Metropoltitan Railway lampcodes

[eheaps]

Hi All,

 

As you may have seen in Annie's thread, I'm working on a Met A class virtual model. I'd like to give it selectable head lamp codes, but have so far utterly failed to find out what head lamp codes the Met used. They must have used some as the locos had lots of lamp sockets. The scheme must also have changed at some point as photos from different eras have different numbers of sockets.

 

If anyone here as the requisite arcane knowledge, or can point me in the direction of a useful source, it would be much appreciated!

 

 

[Annie]

Are there none among the wise and learned of the pre-grouping forum who are able to help Ed out.  Surely somebody must know what the MET lamp codes were.

[Michael Hodgson]

I would suggest the Signalling Record Society. 

Head codes are likely to be detailed in the signalling regulations and/or an Appendix to the WTT.

Possibly also other companies may have published some of the details, eg GCR for the jointly worked lines

[Annie]

45 minutes ago, Michael Hodgson said:

I would suggest the Signalling Record Society. 

Head codes are likely to be detailed in the signalling regulations and/or an Appendix to the WTT.

Possibly also other companies may have published some of the details, eg GCR for the jointly worked lines

Thanks for suggesting the SRS.  Possibly there might be might be something useful available as evidenced by this page  https://www.s-r-s.org.uk/ArchiveAppendix/LTE.php  Only it looks like you would have to be a society member to find out what it is they actually have in their archives.

[Michael Hodgson]

50 minutes ago, Annie said:

Thanks for suggesting the SRS.  Possibly there might be might be something useful available as evidenced by this page  https://www.s-r-s.org.uk/ArchiveAppendix/LTE.php  Only it looks like you would have to be a society member to find out what it is they actually have in their archives.

Yes, you have to join to visit the archives, which are now in Kenilworth but some are digitised ands can be downloaded by members.

Not sure whether they have yet indexed everything they've got. 

 

The Enquiries Officer may be able to help though https://www.s-r-s.org.uk/enquiries.php

 

That LTE page you linked all post-dates the 1933 incorporation of the Met into LT, although operating practices would almost certainly have remained the same until equipment changed.  I have a set of 1947 Underground General Signalling Regulations and 1947 LPTB regulations over part of the East London Line, but neither of these includes lamp codes.  Bell codes between boxes indicated routing or stopping pattern, but there is no mention of head lamps in these books.

[Annie]

Thanks very much for your help Michael.  I'll let Ed know what I've been able to find and see what he wants to do from here.

[Caley Jim]

The 2MM Scale Association have published a booklet 'Train Lamps and Headcodes', available to non-members here (3rd item down the page).  I don't have a copy, so can't comment on whether it includes the MET, but I will find out and report back.

 

Jim.

[Nearholmer]

Based on looking at images in the LT Museum archive, I will tentatively suggest this.

 

 

If you think about the topology of the Met, and the fact that trains displayed a destination board, the key was routing at the junctions, and I think this works for that purpose. The board would be enough to know the actually terminal station.

 

Things must have evolved as Uxbridge and Watford were added, and presumably there was some way of knowing if a train was for the Chesham Branch.

 

I’m not totally sure about the Hammersmith one because there were City/ELL to Hammersmith services over the north of the circle (Met) and the south of the circle (District) …. One had the lamp over left buffer, one over the right, but I’m not sure which was which.

 

The final Met electric locos only had three electric headlamps, which does work for the basics of this.

 

I’ve also tentatively identified at least some of the District ones too, but the entire service pattern was mid bogglingly complex, with trains via Addison Road in the mix, that I’m sure haven found everything, and some codes will duplicate, because the routes didn’t coincide anywhere.

Edited March 25, 2023 by Nearholmer

[Annie]

22 minutes ago, Nearholmer said:

Based on looking at images in the LT Museum archive, I will tentatively suggest this.

That is absolutely brilliant Kevin.  I think Ed will be very pleased to see this.

 

This picture came from the Basilica Fields website.  Pictures of MET engines at work showing a headcode seem to be thin on the ground unfortunately.

 

[Nearholmer]

Ah, I know that image well, but didn’t think of it!

 

So, it looks as if above left buffer is the Met route over the top of the circle, and above right buffer is the District route over the bottom of the circle.

