24.01.18
New longer train numbers to come into effect this year
Beginning this month, new trains will be required to display a new standard European Vehicle Number (EVN), meaning train numbers will be extended.
The change in policy is intended to provide more information, as trains increasingly begin to operate internationally.
It means operators, maintenance companies and suppliers will be able to share details of routes for carriages, wagons and locomotives.
The current system for numbering British trains is based on the approach initially adopted by British Rail in the late 1960s.This was known as the Total Operations Processing System (TOPS) and was originally developed by the Southern Pacific Railroad in the US.
For many vehicles, the EVN will actually incorporate the traditional British TOPS-based number, which can be underlined or emboldened in the marking.
While the majority of trains in the UK are unlikely to run in mainland Europe, they will still be given an EVN for identification in continental registers.
However, the only stock that will be expected to display the number in this country are new trains brought into service from January this year.
Currently, the railway in Britain works on an IT system called R2 which is managed by the RSSB and processes everything from registration and marking to numbering.
The RSSB explained how the system would be affected by the changes: “This means the change should be relatively hassle-free for Network Rail and train operating companies, as R2 does all the hard work in generating and allocating vehicle numbers, managing registration and providing the link between the EVN and the National Vehicle Register.”
For those interested in the details of these changes, the RSSB has explained the new details here.
Top image: Chris Ison PA Wire
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