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British Rail Wagon TOPS Codes
Introduction
From the introduction of the computerised Total Operations Processing System (TOPS) in 1973, wagons became classified in scheme that involved three letters. The first letter was the general type of wagon, usually depending on what type of merchandise it was used for, the second for the variety of wagon within that type and the third to explain the type of braking system fitted to the wagon.
Wagon Type Codes
Code |
Description |
B |
Bogie steel carrying (excluding coil) |
CA |
Brake vans (Traffic Department) |
CB-CZ |
Covered bulk carriers |
F |
Flat wagons |
H |
Hoppers |
I |
International ferry wagons (other railways administrations) |
J |
Steel carrying bogie coil (merged into group B) |
K |
Steel carrying two-axle coil (merged with group S) |
M |
Mineral wagons (not hopper fitted) |
O |
Open wagons |
P |
Privately owned wagons (excluding tanks) |
Q |
Departmental coaching stock vehicles |
R |
Railway operating vehicles (barrier, runner and adapter wagons) |
S |
Steel carrying two-axle (excluding coil) |
T |
Tank wagons (privately owned) |
U |
Uncovered open bulk carriers (e.g. timber, china clay, merged with group O) |
V |
Vans |
X |
Exceptional vehicles and special purpose vehicles (merged partly into group B, partly into group F) |
Y |
Departmental bogie goods vehicles |
Z |
Departmental two-axle goods vehicles |
Brakes and Brake Codes
Early wagons had only handbrakes that were manually applied on between one and four wheels of each wagon separately. This was usually fine for a few horse-drawn open trucks or a short steam-hauled train on level ground, but the rapidly increasing speeds and weights of trains made possible by steam traction meant that a better solution needed to be found to stop lethal runaways down inclines and generally insure a train could easily be started and stopped where the railway wanted it to be. Traditional 'un-fitted' goods trains were composed of wagons which only had manual handbrakes and were 'loose-coupled' together with a heavy chain known as a 'three-link coupling'. These couplings were a mixed blessing as there could be substantial slack in the couplings between the front and rear of a train. This meant that the train was easier to start as the locomotive would not have to overcome the momentum of the whole train in one when moving off, but also that if the locomotive moved off too quickly, the resultant sudden jerk or 'snatch' as the slack was taken up at the end of the train could cause broken couplings or severe damage to the wagons. If the locomotive tried to stop too quickly, the train would come crashing into its buffers with potentially similar results. These trains were limited to a maximum speed of only 15 mph and had to have a goods brake van at the rear with a guard. The goods brake van was normally a four or six-wheeled vehicle that was ballasted with concrete or scrap steel so that it weighed around twenty tons and had an internal handbrake that the guard could apply. At the tops of hills, the train would stop and the guard would manually 'pin-down' or apply what was judged to be a sufficient number of the handbrakes on the wagons so that the train could safely descend the hill without building up so much momentum that the brakes on the locomotive could not stop it. The train would cautiously descend the hill and at the bottom the guard would release all the brakes he had just pinned on. This type of operation was extremely slow and inefficient by modern standards, but still lasted into the late 1980s on engineers' trains.
The problems and dangers of un-fitted trains resulted in the invention of the vacuum brake, introduced very early on passenger trains, where most or all of the vehicles in a train would be connected to the locomotive via a pipe. The air pressure in this pipe could be varied by the locomotive driver or the guard, causing brakes to be released or applied gradually and automatically on all connected vehicles. This system has remained in use on the mainline in rapidly declining numbers of trains since 1970s until the present day.
Depending on the number of vehicles connected directly to the locomotive by the vacuum pipe, the maximum speed of goods trains was increased and could be up to 60 mph on a fully-fitted train, unless the locomotive or one or more of the wagons had a lower speed limit imposed on it. Another advantage of the fully-fitted goods train was that the guard was no longer required at the end of the train to pin-down handbrakes or check for break-away wagons as if any wagons broke free from the train, the connection to the vacuum pipe would be severed and both the train and the loose wagons would automatically stop. This meant that when BR could negotiate it with the unions, the guards van could be dispensed with at the rear of the train, although in early diesel days they had to agree to the guard travelling in the rear cab of the locomotive. It also meant that all vacuum-braked wagons required lamp irons for red-lensed oil lamps to mark the rear of the train for signalmen as they could travel at the rear with no brake van. BR sometimes deliberately added a brake van to the rear of fully-fitted trains for reasons of security or for safety if the trains needed to be propelled backwards any great distance. Fitted wagons were either given 'screw-link' couplings which could be tightened by rotating the bar attached to the central threaded link so that the buffers of adjoining wagons touched or they were fitted with the simpler GWR invention of 'Instanter' couplings where the central roughly triangular link could be used longways with the others for 'loose-coupled' trains or rotated 90 degrees to give a shorter coupling distance for fitted trains.
