Talk:List of British Rail classes

TOPS System
There should be a page referring to whole of the TOPS system, not just the locos.


 * Indeed there should. Why don't you start it off? &mdash;Morven 23:19, 29 Feb 2004 (UTC)

In addition, this should also include pre-TOPS locos, and possibly also other diesel locos scrapped before the start of British Rail in 1968.

I'm changing to include the whole TOPS system
Just I'm not too sure about some of the numbering. Articles need to be British Rail class 47 rather than British Rail Class 47. Dunc_Harris|&#9786; 22:28, 22 Sep 2004 (UTC)


 * Since a lot of pages already exist as "Class ??" rather than "class ??" is it really worth bothering changing them? (Our Phellap 01:04, 23 Sep 2004 (UTC))

Unit Classes Added
I've added all the unit classes in line with the templates i've already created (Our Phellap 01:05, 23 Sep 2004 (UTC))

DMUs - "Template:British Rail DMU" Template:British Rail DMU

EMUs - "Template:British Rail EMU" Template:British Rail EMU

Naming convention
There is a discussion over the naming convention for the articles relating to the British Rail classes at Wikipedia talk:Naming conventions (British railway locomotive and multiple unit classes) where your comments are sought. Thryduulf 22:07, 21 Mar 2005 (UTC)

Missing info...
Is there any reason why the tables of larger diesels omit certain columns of information, such as 1957 numbering (which is why I came here!), quantity built, etc?? Or is it simply that no-one's got round to adding it yet?

EdJogg 11:08, 16 February 2007 (UTC)


 * No-one's got round to it yet... it's on my to-do list for this article.Tom pw (talk) 22:10, 17 February 2007 (UTC)

The article is looking much better already, and providing photos for every class is the real icing on the cake. My apologies for pushing it back to the top of your ToDo list – I didn't check the History before I posted the comment, or I'd have known the article was in safe hands. You do take on some large projects, don't you?! --EdJogg 00:56, 18 February 2007 (UTC)

Article Split
As the article currently stands, it is 43kB long, and it won't be getting shorter. There is a lot of information still to be added (references, 1957 numbering where missing, images, more references...). So, I propose splitting the article into two (or five), thus: What do people think? Tom pw (talk) 22:24, 17 February 2007 (UTC)
 * List of British Rail locomotives by class (or possibly List of British Rail non-steam locomotives by class) plus either
 * List of British Rail multiple units by class or
 * List of British Rail diesel multiple units by class
 * List of British Rail electric multiple units by class
 * List of British Rail departmental multiple units by class


 * Split into 5 or 6. Multiple Units is large enough to split three ways. The departmental MU page will be relatively small, but needs to exist for consistency. Locos could be further split diesel/electric, for consistency with the MUs. (Classes 73/74 would remain with electric locos!!)
 * You can't get away with List of British Rail non-steam locomotives by class, because you'd then need a sixth page for Class 98, which would be silly :o). Although I suppose a link to British Rail Class 98 from your intial DAB page would be enough.  Nevertheless, its a very long title.
 * As the page stands, you have omitted British Rail Class 99 (ships) – the ships! But then, the title for this article doesn't quite read right.  I mean, it doesn't state that it relates to locomotives/MUs, does it?  It could be maths or geography :-p  How about List of British Rail motive power xxxxxxx.  The xxxxxxx indicates another word I cannot put my finger on: could be 'types', 'classes', 'units', 'unit types', or nothing at all – I'm just trying to describe the page precisely.
 * Hope that helps. EdJogg 01:18, 18 February 2007 (UTC)


 * Good point, Class 99 should be added for completeness. I think List of British Rail motive power classes is good for this article (which would become the DAB page). I don't think there's a need for seperate pages for diesel and electric locomotives, partly because that material is short enough, partly because of the difficulty of placing classes 96-99 and builders demos. The question is what to call that article... the trouble is that is two things - 1)List of post-1948 modern traction locomotives and 2)List of TOPS classes 01-99. However, restricting to modern traction only leaves out classes 98-99, and they can be left on the DAB page. So, I suggest:
 * Steam locomotives of British Railways (Maybe re-named to List of British Rail steam locomotives?) (exsisting article, listed here for completeness).
 * List of British Rail modern traction locomotives
 * List of British Rail diesel multiple units
 * List of British Rail electric multiple units
 * List of British Rail departmental multiple units
 * Tom pw (talk) 11:59, 18 February 2007 (UTC)


 * Seems OK, but I'm not convinced by the rename of Steam locomotives of British Railways, as it is already more than just a list – and again there is the subtle implication that it is a list of locomotives rather than locomotive types – although a name change would be consistent. Incidentally, that page would benefit from loco pictures to match those in the tables here. BTW - Were you aware of Diesel locomotives of British Rail?  Nice pic of a Class 47, but there's not much else going for it!! It is also referred to at Talk:British Rail 'Pending Tasks', which is relevant to your current editing. I've also just found Withdrawn British Rail Stock, which (was) uncategorised.  It is only linked-to from History of rail transport in Great Britain 1995 to date, and does not fulfil the purpose intended by that linking. The page seems to be a repetition of the history pages you have been working on.  Deletion candidate? Also Diesel locomotives of British Rail and Withdrawn British Rail Stock have not been identified as WP:UK Rail pages yet...(It's taken me all lunchtime to reply as I keep finding stuff that needs doing – who'd be a Wikignome, eh?)
 * EdJogg 13:57, 19 February 2007 (UTC)


 * How about:
 * List of British Rail modern traction locomotive classes
 * List of British Rail diesel multiple unit classes
 * List of British Rail electric multiple unit classes
 * List of British Rail departmental multiple unit classes
 * I think the steam will be a seperate issue... I have a book from 1962 which lists about 130 different steam loco classes! I suspect List of British Rail steam locomotive classes will have to be restricted to BR-built locos to be anything sensible. Tom pw (talk) 15:11, 19 February 2007 (UTC)


 * It's a trade-off between brevity and accuracy, but I think this new set is accurate enough!
 * The existing steam loco page sensibly ignores the inherited classes, which probably accounts for the majority of your 130...but it would be appropriate to have two lists: one for those built before 1948 and inherited, and one for those built afterwards. But, as you hint, that's for another day.  One major project at a time!
 * EdJogg 15:54, 19 February 2007 (UTC)

Should this be a list of lists?
This article is now basically a list of lists --- the only real content is other lists. Should it therefore be included on List of lists of lists? --69.191.176.31 (talk) 14:34, 24 May 2019 (UTC) (Muzer not logged in)

NSR No 1 (Battery electric) AKA British Railways B.E.L. No. 2
Should there be a section for battery-electric locomotives, which might include the ex-NSR No 1 (Battery electric) AKA British Railways B.E.L. No. 2 ? See the NRM page https://collection.sciencemuseumgroup.org.uk/objects/co205761/battery-locomotive-north-staffordshire-railway-electric-locomotive, which shows the locomotive in NSR livery and https://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/85210-high-level-kits/ for a photo showing the similar B.E.L. No. 1 in BR livery. 2A00:23C8:A889:B700:B496:1323:C55E:C14E (talk) 13:50, 16 September 2021 (UTC)

Other classes
I see no information available regarding alternative fuel multiple units. Or Bi-Mode multiple units. Shouldn't it be added? 2A06:4944:8F3:2800:A14B:218F:17B6:809C (talk) 12:10, 21 July 2022 (UTC)