New Zealand rolling stock numbering system.

[stadler]

I was just wondering if anybody knows anything about how the New Zealand rolling stock numbering system works? From looking at the numbers of units over there i can not work out any logic in the numbering?

Here are some examples of their numbering:

This is the fleet of 72 new EMUs for Auckland that were ordered in the early 2010s:

AM Class EMU (CAF) (x72):

103
116
129
131
144
157
172
185
198
212
225
238
240
253
266
279
281
294
306
319
321
334
347
362
375
388
390
402
415
428
430
443
456
469
471
484
497
509
511
524
537
552
565
578
580
593
605
618
620
633
646
659
661
674
687
701
714
810
823
836
849
851
864
877
892
904
917
932
945
958
960
973

This is the fleet of 83 new EMUs for Wellington that were ordered in the early 2010s:

FP/FT Class "Matangi" EMU (Hyundai Rotem & Mitsui) (x83):

4103
4126
4132
4149
4155
4161
4178
4184
4190
4201
4218
4224
4230
4247
4253
4276
4282
4299
4316
4322
4339
4345
4351
4368
4374
4380
4397
4408
4414
4420
4437
4443
4466
4472
4489
4495
4506
4512
4529
4535
4541
4558
4564
4570
4587
4593
4604
4610
5010
5027
5033
5056
5062
5079
5085
5091
5102
5119
5125
5131
5148
5154
5160
5177
5183
5200
5217
5223
5246
5252
5269
5275
5281
5298
5309
5315
5321
5338
5344
5350
5367
5373
5396

This is the fleet of 44 old EMUs for Wellington that were ordered in the early 1980s:

EM/ET Class EMU (Ganz Mavag) (x44):

1004
1010
1027
1056
1062
1079
1085
1091
1102
1119
1131
1148
1154
1160
1177
1183
1217
1223
1246
1252
1269
1281
1298
1309
1315
1321
1338
1344
1350
1367
1373
1396
1407
1413
1436
1442
1459
1465
1471
1488
1494
1505
1511
1528

None of these numberings make sense at all.

There are huge gaps in the numbers. It is like they are just using a random number generator to generate unit numbers. I do not understand why they are not in numerical order. It all seems very odd.

I am just wondering if anyone knows if there is actually any logic to the New Zealand unit numbering system? Or if not then why do they decide to just use random numbers instead of numbering them in order like pretty much every other country does?

 

[Peter Mugridge]

That looks like the first two or three digits are the fleet number and the final digit is some form of a check digit?

If you cover up the last digit, the lists make sense...

 

[Wandering Pom]

Yes, the last digit is a check digit. As far as I know it's calculated using both the vehicle fleet number and the class code, though I've never managed to find out the exact system. Note also that this only applies to new-build stock - vehicles bought second-hand (notably the ex-BR Mark 2 coaches) tend to retain their previous number, without a check digit added.

 

[stadler]

That looks like the first two or three digits are the fleet number and the final digit is some form of a check digit?

If you cover up the last digit, the lists make sense...

Yes, the last digit is a check digit. As far as I know it's calculated using both the vehicle fleet number and the class code, though I've never managed to find out the exact system. Note also that this only applies to new-build stock - vehicles bought second-hand (notably the ex-BR Mark 2 coaches) tend to retain their previous number, without a check digit added.

I had not thought of that. That could be it. I believe the Mainland European EVN numbers use check digits for their numbers. However that still does not make sense as there are a few missing.

The AM Class (1st batch) is missing these:

16
20
35
54
69

The AM Class (2nd batch) is missing these:

80
88
92

The FP/FT Class (1st batch) is missing these:

411
426
430
445

The FP/FT Class (2nd batch) is missing these:

504
519
523
538

The EM/ET Class is missing these:

103
104
112
119
120
123
127
138
142

So this makes me doubt it is a check digit.

Countries in Mainland Europe use check digits for their EVN numbers but if you get rid of the check digit then everything is in order with no missing numbers in the pattern.

So i am not sure why there would be all these missing numbers here? If i am understanding it correctly with a check digit use still have a list of numbers in order with none missing and then use just simply do a calculation to get an additional digit to put on the end? So surely there would not be missing numbers? Unless i have misunderstood it?