Another type of continuous brake developed was the 'air' brake, as used on modern road heavy goods vehicles. This never found favour with the GWR, although it did on the Southern for example and in order to run through trains on other railways, some GWR locomotives were fitted additionally with outside Westinghouse air brake compressors.
The former management of the GWR managed to convince the new board of BR that their vacuum braking system was the best to standardise on as their locomotives had a special cross-head pump attached to the motion to apply the brakes quickly when in motion and their system ran at a higher pressure than that of other railways, despite the fact that air braking was later confirmed to be a better solution. This was fine for GWR locomotives that were designed for this type of vacuum brake, but the locomotives of other companies sometimes could not raise enough pressure in the vacuum pipe to release the brakes on the train and the train would have to be declared a 'failure'. Despite this standardisation, BR built tens of thousands of un-fitted wagons alongside fitted ones, sometimes as the design of the wagon or the equipment used to load or unload it did not allow the easy fitting of vacuum brakes. Many un-fitted wagons, both BR-built and earlier were fitted with either vacuum brakes or through pipes from the 1950s.
From the 1960s, BR started to build new air-braked wagons, generally larger than traditional wagons. They had pneumatic or hydraulic buffers rather than the traditional sprung ones and roller bearings on the axles rather than traditional 'white metal' plain bearings which were prone to overheating, especially if run non-stop for long distances at any speed. Locomotives, coaches and wagons built from about the 1970s were fitted with air brakes only and earlier vehicles were sometimes converted to both braking types or had a through air pipe added as air brakes became the standard. Air brakes are virtually the only braking type in use today on mainline goods and passenger trains.
Brake Codes
Code |
Description |
A |
Air braked |
B |
Air braked with through pipe |
F |
Vacuum braked with Accelerated Freight Inshot (AFI) |
G |
Vacuum braked with AFI and through air pipe |
H |
Dual air and vacuum brake with vacuum AFI |
O |
Unfitted vehicle (no automatic brake) |
P |
Unfitted vehicle with through vacuum pipe |
Q |
Unfitted vehicle with through air pipe |
R |
Unfitted vehicle with through air and vacuum pipes |
V |
Vacuum braked |
W |
Vacuum braked, air piped |
X |
Dual air and vacuum braked |
TOPS Code Examples - Revenue Wagons
Code |
Load (Tonnes) |
Description |
BAA |
77.5 to 78.5 |
Bogie steel 40 feet long |
BAB |
77.5 |
Bogie steel 40 feet long |
BBA |
73.5 to 75.5 |
Bogie steel 50 feet long |
BCO, BCV |
30.5 |
Bogie bolster 'C' |
BDA, BDO, BDV |
42.5 to 58 |
Bogie bolster 'D' |
BEV |
32.5 |
Bogie bolster 'E' |
BHV |
30.5 |
Bogie bolster 'H' |
BKA, BKB |
75.5 |
Bogie steel - kinky beam |
BPA, BPO, BPV |
42.5 to 58.5 |
'Boplate' 'E' |
BQV |
30.5 |
Bogie bolster 'Q' |
BRA, BRP, BRV |
51 |
'Borail' |
BTV |
30.5 |
Bogie bolster 'T' |
CAO, CAP, CAR |
not for loading |
Traffic brake van (mainly 20 tonnes) |
CBA |
31 |
Covered hopper |
CCO, CCP, CCV |
24 to 25 |
Covered sand hopper |
CDA |
? |
Covered china clay hopper |
CGO, CGP, CGV |
20.5 |
Covered grain hopper |
CHO, CHP, CHV |
24.5 |
Covered hopper |
CPV, CPW |
17.5 to 22.5 |
'Presflo' hopper |
CQV |
20.5 |
'Prestwin' hopper |
CSA, CSV |
21.5 |
Ash hopper |
CXV |
7 to 11 |
Gunpowder van |
CZO |
17.5 |
Alumina |
