Carriage type identifiers (or whatever they're called)

[hexagon789]

What's the W for?

Wheelchair. Reflecting accommodation for wheelchairs and an accessible toilet. "D" for disabled is also used interchangeably.

BR used to use each differently. "W" meant only that there was a space for a wheelchair, while "D" meant that there was a disabled toilet in addition.

 

[py_megapixel]

other common ones:

(W) - Wheelchair space
C - Composite (normally identifies a coach with both first and standard class seating, sometimes they feature dividing partitions

Also common - 313's are often known as DMS and PTS vehicles, with no identifier of the 'open' status of the coach (sort of understandable when trains were moving to mainly open carriages with no compartments.

Wiki has a good list: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_Rail_coach_designations

Here's a page from Wikilpedia which might help:

Carriage codes

Thanks for these links, not sure how I didn't notice them before.

There are some rather interesting ones on there, including 'VFV' (Ventilated Fruit Van) and 'HB' (Horsebox)

 

[Merle Haggard]

Voyagers/Meridians are coded the same. I think it was supposed to reflect that it's a small galley rather than a full kitchen as in say an HST TRFB.

Thank you, I can see that logic, but...

I think the confusion started with B.R.. The 80000 series all-kitchen cars (numbered, possibly pedantically, in the non-passenger carrying coaching stock series because they had no seats) were RK, but the open first and open third/seconds with loose seats (and true 'restaurants'- seating, no kitchen) were RFO etc.
As an aside, Virgin publicity claimed at one stage that the Pendo kitchen was 'the largest on a train in Europe'.(!!??)

On another subject, the omission of 'O' from the code in the case of Scotrail Class 170; there was seemingly a B.R. assumption that multiple units were always opens, therefore the 'O' was unnecessary - for example, HST trailers are TS, TF. I think that the d.m.u. called 'Inter-City' (for example the Edinburgh - Glasgow 79xxx ones - there were later ones for Sc. and W.) might have had side corridor firsts, though.

 

[hexagon789]

Thank you, I can see that logic, but...

I think the confusion started with B.R.. The 80000 series all-kitchen cars (numbered, possibly pedantically, in the non-passenger carrying coaching stock series because they had no seats) were RK, but the open first and open third/seconds with loose seats (and true 'restaurants'- seating, no kitchen) were RFO etc.
As an aside, Virgin publicity claimed at one stage that the Pendo kitchen was 'the largest on a train in Europe'.(!!??)

On another subject, the omission of 'O' from the code in the case of Scotrail Class 170; there was seemingly a B.R. assumption that multiple units were always opens, therefore the 'O' was unnecessary - for example, HST trailers are TS, TF. I think that the d.m.u. called 'Inter-City' (for example the Edinburgh - Glasgow 79xxx ones - there were later ones for Sc. and W.) might have had side corridor firsts, though.

The RFO code (and RTO/RSO) denoted loose chairs against the FO which while often used for dining had fixed chairs and most also had a centre vestibule as well.

The Swindon InterCity 79xxx and 126s had compartment trailer cars. The 79xxx had TFK or TFKRB, the 126s had TCK and TFK and for a very short period also TFKRB.

The Western actually had the 79xxx first, as an interim cover until the eventual delivery of the 120s, it's cars then went to the Scottish Region to supplement the cars already on the Edinburgh-Glasgow allowing the frequency to be increased from hourly to twice-hourly iirc. The WR also used it's cars as 9-car sets or even in three-car with a gangwayed power cars each end, completely unlike the ScR.

 

[CW2]

I was always a fan of the Mk1 BCK (Brake Composite Corridor). It was everything you need in a single vehicle, i.e. a brake compartment, both first and second class compartments, and dual braked, dual heated, 100 mph. One such vehicle acted as the Carstairs standby vehicle for some time (21269 maybe?).

 

[hexagon789]

I was always a fan of the Mk1 BCK (Brake Composite Corridor). It was everything you need in a single vehicle, i.e. a brake compartment, both first and second class compartments, and dual braked, dual heated, 100 mph. One such vehicle acted as the Carstairs standby vehicle for some time (21269 maybe?).

Useful for portion working as well, the WR seemed to make great use of them in the 1960s as brakes in portions of many names trains to the West Country.

 

[Merle Haggard]

The RFO code (and RTO/RSO) denoted loose chairs against the FO which while often used for dining had fixed chairs and most also had a centre vestibule as well.

The Swindon InterCity 79xxx and 126s had compartment trailer cars. The 79xxx had TFK or TFKRB, the 126s had TCK and TFK and for a very short period also TFKRB.

