List of British Rail TOPS depot codes
Encyclopedia
From the introduction of TOPS
in 1973, all British Rail
diesel and electric locomotives and multiple units were allocated to a particular Traction Maintenance Depot
or TMD. Drawing from the terminology of steam traction, these deports were generally referred to as "sheds", and indeed most locations were those which had possessed depots for steam locos. Each TMD had a two-character code which was originally displayed underneath the number of each locomotive allocated there. Later this was extended to cover each carriage of Diesel Multiple Units
(DMUs), and even some coaching stock; at this time additional depot codes were added covering places with Coaching stock allocations, and also Works locations.
Depot allocations were discontinued during the 1990s when British Rail moved to a system of allocating locomotives to pools related to their use.
(SPs) where locomotives or multiple units would be parked when not required. The locations varied from comprehensively equipped depots through covered accommodation with fuelling point to a mere siding. The use of TOPS codes for SPs was also somewhat haphazard, with Machynlleth (code MN) hosting 1 or 2 locomotives on some weekends while Wolverhampton Station
, which had no TOPS code, could be found with more than a dozen locos stabled there.
The application of a depot code was generally reliable as a guide to the base from which the locomotive or multiple unit operated but with some variations, mainly relating to shunters and departmental locomotives.
EMU
depots such as Birkenhead North (BD) often required a diesel shunter for moving stock when not powered. As there was no fuelling or maintenance capability at BD, a shunter allocated to nearby Birkenhead Mollington Street (BC) was used, returning to its home depot once every 4 weeks. This arrangement also existed at other locations such as Ilford/Stratford.
Departmental locomotives, by the nature of their use, were sometimes reported as allocated to a base location or even to a region in general rather than an official depot. The Western Region sometimes followed this practice, with number 20 (latterly 97020) reported as allocated to "Reading Signal Works" throughout the 1970s. Locomotives used for research purposes would be reported as allocated to the Derby Research Centre
.
In addition to the 2 character codes given above, a single additional character in brackets could be added to indicate that a locomotive had been placed into storage. The relevant codes were:
TOPS
Total Operations Processing System, or TOPS, is a computer system for managing the locomotives and rolling stock owned by a rail system...
in 1973, all British Rail
British Rail
British Railways , which from 1965 traded as British Rail, was the operator of most of the rail transport in Great Britain between 1948 and 1997. It was formed from the nationalisation of the "Big Four" British railway companies and lasted until the gradual privatisation of British Rail, in stages...
diesel and electric locomotives and multiple units were allocated to a particular Traction Maintenance Depot
Traction maintenance depot
In the United Kingdom, a traction maintenance depot, or TMD, is a railway depot where locomotives are serviced and maintained. A traction and rolling stock maintenance depot, or T&RSMD, is a maintenance depot where locomotives, multiple units and rolling stock are serviced and maintained. Each rail...
or TMD. Drawing from the terminology of steam traction, these deports were generally referred to as "sheds", and indeed most locations were those which had possessed depots for steam locos. Each TMD had a two-character code which was originally displayed underneath the number of each locomotive allocated there. Later this was extended to cover each carriage of Diesel Multiple Units
Diesel multiple unit
A diesel multiple unit or DMU is a multiple unit train consisting of multiple carriages powered by one or more on-board diesel engines. They may also be referred to as a railcar or railmotor, depending on country.-Design:...
(DMUs), and even some coaching stock; at this time additional depot codes were added covering places with Coaching stock allocations, and also Works locations.
Depot allocations were discontinued during the 1990s when British Rail moved to a system of allocating locomotives to pools related to their use.
About allocations and TOPS depot codes
Locations given a TOPS code included all TMDs, servicing depots (where minor work such as A exams could be undertaken), and some Stabling PointsStabling point
A stabling point, in UK railway parlance, is a small traction maintenance depot where locomotives are parked whilst awaiting their next turn of duty. A stabling point may be fitted with a fuelling point and other minor maintenance facilities. A good example of this was Newports Godfrey road...
