Class 73 headcode showing 89 - South Eastern Division?

[SouthernBlue80s]

I have just purchased Dapol´s class 73124 showing 89.

Can some one tell me what route this would relate to on the South Eastern Division.

I have found a picture of a 73 parked up at Ashford with code 89 showing in 1981 but a search on the internet has not given me any clues

Thanks

Steve

[Gwiwer]

89 on the SED insofar as passenger working were concerned referred to a train between Holborn Viaduct or Blackfriars and any point between Gillingham and Ramsgate running via London Bridge and Greenwich.  As such the 73 at Ashford is unlikely to have had that displayed for this route and in any case would not normally have led a train that way.

A "parked" (berthed or stabled is a better term) locomotive should have is blinds set to double red but this was not universally observed particularly if the locomotive was stationary between trips or as booked for crew relief or awaiting a path. 

 

It could well have been assigned to a non-timetable working for which the full headcode might have been 3Z89 or 5Z89 for special or unscheduled parcels or empty stock respectively.  At Ashford the locomotive might equally have been engaged in a transfer of stock to / from Chart Leacon.  When no other code was listed the SR locos often displayed the final two digits to identify the working to staff along the route so long as that did not clash with an otherwise-used code.  89 had no meaning at Ashford so it was perfectly in order for it to be used for a one-off working within the SR.  

 

I doubt it would have been a freight working because those usually carried alpha-numeric headcodes such as B4 (a random example) or two letters (such as CD) for inter-regional workings.  A numeric headcode would imply coaching stock or a light engine move.

[RFS]

Full list of head codes here - http://www.semgonline.com/headcodes/eheadcodes.html.

 

There are separate lists for each SR section. 

[SouthernBlue80s]

Thanks gents