The Western actually had the 79xxx first, as an interim cover until the eventual delivery of the 120s, it's cars then went to the Scottish Region to supplement the cars already on the Edinburgh-Glasgow allowing the frequency to be increased from hourly to twice-hourly iirc. The WR also used it's cars as 9-car sets or even in three-car with a gangwayed power cars each end, completely unlike the ScR.

Again, thanks for that.

As an aside, I've travelled on the Scottish Inter-City sets (including inadvertently finding myself alongside the driver when walking forward into what was a gangwayed cab end - I didn't realise it was the front car!), which seemed to have a long life. However, on the occasion of the annual Derby Works open day in 1961 I also remember seeing one of the later W.R. units, looking shiny new and impressive with the yellow front gangway (presumably working in from Bristol) but these ones seemed to disappear quite quickly, indeed I can't remember seeing another.
I took it that the E-G sets had a high ratio of power cars to cope with Cowlairs unaided, and this may explain the unusual coupling code - I think that the 'yellow diamond' system had a limit to the number of engines that could be controlled due to the driving car providing all the electrical power, rather than relays, but I may be misinformed.

 

[hexagon789]

However, on the occasion of the annual Derby Works open day in 1961 I also remember seeing one of the later W.R. units, looking shiny new and impressive with the yellow front gangway (presumably working in from Bristol) but these ones seemed to disappear quite quickly, indeed I can't remember seeing another.

Those would be the Class 123, they were four-car units either with or without buffer cars and there were compartments in both classes in those.

They ended up with 124 cars working TransPennine services until both were withdrawn in 1983.

I took it that the E-G sets had a high ratio of power cars to cope with Cowlairs unaided, and this may explain the unusual coupling code - I think that the 'yellow diamond' system had a limit to the number of engines that could be controlled due to the driving car providing all the electrical power, rather than relays, but I may be misinformed.

Same as a three-car 101, and only 300 hp per power car, they were actually felt to be underpowered as they were heavier than a 101.

Both the E&G 79xxx and the Ayrshire 185s were 'White Circle' coded, the E&G system was based on Yellow Diamond, the 126's on Blue Square with the consequence that modifications had to be made to allow the two batches to work together.

It wasn't electrical power but the fact that each power car produced it's own control air supply. If this supply ran low the car could not lead as the horn wouldn't work, this is one reason why the E&G sets ended up marshalled the way they did with a gangwayed power car behind a full width one, it allowed faulty leading power cars to be removed quickly and left a driving cab still leading.

 

[Merle Haggard]

I was always a fan of the Mk1 BCK (Brake Composite Corridor). It was everything you need in a single vehicle, i.e. a brake compartment, both first and second class compartments, and dual braked, dual heated, 100 mph. One such vehicle acted as the Carstairs standby vehicle for some time (21269 maybe?).

In the early Seventies, if working late, I caught the 1905 Euston - Blackpool/Barrow, with a tight connection at Rugby. For the reasons you mention, I always made for the BCK in the middle (there because, after division, it would become the working brake).
One winter's evening, the BCK seemed reluctant to get into motion, and when it did, sparks were noticeable, and the ride was rather rough through points. I walked back and suggested to the guard that the handbrake was on, but he seemed unconcerned; I was travelling with a work companion, and when the guard walked through the train he actually commented to my colleague that 'your mate worries too much'.
The guard moved to the BCK and opened the inward door as we ran into Rugby, and when I alighted I fancy he smirked at me. His confidence was short lived; when the train stopped, clouds of black smoke rose from the wheels, which were glowing cherry.
Maybe I had a lucky escape - loose tyres or a 'false flange' through a facing point don't always end well - but I did try.

 

[CW2]

Those would be the Class 123, they were four-car units either with or without buffer cars and there were compartments in both classes in those.
They ended up with 124 cars working TransPennine services until both were withdrawn in 1983.

Known tongue-in-cheek as "Inter Village 123".

 

[delt1c]

One classification that I always thought incomplete was RMB. Basically a Mk1 open second with 2 seating bays removed in the centre and replaced with a counter. 32 seats were for general 2nd class use and 16 for Buffet customers. Always thought they should have included “S” in the classification, did the 119 and 120 buffets

 

[hexagon789]

Known tongue-in-cheek as "Inter Village 123".

Probably not the ideal thing to have ordered for the WR given they operated over mostly 90mph track and could only do 70 but they were still probably the most advanced first generation DMUs after the Blue Pullmans and at least they would've given a good ride on their B4/B5 bogies unlike those iffy Metro-Schlieran bogies