Smokebox number plates

[merseydave]

What makes some more valuable than others?

[manna]

G'Day Gents

A big mainline engine of a, Say an A3 or A4 would be worth more as it has more exposure to the rail fan, than a small shunter that worked on the docks, behind closed gates.

manna

[Mickey]

I didn't twig until a couple of years ago that during B.R. days (1948-1968) when it came to steam locos in particular the individual B.R. Regions had a certain number sequence for example the former LNER/Eastern Region BIG main loco numbers appeared to start with the number 6 and the former LMS/LMR BIG main line locos appeared to start with the number 4 while the former SR/Southern Region BIG main line locos appeared to start with the number 3 and as for the WR I think they done there own thing (as usual).

It wasn't just the BIG tender locos other B.R. steam classes on the Southern Region started with a number 3 and I noticed on the former LMS lines the 0-6-0 4Fs and o-6-0 Jinties numbers started with a number 4

[StevieG]

BR's LM Region probably inherited the most locos of any Region Mickey, and quite a few started with 5 ; while the WR's kept their GW numbers, possibly because they were on cast plates.
( Meanwhile, for the record, 7, 8 & , 9 were for the BR-built Standard locos [plus some ex-WDs] ; 1 was for early diesels and 2 for electrics; until, that was, the Dxxx and Exxx series were introduced for them.)

[rockinjohn]

Hi well its in the eye of the beholder as expected "express" loco smokebox plates were the most desirable &costly,but maybe the other ranks were desired because it was remembered as the local shunter/family member drove/fired the loco or the loco preserved &the original plates needed to finish the job,most of the smoke box plates seemed to have been removed long before arriving @ the breakers, mementos for the staff maybe? or unlike nameplates &crests just thrown out as waste along with the quite a few shedplates after bulk area allocation with Diesels such as @ Crewe or Derby/Stratford(GE)etc after many sheds closed or became just signing on points near stations.

[burnie]

I didn't twig until a couple of years ago that during B.R. days (1948-1968) when it came to steam locos in particular the individual B.R. Regions had a certain number sequence for example the former LNER/Eastern Region BIG main loco numbers appeared to start with the number 6 and the former LMS/LMR BIG main line locos appeared to start with the number 4 while the former SR/Southern Region BIG main line locos appeared to start with the number 3 and as for the WR I think they done there own thing (as usual).

It wasn't just the BIG tender locos other B.R. steam classes on the Southern Region started with a number 3 and I noticed on the former LMS lines the 0-6-0 4Fs and o-6-0 Jinties numbers started with a number 4

There were anomalies though, Black 5's began with a 4, but were allocated to every region, B1's and J36's began with a 6, but some were allocated to Carlisle (Canal) on the LMS, indeed Canal had three A3's allocated there in 1959.

[Mickey]

Ha ha burnie as you may well know there was always anomalies on the railways and always an exception to the rule.

The GWR had a unique numbering system for all there steam locos with the second number in the four numbers being the primary number indicating the class of the loco although no doubt there was exceptions to that rule?.

[thesignalman]

I didn't twig until a couple of years ago that during B.R. days (1948-1968) when it came to steam locos in particular the individual B.R. Regions had a certain number sequence for example the former LNER/Eastern Region BIG main loco numbers appeared to start with the number 6 and the former LMS/LMR BIG main line locos appeared to start with the number 4 while the former SR/Southern Region BIG main line locos appeared to start with the number 3 and as for the WR I think they done there own thing (as usual).

Not so much the WR doing their own thing, any one of the BR Regions could have retained their original numbers to save altering all the transfers, but given the ex-GWR engines had brass number plates on the sides of the cabs there really was no contest.

John

[Mickey]

ALL the ex Southern steam locos brought into B.R. ownership on nationalisation in 1948 until the end of steam on the Southern Region in 1967 which including all the Bulleids, Maunsell, Urie and any other grouping and pre-grouping designs in 1948 ALL had there individual loco numbers starting with the number 3 except for any of the B.R. standard classes that were allocated to the Southern Region during that time period along with the ex-LMS Ivatt 2-6-2 tanks and the ex-GWR 0-6-0 pannier tanks used on the ECS working into and out of Waterloo after the ex LSWR M7 0-4-4 tanks were withdrawn much to the chagrin of the Nine Elms locomen.

[rockinjohn]

I actually liked those heavy bold numbered smokebox plates from LMS days which early post BR days were actually cast with the "4"starting the numbers maybe they were forged @ Horwich or St.Rollox etc, somewhere the directive of the style change never reached or carried out.