(SPs) where locomotives or multiple units would be parked when not required. The locations varied from comprehensively equipped depots through covered accommodation with fuelling point to a mere siding. The use of TOPS codes for SPs was also somewhat haphazard, with Machynlleth (code MN) hosting 1 or 2 locomotives on some weekends while Wolverhampton Station
Wolverhampton railway station
Wolverhampton railway station in Wolverhampton, West Midlands is on the West Coast Main Line. It is served by London Midland, CrossCountry, Virgin Trains and Arriva Trains Wales.-History:...
, which had no TOPS code, could be found with more than a dozen locos stabled there.
The application of a depot code was generally reliable as a guide to the base from which the locomotive or multiple unit operated but with some variations, mainly relating to shunters and departmental locomotives.
EMU
Electric multiple unit
An electric multiple unit or EMU is a multiple unit train consisting of self-propelled carriages, using electricity as the motive power. An EMU requires no separate locomotive, as electric traction motors are incorporated within one or a number of the carriages...
depots such as Birkenhead North (BD) often required a diesel shunter for moving stock when not powered. As there was no fuelling or maintenance capability at BD, a shunter allocated to nearby Birkenhead Mollington Street (BC) was used, returning to its home depot once every 4 weeks. This arrangement also existed at other locations such as Ilford/Stratford.
Departmental locomotives, by the nature of their use, were sometimes reported as allocated to a base location or even to a region in general rather than an official depot. The Western Region sometimes followed this practice, with number 20 (latterly 97020) reported as allocated to "Reading Signal Works" throughout the 1970s. Locomotives used for research purposes would be reported as allocated to the Derby Research Centre
Railway Technical Centre
The Railway Technical Centre in London Road, Derby, UK, was built by the British Railways Board in the early 1960s to be its technical headquarters....
.
List of TMD, Servicing Depot and SP codes
TOPS code | Shed name | Origins | Comments |
---|---|---|---|
AB | Aberdeen Ferryhill | ||
AC | Aberdeen Clayhills | Carriage maintenance depot | |
AF | Ashford Chart Leacon | ||
AN | Allerton Allerton TMD Allerton TMD is a railway traction maintenance depot situated in Liverpool. The depot is opposite Liverpool South Parkway and is visible to the north on the way to Hunts Cross. The depot is now owned and soon to be operated by Northern Rail, but used to be owned by EWS... |
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AY | Ayr | ||
BC | Birkenhead Mollington Street | ||
BD | Birkenhead North Birkenhead North TMD Birkenhead North TMD is a traction maintenance depot located opposite Birkenhead North railway station for servicing Merseyrail Class 507 and 508 multiple units and rolling stock. The depot code is BD.-History:... |
EMU depot | |
BE | Bedford Midland Station | No allocation - Fuelling Point only. | |
BG | Botanic Gardens (Hull) | ||
BH | Barrow Hill (Staveley) Barrow Hill Engine Shed Barrow Hill Roundhouse & Railway Centre, until 1948 known as Staveley Roundhouse & Train Centre, is a former Midland Railway roundhouse in Barrow Hill, near Staveley and Chesterfield, Derbyshire .-History:... |
Midland Railway Midland Railway The Midland Railway was a railway company in the United Kingdom from 1844 to 1922, when it became part of the London, Midland and Scottish Railway.... |
|
BI | Brighton Lovers Walk | EMU depot | |
BJ | Bristol Marsh Junction | DMU depot | |
BL | Blyth | ||
BM | Bournemouth | EMU depot | |
BN | Bounds Green Bounds Green TMD Bounds Green TMD is situated in North London. The depot is operated by East Coast. The depot code is BN.-Allocation:*Class 08*Class 91*HSTs may also, be seen, However rarely-References:... |
HST depot | |
BQ | Bury | EMU depot | |
BP | Blackpool | Carriage maintenance depot | |
BR | Bristol Bath Road Bristol Bath Road TMD Bristol Bath Road TMD was a railway Traction Maintenance Depot situated in Bristol.Originally built for the Bristol and Exeter Railway, it was rebuilt in 1934 by the Great Western Railway. The depot was rebuilt again in the early 1960's as its role changed from maintaining steam locomotives to... |