 

[Wandering Pom]

The New Zealand check-digit system doesn't work like the UIC/EVN system - it's more complex, not least because it has to cope with vehicle classes which are letters, and variable-length numbers. The way it was explained to me (nearly 20 years ago, so it's a bit hazy now) is that the check digit calculation can come up with a number between 0 and 10 - not 0 and 9 like the EVN. When it's a 10, there's no way to handle it in the computer system, so that number is just rejected and they skip to the next one. So, yes, there are gaps in the fleet number sequence, and that's just how the system works. The New Zealanders are used to it, and don't expect to have a continuous list of numbers.

 

[stadler]

The New Zealand check-digit system doesn't work like the UIC/EVN system - it's more complex, not least because it has to cope with vehicle classes which are letters, and variable-length numbers. The way it was explained to me (nearly 20 years ago, so it's a bit hazy now) is that the check digit calculation can come up with a number between 0 and 10 - not 0 and 9 like the EVN. When it's a 10, there's no way to handle it in the computer system, so that number is just rejected and they skip to the next one. So, yes, there are gaps in the fleet number sequence, and that's just how the system works. The New Zealanders are used to it, and don't expect to have a continuous list of numbers.

Ah many thanks. That must be why then. It seems like an incredibly complex system. I am not sure why they bother with check digits. Out of interest what even is the point of check digits? Is there any benefit of adding a check digit to the unit number?

 

[Wandering Pom]

The point of check digits is so that computer systems can try to catch when data input by a human is wrong - in this case, a human recording the vehicles on a train so that the railway's computer system knows what's been allocated. Without a check digit, it's very easy to do an "out by one" error - like 47409 instead of 37409 - or to switch two digits - 47490 instead of 47409. A check digit for each of those numbers should be different, so if the person typing in the vehicle numbers inputs a check digit that doesn't match the fleet number, the computer can immediately spot the wrong input, and ask for the correct number.

Exactly the same idea applies to unit numbers as to locos, coaches, and wagons. With hindsight, I think BR missed a trick with TOPS numbers not including check digits - it might have saved a lot of errors. The equivalent New Zealand system (TMS, Traffic Monitoring System) was introduced in 1979-80, not all that long after TOPS.

EDIT: With a bit of googling, I found a check digit calculator for NZ TMS vehicle numbers. I tried it with EF3000, and it gave me the right check digit, and then EF3002, one of those mysterious gaps, and it said "Not a valid TMS number (check digit is 10)".
EDIT again: And also an explanation of the check digit calculation, which is even more complex than I thought.

 

[Gloster]

Bear in mind that when the computer systems were being introduced, the actual collection of the numbers on the ground was being done by mugs like me with a BR notebook and pencil. Not the easiest thing to do in the rain or sleet in a busy yard, even in daylight: the possibility of a poorly written figure or a wet page was all too likely. Better that you find the anomaly early and get it checked when the alternative is the customer wondering how they are going to load a muck-spreader into a box van.

 

[stadler]

The point of check digits is so that computer systems can try to catch when data input by a human is wrong - in this case, a human recording the vehicles on a train so that the railway's computer system knows what's been allocated. Without a check digit, it's very easy to do an "out by one" error - like 47409 instead of 37409 - or to switch two digits - 47490 instead of 47409. A check digit for each of those numbers should be different, so if the person typing in the vehicle numbers inputs a check digit that doesn't match the fleet number, the computer can immediately spot the wrong input, and ask for the correct number.

Exactly the same idea applies to unit numbers as to locos, coaches, and wagons. With hindsight, I think BR missed a trick with TOPS numbers not including check digits - it might have saved a lot of errors. The equivalent New Zealand system (TMS, Traffic Monitoring System) was introduced in 1979-80, not all that long after TOPS.

EDIT: With a bit of googling, I found a check digit calculator for NZ TMS vehicle numbers. I tried it with EF3000, and it gave me the right check digit, and then EF3002, one of those mysterious gaps, and it said "Not a valid TMS number (check digit is 10)".
EDIT again: And also an explanation of the check digit calculation, which is even more complex than I thought.

Thank you for the information. Much appreciated. Those two links are very helpful. That explains it very well.

