Locomotive Numbering
British Railways 1947
Prior to British Railways, the private company's all had there own numbering system for locomotives, but after nationalisation in 1947 locomotive numbering had to be rationalised to avoid confusion
1947 to 1957
British Rail Numbering system
| Range |
Description |
| 1-9999 |
Ex-GWR steam locomotives |
| 10000-19999 |
Diesel and gas turbine locomotives |
| 20000-29999 |
Electric locomotives |
| 30000-39999 |
Ex-SR steam locomotives |
| 40000-59999 |
Ex-LMS steam locomotives |
| 60000-69999 |
Ex-LNER steam locomotives |
| 70000-79999 |
BR-design tender steam locomotives |
| 80000-89999 |
BR-design tank steam locomotives |
| 90000-99999 |
BR & War Department large freight locomotives |
Post 1957
Steam locomotives retained their British Railways number.
Diesel locos had numbers prefixed by 'D' ie D1924 and electric locos prefixed by 'E' E3137
Diesel locomotives
| Range |
Type |
Power |
TOPS Class |
| D1 - D1999 |
Type 4 |
2000 - 2999 hp |
40 - 54 |
| D2000 - D2999 |
Shunters |
< 300 hp |
01 - 07 |
| D3000 - D4999 |
Shunters |
300 - 799 hp |
08 - 13 |
| D5000 - D6499 |
Type 2 |
1001 - 1499 hp |
21 - 32 |
| D6500 - D7999 |
Type 3 |
1500 - 1999 hp |
33 - 39 |
| D8000 - D8999 |
Type 1 |
800 - 1000 hp |
14 - 20 |
| D9000 - D9499 |
Type 5 |
> 3000 hp |
55 - 69 |
Electric Locomotives
| Range |
Type |
Power |
| E2000 - E2999 |
AC |
2000 - 2999 hp |
| E3001 - E3200 |
AC |
3000 - 4999 hp |
| E3201 - E4999 |
AC |
> 5000 hp |
| E5000 - E5999 |
DC |
Dc Only |
| E6000 - E6999 |
DC |
electro-diesel locomotives |
| |
|
|
TOPS
Total Operations Processing System adopted in 1973
A computer system for managing railway locomotives
Grouping of Locomotive by Class and assigning a numerical class system (first 2-3 digits of a loco number) ie 86 259
TOPS Class
| Class Nos |
Loco Type |
| 01 - 79 |
Diesel Locos (Electric or Hydraulic) |
| 80 - 96 |
AC Electric Locos |
| 97 |
Departmental locos |
| 98 |
Steam Locomotives |
| 99 |
Ships |
| 100 - 199 |
DMU's Mechanical or Hydraulic |
| 200 - 299 |
DMU's Electric |
| 300 - 399 |
EMU's |
| 700 |
EMU and Bi-Mode |
| 800 |
IEP Single & Bi-mode |
| 900 |
Departmental multiple units |
Pre-TOPS Types
Diesel Electric Locos
| TOPS Class |
Pre-TOPS |
HP |
Dates Built |
| Class 20 |
English Electric Type 1 |
1000 |
1957-68 |
| Class 23 |
English Electric Type 2 |
1100 |
1959 |
| Class 24 |
Sulzer Type 2 |
1160 |
1958-61 |
| Class 25 |
Sulzer Type 2 |
1250 |
1961-67 |
| Class 26 |
BRCW Type 2 |
1160 |
1958-59 |
| Class 27 |
BRCW Type 2 |
1250 |
1961-62 |
| Class 28 |
Metro Vickers Type 2 |
1200 |
1958-59 |
| Class 31 |
Brush Type 2 |
1250 |
1957-62 |
| Class 33 |
BRCW Type 3 (Cromptons) |
1550 |
1960-62 |
| Class 37 |
English Electric Type 3 |
1750 |
1960-65 |
| Class 40 |
English Electric Type 4 |
2000 |
1958-62 |
| Class 44 |
Sulzer Type 4 (peak) |
2300 |
1959-60 |
| Class 47 |
Brush Type 4 |
2750 |
1962-68 |
| Class 48 |
Brush Type 4 |
2650 |
1965-66 |
| Class 50 |
English Electric Type 4 |
2750 |
1967-68 |
| Class 55 |
English Electric Type 5 (Deltic) |
3300 |
1961-62 |
Pre TOPS Electric Locos
| TOPS Class |
Pre-TOPS |
HP |
Dates Built |
| Class 71 |
HA |
2300 |
1958-60 |
| Class 73 |
JA |
1420 |
1965-67 |
| Class 74 |
HB |
2300 |
1967-68 |
| Class 76 |
EM1 |
1300 |
1950-53 |
| Class 77 |
EM2 |
2490 |
1953-54 |
| Class 81 |
AL1 |
4 x 847 |
1959-64 |
| Class 82 |
AL2 |
3300 |
1960-62 |
| Class 83 |
AL3 |
2950 |
1960-62 |
| Class 84 |
AL4 |
4 x 750 |
1960-61 |
| Class 85 |
AL5 |
3200 |
1961-64 |
| Class 86 |
AL6 |
3600 |
1965-66 |
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