Route availability
Encyclopedia
Permanent way
The permanent way is the elements of railway lines: generally the pairs of rails typically laid on the sleepers embedded in ballast, intended to carry the ordinary trains of a railway...
and supporting works (bridge
Bridge
A bridge is a structure built to span physical obstacles such as a body of water, valley, or road, for the purpose of providing passage over the obstacle...
s, embankments
Embankment (transportation)
To keep a road or railway line straight or flat, and where the comparative cost or practicality of alternate solutions is prohibitive, the land over which the road or rail line will travel is built up to form an embankment. An embankment is therefore in some sense the opposite of a cutting, and...
, etc.) of the National Rail
National Rail
National Rail is a title used by the Association of Train Operating Companies as a generic term to define the passenger rail services operated in Great Britain...
network of Great Britain
Great Britain
Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
are graded. All routes are allocated an RA number between 1 and 10.
Rolling stock
Rolling stock
Rolling stock comprises all the vehicles that move on a railway. It usually includes both powered and unpowered vehicles, for example locomotives, railroad cars, coaches and wagons...
is also allocated an RA (again between 1 and 10) and the RA of a train
Train
A train is a connected series of vehicles for rail transport that move along a track to transport cargo or passengers from one place to another place. The track usually consists of two rails, but might also be a monorail or maglev guideway.Propulsion for the train is provided by a separate...
is the highest RA of any of its elements. The RA is primarily related to the axle load
Axle load
The axle load of a wheeled vehicle is the total weight felt by the roadway for all wheels connected to a given axle. Viewed another way, it is the fraction of total vehicle weight resting on a given axle...
of the vehicle, although axle spacing is also taken into consideration. In practice it is the locomotive
Locomotive
A locomotive is a railway vehicle that provides the motive power for a train. The word originates from the Latin loco – "from a place", ablative of locus, "place" + Medieval Latin motivus, "causing motion", and is a shortened form of the term locomotive engine, first used in the early 19th...
which governs where trains may operate, although many high capacity 4 axle wagon
Railroad car
A railroad car or railway vehicle , also known as a bogie in Indian English, is a vehicle on a rail transport system that is used for the carrying of cargo or passengers. Cars can be coupled together into a train and hauled by one or more locomotives...
s have high RAs when fully loaded. (When considering the operation of trains the loading gauge
Loading gauge
A loading gauge defines the maximum height and width for railway vehicles and their loads to ensure safe passage through bridges, tunnels and other structures...
must also be considered.)
Route Availability as a system was first devised by the London and North Eastern Railway
London and North Eastern Railway
The London and North Eastern Railway was the second-largest of the "Big Four" railway companies created by the Railways Act 1921 in Britain...
, and perpetuated by 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...
to ascertain which locomotive
Locomotive
A locomotive is a railway vehicle that provides the motive power for a train. The word originates from the Latin loco – "from a place", ablative of locus, "place" + Medieval Latin motivus, "causing motion", and is a shortened form of the term locomotive engine, first used in the early 19th...
s can work on which lines throughout the rail network in Great Britain
Great Britain
Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
. The system uses numbers from 1 to 10 and a locomotive must have a route availability (RA) lower than or equal to the RA of a line to be allowed to work on the line.
Exemptions may be obtained to allow locomotives to operate on lines from which they may otherwise be banned. An exemption might be granted by placing a speed restriction over a weak bridge
Bridge
A bridge is a structure built to span physical obstacles such as a body of water, valley, or road, for the purpose of providing passage over the obstacle...
, for example.
Route availability of a line
The route availability for a line is calculated taking in to account bridge strength, track condition, structural issues and so on. A route availability of one (RA1) is the most restricted line, open to possibly one type of locomotive specially designed for it. A route availability of 10 is the most open, usable by any locomotive that fits within the GB loading gaugeLoading gauge
A loading gauge defines the maximum height and width for railway vehicles and their loads to ensure safe passage through bridges, tunnels and other structures...
that has been 'passed' for it (checked for conflicts with infrastructure such as platforms).
Vehicle route availability
Route availability for a vehicle (locomotiveLocomotive
A locomotive is a railway vehicle that provides the motive power for a train. The word originates from the Latin loco – "from a place", ablative of locus, "place" + Medieval Latin motivus, "causing motion", and is a shortened form of the term locomotive engine, first used in the early 19th...
or wagon
Wagon
A wagon is a heavy four-wheeled vehicle pulled by draught animals; it was formerly often called a wain, and if low and sideless may be called a dray, trolley or float....