The check digits certainly make sense now you explain it. It certainly prevents errors when someone accidentally gets a number wrong by one digit.

I find it interesting how with the ADK/ADB Class and ADL/ADC Class units they just kept their Australian numbers. You would think they would want to introduce TMS numbers.

Another interesting thing is that the AMA/AMT/AMP Class and FP/FT Class and EM/ET Class all have the same number for each carriage within the unit with only the letters at the front being different. But yet for some reason the DM/D Class units have a different number for each carriage within the unit. Does anyone know why this is? Is there a reason why the DM/D Class did not follow the same pattern of having the same number for each carriage within the unit?

Bear in mind that when the computer systems were being introduced, the actual collection of the numbers on the ground was being done by mugs like me with a BR notebook and pencil. Not the easiest thing to do in the rain or sleet in a busy yard, even in daylight: the possibility of a poorly written figure or a wet page was all too likely. Better that you find the anomaly early and get it checked when the alternative is the customer wondering how they are going to load a muck-spreader into a box van.

I certainly imagine it must have been very easy to make a mistake by one digit. I would not be surprised if the wrong locomotive or carriage or wagon was occasionally sent out back in BR days due to such errors. I remember when i was a Guard back in BR days a lot of stuff was handwritten. Depending on the persons handwriting it could be very easy to mistake a number for another number.

 

[Wandering Pom]

I find it interesting how with the ADK/ADB Class and ADL/ADC Class units they just kept their Australian numbers. You would think they would want to introduce TMS numbers.

You'd have thought so, but evidently not. The approach to imported stock doesn't seem to have been consistent either: the ex-Perth units and ex-BR Mark 2s retained their previous numbers; the ex-Queensland DQ class locos were fully renumbered. One guess is that the different operating organisations involved used TMS in different ways, but I don't have any definite information.

Another interesting thing is that the AMA/AMT/AMP Class and FP/FT Class and EM/ET Class all have the same number for each carriage within the unit with only the letters at the front being different. But yet for some reason the DM/D Class units have a different number for each carriage within the unit. Does anyone know why this is? Is there a reason why the DM/D Class did not follow the same pattern of having the same number for each carriage within the unit?

The DM/D units predate TMS, and also I think they didn't have fixed formations, so I suspect the vehicles in each class were just given sequential TMS numbers separately.

I didn't know that the AM and EM/ET units had exactly the same number for each vehicle in the unit - thanks for pointing it out. I assume the class codes were deliberately chosen to achieve this, but it feels like it's defeating the object of the check digit system: if the wrong class code is recorded for a vehicle (i.e. the class code for one of the other vehicles in the same unit) the system can't detect it. But since they're fixed formation units, I assume this isn't a significant problem in practice.

The EM/ET units were not quite the same: the two vehicle numbers within a unit were different, for example EM1010 + ET3010 (my italics). So they were fixed-formation, and the middle two digits ('01' in this case) indicated which unit it was, but it was still possible to catch errors with mismatched class code and vehicle number (e.g. EM3010).

 

[stadler]

You'd have thought so, but evidently not. The approach to imported stock doesn't seem to have been consistent either: the ex-Perth units and ex-BR Mark 2s retained their previous numbers; the ex-Queensland DQ class locos were fully renumbered. One guess is that the different operating organisations involved used TMS in different ways, but I don't have any definite information.


The DM/D units predate TMS, and also I think they didn't have fixed formations, so I suspect the vehicles in each class were just given sequential TMS numbers separately.

I didn't know that the AM and EM/ET units had exactly the same number for each vehicle in the unit - thanks for pointing it out. I assume the class codes were deliberately chosen to achieve this, but it feels like it's defeating the object of the check digit system: if the wrong class code is recorded for a vehicle (i.e. the class code for one of the other vehicles in the same unit) the system can't detect it. But since they're fixed formation units, I assume this isn't a significant problem in practice.

The EM/ET units were not quite the same: the two vehicle numbers within a unit were different, for example EM1010 + ET3010 (my italics). So they were fixed-formation, and the middle two digits ('01' in this case) indicated which unit it was, but it was still possible to catch errors with mismatched class code and vehicle number (e.g. EM3010).

Ah i forgot the EM/ET Class had a separate first digit for each carriage. In that case it does seem odd that they did not follow this pattern for the FP/FT Class and AMA/AMT/AMP Class trains.

