Newbie
 

Hi I'm Ash, I'm from north Wales. I'd like some advice please. I'm new to this train game. i like looking at headcodes to see what's coming in and going out. i don't know what all the digits of a headcode mean. Do i need to worry about headcodes? i know the first number, it tells you whether it's passenger or freight. Should i only worry about the first number and not worry about the other digits of a headcode?

Well hello Ash, and welcome to our forum.

Don't worry about headcodes, it's not that big a deal.

First number = Type of train
Next letter = route or nature
3rd /4th numbers are just an identifier.

You should appreciate that nowadays these tend to be company-specific, there isn't a 'one size fits all' answer. I used to work fast passenger trains on the South end of the East Coast Main Line. Here's some examples of our codes.

First (number) was allocated as per the Rule Book.....1 for express, 2 for stopper/all stations, 3 for an empty service which had a timed path to get it to its next start of service and therefore ran as if it were a normal service , 5 for an empty train ambling to or from a depot/yard which the signaller could delay or move out the way if needed.

For us, the second (letter) was a route code....P for King Cross to Peterborough, C for Kingx Cross to Cambridge, T for Kings Cross to Kings Lynn via Cambridge, etc

Last 2 numbers identified the exact train. For us, all down trains were even numbered, and all up trains were odd. And the numbers started small and got bigger as the day went on. Each train had a unique code, so for example everybody knew that 1T22 was the weekday 11:44 train out of Kings Cross - for the duration of that timetable period. Saturday and Sunday trains would have different headcodes.

Also of note is that if you took a train out to rescue 1T53, you would become 5Z53 once you attached to it and hauled it back to Hornsey maintenance depot for repair. Z being the letter for an unplanned/Very Short Notice movement



Hope this helps, BW

Thanks for that you lost me. I watch railcam.uk which have cameras in many stations up and down England I look at Crewe. I look at the headcodes and say in the chat room that a 4M45 is passing cam 4, now i know by the first number 4 that its freight so i say there's a freight passing on cam 4 at Crewe. A 1A25 approached Crewe cam 4 today, that's a passenger train. Is it ok to just know what train it is by looking at the first number, forget the rest?

Sure Ash, you don't need to go into any further detail than you want to. Enjoy the hobby at whatever level suits you.

In fact just using the first number tells gives an insight into what type of train you're looking at. So ignoring passenger trains and just looking at the freight trains you're interested in....

The first number may give you the following information
1) can be a nominated parcels or goods train. And the 'special' code 1Z99 I mentioned before can be used for a breakdown train or Overhead Line train going to clear the line, a traction unit going to assist a failed train, or a snowplough going to rescue a train.

2) is mostly for stopping passenger trains, BUT 2Z01 is 'an Officers Special Train', which sounds like something from the Battle of Waterloo but nowadays often just means it's got managers or VIPs on board

3) can be a freight train if specially authorised, or a Railhead Treatment Train in leaf fall season, or a parcels train

4) is the fastest of the freight trains, with a maximum speed of 75 mph. Round here they're very often intermodal (metal box) trains belonging to Freightliner or GB Railfreight, running between a sea port and inland handling facility.

5) is usually an empty passenger train

6) is a freight train with a max speed of 60 mph

7) is a freight train with a max speed of 45 mph

8) is a freight train with a max speed of 35 mph.

9) is nowadays used for high-speed trains, like the Eurostars or Javelins. It can also be used for special trains.

0) is a light locomotive (ie, a loco with no train on the back).

Hope this helps, BW

I have recently joined Railcam.uk which i enjoy using because i get to see trains coming in and going out but what am i on there for, is it just to see the trains and getting the numbers? There is a chat room but i dont understand what they are saying about trains. I say to them, theres 4M45 coming in at 16:35 for instance, that feels good because i've told them the headcode and i know 4 means freight. Is that all people do just get headcodes and class numbers, 66, 47 37 88?

Ash