) is generally based upon its axle loading
Axle load
The axle load of a wheeled vehicle is the total weight felt by the roadway for all wheels connected to a given axle. Viewed another way, it is the fraction of total vehicle weight resting on a given axle...
. That is, how much of the laden weight of the vehicle is distributed on each axle. The more weight on each axle, the higher the RA number, and the more restricted the vehicle is. The uneven weight distribution of the class 28 Co-Bo
British Rail Class 28
The British Rail Class 28 diesel locomotives, or 'Metrovicks' as they were popularly known, were built as part of the British Railways 1955 Modernisation Plan. The locomotives had a Co-Bo wheel arrangement – unique in British Railways practice though not uncommon in other countries, notably Japan...
forced the use of 6 wheel bogie
Bogie
A bogie is a wheeled wagon or trolley. In mechanics terms, a bogie is a chassis or framework carrying wheels, attached to a vehicle. It can be fixed in place, as on a cargo truck, mounted on a swivel, as on a railway carriage/car or locomotive, or sprung as in the suspension of a caterpillar...
at one end in order to stay within RA 8. For wagons it is normal to have different RA when running empty to full.
A locomotive with RA 1 is able to work on any line, although it will have a very light axle loading (which will limit its capabilities, for example class 01 shunters
British Rail Class 01
The British Rail Class 01 diesel locomotive was a short wheelbase 0-4-0 diesel-mechanical design intended for use in areas with tight curves and limited clearance.-History:Four examples were built by Andrew Barclay Sons & Co. of Kilmarnock in 1956...
are RA 1). An RA 10 locomotive could only work upon an RA 10 line, placing restrictions on where it can be used.
The RA of a locomotive must not exceed the RA of the track except under strictly controlled circumstances.
Network Rail
Network RailNetwork Rail
Network Rail is the government-created owner and operator of most of the rail infrastructure in Great Britain .; it is not responsible for railway infrastructure in Northern Ireland...
currently gives the allowed axle loadings as follows:
| Route Availability | Axle Load |
|---|---|
| RA1–RA6 | ≤20.3 tonne |
| RA7-RA9 | ≤24.1 tonne |
| RA10 | ≤25.4 tonne |
| EU average | ≈22.5 tonne |
The information regarding route availability (RA) on this page comes from the 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...
(London Midland Region) Route Availability Guide, and the Freight Train Loads Book, both issued in 1969. Several routes will have had their RA numbers changed since that time.
| Group Number | Mainline Classes | Shunters |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Y14 GER Class Y14 The Great Eastern Railway Class Y14 is a class of 0-6-0 steam locomotive. The LNER classified them J15.The Class Y14 was designed by T.W. Worsdell for both freight and passenger duties - a veritable 'maid of all work'... |
01 British Rail Class 01 The British Rail Class 01 diesel locomotive was a short wheelbase 0-4-0 diesel-mechanical design intended for use in areas with tight curves and limited clearance.-History:Four examples were built by Andrew Barclay Sons & Co. of Kilmarnock in 1956... , 03 British Rail Class 03 The British Rail Class 03 locomotive is, together with Class 04, one of BR's most successful smaller 0-6-0 diesel-mechanical shunters. The class, numbering 230 examples, was built by British Railways' Swindon and Doncaster works in 1957-1962 and numbered D2000-D2199 and D2370-D2399... , 04 British Rail Class 04 The British Rail Class 04 0-6-0 diesel-mechanical shunting locomotive class was built between 1952 and 1962 and was the basis for the later Class 03 built in the British Railways workshops. The Class 04 locomotives were supplied by the Drewry Car Co., which at the time had no manufacturing... *, 11104 British Rail 11104 British Railways' 11104 locomotive was built by F. C. Hibberd & Co Ltd and introduced by British Railways in 1959. Its departmental number was 52.-External links:*... , 15097 |
| 2 | 158 British Rail Class 158 British Rail Class 158 Express Sprinter is a diesel multiple-unit train, built for British Rail between 1989 and 1992 by BREL at its Derby Works. They were built to replace many locomotive-hauled passenger trains, and allowed cascading of existing Sprinter units to replace elderly 'heritage' DMUs... , 220 British Rail Class 220 The Class 220 Voyager are a class of diesel-electric high-speed multiple-unit trains built by Bombardier Transportation in 2000 and 2001.... , 222 (five car) British Rail Class 222 The British Rail Class 222 is a diesel-electric multiple unit high-speed train capable of . Twenty-seven units have been built by Bombardier Transportation.... |