GWR Great Western Railway The Great Western Railway was a British railway company that linked London with the south-west and west of England and most of Wales. It was founded in 1833, received its enabling Act of Parliament in 1835 and ran its first trains in 1838... |
|
BS | Bescot Bescot TMD Bescot TMD is a locomotive traction maintenance depot in the West Midlands, England. It is situated adjacent to Bescot Stadium station. The depot is currently operated by DBS . The current depot code is BS but, in steam days, the shed code was 3A.Bescot Marshalling Yard is to the south-east of the... |
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BU | Burton | ||
BW | Barrow | ||
BX | Buxton | DMU depot | |
BY | Bletchley Bletchley TMD Bletchley TMD is a railway traction maintenance depot situated in Bletchley, Buckinghamshire to the north of Bletchley Station on the West Coast Main Line . The depot is operated by London Midland... |
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BZ | St. Blazey (Par) St Blazey engine shed St Blazey Engine Shed is located in Par, Cornwall, United Kingdom. The depot operator is DB Schenker. It is named after the adjacent village of St Blazey and has the depot code is BZ.-History:... |
Cornwall Minerals Railway | |
CA | Cambridge | DMU depot | |
CC | Clacton | EMU depot | |
CD | Crewe Diesel Depot Crewe Diesel TMD Crewe Diesel Traction Maintenance Depot or Crewe Diesel TMD was a diesel-electric locomotive Traction Maintenance Depot situated to the south of and visible from Crewe railway station. The depot is owned by EWS. The depot code is CD... |
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CE | Crewe Electric Depot Crewe Electric TMD Crewe Electric TMD is an AC electric locomotive Traction Maintenance Depot situated to the north of Crewe railway station. The depot is situated on the south side of the Crewe to Chester railway line opposite Crewe Works on Victoria Avenue. The depot is operated by EWS... |
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CF | Cardiff Canton Cardiff Canton TMD Cardiff Canton TMD is a diesel locomotive Traction Maintenance Depot which is situated in Cardiff, Wales. The depot code is CF. In steam days the depot was known as Cardiff Canton and its shed code was 86C. Originally built as the main maintenance base for the South Wales Railway, it became the... |
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CG | Croxley Green | EMU depot | |
CH | Chester | ||
CJ | Clapham Junction | No allocation. | |
CK | Corkerhill | DMU depot | |
CL | Carlisle Upperby | Carriage maintenance depot | |
CM | Camden | Carriage maintenance depot | |
CP | Crewe Carriage Shed | No allocation - Fuelling Point only. | |
CQ | Crewe Heritage Centre | Crewe Heritage Centre | Storage Facility & Heritage Centre |
CR | Colchester | ||
CV | Coalville | ||
CW | Cricklewood | ||
DA | Darnall | DMU depot | |
DE | Dundee | ||
DM | Dollands Moor | No allocation. | |
DN | Darlington | ||
DR | Doncaster | ||
DT | Dunfermline Townhill | ||
DY | Derby Etches Park | DMU depot | |
EC | Edinburgh Craigentinny | HST depot Carriage Maintenance Depot | |
ED | Eastfield Eastfield TMD Eastfield TMD was a railway Traction Maintenance Depot situated in Glasgow, Scotland. Eastfield was a steam shed under British Railways with the depot code 65A; the depot code of the diesel depot under BR was ED.... |
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EG | Edge Hill | ||
EH | Eastleigh | ||
EJ | Ebbw Junction (Newport) | ||
EM | East Ham | EMU depot | |
EN | Euston Downside | Carriage maintenance depot | |
EU | Euston Station | ||
EX | Exeter St Davids Exeter TMD Exeter TMD is a railway Traction Maintenance Depot situated in Exeter, Devon, England, next to the city's main St Davids station. The depot is operated by First Great Western.There are 12 roads, the Traction Maintenance Depot can hold 2 sets of vehicles... |
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FH | Frodingham (Scunthorpe) | ||
FP | Finsbury Park Finsbury Park TMD Finsbury Park TMD was a railway Traction Maintenance Depot situated in London, England. It was the first purpose built main line diesel locomotive depot opened in this country and it was fully commissioned in April 1960 . It was downgraded in June 1981 and closed in October 1983... |
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FR | Fratton | EMU depot | |
FW | Fort William | ||
GC | Cowlairs (Glasgow) | Carriage maintenance depot | |