Another odd thing is that even with TMS the number pattern varies. For example in Auckland the units have three digits (two digits plus a check digit) where as in Wellington the units have four digits (three digits plus a check digit) despite both using TMS numbers. With our TOPS all units have six digits and with EVN all units have twelve digits so it is odd that New Zealand has done it so randomly. I would have thought that one of the reasons TMS was introduced was to standardise things.

Can i also ask are you aware of any websites (or even books) that have a stock list of New Zealand units and locomotives and carriages and wagons etc? Does any such website exist?

All i have is this list which i have created myself over the years (but it is nowhere near complete):

ADK/ADB Class DMU (Comeng) (x10):
• ADK681+ADB771
• ADK682+ADB772
• ADK683+ADB773
• ADK684+ADB774
• ADK685+ADB775
• ADK686+ADB776
• ADK687+ADB777
• ADK688+ADB778
• ADK689+ADB779
• ADK690+ADB780

ADL/ADC Class DMU (Goninan) (x10):
• ADL801+ADC851
• ADL802+ADC852
• ADL803+ADC853
• ADL804+ADC854
• ADL805+ADC855
• ADL806+ADC856
• ADL807+ADC857
• ADL808+ADC858
• ADL809+ADC859
• ADL810+ADC860

AMA/AMT/AMP Class EMU (CAF) (x72):
• AMA103+AMT103+AMP103
• AMA116+AMT116+AMP116
• AMA129+AMT129+AMP129
• AMA131+AMT131+AMP131
• AMA144+AMT144+AMP144
• AMA157+AMT157+AMP157
• AMA172+AMT172+AMP172
• AMA185+AMT185+AMP185
• AMA198+AMT198+AMP198
• AMA212+AMT212+AMP212
• AMA225+AMT225+AMP225
• AMA238+AMT238+AMP238
• AMA240+AMT240+AMP240
• AMA253+AMT253+AMP253
• AMA266+AMT266+AMP266
• AMA279+AMT279+AMP279
• AMA281+AMT281+AMP281
• AMA294+AMT294+AMP294
• AMA306+AMT306+AMP306
• AMA319+AMT319+AMP319
• AMA321+AMT321+AMP321
• AMA334+AMT334+AMP334
• AMA347+AMT347+AMP347
• AMA362+AMT362+AMP362
• AMA375+AMT375+AMP375
• AMA388+AMT388+AMP388
• AMA390+AMT390+AMP390
• AMA402+AMT402+AMP402
• AMA415+AMT415+AMP415
• AMA428+AMT428+AMP428
• AMA430+AMT430+AMP430
• AMA443+AMT443+AMP443
• AMA456+AMT456+AMP456
• AMA469+AMT469+AMP469
• AMA471+AMT471+AMP471
• AMA484+AMT484+AMP484
• AMA497+AMT497+AMP497
• AMA509+AMT509+AMP509
• AMA511+AMT511+AMP511
• AMA524+AMT524+AMP524
• AMA537+AMT537+AMP537
• AMA552+AMT552+AMP552
• AMA565+AMT565+AMP565
• AMA578+AMT578+AMP578
• AMA580+AMT580+AMP580
• AMA593+AMT593+AMP593
• AMA605+AMT605+AMP605
• AMA618+AMT618+AMP618
• AMA620+AMT620+AMP620
• AMA633+AMT633+AMP633
• AMA646+AMT646+AMP646
• AMA659+AMT659+AMP659
• AMA661+AMT661+AMP661
• AMA674+AMT674+AMP674
• AMA687+AMT687+AMP687
• AMA701+AMT701+AMP701
• AMA714+AMT714+AMP714
• AMA810+AMT810+AMP810
• AMA823+AMT823+AMP823
• AMA836+AMT836+AMP836
• AMA849+AMT849+AMP849
• AMA851+AMT851+AMP851
• AMA864+AMT864+AMP864
• AMA877+AMT877+AMP877
• AMA892+AMT892+AMP892
• AMA904+AMT904+AMP904
• AMA917+AMT917+AMP917
• AMA932+AMT932+AMP932
• AMA945+AMT945+AMP945
• AMA958+AMT958+AMP958
• AMA960+AMT960+AMP960
• AMA973+AMT973+AMP973

