Category:BR Carriage classification codes
BR used a system for identifying carriage types using alphabetical codes, based on that previously used by the LNER. The notes below relate to carriages found on the SVR.
Carriage class and internal layout
For passenger carriages, one letter indicated the class of carriage, normally F (First), S (Second, later Standard), T (Third) or C (Composite, ie more than one class). A second letter would indicate the layout, typically O (Open) or K (Corridor). Thus a carriage with Third Class compartments off a corridor would be designated TK.
The letter T when used as a prefix to another carriage class meant ‘Tourist’, indicating 2+2 seating, for example TSO (Tourist Standard Open).
Guard's compartment
The code for carriages including a guard’s compartment would be prefixed by B (Brake), for example BTK. A carriage with a guard’s compartment and a through gangway for passenger access, but with no passenger seating was designated BG (Brake Gangwayed). A specialised form, BGP, indicated a Pigeon-van.
Restaurant carriages
Carriages with catering facilities, or whose principal use was for dining, were normally prefixed R (Restaurant). B as a suffix indicated Buffet. Common forms included RB (Buffet with cooking facilities) and RMB (Restaurant Miniature Buffet, serving snacks).
Other variants
The suffix Z indicated a 6-wheeled vehicle (for example the Barry Railway Composite coach is designated CZ).
Certain letter combinations were entirely descriptive; these included ROY (Royal Coach), INSP (Inspection Saloon), SLEP (Mk 3 Sleeper), GUV (General Utility Van) and POS (Post Office Sorting)
LMS Codes
The LMS used a different series of coach codes. The equivalent codes for the LMS carriages on the SVR were as follows[1]:
Generic type | BR Code | LMS Code |
---|---|---|
Third open | TO | QF |
Third corridor | TK | CF |
Third corridor brake | BTK | CH |
Composite corridor | CK | CBC |
Passenger rated full brake | BG | CBR |
6-wheel passenger rated full brake | BGZ | CR |
First class open dining | RFO | QL (DINING) |
See also
List of CarriagesSubcategories
This category has the following 27 subcategories, out of 27 total.
C
- Carriage Type BCK
- Carriage Type BG
- Carriage Type BGP
- Carriage Type BSK
- Carriage Type BSO
- Carriage Type BTK
- Carriage Type BTO
- Carriage Type BY
- Carriage Type CK
- Carriage Type CZ
- Carriage Type FO
- Carriage Type GUV
- Carriage Type INSP
- Carriage Type POS
- Carriage Type RB / RBR
- Carriage Type RC
- Carriage Type RF
- Carriage Type RFO
- Carriage Type RMB
- Carriage Type ROY
- Carriage Type RTO
- Carriage Type SK
- Carriage Type SLE / SLEP
- Carriage Type SLF
- Carriage Type TK
- Carriage Type TO
- Carriage Type TSO
Pages in category ‘BRBritish Rail or British Railways Carriage classification codes’
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