[Nanning]

Hi there, I'm new on here, although I have been on other forums, anyway this is my first post

This one that's probably cropped up on here before but I cannot find a thread of such so far.

I'm interested in the original diesels and their history and I'm trying to find out about more about the Class and numbering system and identify such.

Going through the TOPS Classes as allocated in 1967, many years ago I had noticed several apparently 'missing' no.s. I have been trying to identify such ever since (on and off)

Given that BR used all the no's in sequence for each type (e.g. Type 2 = Classes 21-31, Type 4 = Classes 40-53), it appears some are missing or possibly not identified (by me that is!)

This is the original list of Classification (as what I have read of) :-

Class no.s 01-07 were for Shunters of 150-300hp
Class no.s 08-13 were for Shunters of 350-400hp
Class no.s 15-20 for Type 1 Locos 800-1000hp
Class no.s 21-31 for Type 2 Locos 1001-1499hp
Class no.s 33-37 for Type 3 locos 1500-1999hp
Class no.s 40-53 for Type 4 Locos 2000-2999hp
Class no.s 55-up for Type 5 Locos 3000+hp

It seems that BR were trying to keep to a Type/Number system i.e. 0-09 for shunters, 10-19 for Type 1, 20-29 for Type 2, 30-39 for Type 3, 40-49 for Type 4 and 50-59 for Type 5, but because in some Types there were more loco classes than they had the 10 numbers for, it ended up going awry.

But just from this list immediately I see some no.s missing !! Classes 14, 32, 38 & 39 and Class 54 I don't believe with these were no.s, that they had just not yet used them and were saving them for future classes, because BR seemed to be using the no.s in sequence and were not leaving any obvious gaps.

Class 14 is easy - an oddity (shunter or Type 1 loco ?) as a Trip Loco which were put in the D9500 no. series in the 1955 numbering system I don't understand why they gave it Type 5 no.s ?) I don't know why it was not in the list, except that they could not decide if it was a Shunter or a Type 1 and classed it as something else (a trip loco ?) initially.

Class 32 ? Does anyone know if there was Class 32 allocated to any locos ?

Just going by the no. it could be for a Type 2 or 3 loco, and my guess is it was allocated to a Type 2 loco, and one which was still in use in 1967, the NBL prototype 10800 which had been in service since 1950 and was re-engined by Brush in 1962. My guess is it was this loco ( after being re-engined) that was given the Class 32 (but not renumbered as far as I know ?) but as it was withdrawn in 1968 (just 1 year after the Classifications were allocated) it has since been forgotten, does anyone have any ideas or info about this suggestion ? I have since seen a different list of Classes and it states that Type 2 locos used the classes 21-32, so it was definitely a Type 2 and it was used !

I don't believe Classes 38 & 39 were not allocated because there just wasn't enough Type 3 locos to fill the numbering system up, but I don't know what Loco's they could have been allocated to ?
I have since discovered that there was a Loco designed in the 1980's based on Class 58, but with less power that was allocated Class 38, but not built, but this is a later event.

Class 54 ? was this a Type 4 or Type 5 no. ?, maybe it would have been saved for a future Type 4 ? or could it possibly been allocated as a Type 5
Such as to HS4000 Kestrel ? although this loco was never put into capital stock, being on loan from Brush, and it was not introduced until January 1968. However it was being built in 1967, maybe BR gave it a classification on the distinct possibility that this prototype being built could manifest into a class of loco's in service ? however I think it is unlikely, and if it was given a Class no. it would probably have been 56 (the next in order of Type 5's and because it had more power than a Deltic, BR usually gave Type no.s in order of engine size), but I have not heard of such and which has since been used. Any arguments/suggestions ?

And what of the no.s within the numbering system (above) that had at first not obviously allocated to any class of loco ?

Classes 18 & 19 ? I have no idea about this, maybe BR just did not have enough Type 1 Loco's to fill that section ? but if that is the case why were the EE Type 1's allocated Class 20, skipping 18 & 19 ?? 18 was later allocated for a Type 1 based on the 58's which was never built.

Class 30 is another easy one which I discovered a long time ago are what 31's were before being re-engine and before Tops no.s were applied, however it is hard to identify which ones it applied to as most 31's were already done before this Class designation came in. Anyone know the dates of the 31's re-engineering, anyone know the actual date this Class numbering system came in ?

Class 34 ? No loco class for this no. ? I read somewhere recently (I can't remember where or in what publication ?) that the prototypes 10000 & 10001 were allocated Class 34 ? why 10000 I don't know as this was withdrawn in 1963, however 10001 was still in service until March 1966 ! as neither were not yet scrapped maybe they were given the allocation just in case ?, they were in the same power range ?, however I have found some info that they originally classified what became Sub-Class 33/1 as Class 34, but changed to 33/1 before Tops no.s came in.

Class 36 ? Could this have possibly been allocated to the Brush Type 2's (future class 31) D5545 & D5655-D5670 which were uprated to 1600hp ?

Class 48 was allocated to Brush Type 4's D1702-D1706 with different engine and power rating, but these were re-engined to the same as the other Brush Type 4's before Tops numbering.

Class 49 ? the only suggestion I have for this would be DP2 ? which was in service (as a prototype) until it was damaged in an accident in 1967.
It was in the Type 4 range and led onto what became the Class 50's, what do you think ?

Class 51 ??

Class 53 was for D1200 which was classified and re-numbered from prototype D0280

Have I missed any ?


How about the electric Classes also ? I know that Class 70 were 20001-20003, Class 72 was allocated to what were the JA's E6001-E6006, and Class 80 was E2001, what about 75 ? I've heard that this could have been for 26000 Tommy or a super-electro diesel not built ?
And what about 78-79 ?

Replies are most eagerly anticipated !!