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{{Use British English|date=December 2016}}
{{Use British English|date=December 2016}}
{{Unreferenced|date=December 2009}}
{{Unreferenced|date=December 2009}}
'''[[British Railways]] coach designations''' were a series of letter-codes used to identify different types of coaches, both passenger carrying and non-passenger carrying stock (NPCS). The code was generally painted on the end of the coach but non-gangwayed stock had the code painted on the side. They have been superseded by [[TOPS]] design codes.<ref name="HMRS">{{cite book |last1=Parkin |first1=Keith |title=British Railways Mark 1 Coaches |date=1991 |publisher=Historical Model Railway Society |location=Penryn |isbn=0-906899-49-4 |page=205}}</ref>
'''[[British Railways]] coach designations''' were a series of letter-codes used to identify different types of coaches, both passenger carrying and non-passenger carrying stock (NPCS). The code was generally painted on the end of the coach but non-gangwayed stock had the code painted on the side.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Parkin |first1=Keith |title=British Railways Mark 1 Coaches |date=1991 |publisher=Historical Model Railway Society |location=Penryn |isbn=0-906899-49-4 |pages=64-65}}</ref> They have been superseded by [[TOPS]] design codes.<ref name=HMRS>{{harvnb | Parkin | 1991 | p= 205 }}</ref>


==Background==
==Background==
The [[London, Midland and Scottish Railway]] and the [[London and North Eastern Railway]] developed systems of identifying [[railway carriage]]s with alphabetic codes. When [[British Railways]] was formed in 1948, it adopted the LNER system.
The [[London, Midland and Scottish Railway]] and the [[London and North Eastern Railway]] developed systems of identifying [[railway carriage]]s with alphabetic codes. When [[British Railways]] was formed in 1948 it adapted the LNER system.


