Headcodes.

[Paul_C]

I have a Heljan class 33 with a running number of D6504 in green. It displays head codes of H1 and 4A. Any ideas anyone please? 4A seems to have been evident around the Kent area and was H1 the Hither Green code?

 

Paul.

[BR traction instructor]

Have a look through these…your H1 query might actually be 1H (depending on font) but the decal needs rotating…

 

BeRTIe

Edited July 5, 2022 by BR traction instructor

[BR traction instructor]

 

[BR traction instructor]

Edited July 4, 2022 by BR traction instructor

[BR traction instructor]

[BR traction instructor]

[BR traction instructor]

[BR traction instructor]

[BR traction instructor]

[Paul_C]

Hi,

Thank you for this brilliant info, I will trawl through it and see what I can find.

 

Paul. 

[Halvarras]

Good heavens BeRTIe, as a response to a request for information I think that qualifies as "above and beyond"! 😀

[BR traction instructor]

Quite rare info H, just giving those interested the chance to file what is likely to be the full list.

 

BeRTIe

[Gwiwer]

On 08/07/2022 at 06:05, BR traction instructor said:

Quite rare info H, just giving those interested the chance to file what is likely to be the full list.

 

BeRTIe

The full list is very full indeed.  When you add in the bars, dots and all then there are many thousands of options and different meanings.  Suffice to say that a hundred or so probably covers the main traffic flows though even then with bars above according to route / stopping pattern / traction at times.  

[Gwiwer]

On 04/07/2022 at 19:05, Paul_C said:

I have a Heljan class 33 with a running number of D6504 in green. It displays head codes of H1 and 4A. Any ideas anyone please? 4A seems to have been evident around the Kent area and was H1 the Hither Green code?

 

Paul.

Just looking into this a little further and with a book on the subject in progress it appears that both H1 and 1H were in use for different routes.  

 

H1 referred to a route between Clapham Junction and Dover Marine (Western Docks) via Herne Hill and Maidstone East 

1H referred to a route between Hoo Junction and Earley via the Dartfod Loop and Brentford which would have come through Hither Green

 

So quite different although coinciding through Clapham Junction.  

 

Headcodes changed over time as traffic flows came and went but those for freight were fairly short-lived compared with the passenger ones.  Diesel haulage of freight on the SR dates from around 1960 whereas electric unit headcodes were first used some 40 - 50 years before then and have outlasted freight ones as well.