Former Southern Region Signalbox/signal prefix codes

[Islineclear3_1]

Sorry if this is the wrong section so mods, feel free to move...

Edit: I think this should be in the Railway History thread...

Can anyone point me to a definitive list of early South Eastern and Central Division signalbox prefix codes please and how they came to be?

I remember, for example: Rochester being "EV", Faversham being "EY", Newhaven Town being "CCO", Bexhill Central being "CCW", Hampden Park "CBP" and so on...

But I don't know if the Eastern section ran out of codes as Deal is "EBZ" and Canterbury West is "EBH"

Thanks in advance

 

[MadMac]

Sorry if this is the wrong section so mods, feel free to move...

Edit: I think this should be in the Railway History thread...

Can anyone point me to a definitive list of early South Eastern and Central Division signalbox prefix codes please and how they came to be?

I remember, for example: Rochester being "EV", Faversham being "EY", Newhaven Town being "CCO", Bexhill Central being "CCW", Hampden Park "CBP" and so on...

But I don't know if the Eastern section ran out of codes as Deal is "EBZ" and Canterbury West is "EBH"

Thanks in advance

http://www.railwaycodes.org.uk/index.shtml

I think Mr. Deaves is on here?

 

[MarkyT]

This page at railsigns has an explanation of the system although no full list. Only boxes that had colour lights got the codes so they could prefix the numbers on the ID plates. Semaphore signals were not traditionally number plated so codes were not allocated to wholly semaphore equipped boxes. http://www.railsigns.uk/info/sigid1/sigid1.html

 

[pdeaves]

http://www.railwaycodes.org.uk/index.shtml

I think Mr. Deaves is on here?

<waves>. Signalling codes specifically at http://www.railwaycodes.org.uk/signal/signal_boxes0.shtm. All sorts of other weird and wonderful stuff from the index page in MadMac's post.

 

[BS56]

It all started on the South eastern sector in the early 1920s . Remember in those days signal cabins controlled small areas and so to avoid two signal cabins having the same code each cabin was given a unique code. "A" was reserved for Automatic signals . Starting with single letters Charing cross was "B" they then went down the line until they ran out of single letters ( I think Bromley North was "Z" not sure about that ) Some letters were not always used. They then added the prefix "E" in front for the next resignalling scheme on another line , EB ,EC, ED etc when these ran out they then reversed the letters BE, CE, etc After this triple letters had to be used with the "E" prefix. "EBB , EBC etc.. and so on . By the 1950s most main lines had been resignalled and new signal boxes controlled larger areas and so less letters would be needed. For secondary routes with semaphores when outer homes or advanced starters were replaced with colour lights or had IBS ,They used random unused codes and not always in line order . They never really ran out it was just phased out in the 1970s . As for the other sectors they used the same system ( But did not use single letters. ) South Western was WA for Autos & South central was CA for its autos. With controlled signals starting or ending with "W" or "C" . You will need to get hold of a early sectional appendix dating from the 1950s for each sector to find out what the codes for each box were.

 

[pdeaves]

You will need to get hold of a early sectional appendix dating from the 1950s for each sector to find out what the codes for each box were

Or follow think above

 

[Sunset route]

Sorry if this is the wrong section so mods, feel free to move...

Edit: I think this should be in the Railway History thread...

Can anyone point me to a definitive list of early South Eastern and Central Division signalbox prefix codes please and how they came to be?

I remember, for example: Rochester being "EV", Faversham being "EY", Newhaven Town being "CCO", Bexhill Central being "CCW", Hampden Park "CBP" and so on...

But I don't know if the Eastern section ran out of codes as Deal is "EBZ" and Canterbury West is "EBH"

Thanks in advance

Hampden Park was “CDB” not “CBP”

 

[pdeaves]

Hampden Park was “CDB” not “CBP”

For those wondering, CBP was Horsham.

 

[Islineclear3_1]

Hampden Park was “CDB” not “CBP”

Yes of course it was...duh

 

[LAX54]

For those wondering, CBP was Horsham.

If I recall Barnham was / is CBY

 

[Islineclear3_1]

If I recall Barnham was / is CBY

I think its now BH?

 

[Wychwood93]

I think its now BH?

BH is Brockenhurst.

 

[pdeaves]

BH is Brockenhurst.

So is Barnham. In the modern system, the codes are not unique.

 

[MadMac]

So is Barnham. In the modern system, the codes are not unique.

Quite. For example, in the fairly recent past you could easily encounter three 'WN' (Willesden, Wolverhampton and Warrington) prefixes on the same continuous journey.

 

[Islineclear3_1]

Going OT, how many "T's" and "L's" are there...?

 

[bishdunster]

In days of yore, Bournemouth used to be WFB, known by some drivers (referring to a certain signalman in the 1970s) as "Waiting For Ben" !!!

 

[MadMac]

Going OT, how many "T's" and "L's" are there...?

T: Three Bridges, Tyneside
L: Liverpool Street, London Bridge (if any of it still exists) former Leeds signals (?)

 

[pdeaves]

T: Three Bridges, Tyneside
L: Liverpool Street, London Bridge (if any of it still exists) former Leeds signals (?)