02 British Rail Class 02 The British Rail Class 02 were a class of twenty 0-4-0 diesel-hydraulic shunting locomotives built by the Yorkshire Engine Company in 1960 and 1961 for service in areas of restricted loading gauge and curvature such as docks... , 04 British Rail Class 04 The British Rail Class 04 0-6-0 diesel-mechanical shunting locomotive class was built between 1952 and 1962 and was the basis for the later Class 03 built in the British Railways workshops. The Class 04 locomotives were supplied by the Drewry Car Co., which at the time had no manufacturing... *, 05 British Rail Class 05 The British Rail Class 05 is a class of 0-6-0 diesel-mechanical shunters built by Hunslet Engine Company from 1955 to 1961. They were used on the Eastern and Scottish Regions of British Railways. Initially they were numbered 11136-11176 and, later, D2550-D2619.... |
| 3 | ||
| 4 | 15 British Rail Class 15 The British Rail Class 15 diesel locomotives, also known as the BTH Type 1, were designed by British Thomson-Houston, and built by the Yorkshire Engine Company and the Clayton Equipment Company, between 1957 and 1961.- Design history :... , 16 British Rail Class 16 The North British Type 1 was a type of diesel locomotive ordered under British Railways' 1955 Modernisation Plan. Like other Type 1 designs, they were relatively small locomotives intended primarily for local freight traffic.... , 17 British Rail Class 17 The British Rail Class 17 was a class of 117 Bo-Bo diesel-electric locomotives built 1962–1965 by Clayton Equipment Company and their sub-contractor Beyer, Peacock & Co., for British Railways .... , 22, 221 British Rail Class 221 The Class 221 Super Voyager is a class of British diesel-electric multiple-unit express trains built by Bombardier Transportation between 2001 and 2002, entering service on 12 April 2002.... , 222 (seven car) British Rail Class 222 The British Rail Class 222 is a diesel-electric multiple unit high-speed train capable of . Twenty-seven units have been built by Bombardier Transportation.... , 10800 British Rail 10800 British Railways 10800 was a diesel locomotive built by the North British Locomotive Company for British Railways in 1950. It had been ordered by the London, Midland and Scottish Railway in 1946 but did not appear until after the 1948 nationalisation of the railways.Design was by George Ivatt and... |
|
| 5 | 20 British Rail Class 20 The British Rail Class 20, otherwise known as an English Electric Type 1, is a class of diesel-electric locomotive. In total, 228 locomotives in the class were built by English Electric between 1957 and 1968, the large number being in part because of the failure of other early designs in the same... , 23, 25 British Rail Class 25 The British Rail Class 25 diesel locomotives were also known as Sulzer Type 2 and nicknamed Rats, as it was alleged they could be seen everywhere in Britain, and hence were "as common as rats"... , 27 British Rail Class 27 British Rail's Class 27 comprised 69 diesel locomotives built by the Birmingham Railway Carriage and Wagon Company during 1961 and 1962. They were a development of the earlier Class 26; both were originally classified as the BRCW Type 2.- Usage :... , 29, 31 British Rail Class 31 The British Rail Class 31 diesel locomotives, also known as the Brush Type 2 and originally as Class 30, were built by Brush Traction from 1957-62.- Description :... *, 37 British Rail Class 27 British Rail's Class 27 comprised 69 diesel locomotives built by the Birmingham Railway Carriage and Wagon Company during 1961 and 1962. They were a development of the earlier Class 26; both were originally classified as the BRCW Type 2.- Usage :... *, 43 British Rail Class 43 (HST) The British Rail Class 43 is the TOPS classification used for the InterCity 125 High Speed Train power cars, built by BREL from 1975 to 1982.... , 55 British Rail Class 55 The British Rail Class 55 is a class of diesel locomotive built in 1961 and 1962 by English Electric. They were designed for the high-speed express passenger services on the East Coast Main Line between and Edinburgh. They gained the name "Deltic" from the prototype locomotive, DP1 Deltic, which... , 185 British Rail Class 185 The Class 185 Pennine Desiro is a diesel multiple-unit passenger train of the Desiro type built by Siemens in Germany for the British train operating company First TransPennine Express.51 units were acquired, representing an investment of £250 million.... |
