The question of what the Southern Railway / BR(s) two character headcodes actually mean is relevant to any LSWR/SR/BR(S) modeller operating EMUs or Class 33, Class 73/74 locomotives and even the latest Bulleid / Raworth electric locos by EFE Rail.
A new Southern Electric Group Publication by friend Rick Squirrell compiles and lists all the single and two character headcodes known to have been used by ‘Southern Electric’ trains, including those used since the beginning of the London & South Western Railway’s start of 3rd rail electric services in 1916, along with locomotive worked, mainly freight, newspaper or engineers services. It also include the codes for the early London, Brighton & South Coast Railways’ overheads electric services.
These headcodes were originally displayed by metal stencils attached externally to a backlit opaque glass plate on the front of the units. Newer units / locomotives post 1951 utilised roller blinds. To allow for greater flexibility with limited number (most cabs only had one off stencilled numbers 0 to 9 and a small range of letters), a series of dots or bars could also be displayed above each stencil. This is usefully fully explained within the publication.
This A5 paperback book with 142 pages includes both colour & B&W illustrations. This book, bringing together all the two-character headcodes used, will be a great resource for any modellers or railway historians alike to ensure models carry suitable headcodes and also useful when identifying possible locations of reference photographs.
The book only costs £15 and is available from the Southern Electric Group’s website here, or is also being stocked by the Kernow Model Rail Centre here. It was a pleasure to have been able to play a small part with some of the reference material for Rick and the book is a must for any SR/BR(s) enthusiast.
Thank you for the ‘heads up’ Graham – copy ordered!