 

     

[eheaps]

Many thanks for this. As is typical it's come just after I gave up hope and uploaded them using RCH lamp codes. Looks like it's time to do a V2 upgrade! Any District info would also be welcome as I'm working on those versions now.

 

[eheaps]

2 hours ago, Caley Jim said:

The 2MM Scale Association have published a booklet 'Train Lamps and Headcodes', available to non-members here (3rd item down the page).  I don't have a copy, so can't comment on whether it includes the MET, but I will find out and report back.

 

Jim.

 

Looks like a useful publication for general reference. At only £7 I might have to get one...

[Nearholmer]

Expanded, and with one correction.

 

The District routes were many and complex, and must have had codes that worked properly alongside LSWR ones, so this is anything but complete. I can’t do far find anything for Richmond, which had services from multiple places by multiple companies, for instance.

 

Somewhere, I’ve got photos of trains running via Addison Road, which are absent from this too.

Anyway, the story so far ….. 

 

 

[eheaps]

This is brilliant, now I just need the time to code it up.

[Metropolitan H]

To add to the questions, I have a niggling idea that "not all head lamp relied on showing all white (clear glass in front of oil lamp flame) aspect?"

 

Memory says that there were some codes that relied on lanps having coloured glass shades - such as blue / violet etc.? But were did that idea come from.

 

It probably all changed after about 1910 - by which time Met steam passenger workings would be restricted to north of Finchley Road, following the electrification of the Circle Line and other inner area branches? - But do remember that the Met-Vick Electric locos are fitted with five (5) square lamp sockets across the front of the footplating, in addition to the three electric headlights mounted on the cab front, some of which had provision for different colour shades (including "Red"). There was normally an oil tail lamp carried on one corner lamp socket "turned backwards" ready for use as a stabling tail lamp when the loco was stabled "Switched off" - !

 

I will try and find further references - but it isn't highest priority at present.

 

Regards

Chris H 

[Nearholmer]

The railways in the south that used multiple different shaped/coloured/marked  discs/boards, so SECR, LBSCR (big time), and LSWR, and possibly others (GER?), definitely used violet lamps in some codes at night, but I can’t (so far) see why that would be needed in this case.

 

The other railway that is a mystery is the North London, which used strange stencils poking out from the sides of the loco chimney. SFAIU, not even the NLR Society has properly got to the bottom of what they signified.

[Caley Jim]

4 hours ago, Caley Jim said:

The 2MM Scale Association have published a booklet 'Train Lamps and Headcodes', available to non-members here (3rd item down the page).  I don't have a copy, so can't comment on whether it includes the MET, but I will find out and report back.

I've now checked with the person who compiled that booklet.

 

It doesn't include the MET as he found London codes very complex, as we see above.  His reply includes the following :-

 

'Kew has Metropolitan Railway rule books for 1868, 74, 77, 1904, 21, and 33.

Usually the headcodes were in an appendix to the rule book, though the Met may have been different. The only appendix at Kew is

RAIL 1134/354

Great Western, Metropolitan and West London Railways Electric traction.

Supplement to Metropolitan Co.'s appendix No. 2 to the working timetable dated Apr. 1912

Which implies the Met did have appendices to the working timetable, but they don't seem to have any at Kew. It may be something LT have.'

 

Jim

[Michael Hodgson]

2 hours ago, Nearholmer said:

Things must have evolved as Uxbridge and Watford were added, and presumably there was some way of knowing if a train was for the Chesham Branch.

 

I’m not totally sure about the Hammersmith one because there were City/ELL to Hammersmith services over the north of the circle (Met) and the south of the circle (District) …. One had the lamp over left buffer, one over the right, but I’m not sure which was which.

 

District Railway's City/ELL to Hammersmith trains were going to the District's own Hammersmith Station, separate from the Met station so it made sense for them to be using the District's own lamp codes, just necessary to avoid duplication of any codes where their routes did overlap

 

Through services to the City from Watford or Chesham branches don't seem to have been belled differently from trains for the main line at least by 1947; perhaps there were whistle codes?  Otherwise distinctive head codes seem to have been likely to have been desirable.