==Basic principles==
==Basic principles==
Line 64: Line 64:
|RM||Miniature/Modular Restaurant
|RM||Miniature/Modular Restaurant
|-
|-
|S||Second Class (later known as Standard Class)
|S||Second Class (Standard Class from May 1985<ref>{{harvnb | Parkin | 1991 | p= 75 }}</ref>)
|-
|-
|SL||Sleeper
|SL||Sleeper
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|Brake Composite
|Brake Composite
|-
|-
|BCK<ref name=HMRS/>
|BCK
|Brake Composite Corridor<ref name=HMRS/>
|Brake Composite Corridor
|CBB
|CBB
|-
|-
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|Battery Driving Trailer Composite (Open) Lavatory
|Battery Driving Trailer Composite (Open) Lavatory
|-
|-
|BFB<ref name=HMRS/>
|BFB
|Bullion Container Flat<ref name=HMRS/>
|Bullion Container Flat
|
|
|-
|-
|BFK<ref name=HMRS/>
|id="BFK"|BFK
|Brake First Corridor<ref name=HMRS/>
|Brake First Corridor
|E
|E
|-
|-
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|Brake First Open
|Brake First Open
|-
|-
|BG<ref name=HMRS/>
|BG
|Gangwayed Full Brake<ref name=HMRS/>
|Gangwayed Full Brake
|CBR
|CBR
|-
|-
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|CR
|CR
|-
|-
|BPOT
|BPOT<ref name=HMRS/>
|[[Brake Post Office Stowage Van]]<ref name=HMRS/>
|[[Brake Post Office Stowage Van]]
|-
|-
|BS<ref name=HMRS/>
|BS
|Brake Second<ref name=HMRS/>
|Brake Second
|H
|H
|-
|-
|BSK<ref name=HMRS/>
|BSK
|Brake Second Corridor<ref name=HMRS/>
|Brake Second Corridor
|CH
|CH
|-
|-
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|VH
|VH
|-
|-
|BSOT
|BSOT<ref name=HMRS/>
|Brake Second Open Trolley(Micro Buffet)<ref name=HMRS/>
|Brake Second Open Trolley(Micro Buffet)
|-
|-
|BTK<ref name=HMRS/>
|BTK
|Brake Third Corridor<ref name=HMRS/>
|Brake Third Corridor
|-
|-
|BUO
|BUO
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|R
|R
|-
|-
|C<ref name=HMRS/>
|C
|Composite<ref name=HMRS/>
|Composite
|BC
|BC
|-
|-
|CCT<ref name=HMRS/>
|CCT
|[[Covered Carriage Truck]]<ref name=HMRS/>
|[[Covered Carriage Truck]]
|-
|-
|CK<ref name=HMRS/>
|CK
|Corridor Composite<ref name=HMRS/>
|Corridor Composite
|CBC
|CBC
|-
|-
|CL<ref name=HMRS/>
|CL
|Lavatory Composite<ref name=HMRS/>
|Lavatory Composite
|LC
|LC
|-
|-
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|L
|L
|-
|-
|FK<ref name=HMRS/>
|FK
|[[First Corridor]]<ref name=HMRS/>
|[[First Corridor]]
|CL
|CL
|-
|-
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|LM
|LM
|-
|-
|FO<ref name=HMRS/>
|FO
|[[First Open]]<ref name=HMRS/>
|[[First Open]]
|QL
|QL
|-
|-
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|First Open Trolley
|First Open Trolley
|-
|-
|GUV<ref name=HMRS/>
|GUV
|[[General Utility Van]]<ref name=HMRS/>
|[[General Utility Van]]
|-
|-
|HB<ref name=HMRS/>
|HB
|Horse Box<ref name=HMRS/>
|Horse Box<
|-
|-
|IFV
|IFV
|Insulated Fish Van
|Insulated Fish Van
|-
|-
|KB<ref name=HMRS/>
|KB
|Kitchen Buffet(no seats, later RKB)<ref name=HMRS/>
|Kitchen Buffet(no seats, later RKB)
|
|
|-
|-
|LFK<ref name=HMRS/>
|LFK
|Lounge First<ref name=HMRS/>
|Lounge First
|-
|-
|M
|M
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|Motor Second Open
|Motor Second Open
|-
|-
|NPV<ref name=HMRS/>
|NPV
|Newspaper Van<ref name=HMRS/>
|Newspaper Van<
|
|
|-
|-
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|Parcels & Miscellaneous Van
|Parcels & Miscellaneous Van
|-
|-
|POS<ref name=HMRS/>
|POS
|[[Post Office Sorting Van]]<ref name=HMRS/>
|[[Post Office Sorting Van]]
|POR
|POR
|-
|-
|POT<ref name=HMRS/>
|POT
|[[Post Office Stowage Van]]<ref name=HMRS/>
|[[Post Office Stowage Van]]
|PPR
|PPR
|-
|-
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|Pantograph Trailer Second Open
|Pantograph Trailer Second Open
|-
|-
|RB<ref name=HMRS/>
|RB
|Restaurant Buffet<ref name=HMRS/>
|Restaurant Buffet
|-
|-
|BRK<ref name=HMRS/>
|BRK
