Headlamp Codes - Quick Ref sheets

[Harlequin]

If you are interested in running trains with correct head lamps, the attached PDF might be useful. The descriptions of different classes of trains are from the General Appendices to the Rule Book, along with their head lamp patterns and bell codes. The whole grouping period is covered plus a few years either side - 1918-1950.

GWR Head Lamps 1918-50 rev14.pdf

 

 

Of course this information is widely available in books but when I was moving Modelu lamps around on my trains I found that I wanted a quick reference to hand and so I made these sheets. Each of the different periods of classes and codes is on an A4 page that you can print out and pin up where you need it.

 

Headlamp codes were required to be displayed at all times (extinguished by day and lit at night and during fog or falling snow) on the GWR system, and also applied to locos from other companies working over it. The letter denoting the class of train was given at the head of the columns of the service timetable. Signalmen used the bellcode appropriate to the class of train. Special bellcodes could apply to some sections of line, and were specified on a local basis, but they are not included.

 

Thanks to @The Stationmaster for his help and advice.

 

 

Part of sheet 1:

Edited July 17, 2022 by Harlequin

[Nick Gough]

Thanks for this. Very useful.

[gwrrob]

3 hours ago, Nick Gough said:

Thanks for this. Very useful.

 

Indeed, thanks Phil and Mike.👍

[Welchester]

I came across this earlier this afternnon while browsing the Site of Sites. Many thanks.

[Miss Prism]

Harlequin and I are in cahoots.

[Harlequin]

A quick note about the Modelu lamps:

 

The cavity to fit over the lamp iron has been partially sealed in the most recent prints I've had from them (in the new grey resin). What seems to be happening is that the resin doesn't drain out of the cavity and then develops a skin where it's exposed to the air. But if you poke it with a needle or work at it with a small drill bit, you can open it up and remove the excess resin from inside so that the lamp slides down fully onto the lamp iron.

 

These little lamps are wonderful but a bit fiddly and the handle is quite delicate. With nimble fingers you can drop them onto the smokebox-top lamp iron but I find the other positions often require tweezers.

 

Edited July 17, 2022 by Harlequin

[The Johnster]

Just a small point; there was a list of tunnels through which head and tail lamps were to be lit at all times, and trains not stopping before they reached one of these would display lit lamps during daylight.  It makes little difference to those with lit lamps, though, as the lights were too dim to be visible in normal daylight ambient lighting.  But a through non-stop express would most likely be carrying lit lamps 24/7. 

[Penrhos1920]

When was red lamp and  a white lamp introduced for shunting locos?

[Harlequin]

11 hours ago, Penrhos1920 said:

When was red lamp and  a white lamp introduced for shunting locos?

 

I guess you're referring to the lens colours? I haven't seen any reference to showing both white and red when shunting.

 

[The Stationmaster]

4 hours ago, Harlequin said:

 

I guess you're referring to the lens colours? I haven't seen any reference to showing both white and red when shunting.

 

Correct.  A single red lamp at each end was the GWR code for a shunting pilot engine or shunting pilot with Shunters' truck (red lamp at that end transferred to the truck).  

 

GWR style lamping of shunting pilots definitely ended no later than 1 January 1950.  However the Instruction referring to red lamps had ben altered in November 1949 but without any reference from then on to the use of a single red lamp so possibly a change had occurred then although it doesn't seem to have been amended in the GWR Rule Book (which in any case did not wholly specify which lamp(s) were to be used) or the General Appendix amendment of that date.

 

So from 1 January 1950 shunting etc pilot engines, and Shunters; trucks were reqired to carry one red lamp over one buffer and one white lamp over the other buffer (which couldn't always be done exactly like that on Shunter's trucks of course).

 

Incidentally if you could see the light from an oil lit headlamp from almost any other angle except directly head on in most light (and darkness) conditions you would have had the sort of night vision that would have put Cat's Eye Cunningham to shame.  From a model railway point of view lit lamps, like semaphore signal lights, are an irrelevance because you simply could not see them at our normal viewing distances or even if much closer.

[The Johnster]

Quite right, Mike.  The lamps were there for the purpose of identifying the type of train, not for the driver to see where he was going; the green starter signal had already informed him that the section ahead was clear, and in later days ATC and AWS meant he didn't have to look where he was going.  Not much point in trying at night anyway, you couldn't see where you were going.  In the cab of a diesel loco or dmu in a tunnel or on a dark night the marker lights gave a dim impression of perhaps the half dozen sleepers ahead of you, that's all, and on a steam loco with the boiler or tender between you and the lamps, or a diesel with a nose come to that, not even that.  Probably difficult for kids terday to imagine, but we used to bang along in the dark at 100mph completely unaware of the world between us and the next signal.

