TOPS Class series “700” & “800

[BlyRF]

Could someone please shed some light as to why in recent years DfT or any other body related started to release newer train class on a brand new numbering series?

I understand that:

-Steam is hardly numbered since BR times
-Diesel & electric locomotives are 01-99
-DMUs are 100-199
-DEMUs are 200-299
-AC “overhead” EMUs (including Dual Votage units) are 300-399
-DC “third rail” EMUs are 400-499 (including a few select units that have 500s)
- And Departmental units 900-999

But now we have 700-800 all in a bended mix of AC overhead, High speed and Dual votage units.

I can only guess the 800s are reserved for high speed units but the 700s are a bigger mistery to me, and what ever happened with the 600s series if it was ever intended for use? Lol

 

[swt_passenger]

Well 600-699 is available in the amended numbering scheme, it’s allocated for non high speed DMUs. But they may not have needed to use it yet. I’m sure we’ve had a fairly recent thread about it all though, here it is:
https://www.railforums.co.uk/threads/who-chooses-the-classification-of-a-train.158852/#post-3270925

Meanwhile as a quick answer the current standard is here:
https://www.rssb.co.uk/rgs/standards/RIS-2453-RST Iss 1.pdf
Table 3.7 page 32/33 refers. It isn’t as random as you think in the 700 and 800 ranges.

The Dec 2017 version split the 700 range half way, to allow for bimodes such as the 769...

Effectively now 700-749 should just be seen as an additional range equivalent to 300-399.

Last point I’ve remembered, there’s no compulsion for ‘new’ trains to have unit numbers from the new ranges, as can be seen with many units yet to be delivered using spare numbers from the ‘old’ ranges, such as 195/331 for Northern...

 

[BlyRF]

First of all apologies for making a slightly duplicate thread, I figured this topic is not spoken much and failed to spot the other Thread I through of creating this to unravel any mysteries regarding.

Anyways, so your saying the 600-699 are actually DMUs or other Fuels such as hydrogen, petrol etc.

700-749 are additional AC, Dual Votage EMUs, while 750-799 are reserved for Bi-Mode units. But then why not they just finished utilising any unused 300-399 class spaces before going on to the 700-749s (ofcorse disregarding Bi-modes).

And yeah I figured the 800-899 would be reserved for high speed units.

 

[swt_passenger]

700-749 are additional AC, Dual Votage EMUs, while 750-799 are reserved for Bi-Mode units. But then why not they just finished utilising any unused 300-399 class spaces before going on to the 700-749s

It isn’t really a current topic anymore, because the standards changed so long ago. IIRC most discussion happened when Class 700 was first mentioned. Initially some people came up with the idea that 700-799, (as it was originally, in 2011), was only for longer fixed formation trains such as Thameslink, but it quickly became obvious as orders were announced that it was for more general use.

They don’t have to use up the existing number ranges first, so it's really at the whim of the people applying for numbers. TfL using Class 345 for Crossrail was allegedly because it was already reserved, but I suspect they could have chosen any part of the range if they’d wanted to.