CZP, CZV |
23.5 |
Sugar |
FBB |
25.5 |
'Conflat' 'AB' |
FEV |
42.5 |
'Conflat' 'E' |
FFA |
52 to 62 |
'Freightliner' inner |
FGA, FGB |
52 to 62 |
'Freightliner' outer |
FHA |
49 to 63 |
'Lowliner' |
FIX |
20.5 |
'Carfit' 'C' RIV standard |
FJA, FJB |
52 |
Skeletal 60 feet, ex Freightliner |
FLV |
14 |
'Conflat' 'L' |
FMA |
42 |
Freight flat, timber floor |
FPB |
22.5 to 31.5 |
'Conflat' |
FSV |
2.5 |
'Conflat' ISO |
FVV, FVW, FVX |
10 |
'Carflat', including motor car flat |
FWV |
42.5 |
'Boflat' |
FZA |
10 |
'Lowliner' |
HAA |
32.5 |
Merry-Go-Round (MGR) hopper |
HBA |
32.5 to 38 |
Mineral hopper |
HCO, HCP |
20.5 |
Coke hopper, 45 mph when empty |
HDA |
32.5 |
Coal hopper, 60 mph when empty |
HEA |
32.5 |
Mineral hopper |
HJO, HJV |
26 |
Ironstone hopper |
HKV |
33.5 |
Ironstone hopper |
HSO |
13 |
Coal hopper 'S' |
HTO, HTP, HTV |
21.5 to 25 |
Coal hopper 'XX' |
HUO |
24.5 to 25 |
Coal hopper 'XXV' |
ICA, ICB |
20 to 50 + |
Ferry wagon. Tank, 2 axle or bogie |
ICP |
30 to 39 |
Ferry wagon. Tank, 2 axle |
ICQ, ICR |
20 to 29 |
Ferry wagon. Tank, 2 axle |
ICW |
30 to 39 |
Ferry wagon. Tank, 2 axle |
ICX |
20 to 50 + |
Ferry wagon. Tank, 2 axle or bogie |
IFB |
15 to 28.5 |
Ferry wagon. Flat |
IFR |
21 to 45.5 |
Ferry wagon. Flat |
IFX |
27 to 27.5 |
Ferry wagon. Flat |
IIB, IIX |
13 to 25.6 |
Ferry wagon. Refrigerated van |
ILB |
21.5 to 26 |
Ferry wagon. Large van |
ILX |
24.5 to 26 |
Ferry wagon. Large van |
IMB |
2 to 27 |
Ferry wagon. Medium van |
IMX |
19 to 26 |
Ferry wagon. Medium van |
INX |
7 |
Ferry wagon. Small luggage van |
IOB |
27.5 to 29.5 |
Ferry wagon. Open high |
IPB |
10 to 110 |
Ferry wagon. Privately owned vehicle |
IPX |
10 to 30 |
Ferry wagon. Privately owned vehicle |
ISB |
23 |
Ferry wagon. Small van |
ISX |
20 to 23 |
Ferry wagon. Small van |
ITX |
25 to 29 |
Ferry wagon. ‘Transfesa’ flat or van |
IXB |
33 to 60 |
Ferry wagon. Special bogie plate or well |
JAV |
42.5 |
Bogie strip coil |
JEV |
44.5 |
Bogie strip coil 'E' with nylon hood, ex Warflat |
JGV |
44.5 |
Bogie strip coil 'G' with nylon hood, ex Warflat |
JIX |
53.5 |
Bogie strip coil (RIV) with nylon hood |
JKX |
61 |
Bogie strip coil 'K' with nylon hood |
JMV |
42.5 |
Bogie strip coil 'M', ex bogie bolster 'D' |
JPV |
32.5 |
Bogie strip coil 'P', ex bogie bolster 'E' |
JRV |
32.5 |
Bogie strip coil 'R', ex bogie bolster 'E' |
JTV |
61 |
Bogie strip coil 'T' with nylon hood, ex slab |
JUV |
32.5 |
Bogie hot rolled coil 'U', ex bogie bolster 'E' |
JVV |
61 |
Bogie strip coil 'V' with nylon hood |
JYV |
42.5 |
Bogie strip hot coil, ex bogie bolster 'D' |
JZV |
46 |
Bogie slab coil |
KAV |
21.5 |
Four wheel steel strip coil 'A' with nylon hood, ex mineral |
KBV |
24.5 |
Four wheel steel strip coil 'B' with nylon hood |
KCO |
24.5 |
Four wheel steel strip coil 'C', ex pig iron |
KDV |
24.5 |
Four wheel steel strip coil 'D', ex plate |
KEV |
21 |
Four wheel steel strip coil 'E', ex plate |
KGO |
30.5 |
Four wheel steel pig coil, ex pig iron |
KJO |
24.5 |
Four wheel steel strip coil 'J', ex tippler |
KLV |
22.5 |
Four wheel steel strip coil 'L', ex Shochood 'B' |
KNO |
13 |
Four wheel steel strip coil, ex single bolster |
KRV |
24.5 |
Four wheel steel strip coil 'R', ex plate |
KSV |
13 |
Four wheel steel strip coil 'S', ex High |
KTA |
31.5 |
Four wheel steel strip coil 'T' |
KYV |
13 |
Four wheel steel Hybar coil, ex Hybar |
MAA |
? |
Mineral, box body, no doors, ex-HAA |
MCO, MCV |
16.5 |
Mineral, side and end doors, fitted ones with clasp brakes |
MDO, MDV |
21.5 to 25 |
Mineral, side doors (mostly), some with end doors |