 

I've complained on this site many times about lighting on models, usually far too bright even if you get the right cast, and I've seen steam loco sporting light from what are supposed to be oil lamps giving out blue cast lazer beams that'd take your eye out and leave a smouldering ruin in the socket if you're not careful!  Oil lamps are to all intents and purposes impsossible to see lit in all but the foulest daylight weather, and steam era coach lighting was carp enough to render it effectively invisible even at night under station lighting, a feeble 24v glow from filament bulbs.  Basically, if you model steam or early diesel era trains and have lights on them, and you can see that the lights are on under the layout's normal daylight ambient light, they are way too bright!

 

 

[Clive Mortimore]

5 hours ago, The Johnster said:

Quite right, Mike.  The lamps were there for the purpose of identifying the type of train, not for the driver to see where he was going; the green starter signal had already informed him that the section ahead was clear, and in later days ATC and AWS meant he didn't have to look where he was going.  Not much point in trying at night anyway, you couldn't see where you were going.  In the cab of a diesel loco or dmu in a tunnel or on a dark night the marker lights gave a dim impression of perhaps the half dozen sleepers ahead of you, that's all, and on a steam loco with the boiler or tender between you and the lamps, or a diesel with a nose come to that, not even that.  Probably difficult for kids terday to imagine, but we used to bang along in the dark at 100mph completely unaware of the world between us and the next signal.

 

I've complained on this site many times about lighting on models, usually far too bright even if you get the right cast, and I've seen steam loco sporting light from what are supposed to be oil lamps giving out blue cast lazer beams that'd take your eye out and leave a smouldering ruin in the socket if you're not careful!  Oil lamps are to all intents and purposes impsossible to see lit in all but the foulest daylight weather, and steam era coach lighting was carp enough to render it effectively invisible even at night under station lighting, a feeble 24v glow from filament bulbs.  Basically, if you model steam or early diesel era trains and have lights on them, and you can see that the lights are on under the layout's normal daylight ambient light, they are way too bright!

 

 

I have been guilty of what I am about to complain about. Station, goods yard and loco depots lights being on in daylight. Railways were known for not wasting money so to illuminate a platform when that big yella fing in the sky can do it for free, the lights would be switched off. I did try an operating session just using the depot lights when I still had Hanging Hill, I kept tripping over and bumping into things in the garage. 

 

As a 1960s diesel modeller I hate seeing headcode panels lite up so brightly as to make the girls of 93rd Searchlight Regiment, Royal Artillery jealous. Johnster has pointed out a 24v light bulb ain't that bright and the canvas on the roller blinds was quite thick. Yes at night the signalman and platform staff could read the headcode when the loco was on top of them. As for both red tail lights being on. Only in a few locations would a loco display ONE tail light. Otherwise going light engine it would have an oil tail lamp. Things changed in the 1980s.

[The Johnster]

They began to change in the 70s with the introduction of the HSTs; it was considered that people needed a better chance of seeing you coming at 125mph…

 

In 1974, having worked the Canton Sidings - Calvert empty bricks via Lawrence Hill to Swindon for relief with a driver generally known as Peter Perfect on a warm summer afternoon, we were siting in the sun on the platform waiting for the cushions home and having our grub and PPs tea, as he regaled me with details of what a wonderful driver he was, when we noticed that the down main signals had been off for a while and that a good proportion of the station staff had found reasons to be outside and scanning the scene in the up direction.  
 

After a few minutes, something appeared up there, something with a pair of bright headlights.  These approached at an insane speed and the prototype HST screamed through at a speed neither of us had seen a train going at anything remotely like before, and a second scream from the rear power car.  There was an impressive dust cloud, but it shut PP up for about 20 seconds.  He then came out with the unforgettable comment ‘they’ll be home in time for tea, then’.  And they probably were.  
 

The following day on the same job, the Gas turbine APT prototype 4-car set that looked like a kid’s school recorder on rails shot past us on the down just east of Chippenham, also not hanging about and making a terrific din.  Exciting times!

[The Stationmaster]

On 19/07/2022 at 00:12, The Johnster said:

They began to change in the 70s with the introduction of the HSTs; it was considered that people needed a better chance of seeing you coming at 125mph…

 

In 1974, having worked the Canton Sidings - Calvert empty bricks via Lawrence Hill to Swindon for relief with a driver generally known as Peter Perfect on a warm summer afternoon, we were siting in the sun on the platform waiting for the cushions home and having our grub and PPs tea, as he regaled me with details of what a wonderful driver he was, when we noticed that the down main signals had been off for a while and that a good proportion of the station staff had found reasons to be outside and scanning the scene in the up direction.  
 

After a few minutes, something appeared up there, something with a pair of bright headlights.  These approached at an insane speed and the prototype HST screamed through at a speed neither of us had seen a train going at anything remotely like before, and a second scream from the rear power car.  There was an impressive dust cloud, but it shut PP up for about 20 seconds.  He then came out with the unforgettable comment ‘they’ll be home in time for tea, then’.  And they probably were.  
 

The following day on the same job, the Gas turbine APT prototype 4-car set that looked like a kid’s school recorder on rails shot past us on the down just east of Chippenham, also not hanging about and making a terrific din.  Exciting times!