DM/D Class EMU (English Electric) (x49):
• DM1 = DM55
• DM2 = DM61
• DM3 = DM78
• DM4 = DM84
• DM5 = DM90
• DM6 = DM101
• DM7 = DM118
• DM8 = DM124
• DM9 = DM130
• DM10 = DM147
• DM11 = DM153
• DM12 = DM176
• DM13 = SCRAPPED BEFORE TMS
• DM14 = DM182
• DM15 = DM199
• DM16 = DM216
• DM17 = DM222
• DM18 = DM239
• DM19 = DM245
• DM20 = DM251
• DM21 = DM268
• DM22 = DM274
• DM23 = DM280
• DM24 = DM297
• DM25 = DM308
• DM26 = DM314
• DM27 = DM320
• DM28 = DM337
• DM29 = DM343
• DM30 = DM366
• DM31 = DM372
• DM32 = DM389
• DM33 = DM395
• DM34 = DM406
• DM35 = DM412
• DM36 = DM429
• DM37 = DM435
• DM38 = DM441
• DM39 = DM458
• DM40 = DM464
• DM41 = DM470
• DM42 = DM487
• DM43 = DM493
• DM44 = DM504
• DM45 = DM510
• DM46 = DM527
• DM47 = DM533
• DM48 = DM556
• DM49 = DM562
• D101 = D2007
• D102 = D2015
• D103 = D2023
• D104 = D2031
• D105 = D2058
• D106 = D2066
• D107 = D2074
• D108 = D2082
• D109 = D2090
• D110 = D2106
• D111 = D2114
• D112 = D2122
• D113 = D2130
• D114 = D2149
• D115 = D2157
• D116 = D2165
• D117 = D2173
• D118 = D2181
• D119 = D2205
• D120 = D2213
• D121 = D2221
• D122 = D2248
• D123 = D2256
• D124 = D2264
• D125 = D2272
• D126 = D2280
• D127 = D2299
• D128 = D2304
• D129 = D2312
• D130 = D2320
• D131 = D2339
• D132 = D2347
• D133 = D2355
• D134 = D2363
• D135 = D2371
• D136 = D2398
• D137 = D2403
• D138 = D2411
• D139 = D2438
• D140 = D2446
• D141 = D2454
• D142 = D2462
• D143 = D2470
• D144 = D2489
• D145 = D2497
• D146 = D2502
• D147 = D2510
• D148 = D2529
• D149 = D2537
• D150 = D2545
• D151 = D2553
• D152 = D2561
• D153 = D2588
• D154 = D2596
• D155 = D2601
• D156 = D2628
• D157 = D2636
• D158 = D2644
• D159 = D2652
• D160 = D2660
• D161 = D2679
• D162 = D2687
• D163 = D2695
• D164 = D2700
• D165 = D2719
• D166 = D2727
• D167 = D2735
• D168 = D2743
• D169 = D2751
• D170 = D2778
• D171 = D2786
• D172 = D2794
• D173 = D2818
• D174 = D2826
• D175 = D2834
• D176 = D2842
• D177 = D2850
• D178 = D2869
• D179 = D2877

EM/ET Class EMU (Ganz Mavag) (x44):
• EM1004+ET3004
• EM1010+ET3010
• EM1027+ET3027
• EM1056+ET3056
• EM1062+ET3062
• EM1079+ET3079
• EM1085+ET3085
• EM1091+ET3091
• EM1102+ET3102
• EM1119+ET3119
• EM1131+ET3131
• EM1148+ET3148
• EM1154+ET3154
• EM1160+ET3160
• EM1177+ET3177
• EM1183+ET3183
• EM1217+ET3217
• EM1223+ET3223
• EM1246+ET3246
• EM1252+ET3252
• EM1269+ET3269
• EM1281+ET3281
• EM1298+ET3298
• EM1309+ET3309
• EM1315+ET3315
• EM1321+ET3321
• EM1338+ET3338
• EM1344+ET3344
• EM1350+ET3350
• EM1367+ET3367
• EM1373+ET3373
• EM1396+ET3396
• EM1407+ET3407
• EM1413+ET3413
• EM1436+ET3436
• EM1442+ET3442
• EM1459+ET3459
• EM1465+ET3465
• EM1471+ET3471
• EM1488+ET3488
• EM1494+ET3494
• EM1505+ET3505
• EM1511+ET3511
• EM1528+ET3528