MEA |
46 |
Mineral, box body, no doors, ex-HEA |
MEO |
24.5 |
Mineral, side and end doors |
MFA |
32.4 |
Ballast, ex-HBA or HEA |
MFA |
32.5 |
Mineral, ferrous scrap |
MSO, MSV |
26.5 to 27.5 |
Iron Ore or Sand Tippler |
MTA |
34.2 |
Ballast, ex-private owner rail tank |
MTV |
24 |
Tippler, ex-TSV private owner rail tank |
MXV |
16.5 |
Mineral, side and end doors, push brakes |
OAA |
31.5 |
Wooden bodied open, 3 side doors |
OBA |
30.5 to 31.5 |
Wooden bodied open with turnover bolsters, 4 side doors |
OCA |
31.5 |
Steel open with bolster |
OHB, OHV |
13 |
High, steel sided, some fitted ones of the Hybar type |
OIX |
26.5 |
Tube, Continental standard |
OJX |
21.5 |
High, ex ferry |
OLV |
13 |
Low |
OOV |
13 |
Wooden china clay open |
OUV |
20.5 |
Shochood 'B' |
OWV |
13 |
High, Hybar or Hyhood, some with wooden sides, some drop sides |
RBA |
not for loading |
Barrier wagon, ex steel AB |
RBA |
not for loading |
Barrier wagon, ex steel AB or tube |
RBV |
not for loading |
Barrier wagon, ex ale pallet, banana or fish van |
RBX |
not for loading |
Barrier wagon, ex Carfit, high van or motor car van |
RFO |
not for loading |
Adaptor wagon for LTE stock |
RFQ |
not for loading |
Adaptor wagon for FLT stock |
RFQ |
not for loading |
Adaptor wagon, ex tippler |
RFV |
not for loading |
Adaptor wagon for LTE stock |
RNA |
not for loading |
Runner wagon, ex-HBA or HEA |
RRA, RRB, RRV |
not for loading |
Runner wagon |
RRW |
not for loading |
Runner wagon, ex Lowmac |
RTV |
not for loading |
Brake tender |
SAA, SAB |
31.5 |
Four wheel steel, Steel AB |
SBA |
31.5 |
Four wheel steel, Steel ABB |
SEA |
30 |
Four wheel steel, Steel AB |
SJA |
? |
Four wheel scrap steel box wagon |
SMO |
27.5 |
Four wheel steel, Ingot mould, ex tippler |
SOV |
12 |
Four wheel steel, Pipe |
SPA |
31 to 31.5 |
Four wheel steel, Plate / ingot |
SPV |
22.5 |
Four wheel steel, Plate |
SSA |
? |
Four wheel scrap steel box wagon |
STV |
20.5 to 22.5 |
Four wheel steel, Tube. Some vehicles with side doors, others with drop or fixed sides |
SWV |
13 |
Four wheel steel, Twin bolster |
UCV |
13 |
Wooden china clay open, some with hoods (old code) |
USV |
13 |
Sand |
UTV |
17 |
Timber |
UUV |
22.5 |
Timber pulp, ex plate |
UYV |
25.5 |
Anhydrite |
UZP |
25.5 |
Oxide |
VAB |
20.5 to 30 |
Van, full length doors, ventilated |
VBA |
29.5 to 39 |
Van, full length doors, non-ventilated |
VBB |
28.5 to 29.5 |
Van, full length doors, non-ventilated |
VCA, VCB |
29 to 30 |
Van, centre doors, non-ventilated |
VDA, VDB |
25 |
Van, centre / end cupboard doors, non-ventilated |
VEA |
12 |
Van, 9 feet sliding doors, roller bearing fitted, ex Vanwide |
VEV |
12 |
Vanwide, 9 feet sliding doors, roller bearing fitted |
VFW |
12 |
Fish van |
VGA |
28 |
Van, full length doors, non-ventilated |
VIX |
14.2 to 25 |
Ferry van / motor car van to Continental requirements |
VJX |
25 |
Ferry van, ex VIX |
VMV |
12 |
Van / Vanwide, plain bearings, some with translucent roof |
VPB |
10 |
Palvan |
VQB, VQV |
22.5 |
Palvan |
VQW |
22.5 |
Palvan, some curtain-sided |
VVB |
11.5 |
Van-box |
VVV |
12 |
Van-box |
VWV |
12 |
Vanwide, 9 feet sliding doors, ventilated |
TOPS Code Examples - Departmental Bogie Goods Wagons ('Y')
Common departmental wagons are often given 'fishkind' names after types of aquatic life to describe the vehicles. These names are capitalized in the following lists. Some wagons were built for departmental service, others were former revenue wagons, sometimes specially modified. Former revenue wagons have their old identities noted.