06 British Rail Class 06 The British Rail Class 06 is a class of 0-4-0 diesel-mechanical shunters built by Andrew Barclay from 1958 to 1960 for use on the Scottish Region of British Railways... , 08 British Rail Class 08 The British Rail Class 08 is a class of diesel-electric shunting locomotive. From 1953 to 1962, 996 locomotives were produced, making it the most numerous of all British locomotive classes.... *, 09 British Rail Class 09 The British Rail Class 09 is a class of 0-6-0 diesel locomotive designed primarily for shunting and also short distance freight trips along branch lines.... , 10 British Rail Class 10 The British Rail Class 10 diesel locomotive was a variation on the Class 08 diesel-electric shunter in which a Blackstone diesel engine was fitted instead of one made by the English Electric company... , 11 British Rail Class 11 The British Rail Class 11 was applied to a batch of diesel shunting locomotives built from April 1945 to December 1952, based on a similar earlier batch built by the London, Midland and Scottish Railway between 1939 and 1942.-Numbering:... , 12 British Rail Class 12 The British Rail Class 12 is a diesel locomotive built primarily for shunting duties around London.-History:This was the second batch of Southern Railway shunters based on the English Electric 6KT 350 hp diesel engine. The first experimental batch were designed by Richard Maunsell of the SR in... |
| 6 | 8K GCR Class 8K The Great Central Railway Class 8K 2-8-0 is a class of steam locomotive designed for heavy freight. Introduced in 1911, and designed by John G. Robinson, 126 were built for the GCR prior to the First World War... , D16/2 British Rail Class D16/2 British Railways Class D16/2 was a class of prototype diesel locomotive built by BR at Ashford Works and introduced in 1950-1951, with a third example being introduced in 1954. They had been designed by Oliver Bulleid for the Southern Railway before the 1948 nationalisation but did not appear until... , 24 British Rail Class 24 The British Rail Class 24 diesel locomotives, also known as the Sulzer Type 2, were built from 1958 to 1961. One hundred and fifty-one of these locomotives were built at Derby, Crewe and Darlington, the first twenty of them as part of the British Rail 1955 Modernisation Plan. This class was used as... , 26 British Rail Class 26 The British Rail Class 26 diesel locomotives, also known as the BRCW Type 2, were built by the Birmingham Railway Carriage & Wagon Company at Smethwick in 1958-59. Forty seven examples were built, and the last were withdrawn from service in 1993... , 31 British Rail Class 31 The British Rail Class 31 diesel locomotives, also known as the Brush Type 2 and originally as Class 30, were built by Brush Traction from 1957-62.- Description :... *, 33 British Rail Class 33 The British Rail Class 33 also known as the BRCW Type 3 or Crompton is a class of Bo-Bo diesel-electric locomotives ordered in 1957 and built for the Southern Region of British Railways between 1960 and 1962.... , 35 British Rail Class 35 The British Rail Class 35 is a class of mixed-traffic B-B diesel locomotive with hydraulic transmission. Because of their Mekydro-design hydraulic transmission units, the locomotives became known as the Hymeks.... , 40 British Rail Class 40 The British Rail Class 40 is a type of British railway diesel locomotive. Built by English Electric between 1958 and 1962, and eventually numbering 200, they were for a time the pride of the British Rail early diesel fleet... , 42 British Rail Class 42 British Railways' Type 4 Warship class diesel-hydraulic locomotives were introduced in 1958. It was apparent at that time that the largest centre of expertise on diesel-hydraulic locomotives was in Germany... , 47 British Rail Class 47 The British Rail Class 47, is a class of British railway diesel-electric locomotive that was developed in the 1960s by Brush Traction. A total of 512 Class 47s were built at Crewe Works and Brush's Falcon Works, Loughborough between 1962 and 1968, which made them the most numerous class of British... *, 48 British Rail Class 48 The British Rail Class 48 was a diesel locomotive class which consisted of five examples, built at Brush Falcon Works in Loughborough and delivered between September 1965 and July 1966... , 50 British Rail Class 50 The British Rail Class 50 is a diesel locomotive built from 1967-68 by English Electric at their Vulcan Foundry Works in Newton-le-Willows. Fifty of these locomotives were built to haul express passenger trains on the, then non-electrified, section of the West Coast Main Line between Crewe,... , 52 British Rail Class 52 British Rail assigned Class 52 to the class of 74 large Type 4 diesel-hydraulic locomotives built for the Western Region of British Railways between 1961 and 1964... *, 53 British Rail Class 53 British Rail assigned Class 53 to the single Brush Traction-built prototype locomotive Falcon. While not in any sense a failure, the design was the victim of advances in locomotive technology and was never duplicated.