British Rail departmental locomotives facts for kids
Before the Total Operations Processing System was created, British Rail used special numbers for its non-passenger trains. These trains were called "departmental" locomotives. They didn't carry passengers or freight for money. Instead, they were used for things like maintaining the railway tracks or moving equipment.
These special locomotives had different numbering systems. Some were still able to move on their own. Others were older trains that could no longer move by themselves. They were often used as spare parts or for storage.
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What are Departmental Locomotives?
Departmental locomotives are like the behind-the-scenes workers of the railway. They are trains that don't earn money by carrying passengers or goods. Instead, they help keep the railway running smoothly. Think of them as service vehicles for the train tracks.
Why British Rail Used Them
British Rail needed these special trains for many tasks. They would use them to:
- Carry tools and materials for track repairs.
- Move broken-down trains.
- Test new railway equipment.
- Help with construction projects on the lines.
Old Numbering Systems
Before the TOPS system, British Rail had several ways of numbering these trains. Different regions of the railway had their own systems. For example:
- The Southern Region used numbers that started with 'DS'.
- The Eastern Region had a series of numbers from 1 to 100.
These different numbering systems could sometimes be confusing. It was hard to keep track of all the different types of trains.
The TOPS System
The Total Operations Processing System was a big change for British Rail. It was introduced to make things more organized. TOPS gave every train a unique number. This included all the departmental locomotives.
How TOPS Changed Things
With TOPS, all trains, including the special departmental ones, got a standard number. This made it much easier to:
- Identify each train quickly.
- Track where trains were located.
- Manage the entire fleet of locomotives.
- Plan railway operations more efficiently.
Class 97 Locomotives
Under the new TOPS system, the number "Class 97" was given to self-propelled departmental locomotives. This meant any train that could move on its own and was used for railway work, not for earning money, would be a Class 97. This helped to group similar types of trains together.