|Restaurant Buffet (larger kitchen)<ref name=HMRS/>
|Restaurant Buffet (larger kitchen)
|
|
|-
|-
|RBR<ref name=HMRS/>
|RBR
|Restaurant Buffet Refurbished<ref name=HMRS/>
|Restaurant Buffet Refurbished<
|-
|-
|RBS<ref name=HMRS/>
|RBS
|Restaurant Unclassed (proper buffet)<ref name=HMRS/>
|Restaurant Unclassed (proper buffet)
|
|
|-
|-
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|Griddle<ref name=HMRS/>
|Griddle<ref name=HMRS/>
|-
|-
|RF<ref name=HMRS/>
|RF
|Restaurant First<ref name=HMRS/>
|Restaurant First
|First RKC
|First RKC
|-
|-
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|Restaurant First Modular
|Restaurant First Modular
|-
|-
|RFO<ref name=HMRS/>
|RFO
|Restaurant First Open<ref name=HMRS/>
|Restaurant First Open
|QL Dining
|QL Dining
|-
|-
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|Restaurant Griddle
|Restaurant Griddle
|-
|-
|RK<ref name=HMRS/>
|RK
|Kitchen Car<ref name=HMRS/>
|Kitchen Car
|KC
|KC
|-
|-
|RKB<ref name=HMRS/>
|RKB
|Kitchen Buffet (no seats)<ref name=HMRS/>
|Kitchen Buffet (no seats)
|BRC
|BRC
|-
|-
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|Restaurant Lounge Open
|Restaurant Lounge Open
|-
|-
|RMB<ref name=HMRS/>
|RMB
|Restaurant Miniature Buffet<ref name=HMRS/>
|Restaurant Miniature Buffet
|-
|-
|RS
|RS
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|Third RKC
|Third RKC
|-
|-
|RSO<ref name=HMRS/>
|RSO
|Restaurant Second Open (without kitchen)<ref name=HMRS/>
|Restaurant Second Open (without kitchen)
|QF Dining
|QF Dining
|-
|-
|RU<ref name=HMRS/>
|RU
|Unclassified Restaurant<ref name=HMRS/>
|Unclassified Restaurant<
|Common RKC
|Common RKC
|-
|-
|RUB<ref name=HMRS/>
|RUB
|Restaurant Unclassified (makeshift buffet)<ref name=HMRS/>
|Restaurant Unclassified (makeshift buffet)
|-
|-
|RUK
|RUK
|Restaurant Unclassified Kitchen
|Restaurant Unclassified Kitchen
|-
|-
|RUO<ref name=HMRS/>
|RUO
|Restaurant Unclassified Open (with kitchen)<ref name=HMRS/>
|Restaurant Unclassified Open (with kitchen)
|-
|-
|S
|S
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|Special Cattle Van
|Special Cattle Van
|-
|-
|SD<ref name=HMRS/>
|SD
|Saloon Discoteque<ref name=HMRS/>
|Saloon Discoteque<
|
|
|-
|-
|SK<ref name=HMRS/>
|SK
|[[Standard Corridor|Corridor Second]]<ref name=HMRS/>
|[[Standard Corridor|Corridor Second]]
|CF
|CF
|-
|-
|SLB<ref name=HMRS/>
|SLB
|Bullion Van<ref name=HMRS/>
|Bullion Van
|
|
|-
|-
|SLC<ref name=HMRS/>
|SLC
|Sleeper Composite<ref name=HMRS/>
|Sleeper Composite<
|CSC
|CSC
|-
|-
|SLCP
|SLCP<ref name=HMRS/>
|Sleeper Composite with Pantry<ref name=HMRS/>
|Sleeper Composite with Pantry
|
|
|-
|-
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|[[Sleeper Either Class]]
|[[Sleeper Either Class]]
|-
|-
|SLEP
|SLEP<ref name=HMRS/>
|[[Sleeper Either Class|Sleeper Either Class with Pantry]]<ref name=HMRS/>
|[[Sleeper Either Class|Sleeper Either Class with Pantry]]
|-
|-
|SLF<ref name=HMRS/>
|SLF
|Sleeper First<ref name=HMRS/>
|Sleeper First<
|SC
|SC
|-
|-
|SLO<ref name=HMRS/>
|SLO
|Open Second with Lavatory (Non-gangwayed)<ref name=HMRS/>
|Open Second with Lavatory (Non-gangwayed)
|
|
|-
|-
|SLSTP
|SLSTP<ref name=HMRS/>
|Sleeper Second Twin-Berth with Pantry<ref name=HMRS/>
|Sleeper Second Twin-Berth with Pantry
|SCT
|SCT
|-
|-
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|Second Lavatory Open (within carriage)
|Second Lavatory Open (within carriage)
|-
|-
|SO<ref name=HMRS/>
|SO
|[[Standard Open|Open Second]]<ref name=HMRS/>
|[[Standard Open|Open Second]]
|QF
|QF
|-
|-
|SO(NG)
|SO(NG)<ref name=HMRS/>
|Second Open (non-gangwayed)<ref name=HMRS/>
|Second Open (non-gangwayed)
|
|
|-
|-
Line 607: Line 607:
|
|
|-
|-
|TOV<ref name=HMRS/>
|TOV
|Third Open Vestibuled<ref name=HMRS/>
|Third Open Vestibuled (Later reclassified TSO)
|
|
|-
|-

