Different head/lamp code on Princes Risborough Aylesbury Branch

[David Bigcheeseplant]

Other than the southern region I always thought head lamp codes where standard throughout the UK, but the sectional appendix to the working timetable, London division 1960 says there was a unique headcode for freight on the branch of one lamp in centre of buffer beam for the Princes Risborough to Aylesbury branch and photographic evidence seems to back this up, and seemed to be applied  to passenger trains as well, even the through Paddington, Maidenhead, Wycombe Aylesbury six coach through trains had it too. did these have a normal headcode and was it changed at Princes Risborough, another thing it states is that tender engines running over the Aylesbury-PR branch on goods trains must not run tender first.

 

Normally a single lamp in the centre of the bufferbeam is for a light engine.

 

I wonder why the branch had these rules does seem a bit odd.

 

David

Edited October 29, 2020 by David Bigcheeseplant

[Mike_Walker]

I've just looked through my collection of shots of the Maidenhead - High Wycombe line (my local branch) and no clear answer is possible. The through trains to/from Aylesbury are shown with the conventional Class 1 or class 2 headlamps in addition to the "special" you mention. It appears it differed from day to day particularly on the 07:43 to Paddington. 

 

As an aside, the Marlow Donkey also ran with the headlamp in the middle of the buffer beam and below the centre windscreen of the auto. I've also noticed this on many other (G)WR auto trains so it might have been "official" or just a lazy crew.