GD | Gateshead | ||
GF | South Gosforth | DMU depot | |
GI | Gillingham | EMU depot | |
GL | Gloucester | ||
GM | Grangemouth | ||
GU | Guide Bridge | ||
GW | Glasgow Shields Road Glasgow Shields Road TMD Glasgow Shields Road ETD is a railway Electric Traction Depot in Glasgow, Scotland. The depot is located on the south side of the Glasgow Central to Paisley lines, adjacent to Shields Junction, close to the site of the former station... |
Electric locomotive/EMU depot | |
HA | Haymarket Haymarket TMD Haymarket TMD is a railway Traction Maintenance Depot situated inside Edinburgh, Scotland, next to Haymarket Station and Murrayfield Stadium. The depot is operated by First ScotRail. The depot code is HA.-External links:A of the depot.-References:... |
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HD | Holyhead | ||
HE | Hornsey Hornsey TMD Hornsey Electric Multiple Unit Depot is a railway maintenance depot for First Capital Connect's Great Northern fleet of electric multiple units, as well as carrying out those maintenance tasks on FCC's Thameslink Class 319 and 377 units which Bedford Cauldwell depot is unable to do... |
EMU depot | |
HF | Hereford | ||
HG | Hither Green | ||
HI | Hitchin | ||
HM | Healey Mills (Wakefield) | ||
HN | Hamilton | DMU depot | |
HO | Holbeck (Leeds) | ||
HR | Hall Road (Liverpool) Hall Road TMD Hall Road TMD was a railway Traction Maintenance Depot situated adjacent to Hall Road railway station. The depot was a facility for storage and servicing of Merseyrail multiple units and rolling stock... |
EMU depot | |
HS | Hammerton Street (Bradford) | ||
HT | Heaton Heaton TMD Heaton TMD is a railway Traction Maintenance Depot situated in the Heaton area of Newcastle upon Tyne, England. It is located next to the East Coast Main Line, around east of Newcastle railway station. The depot is operated by Northern Rail, and mostly houses stock operated by them and Grand Central... |
HST and DMU depot | |
HY | Hyndland | EMU depot | |
IL | Ilford | EMU depot | |
IM | Immingham Immingham TMD Immingham TMD is a railway Traction Maintenance Depot situated in Immingham, North East Lincolnshire outside Grimsby, England.- History :Originally built by the Great Central Railway in 1912 to service the newly opened Immingham Docks, it was taken over by the LNER and later Eastern Region of... |
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IP | Ipswich Station | No allocation - Fuelling Point only. | |
IS | Inverness | ||
KD | Carlisle Kingmoor Carlisle Kingmoor TMD Carlisle Kingmoor TMD is a railway Traction Maintenance Depot situated in Carlisle, England. The depot is operated by the Direct Rail Services . The depot was originally used to service Diesel Locomotives and Diesel Multiple Units. The current depot code is KM... |
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KM | Carlisle Yard | No allocation - Fuelling Point only. | |
KX | Kings Cross | No allocation - Fuelling Point only. | |
KY | Knottingley | ||
LA | Laira (Plymouth) Laira TMD Laira TMD is a railway Traction Maintenance Depot situated in Plymouth, Devon, England. The depot is operated by First Great Western and is mainly concerned with the overhaul and daily servicing of their fleet of High Speed Trains and also the DMUs used on local services... |
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LE | Landore (Swansea) Landore TMD Landore TMD is a railway Traction Maintenance Depot situated in Landore, near Swansea, Wales. The depot is operated by First Great Western and is used to service their fleet of Class 43 High Speed Trains. The depot code is LE.-References:... |
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LG | Longsight Electric Depot (Manchester) Longsight Electric TMD Longsight Electric TMD is an AC Electric railway locomotive Traction Maintenance Depot situated in Longsight, Manchester, England. The depot code is LG.... |
Electric locomotive and EMU depot | |
LJ | Llandudno Junction | ||
LL | Liverpool Edge Hill | Carriage maintenance depot | |
LN | Lincoln | DMU depot | |
LO | Longsight Diesel Depot (Manchester) Longsight Diesel TMD Longsight Diesel TMD is a railway diesel locomotive Traction Maintenance Depot situated in Longsight, Manchester, England. The depot code is LO. There are many various roads in which individual train sets can be overhauled.-References:... |
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LR | Leicester | ||
