Identifiying BR Carriage Stock

[figworthy]

I've acquired several carriages, mainly Mainline and Lima, and I'd like to work out what they are supposed to be.

 

Is it possible to easily work out what a carriage is from it's number, e.g. 12345 is a Mk 2 Second Open ?

 

I've tried Google, but it doesn't want to be my friend today

 

 

Adrian

[eastwestdivide]

Try the bottom of this page for an overview of Mk1 numbering:

http://www.britishrailways.info/COACH%20NUMBERING.htm

 

and wikipedia too:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_carriage_and_wagon_numbering_and_classification

 

(found by googling br coaching stock numbers)

[giz]

A problem with using the number on the model to identify the type is that they aren't always accurate on older models and some of the Lima Mk1s even masquerade as pre-nationalisation types.

[balders]

Mainline are ok with their identities......Lima picked numbers out of a hat! Mainline produced MK1's - an SK 25xxx a BSK 35xxx and a buffet / restaurant car 17xx or 18xx as I recall. Also maroon ex LMS stock...period 1 composite and a couple of nice period 3 coaches (for their time) a corridor composite, and brake third. Lima MK1's as I recall had random and made up numbers, their full brake being total fiction

[figworthy]

Thanks for the follow ups, I see an interesting evening ahead.

 

Adrian

[Gwiwer]

Lima numbers cannot be used as a guide to the actual thing.  So far as I am aware any other major manufacturer uses suitable - albeit not always correct - numbers.  By that I mean that the issued model might carry a number within a series but is not strictly correct for that actual number.  It may have different bogies or small detail for example.

 

Be aware also that there have been numerous and somewhat overlapping number series' over the years.  In the early 1970s there were seven coaching stock series in concurrent use namely those from the Big Four (mostly parcel vans at that stage but plenty still around), BR itself, the Pullman Car Company and the Isle of Wight series which was by then using former LTE tuber stock.

 

"Company" stock was accorded a suffix letter to the number denoting from which of the Big Four the vehicle came and which sometimes differed to the prefix number if the vehicle had been reallocated to another area.  An example was Gresley buffet car W9135E which ended its days at Cardiff Canton but began them on the East Coast.  S4S was an ex-LTE Standard Stock (i.e. built 1923-35) driving motor on the Isle of Wight but W4 in the BR general series was a restaurant - kitchen car.  

 

Depending upon your era and how flexible you wish to be with actual dates it's necessary to bear in mind the renumbering of some types upon the introduction of TOPS.  This was only done where conflict would exist and affected the DMU fleet more than loose-coupled coaching stock.  But the entire stock of Mk1 SK vehicles had to be renumbered from the 25xxx and 26xxx series (which were already assigned to class 25 and 26 diesels) and became 18xxx and 19xxx through the 1970s.

 

If you get stuck on some of the less common types please come back and ask.  There are pitfalls for the unwary and there were always a number of "odd" vehicles numbered outside a main series or unique in their own right making them harder to identify for those less familiar with the coaching stock scene.