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A question of TOPS

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Nonsense

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What is the purpose of TOPS registration?

In addition to the traditional UK rolling stock classification, various European types have been registered, such as the Vossloh G1206 used by ECR in France, the Eurotunnel locos that have dragged TGV sets to St Pancras, and the SNCF Class BB 22200, for example.

As I understand it, registration of these types was required because of the need to operate over NR track, but Tyne Metro units also operate on Network Rail, and LUL too from what I gather, but these units don't seem to have been given such TOPS classifications.

Is this the case?
 
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northernrail

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What is the purpose of TOPS registration?

In addition to the traditional UK rolling stock classification, various European types have been registered, such as the Vossloh G1206 used by ECR in France, the Eurotunnel locos that have dragged TGV sets to St Pancras, and the SNCF Class BB 22200, for example.

As I understand it, registration of these types was required because of the need to operate over NR track, but Tyne Metro units also operate on Network Rail, and LUL too from what I gather, but these units don't seem to have been given such TOPS classifications.

Is this the case?

Im sure the T&W Metro cars have a TOPS classification, something like 999 or 996, something along those line's.
Did the Isle Of Wight units not have Tops classifications aswell?

EDIT: T&W Metro cars are class 994
 
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ChristopherJ

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LU stock is registered on TOPS.

The 1992 stock used on the W&C line, previously a BR line, are classifed as class 482/5. They even still retain their EMU carriage numbers in the 655xx and 657xx series even after refurbishment and modernisation of the W&C line.

I believe the C69/77, D78 and 1972 stock are probably either in the same range (482/1/2/3/4) or in seperate range (481/483/484/485)?
 

Nonsense

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Thanks for the replies. I didn't know about those classifications. Back when I was a spotter, TOPS classifications in the railway press were described in almost biological terms, with much reference to extinct classes, and a class 47 was a distinct species.

I know about the class 01 industrial shunters that are registered. Are there any other classed or unexpected types that are TOPS registered but not appearing in the Platform 5 (if those are even still published) spotter books?
 

12CSVT

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I know about the class 01 industrial shunters that are registered. Are there any other classed or unexpected types that are TOPS registered but not appearing in the Platform 5 (if those are even still published) spotter books?

Preserved diesel and electric locos registered to either be towed or run under their own power on the main line are class 89 (perversely the origional class 89 89001 was allocated TOPS number 89501 on preservation).

Preserved steam locos are class 98.
Under British Rail ownership the locos on the narrow gauge Vale of Rheidol railway were given TOPS numbers 98007 to 98009, the last digit being the number carried. Vale of Rheidol diesel loco no.10 was an oddity being classified as 98/1.

Cross-Channel train ferries were class 99, the reason for being on TOPS is that they conveyed rolling stock which were registered on TOPS.

As well as locos D1702 to D1706 (latterly 47114 to 47117), class 48 has also been used on TOPS for several ficticious locos for training purposes.
 

142094

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As has been said the TOPS classification for TW Metro is 994, but this is very rarely used. There is also a separate way of identifiying each train running number, and this changes to a 'headcode' when on NR metals.
 
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