Revision as of 16:37, 15 September 2021

British Railways coach designations were a series of letter-codes used to identify different types of coaches, both passenger carrying and non-passenger carrying stock (NPCS). The code was generally painted on the end of the coach but non-gangwayed stock had the code painted on the side.[1] They have been superseded by TOPS design codes.[2]

Background

The London, Midland and Scottish Railway and the London and North Eastern Railway developed systems of identifying railway carriages with alphabetic codes. When British Railways was formed in 1948 it adapted the LNER system.

Basic principles

The codes are made up from a combination of letters, some of which can indicate more than one word; their meaning can only be determined according to their position in the code or the presence of other letters. The letters are:

Code Meaning
B Brake van (prefix)
Buffet (suffix)
Battery (prefix for multiple unit vehicles)
C Composite (more than one class of accommodation)
D Driving vehicle (prefix)
Disabled accommodation (suffix)
E Either class of accommodation
End vehicle (suffix)
F First Class
G Gangwayed (e.g. BG - Brake Gangwayed)
H Handbrake
HM Half-motor (prefix on multiple units)
Used for vehicles with one traction motor or engine where the Motor type vehicle of that class usually had two
K corridor
L Lavatory (usually shown only in non-gangwayed or diesel multiple unit codes)
Lounge (prefix) (but see SL)
M Motor (powered) vehicle
O Open (i.e. no compartments, or no kitchen in Restaurant cars);
O not used for diesel multiple units as most are Open
o Semi-open (i.e. mix of compartments and open)
Some books have used so in place of o, to avoid confusion with O
P Pantograph (prefix for electric multiple units)
Pantry (suffix)
Pullman (prefix)
Parlour (suffix for Pullman cars)
R Restaurant
RG Restaurant Griddle
RK Restaurant Kitchen
RM Miniature/Modular Restaurant
S Second Class (Standard Class from May 1985[3])
SL Sleeper
T Third Class
Trailer (prefix for multiple unit vehicles)
Trolley buffet (suffix)
Tourist (prefix for hauled carriages, indicates 2+2 seating)
U Unclassified accommodation
W Wheelchair Area
Y Four-wheeled vehicle[a]
Z Six-wheeled vehicle[a]
  1. ^ a b If no such suffix, the vehicle is an eight or twelve-wheeled vehicle. The latter were not common, and were usually special saloons or restaurants.

These letters (except Y and Z) did not usually apply to passenger-rated but goods carrying vans (e.g. parcels vans, horse boxes, milk and fish vans). Their codes were an acronym of their traditional railway description, e.g. GUV for General Utility Vans.

List of codes used

The following list lists those codes that were used on BR cross-referred to the comparable code used by the LMS, with the exception that the letter S ("Second", later "Standard") is used where until 1956 the letter T ("Third") was used. Suffix codes Y or Z are not shown, as these could apply to variants of any or all vehicle types.

In the LNER system, S stood for "Second", a class between First and Third (which latter became Second). The original Second was more or less abolished in the 1870s as a result of the Railway Regulation Act 1844, remaining only in limited use for special services, such as those meeting ships (which retained the three-class system from which railway classifications had originated). In the 1980s, BR renamed Second to Standard. Many of the classifications listed below are no longer used, and some did not survive until the "Standard" designation.