I sincerely hope that it wasn't doing that through Swindon where there was a permanent restriction of speed to 90mph at that time.  When overall line speed was raised to 125mph wherever possible east of Wootton Bassett for the arrival in ordinary service of HSTs the speed through Swindon was raised slightly but was still restricted to a a maximum of 100mph because signal spacing was insufficient to allow anything faster.

 

The only time it was exceeded was for the 'Tops of The Pops' high speed run to Bristol when the Chief Civil Engineer was prepared to let us run faster (I think it was still no more than 110mph without checking the notice) and we operated a rather unusual Special Instruction where I used a special radio link from the train to obtain what amounted to a 'Line clear-  you will not be checked anywhere between Highworth Branch Jcn and Hay Lane and the route is confirmed and set.'  I then relayed that by a 'phone link to our Chief Traction Inspector who was riding in the driving cab - so before we passed  Shrivenham we knew we had a clear run through Swindon and could run in excess of the normal restricted speed.

 

As far as what can be seen from the front end at night the big problem isn't so much headlights/lack of but extraneous beyond the fence.  I rode up from Didcot several times in the cab on the 19.53 Kidderminster - Paddington Parcels and one night it was during some sort of electricity strike so there no lights visible (n ever many at that time of night anyway out in the country) - the countryside side was only lit by natural light from the moon. - and you could see a long way with no trouble at all.

[St Enodoc]

On 18/07/2022 at 22:34, The Stationmaster said:

So from 1 January 1950 shunting etc pilot engines, and Shunters; trucks were reqired to carry one red lamp over one buffer and one white lamp over the other buffer (which couldn't always be done exactly like that on Shunter's trucks of course).

 

And, wherever possible, the red lamps were to be located further from an adjacent running line to avoid them being mistaken for the tail lamp of another train.

[The Stationmaster]

On 20/07/2022 at 03:51, St Enodoc said:

And, wherever possible, the red lamps were to be located further from an adjacent running line to avoid them being mistaken for the tail lamp of another train.

Yes, that was what we were taught although it wasn't in the Rule Book or General Appendix.  And when, many years ago,  I watched the steam pilots shunting at Reading I never saw the crew bother to change the red shade in the lamps while on various of the WR diesels you couldn't change the red & white lights anyway.

[St Enodoc]

9 hours ago, The Stationmaster said:

Yes, that was what we were taught although it wasn't in the Rule Book or General Appendix.  And when, many years ago,  I watched the steam pilots shunting at Reading I never saw the crew bother to change the red shade in the lamps while on various of the WR diesels you couldn't change the red & white lights anyway.

I suppose it was analogous to changing the side lamps on brake vans in loops?

[The Stationmaster]

17 hours ago, St Enodoc said:

I suppose it was analogous to changing the side lamps on brake vans in loops?

Effectively yes but seemingly from what I saw not done as religiously if pilots were moving from side to side of running lines (and even brakevan side lamps were an't always changed when they should have been).

[Dana Ashdown]

On 17/07/2022 at 07:09, Harlequin said:

If you are interested in running trains with correct head lamps, the attached PDF might be useful. The descriptions of different classes of trains are from the General Appendices to the Rule Book, along with their head lamp patterns and bell codes. The whole grouping period is covered plus a few years either side - 1918-1950.

GWR Head Lamps 1918-50 rev14.pdf 322.82 kB · 77 downloads

 

 

Of course this information is widely available in books but when I was moving Modelu lamps around on my trains I found that I wanted a quick reference to hand and so I made these sheets. Each of the different periods of classes and codes is on an A4 page that you can print out and pin up where you need it.

 

Headlamp codes were required to be displayed at all times (extinguished by day and lit at night and during fog or falling snow) on the GWR system, and also applied to locos from other companies working over it. The letter denoting the class of train was given at the head of the columns of the service timetable. Signalmen used the bellcode appropriate to the class of train. Special bellcodes could apply to some sections of line, and were specified on a local basis, but they are not included.

 

Thanks to @The Stationmaster for his help and advice.

 

 

Part of sheet 1:

Very well done. Thank you!

[Modelu Chris]

On 17/07/2022 at 17:54, Harlequin said:

A quick note about the Modelu lamps:

 

The cavity to fit over the lamp iron has been partially sealed in the most recent prints I've had from them (in the new grey resin). What seems to be happening is that the resin doesn't drain out of the cavity and then develops a skin where it's exposed to the air. But if you poke it with a needle or work at it with a small drill bit, you can open it up and remove the excess resin from inside so that the lamp slides down fully onto the lamp iron.

 

These little lamps are wonderful but a bit fiddly and the handle is quite delicate. With nimble fingers you can drop them onto the smokebox-top lamp iron but I find the other positions often require tweezers.

 

 

Good morning,

 

Apologies that you had some problems with our lamps. We have recently changed our resin and this should no longer happen.

 

Kind regards,

Chris