- History :The Falcon project began in 1959 to design a new, lightweight... , 57 British Rail Class 57 The Class 57 diesel locomotives were introduced by Brush Traction between 1997-2004. They are rebuilds, with reconditioned EMD engines, of former Class 47 locomotives, originally introduced in 1964-5.- Description :... , 71 British Rail Class 71 The British Rail Class 71 was an electric locomotive used on the Southern Region of British Railways, unlike most other Southern Region electric locomotives they could not operate away from the electrified system.- History :As part of the BTC Modernisation Plan of 1955, twenty-four electric... , 73 British Rail Class 73 The British Rail Class 73 is a United Kingdom model of electro-diesel locomotive. The type is unusual in that it can operate from a 750 V DC third-rail or an on-board diesel engine to allow it to operate on non-electrified routes... , 81 British Rail Class 81 The British Rail Class 81 is an AC electric locomotive that formerly operated on the West Coast Main Line of the London Midland Region of British Rail... , 82 British Rail Class 82 The British Rail Class 82 electric locomotives were built by Beyer, Peacock and Company between 1960 and 1962 as part of the West Coast Main Line electrification.- History :... , 83 British Rail Class 83 The British Rail Class 83 electric locomotives were built by English Electric at Vulcan Foundry, Newton-le-Willows as part of the West Coast Main Line electrification.- History :... , 84 British Rail Class 84 The British Rail Class 84 was a 25 kV AC electric locomotive that operated on the West Coast Main Line of the London Midland Region.- History :... , 85 British Rail Class 85 The British Rail Class 85 is an electric locomotive built during the early 1960s, as part of BR's policy to develop a standard electric locomotive. Five prototype classes were built and evaluated, which eventually led to the development of the Class 86 locomotive... , 86 British Rail Class 86 The British Rail Class 86 was the standard electric locomotive built during the 1960s, developed as a result of testing with the earlier Classes 81, 82, 83, 84 and 85. One hundred of these locomotives were built from 1965-1966 by either English Electric at Vulcan Foundry, Newton-le-Willows, or... , 87 British Rail Class 87 The British Rail Class 87 is a type of electric locomotive built from 1973-75 by British Rail Engineering Limited . 36 of these locomotives were built to work passenger services over the West Coast Main Line . They were the flagships of British Rail's electric locomotive fleet until the late 1980s,... , 89 British Rail Class 89 The Class 89 is a prototype design for an electric locomotive. Only one unit was built, no. 89001, which was officially named Avocet by the then Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher on 16 January 1989 at Sandy, Bedfordshire - the home of the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds... |
07 British Rail Class 07 The British Rail Class 07 diesel locomotive is an off-centre cab dock shunter used in Southampton Docks, to replace SR USA Class steam locomotives. It is a 0-6-0 diesel-electric shunter built by Ruston & Hornsby in 1962... , 08 British Rail Class 08 The British Rail Class 08 is a class of diesel-electric shunting locomotive. From 1953 to 1962, 996 locomotives were produced, making it the most numerous of all British locomotive classes.... * |
| 7 | 44 British Rail Class 44 The British Rail Class 44 or Sulzer Type 4 diesel locomotives were built by British Railways' Derby Works between 1959 to 1960. They were named after British mountains, and consequently nicknamed Peaks.-Description:... , 45 British Rail Class 45 The British Rail Class 45 also known as the Sulzer Type 4 diesel locomotives were built by British Rail at their Derby and Crewe Works between 1960 and 1962... , 46 British Rail Class 46 The British Rail Class 46 is a class of diesel locomotive. They were built from 1961-1963 at British Railways' Derby Works and were initially numbered D138-D193. With the arrival of TOPS they were renumbered to Class 46. Fifty-six locomotives were built... , 47 British Rail Class 47 The British Rail Class 47, is a class of British railway diesel-electric locomotive that was developed in the 1960s by Brush Traction. A total of 512 Class 47s were built at Crewe Works and Brush's Falcon Works, Loughborough between 1962 and 1968, which made them the most numerous class of British... *, 52 British Rail Class 52 British Rail assigned Class 52 to the class of 74 large Type 4 diesel-hydraulic locomotives built for the Western Region of British Railways between 1961 and 1964... *, 57 British Rail Class 57 The Class 57 diesel locomotives were introduced by Brush Traction between 1997-2004. They are rebuilds, with reconditioned EMD engines, of former Class 47 locomotives, originally introduced in 1964-5.