LNER Code Description LMS Code
B Brake
BC Brake Composite
BCK[2] Brake Composite Corridor CBB
BCL Brake Composite Lavatory
BCV BRUTE Carrying Van
BDMBS Battery Driving Motor Brake Second (Open)
BDMSO Battery Driving Motor Second Open
BDTCL Battery Driving Trailer Composite (Open) Lavatory
BFB[2] Bullion Container Flat
BFK[2] Brake First Corridor E
BFO Brake First Open
BG[2] Gangwayed Full Brake CBR
BGP Brake Gangwayed Pigeon van
BGZ Brake Gangwayed (6-wheels) CR
BPOT[2] Brake Post Office Stowage Van
BS[2] Brake Second H
BSK[2] Brake Second Corridor CH
BSL Brake Second Lavatory LH
BSO Brake Second Open VH
BSOT[2] Brake Second Open Trolley(Micro Buffet)
BTK[2] Brake Third Corridor
BUO Brake Unclassified Open
BZ Brake (6-wheels) R
C[2] Composite BC
CCT[2] Covered Carriage Truck
CK[2] Corridor Composite CBC
CL[2] Lavatory Composite LC
CO Composite Open VC
DBSO Driving Brake Second Open
DM Driving Motor
DMB Driving Motor Brake
DMBC Driving Motor Brake Composite (Open)
DMBCL Driving Motor Brake Composite (Open) Lavatory
DMBFL Driving Motor Brake First (Open) Lavatory
DMBS Driving Motor Brake Second (Open)
DMBSK Driving Motor Brake Second Corridor
DMBSL Driving Motor Brake Second (Open) Lavatory
DMBSO Driving Motor Brake Second Open
DMC Driving Motor Composite (Open)
DMCL Driving Motor Composite (Open) Lavatory
DMLV Driving Motor Luggage Van
DMPMV Driving Motor Parcels & Miscellaneous Van
DMS Driving Motor Second (Open)
DMSK Driving Motor Second Corridor
DMSL Driving Motor Second (Open) Lavatory
DMSO Driving Motor Second Open
DPTFO Driving Pantograph Trailer First Open
DPTSO Driving Pantograph Trailer Standard Open
DTBS Driving Trailer Brake Second
DTBSO Driving Trailer Brake Second Open
DTCL Driving Trailer Composite (Open) Lavatory
DTCoL Driving Trailer Composite Semi-Open Lavatory
DTCOL Driving Trailer Composite Open Lavatory
DTS Driving Trailer Second (Open)
DTSo Driving Trailer Second Semi-Open
DTSO Driving Trailer Second Open
DTSOL Driving Trailer Second Open Lavatory
DTSOW Driving Trailer Second Open Wheelchair
DVT Driving Van Trailer
F First L
FK[2] First Corridor CL
FL First Lavatory LM
FO[2] First Open QL
FOT First Open Trolley
GUV[2] General Utility Van
HB[2] Horse Box<
IFV Insulated Fish Van
KB[2] Kitchen Buffet(no seats, later RKB)
LFK[2] Lounge First
M Motor
MBRSM Motor Brake Restaurant Second Modular
MBS Motor Brake Second
MBSK Motor Brake Second Corridor
MBSO Motor Brake Second Open
MFLRK Motor First (Open) Lavatory Restaurant Kitchen
MLV Motor Luggage Van
MS Motor Second (Open)
MSL Motor Second (Open) Lavatory
MSLRB Motor Second Lavatory Restaurant Buffet
MSO Motor Second Open
NPV[2] Newspaper Van<
OCT Open Carriage Truck
PCP Pullman Composite Parlour
PCV Parcels Van[2]
Propelling Control Vehicle
PFB Pullman First Brake
PFK Pullman First Kitchen
PFP Pullman First Parlour
PMV Parcels & Miscellaneous Van
POS[2] Post Office Sorting Van POR
POT[2] Post Office Stowage Van PPR
PSB Pullman Second Brake
PSP Pullman Second Parlour
PTSO Pantograph Trailer Second Open
RB[2] Restaurant Buffet
BRK[2] Restaurant Buffet (larger kitchen)
RBR[2] Restaurant Buffet Refurbished<
RBS[2] Restaurant Unclassed (proper buffet)
RC Restaurant Composite Compo RKC
RCO Restaurant Composite Open VC Dining
RE Griddle[2]