FP/FT Class "Matangi" EMU (Hyundai Rotem & Mitsui) (x83):
• FP4103+FT4103
• FP4126+FT4126
• FP4132+FT4132
• FP4149+FT4149
• FP4155+FT4155
• FP4161+FT4161
• FP4178+FT4178
• FP4184+FT4184
• FP4190+FT4190
• FP4201+FT4201
• FP4218+FT4218
• FP4224+FT4224
• FP4230+FT4230
• FP4247+FT4247
• FP4253+FT4253
• FP4276+FT4276
• FP4282+FT4282
• FP4299+FT4299
• FP4316+FT4316
• FP4322+FT4322
• FP4339+FT4339
• FP4345+FT4345
• FP4351+FT4351
• FP4368+FT4368
• FP4374+FT4374
• FP4380+FT4380
• FP4397+FT4397
• FP4408+FT4408
• FP4414+FT4414
• FP4420+FT4420
• FP4437+FT4437
• FP4443+FT4443
• FP4466+FT4466
• FP4472+FT4472
• FP4489+FT4489
• FP4495+FT4495
• FP4506+FT4506
• FP4512+FT4512
• FP4529+FT4529
• FP4535+FT4535
• FP4541+FT4541
• FP4558+FT4558
• FP4564+FT4564
• FP4570+FT4570
• FP4587+FT4587
• FP4593+FT4593
• FP4604+FT4604
• FP4610+FT4610
• FP5010+FT5010
• FP5027+FT5027
• FP5033+FT5033
• FP5056+FT5056
• FP5062+FT5062
• FP5079+FT5079
• FP5085+FT5085
• FP5091+FT5091
• FP5102+FT5102
• FP5119+FT5119
• FP5125+FT5125
• FP5131+FT5131
• FP5148+FT5148
• FP5154+FT5154
• FP5160+FT5160
• FP5177+FT5177
• FP5183+FT5183
• FP5200+FT5200
• FP5217+FT5217
• FP5223+FT5223
• FP5246+FT5246
• FP5252+FT5252
• FP5269+FT5269
• FP5275+FT5275
• FP5281+FT5281
• FP5298+FT5298
• FP5309+FT5309
• FP5315+FT5315
• FP5321+FT5321
• FP5338+FT5338
• FP5344+FT5344
• FP5350+FT5350
• FP5367+FT5367
• FP5373+FT5373
• FP5396+FT5396

RM/RM Class "Silver Fern" DMU (Kawasaki Heavy Industries) (x3):
• RM18+RM18
• RM24+RM24
• RM30+RM30

S Class "MK2" Carriage (BREL) (x8):
• S3170
• S3177
• S3184
• S3190
• S3200
• S3207
• S3211
• S3245

SA Class "MK2" Carriage (BREL) (x83):
• SA3171
• SA3185
• SA3193
• SA3195
• SA3201
• SA3205
• SA3206
• SA3212
• SA3216
• SA3224
• SA3233
• SA3262
• SA3263
• SA3265
• SA3266
• SA3281
• SA3284
• SA3285
• SA3289
• SA3302
• SA3307
• SA3320
• SA3342
• SA3436
• SA3439
• SA5617
• SA5633
• SA5637
• SA5638
• SA5651
• SA5653
• SA5654
• SA5682
• SA5695
• SA5703
• SA5705
• SA5719
• SA5729
• SA5730
• SA5743
• SA5746
• SA5752
• SA5759
• SA5770
• SA5776
• SA5784
• SA5791
• SA5796
• SA5801
• SA5818
• SA5828
• SA5829
• SA5835
• SA5847
• SA5861
• SA5868
• SA5873
• SA5878
• SA5887
• SA5889
• SA5902
• SA5926
• SA5935
• SA5943
• SA5949
• SA5966
• SA5967
• SA5968
• SA5975
• SA5994
• SA5996
• SA6005
• SA6010
• SA6011
• SA6015
• SA6018
• SA6025
• SA6034
• SA6061
• SA6112
• SA6123
• SA6159
• SA6172