LV | Liverpool Street | No allocation | |
MA | Manchester Longsight Carriage Maintenance Depot | ||
ME | Marylebone | DMU depot | |
MG | Margam (Port Talbot) Margam TMD Margam TMD was a railway locomotive Traction Maintenance Depot situated in Port Talbot, South Wales. The depot code was MG, which has now been re-allocated to Margam Knuckle Yard service point.... |
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MH | Millerhill (Edinburgh) | ||
ML | Motherwell Motherwell TMD Motherwell TMD is a closed locomotive Traction Maintenance Depot situated in Motherwell, North Lanarkshire, Scotland. The depot code is ML.The depot was operated by EWS following the privatisation of British Rail and was used for the maintenance of their fleet of Diesel locomotives and wagons as... |
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MN | Machynlleth | ||
MR | March March TMD March TMD was a railway Traction Maintenance Depot situated near March, England. March was a steam shed under British Railways with the depot code 31B; the depot code of the diesel depot under BR was MR. The nearest railway station is March, and the depot was located close to the Whitemoor... |
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MV | Manchester Victoria (Red Bank) | Carriage maintenance depot | |
NA | Newton Abbot | South Devon Railway | |
NC | Norwich Crown Point Norwich Crown Point Crown Point was originally the name given to an area within the city of Norwich in the United Kingdom.The name is now more commonly associated with the Crown Point Traction Maintenance Depot operated by National Express East Anglia. Intercity and Diesel Multiple Unit trains are serviced and... |
Carriage maintenance depot | |
NG | New Cross Gate | Carriage maintenance depot | |
NH | Newton Heath (Manchester) | Lancashire & Yorkshire Railway | DMU depot |
NL | Neville Hill (Leeds) | HST and DMU depot | |
NM | Nottingham Carriage Sidings | ||
NR | Norwich | ||
NW | Northwich | No allocation - Fuelling Point only. | |
OC | Old Oak Common Old Oak Common TMD Old Oak Common TMD is situated to the west of London, in Old Oak Common. The Traction Maintenance Depot is the main facility for the storage and servicing of locomotives and multiple-units which utilise Paddington Station. The depot codes are 'OC' for the diesel depot, and 'OO' for the carriage shed... |
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OM | Old Oak Common Carriage Maintenance Depot | ||
ON | Orpington | EMU depot | |
OO | Old Oak Common (HST) Old Oak Common TMD Old Oak Common TMD is situated to the west of London, in Old Oak Common. The Traction Maintenance Depot is the main facility for the storage and servicing of locomotives and multiple-units which utilise Paddington Station. The depot codes are 'OC' for the diesel depot, and 'OO' for the carriage shed... |
HST depot | |
OX | Oxford | ||
OY | Oxley (Wolverhampton) | Carriage maintenance depot | |
PA | St Pancras | No allocation. | |
PB | Peterborough | ||
PC | Polmadie Carriage Maintenance Depot (Glasgow) | ||
PH | Perth Station | ||
PM | Bristol St Phillips Marsh | HST depot | |
PO | Polmadie (Glasgow) | ||
PZ | Penzance Penzance TMD Penzance TMD, also known as Long Rock TMD, is a railway Traction Maintenance Depot situated in the village of Long Rock east of Penzance, Cornwall, United Kingdom, and is the most westerly and southerly rail depot in the country. The depot operator is First Great Western... |
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RB | Ranelagh Bridge | No allocation - Fuelling Point only. | |
RE | Ramsgate | EMU depot | |
RG | Reading Reading TMD Reading TMD is a railway Traction Maintenance Depot situated in Reading, England, and operated by First Great Western. The depot code is RG.The depot is situated to the west of Reading station and to the north of Reading West station... |
DMU depot | |
RL | Ripple Lane | ||
RR | Radyr | ||
RS | Reddish | ||
RY | Ryde | EMU depot | |
SA | Salisbury | ||
SB | Shirebrook | ||
SE | St Leonards | DEMU depot | |
SF | Stratford Stratford TMD Stratford TMD was a railway Traction Maintenance Depot situated in Stratford, London, England, and was also the site of a Railway Works. Originally built in 1847 for the... |
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SG | Slade Green | EMU Depot | |
SI | Soho (Birmingham) | ||
SL | Stewarts Lane | Electric locomotive and EMU depot | |