Code |
Load (Tonnes) |
Description |
YAA |
58 |
Brill - Rail / sleeper, ex-BDA |
YAO |
30.5 to 40.5 |
Dolphin - Rail / sleeper |
YBA, YBB, YBQ |
51 |
Sturgeon - Rail / sleeper |
YBO |
51 |
Sturgeon - Rail / sleeper, some fitted with four bolsters while others have guide angles and timbers |
YBP |
51 |
Sturgeon - Rail / sleeper, some fitted with guide angles and timbers |
YCA |
50 |
Halibut - bogie ballast, drop sides |
YCA |
52 |
Halibut - Bogie ballast |
YCO |
20.5 |
Pilchard - Ballast / sleeper (with drop sides) |
YCV |
34 |
Turbot - Ballast / sleeper, ex-BEV |
YDA |
46 |
Skate - Bogie skip storage |
YEA |
61 |
Porpoise - Long welded rail carrier, some with end chute |
YGB |
41 |
Seacow - Ballast hopper (side and centre chutes) |
YGH |
40.5 |
Sealion - Ballast hopper (side and centre chutes) |
YGV |
40.5 |
Walrus - Ballast hopper (side and centre chutes) |
YHA |
51 |
Whale - Ballast hopper (side and centre chutes) |
YJB |
- |
Track layer - British Rail Engineering Limited, Cowans Sheldon, Plasser |
YJO, YJW |
- |
Track layer - BREL |
YJP |
- |
Track layer - BREL, Cowans Sheldon |
YJV |
- |
Track layer - BREL, Thomas Smith, Taylor Hubbard |
YJX |
- |
Track layer - Thomas Smith |
YKA |
14 |
Manta - Long welded rail carrier - 62 feet |
YKA |
14 |
Marlin - Long welded rail carrier - 67 feet |
YLA |
58 |
Mullet - Bogie rail, ex-BRA |
YLO |
35.5 to 40.5 |
Gane - Bogie rail |
YLP |
40.5 |
Gane - Bogie rail |
YMA, YMB, YMO, YMP |
51 |
Salmon - Bogie rail |
YNB |
57.5 |
Bogie rail, bolster |
YNO |
28.5 to 42.5 |
Bogie rail, bolster |
YNO |
30.5 to 51 |
Prawn - Bogie rail, bolster (no sides) |
YNO |
42.5 |
Shrimp - Bogie rail, bolster (with sides) |
YNO |
42.5 |
Whelk - Bogie plate (Boplate) |
YNP |
30.5 to 42.5 |
Bogie rail, bolster |
YNP |
30.5 |
Prawn - Bogie rail, bolster (no sides) |
YNP |
30.5 |
Shrimp - Bogie rail, bolster (with sides) |
YNQ |
42.5 |
Bogie rail, bolster |
YNR |
40.5 |
Bogie rail, bolster (with sides) |
YNV |
30.5 to 32.5 |
Bogie rail, bolster |
YNV |
30.5 |
Prawn - Bogie rail, bolster |
YOB |
12 to 45t |
Travelling bogie crane - Cowans Sheldon, Plasser, Thomas Smith, Taylor Hubbard |
YOP |
10 |
Travelling bogie crane - Coles |
YOR |
6.5 to 10 |
Travelling bogie crane - Jones, Thomas Smith |
YOV |
5 |
Travelling bogie crane - Atlas, Warwell |
YOW |
6.5 |
Travelling bogie crane - Jones |
YRO |
20.5 to 51 |
Bogie stores and materials - Denparts, bogie transformer, boiler, machinery |
YRP |
25.5 to 51 |
Bogie stores and materials - Denparts, bogie transformer, boiler |
YRQ |
10 to 50 |
Bogie stores and materials - Denparts |
YRR |
40.5 |
Bogie stores and materials - Denparts, bogie transformer, boiler |
YRV |
8 to 51 |
Bogie stores and materials - Denparts, general materials vehicle (ex-Boplate), bogie transformer, boiler, machinery bogie, BREL stores |
YSB, YSO, YSP, YSR, YSV |
- |
Crane runner |
YSW |
- |
Shunting truck |
YTV, YTX |
- |
Bogie brake van |
YVA |
- |
Trolley flat, wheel wagon |
YVO |
- |
Concrete saddle arch carrier, girder carrier, trolley flat, cripple carrier, Breakdown equipment, cable drum carrier |
YVP |
- |
Concrete saddle arch carrier, trolley flat, cripple carrier, cable drum carrier, wheel wagon |
YVQ |
- |
Trolley flat |
YVR |
- |
Trolley flat, cripple carrier |
YVV |
- |
Cripple carrier, breakdown equipment, cable drum carrier |
YVW |
- |
Trolley flat, cripple wagon, wheel wagon |
YXA |
- |
Test vehicle |
YXO |
- |
Rail mounted auger, relaying equipment carrier, Research Department vehicle, tunnel platform vehicle, wiring train vehicle, gantry carrier (single line relayer) |
YXP |
- |