SD Class "MK2" Carriage (BREL) (x23):
• SD3197
• SD3199
• SD5624
• SD5626
• SD5648
• SD5652
• SD5675
• SD5747
• SD5761
• SD5762
• SD5794
• SD5811
• SD5842
• SD5859
• SD5860
• SD5883
• SD5893
• SD5993
• SD5999
• SD6026
• SD6166
• SD6182
• SD6184

SE Class "MK2" Carriage (BREL) (x4):
• SE3288
• SE3311
• SE3324
• SE3380

SEG Class "MK2" Carriage (BREL) (x1):
• SEG3430

SES Class "MK2" Carriage (BREL) (x1):
• SES3327

SR Class "MK2" Carriage (BREL) (x6):
• SR3285
• SR5746
• SR5801
• SR5847
• SR6015
• SR6061

SRC Class "MK2" Carriage (BREL) (x3):
• SRC3436
• SRC5889
• SRC5994

SRV Class "MK2" Carriage (BREL) (x3):
• SRV5859
• SRV5893
• SRV5993

SW Class "MK2" Carriage (BREL) (x12):
• SW3282
• SW3294
• SW3339
• SW3349
• SW3355
• SW3376
• SW3394
• SW3404
• SW5646
• SW5658
• SW5820
• SW5837

SWG Class "MK2" Carriage (BREL) (x3):
• SWG3365
• SWG3422
• SWG5671

SWS Class "MK2" Carriage (BREL) (x3):
• SWS3298
• SWS5660
• SWS5723

SXA Class Carriage (Comeng) (x1):
• SXA1744

SXC Class Carriage (Comeng) (x4):
• SXC1741
• SXC1742
• SXC1743
• SXC1745

SXV Class Carriage (Comeng) (x2):
• SXV1697
• SXV1746

I am wondering if they have any websites or any equivalents to our Platform Five stock books or anything similar.

 

[43096]

With our TOPS all units have six digits

Only the set numbers have six digits. The individual car numbers are three, five or six digits.

 

[Gloster]

Can i also ask are you aware of any websites (or even books) that have a stock list of New Zealand units and locomotives and carriages and wagons etc? Does any such website exist?

I think that the LCGB (Locomotive Club of Great Britain) used to do one and Frank Stenvall did one of his excellent handbooks, but both were long ago and almost everything in them has probably gone. I don’t know if either have done successors, although I doubt it.

 

[Wandering Pom]

Another odd thing is that even with TMS the number pattern varies. For example in Auckland the units have three digits (two digits plus a check digit) where as in Wellington the units have four digits (three digits plus a check digit) despite both using TMS numbers. With our TOPS all units have six digits and with EVN all units have twelve digits so it is odd that New Zealand has done it so randomly. I would have thought that one of the reasons TMS was introduced was to standardise things.

From my perspective, there is a standard, it's just a lot more flexible in format than TOPS or UIC/EVN numbering. I would guess that one of the objectives of the original TMS implementation was to retain the previous alphabetic class codes as closely as possible. Conversely BR already had an almost entirely numerical system for locos, and used TOPS numbering to get much greater clarity on which number range referred to which loco type.

I am wondering if they have any websites or any equivalents to our Platform Five stock books or anything similar.

Stock books: the one I have is New Zealand Locomotive and Rolling Stock Handbook, year 2000 edition, published by Locomotive Press of Christchurch (NZ). It's slightly smaller than the current Platform 5 UK loco book, and lists all active NZ vehicles. I think it went through several editions (though probably not annual), but it doesn't seem to be published now, nor is there any sign online of the publisher. I suspect it was a one-man band (like so many small publishers) and has since ceased operating.

Websites: again, I don't know of anything as detailed as your own lists, alas. Typically I'd refer to Wikipedia, but that only has number ranges rather than complete lists.

There are various NZ railway enthusiast groups - the New Zealand Railway and Locomotive Society (https://railsoc.org.nz/) looks the most promising for this sort of enquiry. I'd also suggest the online forum at Railpage Australia (http://www.railpage.com.au/): it used to be as large and active as RailUK, but the site seems to be out of action at the moment.