A wide variety of Locomotives and Multiple units have been operated on Great Britain's railway network. This page lists every locomotive and multiple unit allocated a TOPS classification and all modern traction (e.g. diesel, electric, gas, petrol) stock used on the mainline network since 1948 (i.e British Rail and post-privatisation). It excludes coaching stock, modern traction used prior to 1948 and steam locomotives used prior to 1968. Links to lists of these types can be found at the bottom of the page.
British Locomotive and Multiple Unit Numbering and Classification explains in full the numbering and classification system used on this page. In brief, from 1968 British Rail classified its locomotives and multiple units using the TOPS system. Locomotives were given two-digit class numbers, and Multiple units three-digit numbers. Similar types were allocated blocks within the range, e.g. 01-69 for diesel locomotives, 70-79 for DC electric and electro-diesel locomotives, and 80-96 for AC electric and multi-voltage locomotives.
Diesel locomotives
The 1955 diesel locomotive classes are given in brackets where applicable.
Shunters
A large number of different shunter types were purchased by British Rail and its predecessors, many of which were withdrawn prior to the introduction of TOPS. The table below attempts to list the different types and the different classifications used to describe them as clearly as possible:
Small shunters under 350 hp (261 kW)
TOPS Class |
1948 Class |
1955 Class |
1962 Class |
1948 Numbers |
1957 Numbers |
|
|
52 hp (39 kW) |
|
11104 |
|
|
DY1 |
D1/1 |
1/15 |
11500-11502 |
D2950-D2952 |
Class 01
|
DY2 |
D1/2
|
1/12 |
11503-11506 |
D2953-D2956 |
|
DY5 |
D1/3 |
1/16 |
11507-11508 |
D2957-D2958 |
Class 02
|
|
D1/4
|
1/17 |
|
D2850-D2869 |
|
DY11 |
D2/1 |
2/4A |
11700-11707 |
D2700-D2707 |
Class 03
|
DJ15 |
D2/2
|
2/1 |
11187-11211 |
D2000-D2199, D2370-D2399 |
Class 04
|
DJ12 |
D2/3
|
2/13A |
11100-03, 11105-15 |
D2200-D2214 |
DJ12/1 |
D2/4
|
2/13 |
11121-35, 11149-60, 11212-29 |
D2215-D2273 |
DJ12/2 |
D2/13
|
2/13 |
|
D2274-D2341 |
|
DJ14 |
D2/5 |
2/12A |
11177-11186 |
D2400-D2409 |
|
|
D2/7 |
2/14 |
11116-20, 11144-48 |
D2500-D2509 |
Class 05
|
DJ13 |
D2/8
|
2/15A |
11136-43, 11161-76 |
D2550-D2573 |
DJ13/2 |
D2/9
|
2/15 |
|
D2574-D2618 |
Class 06
|
|
D2/6
|
2/12 |
|
D2410-D2444 |
|
DY11 |
D2/10 |
2/4 |
11708-11719 |
D2708-D2719 |
2/4B |
|
D2720-D2780 |
|
|
D2/11
|
2/2 |
|
D2999/D9998 |
|
|
D2/12 |
2/14A |
|
D2510-D2519 |
Class 07
|
|
|
2/16 |
|
D2985-D2998 |
|
|
250hp |
|
13000
|
|
|
|
D3/1 |
3/4 |
|
D2900-D2913 |
Large shunters 350 hp (261 kW) and over
TOPS Class |
1948 Class |
1955 Class |
1962 Class |
1948 Numbers |
1957 Numbers |
Class 08
|
DEJ4 |
D3/2 |
3/1 |
13000-13366 excl.: |
D3000-D4192 excl.: |
Class 09
|
|
D3665-71, D3719-21, D4099-D4114 |
|
|
D3/3 |
3/1B |
13117-13126 |
D3117-D3126 |
Class 10
|
DEJ5 |
D3/4
|
3/1C |
13137-13151 |
D3137-51, D3439-53, D3473-D3502, D3612-51, D4049-94 |