 

As for coloured headlamps, there were certainly some used for connections into the NLR from lines such as the GNR.

 

General bell codes, 1947

Fast Line    Local line       where more than two tracks

all                    N/A            where double track

1-2-1                1-3              Train calling at your station

4                     2                   Train passing your station or breakdown train/LE going to assist disabled train

2-2-1              1-2-2            Goods Train now passing signalbox

3-1-1              1-1-3            Goods Train now passing, and calling at your station

2-3                  2-1-2            Light Engine/Engine and not more than 2 brake vans

There were also non-standard emergency signals applicable only to the Local lines.

 

Bell codes between Wembley Park, Harrow South Junction and Harrow Station Signal Boxes

1-2-1  Passenger Train terminating at Harrow

3-1     Passenger Train calling at Harrow and proceeding to Pinner or beyond

4         Passenger Train NOT calling at Harrow, proceeding to Pinner or beyond

1-3     Passenger Train proceeding to Rayners Lane or beyond

1-1-2 Empty train for Neasden Depot

 

Bell codes between Harrow North Junction and Uxbridge

4         Non-stop Met passenger, or breakdown train/LE going to clear line

1-3      Met Passenger train

2-2      Train terminating at Rayners Lane

1-2-1   Picadilly passenger train

2-2-1   ECS

3         Goods or Mineral Train or Ballast Train not requiring to stop in Section

1-2-2  Ballast train requiring to stop in section

2-3      Light Engine

 

 

Bell codes between Harrow South Junction, Rickmansworth and Watford:

4        Express Passenger/breakdown train/LE going to clear line

3-1     Ord Pass (other than Rayners Lane or beyond), or breakdown train not going to clear line

1-3    Train to Rayners Lane or beyond

2-2    Train terminating at Rayners Lane

Standard RCH bell codes used for goods train etc

One additonal beat between Rickmansworth & Watford Junction inclusive following the description of train for trains routed va North Curve at Watford Junction

 

Bell codes between Westbourne Park and Hammersmith

1-3   Trains to Uxbridge Road

2-1-1 Eastbound train or Aldgate half of Westbound train

1-1-2 Hammersmith half of electric train

3       Goods Train

2-3   Light Engine

 

Between District & Met boxes at SOuth Kensington,

1      Circle Line train [Call Attention not used between these boxes]

Between District & East London boxes at Whitechapel

2-2  Train to/from East London Line [Call Attention not used between these boxes]

 

There were also separate sets of regulations for

• the Widened Lines from Kings Cross LNER/St Pancras Tunnel Box LMSR to Moorgate/Holborn Low Level (SR);
• the Hammersmith & City Line Paddington to Westbourne Park, and Latimer Road to Uxbridge Road;
• East London Line

This last used quite different bell codes, distinguishing between steam & electric as well as destinations.

[Nearholmer]

1 hour ago, Michael Hodgson said:

District Railway's City/ELL to Hammersmith trains were going to the District's own Hammersmith Station, separate from the Met station

Perhaps I should have mentioned that. I rather took it for granted that it was understood by all.

[eheaps]

I suspect the place to go searching for definitive information is the LTM archive, however for now Nearholmer's summary should be good enough to provide a decent set of options in the game.

 

Here's the latest District loco carrying a suitable lampcode.

 

[Nearholmer]

 

Being super, super picky, I wonder if your top lamp is a teeny bit high.

[eheaps]

I think it's about right, the screenshot I posted was from a  very low angle which is making it look higher than it really is.

[eheaps]

I've just received a copy of these from the LTM shop (all this model making made me want to learn more about District History). Excitingly, it has an excerpt from the 1901 rulebook covering lampcodes! I won't post the book page here, but I can confirm most of what @Nearholmer suggested for the District is correct. The main differences are that some codes involve blue lights as well as white and that the code for Hounslow Barracks uses only two lamps. There are also various other codes not discovered by Nearholmer including codes for LNWR trains which feature the Circles and Diamonds attached to the Chimney NLR style as previously discussed in @Annie's thread.

 

       

[Nearholmer]

I’ll try and find the photo again, but the HB one definitely has three, so maybe it was an earlier/later version, or posted on the loco incorrectly.

[eheaps]

It being an earlier version is certainly a possibility.