L:
Brighton Lovers Walk Depot
Drax power station (some signals only)
Ladybank Junction
Ladyburn
Laira Junction
Lakenheath
Langley
Langside Junction
Langworth
Larkfield Junction
Ledbury
Leeds
Leighton Buzzard No 2
Leith Docks
Lesmahagow Junction
Lewden Crossing
Lightmoor Junction
Littlefield
Littleport
Littleworth (Unclear whether code ever used)
Liverpool Street
Liverpool Street [new]
Lockerbie
London Bridge
Longannet
Longbeck
Longwood Goods
Lowestoft
Lowfield
Low Street
Maindee North
South Wales control centre (Maindee North Junction area shunt signals)
Redcar British Steel (Limestone line signals)
Redcar Mineral Terminal
St Johns
West Burton Power Station (Line L signals)
Whitehall Junction (Temporary code from c18 December 1966 until control passed to Leeds)
Ealing Broadway (Central line)
Kings Cross (Northern line)
Old Street (Northern line)
South Kensington (Metropolitan)
Lakeside (Coate Water miniature railway)
York IECC (Former Leeds lines)
York PSB (Former York IECC Leeds lines)

T:
Cambria Junction
Ferrybridge Power Station (Unloading control signals)
Retford Thrumpton
Tallington
Tapton Junction
Taunton East Junction
Tees (some signals)
Thames Haven
Thames Valley Signalling Centre (Southern line signals. Code shown on signalling plan; Oxford-Worcester line signals shown on signalling plan but never used; Reading area signals)
Thetford
Thingley Junction
Thoresby Colliery Junction
Thornton Abbey
Thorpe-Le-Soken
Thorpe Marsh Power Station (some signals)
Thorpe On The Hill
Three Bridges [new]
Thrumpton
Thurgoland Sidings
Thurlstone Crossing
Thrybergh Junction
Tilbury Riverside
Tilehurst
Tollerton
Torside
Totnes
Trent
Trent Junction
Trimley
Trimley [panel]
Trowbridge
Truro
Turnhead
Tursdale
Tweedmouth
Twyford
Tyne Coal Terminal Control Room
Tynemouth South (?)
Tyneside
Clapham Common (Northern line)
Eastcote (Metropolitan)
North Weald (Training signal)
Thuxton (Mid-Norfolk Railway)
Twitchen Manor (Mizens Railway)

 

[LAX54]

L:
Brighton Lovers Walk Depot
Drax power station (some signals only)
Ladybank Junction
Ladyburn
Laira Junction
Lakenheath
Langley
Langside Junction
Langworth
Larkfield Junction
Ledbury
Leeds
Leighton Buzzard No 2
Leith Docks
Lesmahagow Junction
Lewden Crossing
Lightmoor Junction
Littlefield
Littleport
Littleworth (Unclear whether code ever used)
Liverpool Street
Liverpool Street [new]
Lockerbie
London Bridge
Longannet
Longbeck
Longwood Goods
Lowestoft
Lowfield
Low Street
Maindee North
South Wales control centre (Maindee North Junction area shunt signals)
Redcar British Steel (Limestone line signals)
Redcar Mineral Terminal
St Johns
West Burton Power Station (Line L signals)
Whitehall Junction (Temporary code from c18 December 1966 until control passed to Leeds)
Ealing Broadway (Central line)
Kings Cross (Northern line)
Old Street (Northern line)
South Kensington (Metropolitan)
Lakeside (Coate Water miniature railway)
York IECC (Former Leeds lines)
York PSB (Former York IECC Leeds lines)

T:
Cambria Junction
Ferrybridge Power Station (Unloading control signals)
Retford Thrumpton
Tallington
Tapton Junction
Taunton East Junction
Tees (some signals)
Thames Haven
Thames Valley Signalling Centre (Southern line signals. Code shown on signalling plan; Oxford-Worcester line signals shown on signalling plan but never used; Reading area signals)
Thetford
Thingley Junction
Thoresby Colliery Junction
Thornton Abbey
Thorpe-Le-Soken
Thorpe Marsh Power Station (some signals)
Thorpe On The Hill
Three Bridges [new]
Thrumpton
Thurgoland Sidings
Thurlstone Crossing
Thrybergh Junction
Tilbury Riverside
Tilehurst
Tollerton
Torside
Totnes
Trent
Trent Junction
Trimley
Trimley [panel]
Trowbridge
Truro
Turnhead
Tursdale
Tweedmouth
Twyford
Tyne Coal Terminal Control Room
Tynemouth South (?)
Tyneside
Clapham Common (Northern line)
Eastcote (Metropolitan)
North Weald (Training signal)
Thuxton (Mid-Norfolk Railway)
Twitchen Manor (Mizens Railway)

TRIMLEY is now FW, was CO (If we are talking Trimley in Suffolk )

 

[pdeaves]

TRIMLEY is now FW, was CO (If we are talking Trimley in Suffolk )

Agreed that signals in the area are now FW, however that is not the code for Trimley per se but the specific route controlled from Colchester. CO is part of the Colchester area, too. I have no evidence that Trimley signal box controlled CO-prefixed signals so would be grateful for evidence to ensure the list is accurate.