Relaying equipment carrier, Research Department vehicle, trenching vehicle, viaduct inspection vehicle, gantry carrier (single line relaying) |
YXR |
- |
Gantry carrier (single line relayer) |
YXV |
- |
Research Department vehicle, tunnel platform vehicle, viaduct inspection unit, gantry carrier |
YXW |
- |
Tunnel inspection unit |
YYO |
- |
Electric project - auger (rail mounted), steel carrier, large plant carrier, ex-Weltrol, bogie bolster, Boplate |
YYP |
- |
Electric project - auger (rail mounted), structure raising job wagon, headspan storage, runner or match, steel carrier, concrete mixer, brake van, ex-Weltrol, bogie bolster, Boplate |
YYX |
- |
Electric project - brake van |
TOPS Code Examples - Departmental Two-Axle Goods Wagons ('Z')
Code |
Load (Tonnes) |
Description |
ZAA |
31 |
Pike - ballast and sleeper (drop sides), ex-SPA |
ZAO, ZAP, ZAV |
13 to 13.2 |
Ballast and sleeper (drop sides), ex-Medium open |
ZAV |
22.5 |
Cod - ballast and sleeper (drop sides), ex-Batten |
ZBA |
21 |
Rudd - ballast and sleeper (drop sides), ex-Grampus |
ZBA |
24 or 15.3cu m |
Carp - ballast, side and end door |
ZBO, ZBP, ZBQ, ZBR, ZBV, ZBW |
20.5 or 11.6cu m |
Grampus - ballast, side and end door |
ZBO, ZBP, ZBV |
20.5 or 13.9cu m |
Lamprey - ballast, side and end door |
ZCA, ZCO |
12 |
Sole - ballast and sleeper (drop sides) |
ZCA |
25 |
Sea Urchin - ballast, no doors, ex-OBA |
ZCA |
30 |
Pollock - ballast and spoil, drop sides, four wheel, but ex-BEV |
ZCA |
31.5 |
Sea Hare - ballast, drop sides, ex-SPA |
ZCA |
41 |
Sea Horse - ballast, no doors, high ends, ex-OCA |
ZCO |
12 |
Haddock - ballast and sleeper (drop sides) |
ZCO |
14 |
Minnow - ballast and sleeper (fixed sides) |
ZCO |
14 |
Ling - ballast and sleeper (drop sides) |
ZCO |
10 |
Starfish - ballast and sleeper (drop sides) |
ZCO, ZCV |
20.5 |
Tunney - ballast and sleeper (drop sides) |
ZCV |
19 |
Puffin - waste carrier, ex-Catfish |
ZCV |
20.5 |
Crab - ballast and sleeper, end doors only, ex-Lamprey |
ZCV |
20.5 |
Clam - ballast and sleeper box wagon, no doors, ex-MDO, MDV mineral and HTO, HTV coal hopper |
ZCV |
21.5 |
Tope - ballast hopper, ex-HTO, HTV coal hopper |
ZCV |
20 to 22.5 |
Plaice - ballast and sleeper (drop sides), ex-Plate |
ZCV |
20.5 |
Dace - ballast and sleeper, no doors, ex-Shochood |
ZCX |
25 |
Chub - ballast and spoil, no doors, ex-VIX |
ZDA |
31 |
Squid - general materials carrier, some with high ends, ex-OAA |
ZDA |
31.5 |
Bass - general material carrier, ex-SAA and OBA |
ZDO |
10 to 25 |
General material carrier, ex-Medium, Sand, van, Low, Conflat, Plate, Tube, mineral or coal hopper |
ZDP |
13 to 22 |
General material carrier, ex-Medium, Gunpowder, Low, Conflat, Plate, Tube |
ZDV |
20.5 |
Dace - general material carrier, ex-OUV and KLV |
ZDV |
13 to 33 |
General material carrier, ex-Medium, Sand, van, Low, Conflat, Plate, Pipe, Tube, anhydrite, ironstone, Shochood |
ZDW |
12 |
General material carrier, ex-Pipe |
ZDX |
22.5 |
General material carrier, ex-Tube |
ZEO |
21.5 |
Ballast hopper (centre chute), ex-ironstone hopper |
ZEV |
19.5 |
Catfish - ballast hopper (centre chute) |
ZFA |
35 |
Gunnel - ballast hopper, ex-PGA |
ZFP |
25.5 |
Trout - ballast hopper (centre and side chutes) |
ZFV |
24.5 |
Dogfish - ballast hopper (centre and side chutes) |
ZGB |
13 |
General material carrier, ex-High |
ZGO |
10 to 13.2 |
General material carrier, ex-High, some with drop sides |
ZGP |
13 to 13.2 |
General material carrier, ex-High |
ZGV |
10 to 13 |
General material carrier, ex-High, some with drop sides |
ZGW |
21.5 |
General material carrier, ex-runner |
ZHO |
16 to 27 |
Chief Civil Engineer spoil wagon, ex-mineral and tippler |
ZHV |
