehm?

What's the difference between TOPS and TRUST?
 
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AlexS

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TOPS and TRUST are different systems fulfill nearly the same job, TOPS is the registry system, and can be accessed through itself, TRUST is a system that uses TOPS I believe and presents the information differently.

To take a basic headcode (the full ones are far longer) you have the following:

EG: 1V43

The first digit is the train class, this can be 0,1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9.
0 = light engine, 1 = express passenger, 2 = normal passenger, 3 = parcels, fast ECS, 4 = 75 mph freight (sometimes 60 mph restricted intermodals too), 5 = Empty coaching stock (ECS), 6 = 60 mph freight, 7 = 45 mph freight, 8 = 25 mph freight 9 = Eurostar or priority Virgin Voyager.

Second digit usually relates to destination, for local and regional workings, this tends to be set according to specific destinations within the region. For interegional trains you get things like:

A = London from within region or out of region
B = as A
E = interegional train to Eastern Region of BR
M = Interegional train to London Midland Region of BR
O = Interegional train to Southern Region of BR
S = Interegional train to Scottish Region of BR
V - Interegional Train to Western Region of BR
and there are others too.

The final two digits usually relate to the order of the train going to the destination its heading to (really poor explanation, but there you go)
 
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plikma

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Three questions -
1) What does A mean? I just don't get it.
2) I thought BR regions were long dead and buried. Why are there here?
3} What about intraregional trains?
 
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devon_metro

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A generally gives the location that the train is travelling to,

A in most cases is a train to London.

1A80 if a Frome-London train The letter basically refers to where the train is heading.
 
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1VWC

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Liam said:
A generally gives the location that the train is travelling to,

A in most cases is a train to London.

1A80 if a Frome-London train The letter basically refers to where the train is heading.
Click to expand...

Beware though, as the system starts getting a bit muddled towards the end of the day when the 'standard' headcodes have all been used up.
 
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Tom

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Not in the system realistically...it is rare to see 2 different trains on 2 different services using the same headcode once in a day.
 
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1VWC

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Tom said:
Not in the system realistically...it is rare to see 2 different trains on 2 different services using the same headcode once in a day.
Click to expand...

This may sound like I am contradicting what I said earlier, but it isn't rare to see 2 different trains with the same headcode in the same day. For example;

Off the top of my head, EWS Industrial has two...
6E30 1333 Dalzell-Lackenby
6E30 1752 Margam-Hartlepool

Therefore, it is uncommon but not unheard of for trains IN THE SAME NR REGION to have the same headcode...
 
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Tom

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Oh, yeah, that is what I meant. I thought I put different areas in my post... whoops!
 
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plikma

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I've seen some letters used other than these though. What about X, Y and Z?

And also, how do you get hold of these lists?
 
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Tom

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X - Out of guage movement IIRC, added restrictions.
Y - On the SR, that's a movement of thunderbirds/73s.
Z - Special, not in regular timetable.
 
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Tomnick

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There's also a full set of letters used within each (former) region, sometimes applying to more than one route/destination in different parts of the same region. For example, within the Eastern Region, you'll find 1Dxx being a train to the former Doncaster/Leeds district, 1Nxx to Newcastle and so on. It's quite common for class 2 trains to have a completely separate lettering system for the second figure of the headcode, on a route-by-route basis (so V is a LKX/Moorgate - WGC service, whereas for any other class it'd be a train to the former Western Region!). This is (or at least it used to be) all laid down in the relevant WTT for the section in question.

xXxx is indeed used for out-of-gauge trains, or trains with some sort of operating restrictions - which is why GNER's Eurostars ran as 1Xxx, as their length led to a number of restrictions.

xYxx isn't, as far as I know, 'reserved' for anything special - it can be used as a route/destination code just like any other. It's probably convenient, on the section of the Southern in question, to use it for timetabled route learning trains though. Incidentally, a Thunderbird loco proceeding to assist a failure should run (again, not sure if this is still a current 'rule') as 1Z99.

Finally, yes, xZxx is generally used for additional, short-term, services that don't appear in the WTT.
 
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plikma

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1) Where are there lists of TOPS headcodes?
2) Are WTTs freely available or private?
3) Are there any maps of ex-BR regions?
 
RJ

RJ

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plikma said:
1) Where are there lists of TOPS headcodes?
2) Are WTTs freely available or private?
3) Are there any maps of ex-BR regions?
Click to expand...

1.) This site might have something on it.

2.) WTTs are private but if there's something you really want send me a PM
 
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Tom

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WTT would show all the passing times, etc, a CWN just shows platforming at termini and major stations, etc.
 
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thefab444

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Just TRUST would do me fine. :)

I suppose if I was about 50, I'd try and get a job in a sleepy station, but with TRUST, possibly part time. Probably as a despatcher, as I'm pretty sure the office where they all hang out at Brockenhurst (probably where they work) between trains has TRUST.

Ahhh, that would be a good life.
 
5872

5872

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Joe H said:
You have to use Opera. Copy the shortcuts and paste them into the Quick Download box on the transfer page.

Click here if you need more assistance.
Click to expand...

Wheres the download box , right click save target ?


Still can't get it wheres the quick download box?
 
RJ

RJ

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Go into Tools, then click Transfers, then there'll be a download box for paste the link into.

If you're wondering why the download is only 5kb, its because of new breakthroughs in compression technologies, and also NR want to give dial - up users a chance of downloading it too.
 
5872

5872

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Joe H said:
Go into Tools, then click Transfers, then there'll be a download box for paste the link into.

If you're wondering why the download is only 5kb, its because of new breakthroughs in compression technologies, and also NR want to give dial - up users a chance of downloading it too.
Click to expand...

It still insnt working! I looked in tools on the internet and there is no Transfers!


Which tools are we talking about?
 
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