|
DEJ6 |
D3/5 |
3/1D |
13152-13166 |
D3152-D3166 |
|
|
D3/6 |
|
12000-12002 |
|
|
|
D3/7
|
3/8 |
12003-12032 |
|
Class 11
|
DEJ3 |
D3/8
|
3/8A |
12033-12138 |
|
|
DEJ1 |
D3/9 |
3/10 |
15000-15003 |
|
|
|
D3/10 |
3/11A |
15100 |
|
|
|
D3/11 |
3/11 |
15101-15106 |
|
|
|
360hp |
|
15107 |
|
|
|
D3/12 |
3/9A |
15201-15203 |
|
Class 12
|
|
D3/13
|
3/9 |
15211-15236 |
|
|
DEJ2 |
D3/14 |
3/2 |
15004 |
|
|
|
500hp |
|
11001 |
|
Class 13
|
|
|
7/1 |
|
D4501-D4502 |
Class 14
|
|
|
6/1 |
|
D9500-D9555 |
Type 1s
TOPS Classes
Pre-1955 Classes
Type 2s
- Class 21 (D10/1 & D11/2)
- Class 22 (D10/2 & D11/5)
- Class 23 (D11/1)
-
Class 24 (D11/3)
- Class 25 (D12/1)
-
Class 26 (D11/4)
- Class 27 (D12/3)
- Class 28 (D12/2)
- Class 29
-
Class 30 (D13/1)
-
Class 31 (D14/1 & D14/2)
Type 3s
TOPS classes
- Class 33 (D15/1 & D15/2)
- Class 35 (D17/1)
-
Class 37 (D17/2)
Pre-TOPS Classes
- Class D16/1 (10000-10001)
- Class D16/2 (10201-10203)
Type 4s
TOPS Classes
Pre-1955 Classes
Type 5s
Electric locomotives
DC electric locomotives
TOPS Classes
- Class 70
- Class 71 HA
-
Class 73 JA or JB
- Class 74 HB
- Class 76 EM1
- Class 77 EM2
Pre-TOPS Classes
- Class EB1 (26502-26511)
- Class EE1 (26600)
- Class ES1 (26500-26501)
AC electric locomotives
Miscellaneous locomotives
Departmental
Steam
Petrol
Gas turbine
Builders' demonstrators
These were locomotives built and owned by private firms, but used by British Rail to test them.
Diesel multiple units (DMUs)
1st generation "heritage" DMUs
TOPS classes
- Class 100 (Gloucester)
-
Class 101 (Met-Camm)
-
Class 102 (Met-Camm)
- Class 103 (Park Royal)
-
Class 104 (BRCW)
- Class 105 (Cravens)
- Class 106 (Cravens)
- Class 107 (Derby Heavyweight)
-
Class 108 (Derby Lightweight)
- Class 109 (Wickham)
- Class 110 (Calder Valley)
- Class 111 (Met-Camm)
- Class 112 (Great Northern Suburban)
- Class 113 (Great Northern Suburban)
-
Class 114 (Derby Heavyweight)
- Class 115 (Derby Suburban)
-
Class 116 (Derby Suburban)
- Class 117 (Pressed Steel Suburban)
- Class 118 (BRCW Suburban)
- Class 119 (Gloucester Cross-Country)
- Class 120 (Swindon Cross-Country)
-
Class 121 (Pressed Steel Bubble Car)
-
Class 122 (Gloucester Bubble Car)
- Class 123 (Trans-Pennine)
- Class 124 (Trans-Pennine)
- Class 125 (Lea Valley)
- Class 126 (Swindon InterCity)
-
Class 127 (Bed-Pan)
- Class 128 (Gloucester Parcels)
- Class 129 (Cravens Parcels)
-
Class 130 (Parcels, ex-Class 116)
-
Class 131 (Parcels, ex-Class 122)
Pre-TOPS Classes
2nd generation DMUs
Sprinters
Turbos
Coradias
Diesel Desiro
Diesel-electric multiple units (DEMUs)
These units had electric transmission (as opposed to mechanical or hydraulic).
Southern Region DEMUs
The Southern Region of British Rail, used single letter codes to classify their DEMU classes.
Western Region Prototype DEMU
Voyager-style Express DEMUs
High speed trains
Electric nultiple units (EMUs)
British Rail operated a wide variety of electrical multiple units.