16.5 |
Chief Civil Engineer spoil wagon, ex-mineral |
ZIB |
36 to 75 |
Breakdown crane - Cowans Sheldon |
ZIP |
36 to 50 |
Breakdown crane - Cowans Sheldon, Ransome Rapier or Cravens |
ZIV |
45 to 75 |
Breakdown crane - Cowans Sheldon or Ransome Rapier |
ZJV |
14 |
Mermaid - ballast (side tipping) |
ZKA |
33.5 |
Doorand - ballast, ex-private owner rail tank and open |
ZKA |
33.6 |
Limpet - ballast and sleeper, ex-private owner oil tank and open wagon |
ZKO, ZKV |
26.5 to 27.5 |
Ballast wagon, ex-tippler |
ZKV |
26.5 |
Zander - ballast, no doors, ex-private owner rail tank then MTV open stone wagon |
ZLV |
20.5 |
Herring - ballast hopper (centre chute) |
ZMV |
17.5 |
Mackerel - ballast hopper (centre chute) |
ZNO |
21.5 to 22 |
CCE steel carrier |
ZNP |
20.5 to 22 |
CCE steel carrier |
ZNV |
13 to 22 |
CCE steel carrier |
ZOB |
12 |
Travelling crane - fixed axle - Cowans Sheldon, Taylor Hubbard |
ZOO |
5 to 10 |
Travelling crane - fixed axle - Coles, Geismar, Russell, Thomas Smith, Taylor Hubbard |
ZOP |
3 to 15 |
Travelling crane - fixed axle - Booth, Cowans Sheldon, Coles, Geismar, Thomas Smith, Taylor Hubbard |
ZOR |
10 to 12 |
Travelling crane - fixed axle - Booth, Thomas Smith, Taylor Hubbard |
ZOV |
30 |
Travelling crane - fixed axle - Cowans Sheldon |
ZPO, ZPP, ZPV |
- |
Staff / dormitory vehicle |
ZQO |
7 to 12 |
Tool van |
ZQP |
12 |
Tool van |
ZQV |
10 to 20.5 |
Tool van |
ZRA |
46 |
Scrap metal box wagon |
ZRB |
10 to 11.5 |
General stores vehicle |
ZRF |
22.5 |
Tank, fuel oil / diesel |
ZRO |
7 to 25.5 |
Stores vehicle for concrete products / general stores. Tank for creosote, fuel oil, diesel, lubricating oil, oil storage, sludge, tar, waste oil, water |
ZRP |
7 to 20.5 |
Stores vehicle for general stores, transformers. Tank for fuel oil, waste oil, water |
ZRQ |
20.5 |
Tank for fuel oil, diesel oil, waste oil |
ZRR |
20.5 |
Stores vehicle - transformer. Tank for fuel oil, diesel oil, water |
ZRV |
6 to 25.5 |
Stores vehicle - batteries, cells, concrete products, Denparts, gas cylinders, general stores, transformers, BREL export stores. Tank vehicles - bituminous emulsion, creosote, fuel oil, diesel oil, lubricating oil, sludge, waste oil, water, weedkiller, antifreeze, de-icing fluid |
ZRW |
6 to 25.5 |
Stores vehicle - general stores, transformer. Tank vehicles - water |
ZSA |
- |
Barrier vehicle or runner for snow blower |
ZSB |
- |
Crane runner |
ZSO |
- |
Crane runner, electric car runner, shunting truck |
ZSP |
- |
Crane runner, shunting truck, train pre-heating unit |
ZSQ |
- |
Electric car runner, shunting truck |
ZSR |
- |
Crane runner, shunting truck |
ZSV |
- |
Crane runner, electric car runner, loading ramp, mobile walk-way platform, shunting truck, train pre-heating vehicle, barrier (Conflat) for long welded rail train |
ZSW |
- |
Crane runner, electric car runner, mobile walk-way platform, shunting truck |
ZSX |
- |
Shunting truck |
ZTO, ZTP, ZTQ, ZTR, ZTV |
- |
Brake van |
ZUP, ZUV, ZUW |
- |
Brake van with ballast plough |
ZVA |
20 to 25 |
Wheel wagon, ex-OBA |
ZVO |
13 to 25 |
Trolley flat, steel carrier, signal equipment carrier, breakdown equipment carrier, weights truck, cable drum carrier, wheel wagon |
ZVP |
14 to 25 |
Trolley flat, cripple carrier, breakdown equipment carrier, weights truck, cable drum carrier, wheel wagon |
ZVQ |
20.5 to 21 |
Trolley flat |
ZVR |
20 to 25 |
Trolley flat, cripple carrier |
ZVV |
11 to 25.5 |
Trolley flat, steel carrier, cripple carrier, signal material carrier, breakdown material carrier, weedkilling vehicle, weighing machine wagon, weights truck, cable drum carrier, wheel wagon, wheel wagon with crane |