SP | Wigan Springs Branch | ||
SR | Stratford Repair Depot Stratford TMD Stratford TMD was a railway Traction Maintenance Depot situated in Stratford, London, England, and was also the site of a Railway Works. Originally built in 1847 for the... |
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ST | Severn Tunnel Junction | ||
SU | Selhurst | EMU depot | |
SW | Swindon | ||
SY | Saltley (Birmingham) | ||
SZ | Southall | DMU depot | |
TE | Thornaby (Tees) Thornaby TMD Thornaby TMD was a railway Traction Maintenance Depot situated in Thornaby, England, and latterly operated by D B Schenker.Thornaby opened as a steam shed under British Railways in June 1958 with the depot code 51L. It took over the allocations of the 'decrepit establishments' at Newport and... |
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TF | Thornton Fields (Stratford) | Carriage maintenance depot | |
TI | Tinsley (Sheffield) Tinsley Motive Power Depot Tinsley Motive Power Depot, latterly Tinsley Traction Maintenance Depot was built as part of the Sheffield district rail rationalisation plan of the 1960s opening during 1965 and situated adjacent to, but at a higher level than the new Tinsley Marshalling Yard alongside the Sheffield District... |
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TJ | Thornton Junction | ||
TO | Toton Toton TMD Toton Traction Maintenance Depot is one of the largest rail depots in the United Kingdom. Toton TMD is bordered by Long Eaton and Sandiacre in Derbyshire and Toton in Nottinghamshire... |
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TS | Tyseley Tyseley TMD Tyseley TMD is a railway Traction Maintenance Depot situated in Tyseley, outside Birmingham, England. Originally opened by the Great Western Railway in 1908 it later passed through the Western Region and London Midland Regions of British Railways eventually to be assigned to Central Trains and... |
DMU depot | |
TW | Tunbridge Wells West Station | DEMU depot | |
TY | Tyne Yard Tyne Yard Tyne Yard is a railway yard in Gateshead, England, on the East Coast Main Line, operated by DB Schenker Rail Ltd. The yard is the major freight yard of the region, with the majority of rail freight movements in Tyne and Wear from around the UK passing through the yard.The yard is about south of... |
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VR | Vale of Rheidol Railway Vale of Rheidol Railway The Vale of Rheidol Railway is a narrow-gauge gauge heritage railway that runs for between Aberystwyth and Devil's Bridge in the county of Ceredigion, Wales... (Aberystwyth) |
Steam locomotive depot | |
WB | Willesden Brent Sidings | Carriage maintenance depot | |
WC | Waterloo & City line Waterloo & City Line The Waterloo & City line is a short underground railway line in London, which was formally opened on 11 July 1898. It has only two stations, Waterloo and Bank... |
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WD | Wimbledon | EMU depot | |
WH | Wath | ||
WJ | Watford Junction | No allocation - Fuelling Point only. | |
WK | Workington | ||
WN | Willesden Willesden TMD Willesden TMD is a railway locomotive Traction Maintenance Depot situated in Willesden, north London. The depot is visible from the West Coast Main Line, to the south-east of Willesden Junction, on the way into London's Euston Station... |
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WO | Wellingborough | No allocation - Fuelling Point only. | |
WS | Worcester | ||
WT | Westhouses | No allocation - Fuelling Point only. | |
WY | Westbury | ||
YC | York Clifton | ||
YK | York York TMD -Background:There were several locomotive depots at York: York North was ex-North Eastern Railway. Within the triangle of lines bounded by York railway station, Holgate Junction and York North Junction, were three further depots, one each ex-Great Northern Railway, Midland Railway and North... |
In addition to the 2 character codes given above, a single additional character in brackets could be added to indicate that a locomotive had been placed into storage. The relevant codes were:
- (S) Stored serviceable
- (U) Stored unsericeable
Works codes
TOPS code | Works name | Origins | Comments |
---|---|---|---|
ZC | Crewe Works | ||
ZD | Derby Litchurch Lane Works | ||
ZE | Derby Locomotive Works | ||
ZF | Doncater Works | ||
ZG | Eastleigh Works | ||
ZH | Glasgow St Rollox Works | ||
ZL | Swindon Works | ||
ZN | Wolverton Works |