- AC units operated off 25 kV AC from overhead wires. Where clearances for the overhead wires on the Great Eastern and London, Tilbury & Southend routes were below standard, a reduced voltage of 6.25 kV AC was used. The Midland Railway units used 6.6 kV AC. Under the computer numbering, AC units (including mixed-voltage units that can also work off a DC supply) were given a Class in the range 300-399.
- DC units operated off 650-850 V DC from a third rail on the Southern Region and North London, Merseyside and Tyneside networks. The Manchester-Bury line used 1200 V DC from a side contact third rail. The Manchester South Junction & Altrincham and "Woodhead" routes used 1500 V DC from overhead wires. Under the computer numbering, DC units were given a Class in the range 400-599.
AC EMUs and mixed-voltage EMUs
First generation
-
Ex-MR units (Lancaster-Morecambe-Heysham)
-
Class 300 (Proposed Parcels units)
-
Class AM1 (25kV AC prototype units)
- Class 302 AM2 (London-Tilbury-Southend)
-
Class 303 AM3 (Strathclyde)
- Class 304 AM4 (Greater Manchester)
- Class 305 AM5 (Chingford, Enfield)
- Class 306 AM6 (Shenfield inner-surburban)
-
Class 307 AM7 (Southend outer-suburban)
-
Class 308 AM8 (Eastern Region lines)
-
Class 309 AM9 (Clacton Express)
- Class 310 AM10 (Euston outer-suburban)
-
Class 311 AM11 (Strathclyde)
-
Class 312 (Great Northern and Great Eastern)
Second generation
-
Class 313 (Great Northern and North London)
- Class 314 (Strathclyde)
- Class 315 (Shenfield inner-suburban)
-
Class 316 (Prototype units)
-
Class 317 (Bed-Pan and Great Northern)
- Class 318 (Strathclyde)
- Class 319 (Thameslink)
- Class 320 (Strathclyde)
-
Class 321 (Great Eastern, Euston & W Yorks Metro outer-suburban)
-
Class 322 (Stansted Express)
-
Class 323 (West Midlands & Greater Manchester)
- Class 325 (Parcels)
- Class 332 (Heathrow Express)
-
Class 333 (West Yorkshire)
- Class 334 (Juniper - Strathclyde)
- Class 350 (Desiro - West Coast)
-
Class 357 (Electrostar - London-Tilbury-Southend)
-
Class 360 (Desiro - Great Eastern)
-
Class 365 (Networker Express)
-
Class 375 (Electrostar)
- Class 376 (Electrostar Metro)
-
Class 377 (Electrostar)
Supertrains
DC EMUs
Southern Region Units
The Southern Railway and its successor, the Southern Region of British Rail, used three letter codes to classify their DC EMU fleets, as shown after the TOPS class numbers.
TOPS Classes
Pre-TOPS classes
Other DC units
The 500 series classes were reserved for those DC EMUs not from the Southern Region. This included the DC lines in North London, Merseyside and Greater Manchester. The DC electric network around Tyneside had been de-electrified by the time TOPS was introduced and the old stock withdrawn or transferred to the Southern Region.
TOPS classes
- Class 501 (North London stock)
- Class 502 (Liverpool-Southport stock)
- Class 503 (Mersey-Wirral stock)
- Class 504 (Manchester-Bury stock)
- Class 505 (Manchester-Altrincham stock)
- Class 506 (Manchester-Hadfield/Glossop stock)
- Class 507 (Merseyside stock)
- Class 508 (Merseyside stock)
Pre-TOPS classes
Battery electric multiple unit
This was a one-off unit, withdrawn before the introduction of TOPS.
Departmental multiple units
The 900 series classes were reserved for multiple units in departmental stock, most of which were converted from old passenger units. In broad terms, classes 930-935 were allocated to Southern Region multiple units (ex-200 and 400 series), 936 & 937 to other EMUs (ex-300 and 500 series) and 960 to other DMUs (ex-100 series). In recent years, this has been less rigidly adhered to.
Diesel multiple units
Gas turbine multiple unit
Electric Multiple Units
The original use for the Southern Region (SR) classes are included in brackets; these designations have been less rigidly applied in recent years.
See also
Last updated: 09-12-2005 02:39:13