ZVW |
12 to 25 |
Trolley flat, cripple carrier, breakdown equipment carrier, weights truck |
ZVX |
20 |
CCE equipment carrier, bogie wheel carrier |
ZWA |
- |
Self-propelled snow blower |
ZWB, ZWP, ZWV |
- |
Self-propelled ballast cleaner |
ZXA |
- |
Generator coach, rail crane winch wagon, roller wagon for rail crane winch, Research Department vehicle |
ZXB |
- |
Tunnel platform vehicle, Research Department vehicle |
ZXO |
- |
Bridge gauging vehicle, generator vehicle, paint spraying vehicle, rail crane winch wagon, relaying equipment carrier, roller wagon for rail winch wagon, trenching vehicle, tunnel platform vehicle, wiring train vehicle, Research Department vehicle, viaduct inspection ancillary vehicle, brake van for viaduct inspection train, brake van working with crane |
ZXP |
- |
Ballast cleaning machine equipment, rail crane winch wagon, relaying equipment carrier, trenching vehicle, tunnel platform vehicle, wiring train vehicle, refuse skip carrier, Research Department vehicle |
ZXQ |
- |
Bridge gauge vehicle, relaying equipment carrier |
ZXR |
- |
Relaying equipment carrier, brake van working with cranes or ballast cleaners |
ZXV |
- |
Ballast cleaning machine equipment, bridge gauge vehicle, electric charging plant van, emergency control unit vehicle, fire engine vehicle, generator vehicle, paint spraying vehicle, rail crane winch wagon, relaying equipment carrier, roller wagon for rail crane winch wagon, tunnel platform vehicle, wiring train vehicle, Research Department vehicle, viaduct inspection ancillary vehicle, brake vans working with tunnel inspection unit, brake vans working with cranes |
ZXW |
- |
Relaying equipment carrier, viaduct or overhead inspection vehicle, brake van working with crane |
ZXX |
- |
Relaying equipment carrier, Research Department vehicle |
ZYO |
- |
Electrification project - concreting auxillary, generator vehicle, grouting wagon, steel carrier - crane match wagon |
ZYP |
- |
Electrification project - cable drum carrier, concreting auxillary, excavation grab, grouting wagon, steel carrier, water tank, brake van, match wagon to crane |
ZYR |
- |
Electrification project - Lowmac, single bolster, match wagon to crane |
ZYV |
- |
Electrification project - cement van, concrete track mixer, concreting auxillary, excavation grab, generator carrier, goods van (general), tunnel platform vehicle, tunnel trestle |
ZYV, ZYW |
- |
Travelling crane - brake van, match wagon |
ZYX |
- |
Electrification project - cable drum carrier, generator carrier, tunnel platform vehicle, staff van |
ZZB |
- |
Mobile power, load bank (former class 84 AC electric locomotive), crane - travelling (diesel) |
ZZO |
- |
Generator - static for train pre-heating (ex-locomotive), snowplough tender, track relaying crane, crane - travelling - diesel, crane - travelling - manual, crane - travelling - steam |
ZZP |
- |
Generator - static for train pre-heating (ex-locomotive), independent snowplough, steam breakdown crane, track relaying crane, crane - travelling - diesel, crane - travelling - manual |
ZZR |
- |
Crane - travelling - diesel |
ZZV |
- |
Independent snowplough, snowplough tender, crane - breakdown - diesel, crane - breakdown - steam, track relaying crane, crane - travelling - diesel, class 24 diesel service locomotive |
Bibliography
Rolling Stock Recognition: 1 Coaching Stock by Colin J. Marsden - Ian Allan (1987)
Rolling Stock Recognition: 2 BR and Private Owner Wagons
by Colin J. Marsden - Ian Allan (1984)
Rolling Stock Recognition: 3 Departmental Stock by Colin J. Marsden - Ian Allan (1984)
JT
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