RF[2] Restaurant First First RKC
RFB Restaurant First Buffet
RFM Restaurant First Modular
RFO[2] Restaurant First Open QL Dining
RG Restaurant Griddle
RK[2] Kitchen Car KC
RKB[2] Kitchen Buffet (no seats) BRC
RLO Restaurant Lounge Open
RMB[2] Restaurant Miniature Buffet
RS Restaurant Second Third RKC
RSO[2] Restaurant Second Open (without kitchen) QF Dining
RU[2] Unclassified Restaurant< Common RKC
RUB[2] Restaurant Unclassified (makeshift buffet)
RUK Restaurant Unclassified Kitchen
RUO[2] Restaurant Unclassified Open (with kitchen)
S Standard F
SCV Special Cattle Van
SD[2] Saloon Discoteque<
SK[2] Corridor Second CF
SLB[2] Bullion Van
SLC[2] Sleeper Composite< CSC
SLCP[2] Sleeper Composite with Pantry
SLE Sleeper Either Class
SLEP[2] Sleeper Either Class with Pantry
SLF[2] Sleeper First< SC
SLO[2] Open Second with Lavatory (Non-gangwayed)
SLSTP[2] Sleeper Second Twin-Berth with Pantry SCT
SLO Second Lavatory Open (within carriage)
SO[2] Open Second QF
SO(NG)[2] Second Open (non-gangwayed)
SPV Special Parcels Van
TBCK Trailer Brake Composite Corridor
TBF Trailer Brake First (Open)
TBFK Trailer Brake First Corridor
TBSK Trailer Brake Second Corridor
TBSL Trailer Brake Second (Open) Lavatory
TC Trailer Composite (Open)
TCC Trailer Catering Composite (Open)
TCK Trailer Composite Corridor
TCL Trailer Composite (Open) Lavatory
TCoL Trailer Composite Semi-Open Lavatory
TCOL Trailer Composite Open Lavatory
TCV Tiered Car Carrier[2]
TF Trailer First (Open)
TFD Trailer First Disabled (Open)
TFK Trailer First Corridor
TFKRB Trailer First Corridor Restaurant Buffet
TFL Trailer First (Open) Lavatory
TFLRB Trailer First (Open) Lavatory Restaurant Buffet
TFLRK Trailer First (Open) Lavatory Restaurant Kitchen
TFOLH Trailer First Open Lavatory Handbrake
TGS Trailer Guard Second (Open)
TGFB Trailer Guard First Buffet (Open)
TO Third Open[2]
TOV[2] Third Open Vestibuled (Later reclassified TSO)
TRB Trailer Restaurant Buffet
TRFB Trailer Restaurant First Buffet
TRFM Trailer Restaurant First Modular
TRSB Trailer Restaurant Standard Buffet
TRUB Trailer Restaurant Unclassified Buffet
TRUK Trailer Restaurant Unclassified Kitchen
TS Trailer Second (Open)
TSD Trailer Second Disabled (Open)
TSD(V) Trailer Second Disabled (Variant) (Open)
TSK Trailer Second Corridor
TSL Trailer Second (Open) Lavatory
TSLRB Trailer Second (Open) Lavatory Restaurant Buffet
TSo Trailer Second Semi-Open
TSO Tourist Second Open[2] or Trailer Second Open
TSOL Trailer Second Open Lavatory
TSORB Trailer Second Open Restaurant Buffet
TSOT Tourist Second Open Trolley
TU Trailer Unclassified (Open)
VFV Ventilated Fruit Van

Note that in modern usage, composite semi-open vehicles are classified Cso - the s signifying that the Standard portion is open (implying that the First portion is compartments with corridor).

See also

British carriage and wagon numbering and classification

References

  1. ^ Parkin, Keith (1991). British Railways Mark 1 Coaches. Penryn: Historical Model Railway Society. pp. 64–65. ISBN 0-906899-49-4.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa ab ac ad ae af ag ah ai aj ak al am an ao ap aq ar as at au av aw ax ay az ba Parkin 1991, p. 205
  3. ^ Parkin 1991, p. 75

Further reading

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