European Railroad Discussion > British train numbers

I love riding British trains, but I have a some questions.

Do both passenger and freight trains in Britain have numbers that are used operationally, but not publicly?

I can't imagine a dispatcher transmitting a message like  "Dispatcher to the 0655 Plymouth to Paddington .....". Wouldn't it be easier to just say "Dispatcher to train 75682-25 ...."

Also, this idea of publicly identifying passenger trains by their origination point and time.  What happens when a train is late? Or what do they call it at intermediate stations - Is the "0655 Plymouth to Paddington..." still called by that same name hours down the line at Reading, where, heaven forbid, it might also be running 20 minutes late?

Thank you for your comments.

Yes, all British trains have a 4 digit identifying code (that is actually part of a longer code). The code describes all the train's relevant details.The short version is a number a letter and 2 numbers such as 4M76; the 4 indictaes a freight train of 75mph speed, the M describes the destination region as Midlands and the final number identifies the individual train on the day of operation.
1S45 would be a passenger train destined for Scotland.  

For your passenger train question, yes the original train description stays the same (departure details). It doesn't matter what happens to the train, it still left the point of origin at the stated time.



Edited 3 time(s). Last edit at 11/08/23 13:51 by exhaustED.

In early BR diesel days I remember seeing the four character code prominently displayed on the front of at least some trains.  Was this a practice across all of BR, or just some lines?  Does it still exist anywhere?

Dave

DavidP Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> In early BR diesel days I remember seeing the four
> character code prominently displayed on the front
> of at least some trains.  Was this a practice
> across all of BR, or just some lines?  Does it
> still exist anywhere?
>
> Dave

The number system is the same but they are no longer displayed, displaying them was necessary in the days of manual signal boxes, to help signallers identify the trains passing through their section.

On what used to be British Railway's Southern Region the same four character codes were used in the working timetable but the trains themselves displayed a two digit route code, derived from pre-1948 Southern Railway practise. This helped passengers distinguish one train from another and was in use until the end of slam door stock in 2005.

BTW, in British railway practise the despatcher is the person on a station platform who gives the conductor/guard/train manager the OK to start the door closing sequence and depart.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/09/23 00:37 by 86235.

yooperfan Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I love riding British trains, but I have a some
> questions.
>
> Do both passenger and freight trains in Britain
> have numbers that are used operationally, but not
> publicly?
>
> I can't imagine a dispatcher transmitting a
> message like  "Dispatcher to the 0655 Plymouth to
> Paddington .....". Wouldn't it be easier to just
> say "Dispatcher to train 75682-25 ...."

British trains operate mostly on signal indication. It would be pointless to bring a scanning radio to Britain on a railfanning vacation.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/09/23 10:02 by railsmith.

Look for realtimetrains.co.uk - its detailed version will give you current trains at any given location in British railway network. Amazing resource.
John McIvor
https://svsfilm.com/diary