- Description :... , 58 British Rail Class 58 The British Rail Class 58 is a class of Co-Co diesel locomotive designed for heavy freight. Introduced in 1983, they followed American practice of modularisation. From new they were painted in grey Railfreight Sector livery, instead of BR blue... , 59 British Rail Class 59 The Class 59 Co-Co diesel locomotives were built and introduced between 1985 and 1995 by Electro-Motive Division of General Motors for private British companies, initially Foster Yeoman... , 66 British Rail Class 66 The Class 66 is a six axle diesel electric freight locomotive developed in part from the British Rail Class 59, for use on the railways of the UK. Since its introduction the class has been successful and has been sold to British and other European railway companies... , 70, 74 British Rail Class 74 British Rail Class 74 was an electro-diesel locomotive that operated on the Southern Region of British Railways, rebuilt from redundant Class 71 locomotives in the late 1960s... , 91 British Rail Class 91 The British Rail Class 91 is a class of , electric locomotives ordered as a component of the East Coast Main Line modernisation and electrification programme of the late 1980s. The Class 91s were given the auxiliary name of InterCity 225 to indicate their envisaged top speed of... |
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| 8 | 28 British Rail Class 28 The British Rail Class 28 diesel locomotives, or 'Metrovicks' as they were popularly known, were built as part of the British Railways 1955 Modernisation Plan. The locomotives had a Co-Bo wheel arrangement – unique in British Railways practice though not uncommon in other countries, notably Japan... , 67 British Rail Class 67 The Class 67 locomotives are a class of Bo'Bo' diesel electric mainline locomotives which were built for the English, Welsh and Scottish Railway between 1999 to 2000 by Alstom at Meinfesa in Valencia, Spain with drive components from General Motors Diesel.Rail enthusiasts have nicknamed the class... , 76 British Rail Class 76 The British Rail Class 76, also known as Class EM1 , is a class of 1.5 kV DC, Bo-Bo electric locomotive designed for use on the now-closed Woodhead Line in Northern England.-Tommy — the prototype:... |
13 British Rail Class 13 The British Rail Class 13 were created in 1965 because of a necessity to provide more powerful shunters for the Tinsley Marshalling Yard. This was achieved by permanently coupling together two Class 08 shunters as a 'master and slave' units, the latter with its cab removed... |
| 9 | ||
| 10 |
$ Discrepancy with original data.
Historical notes
Before nationalisation the Big FourBig Four British railway companies
The Big Four was a name used to describe the four largest railway companies in the United Kingdom in the period 1923-1947. The name was coined by the Railway Magazine in its issue of February 1923: "The Big Four of the New Railway Era".The Big Four were:...
railway companies had their own classification systems:
Great Western Railway
Each locomotive had a coloured disc painted on the cab side to indicate its route availability:| Disc colour | Axle load (long tons & cwt) | Axle load (lb) | Axle load (t) !! Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| (no disc) | up to 14 long tons 0 cwt | 31400 | 14.2 | |
| Yellow disc | 14 long tons 0 cwt up to 16 long tons 0 cwt | 31400 | 14.2 | |
| Blue disc | over 16 long tons 0 cwt, up to 17 long tons 12 cwt | 35800 | 16.2 | |
| Red disc | over 17 long tons 12 cwt | 39400 | 17.9 | |
| Double Red disc | 22 long tons 10 cwt | 50400 | 22.9 | “King” class GWR 6000 Class The Great Western Railway 6000 Class or King is a class of 4-6-0 steam locomotive designed for express passenger work. With the exception of one Pacific , they were the largest locomotives the GWR built. They were named after kings of the United Kingdom and of England, beginning with the reigning... only |
- No. 111 'The Great Bear'GWR 111 The Great BearThe Great Bear, number 111, was a locomotive of the Great Western Railway. It was the first 4-6-2 Pacific locomotive used on a railway in Great Britain, and the only one of that type ever built by the GWR.- History and operation :...
, the only 4-6-2 Pacific locomotive built and operated by the Great Western, was designated 'special red'.
External links
- British Railways Board Group Standard for Route Availability (historical)
- Network Rail infrastructure capacity
- 2D53 Introduction to Route Availability and tables
- Route availability tables for Scotland
- Network Rail Information
- GE/RT8006 (Interface between Rail Vehicle Weights and Underline Bridges)