Total Operations Processing System, or TOPS, is a computer system for managing the locomotives and rolling stock owned by and/or operated on a rail system. It was originally developed by the American-based Southern Pacific Railroad and was widely sold; it is best known in Britain for its use by British Rail (BR) and its successors.
The main parts included: Locomotive/ Unit Numbers, Coach Numbers, Wagon Numbers, Coach Coads, Wagon Coads and Headcoads.
Sample Output[]
This is a typical report that a TOPS clerk could generate. The train in question is a 25 wagon freight train travelling from Over & Wharton, near Winsford, to Reading West Junction, Berkshire.[1]
K383400 0010 2837 22/10/86 U483 ON N199 BY KO TRAIN ENQUIRY RESPONSE FOR 377Z380 22 TFA - 9KJ ACTUAL TRAIN ID 377Z380 22 BOOKED 7Z380 DEP OVER&WHAR 1520 22 2 HRS 20 MINS LATE FOR REASON L CAT B SECTOR 5 LOCO 25901 LOCO 25908 25 LDS 0 MTYS 886 TONNES 799 T/FT 418 POTENTIAL VAC BRAKE FORCE STATION CONSIST ARR DEP LDS MTYS SCHEDULE 37015 OVER&WHAR 1520 025 000 71212 65700 BESCOTYD NRP 1707 EST 1709 EST 025 000 74260 READINGWJ DETAIL 2007 EST 025 000 END
Identifying[]
Each locomotive and Wagon had a number and a TOPS Pannel, meaning a driver, shunter or gaurd could tell what was to make up there train. Here are some images of TOPS Pannels:
Locomotives[]
| Class Range | Type | Horsepower | Previous Numbers | Image |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 01 - 07 | Shunters | Under 300 | D2000 - D2999 | |
| 08 - 13 | 300 - 799 | D3000 - D4999 |   | |
| 14 - 20 | Type 1 | 800 - 999 | D9500 - D9999, D8000 - D8999 | |
| 21 - 31 | Type 2 | 1000 - 1499 | D5000-D6499, D7500-D7999 |   |
| 33 - 38 | Type 3 | 1500 - 1999 | D6500-D7499 | |
| 40 - 54 | Type 4 | 2000 - 2999 | D1-D1999 |   |
| 55 - 60 | Type 5 | Over 3000 | D9000-D9499 | |
| 70 - 74 | DC Electrics | |||
| 76 - 93 | AC Electrics |   | ||
| 97 | Departmental | |||
| 98 | Steam |   | ||
| 99 | Ships |
Multiple Units[]
Each unit was made up of a certain amount of Coaches with there individual designations. Here are the main range:
| Class | Type | Image | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 100-114 | Diesel-Mechanical | 'Low Density' passenger units (i.e. few doors per carriage) - mostly short (57'0") frame, but Class 114 are long |   |
| 115-127 | Mixture of 'High Density' (i.e. doors to every seating bay) and 'Cross-Country' (long distance) passenger units - long (63'6") frame | ||
| 128-131 | Parcels units - mostly long frame, but Class 129 are short | ||
| 140-144 | Second generation railbus (4-wheel) units ('Pacer') | ||
| 150 - 159 | Second generation bogie units, Sprinter | ||
| 165 - 166 | Second generation bogie units Networker | ||
| 200-207 | Diesel-Electric | First generation units | |
| 253 - 255 | Express units | ||
| 300-312 | AC Electric | First generation units | |
| 313 - 325, 334, 365 | Second generation units | ||
| 370 | Express units |   | |
| 920-935 | Departmental units | Southern Region departmental units | |
| 936-939 | Other departmental electric multiple units | ||
| 950-960 | Other departmental diesel multiple units (since the privatisation of British Rail, this series has included electric multiple units) | ||
AC electric multiple units AM1-AM11 became 301-311 in order (in fact the AM1 units had already been withdrawn, so Class 301 was never actually used). The 1xx and 2xx series were originally arranged so that driving motors, driving trailers and trailer cars all had their own individual class numbers (presumably because these units were more prone to being reformed), but this was subsequently revised so that each type of unit had a single class number, as allocated to the driving motor car.
Whereas within most ranges class numbers were allocated sequentially as new types were constructed, the Southern Region adopted a more complicated system for their electric multiple units, with the second and third digits indicating in more detail the type of unit. Second digits were allocated as follows:
| Class | Type |
|---|---|
| 40x | Southern Railway-designed units |
| 41x | 1950s British Railways-designed units |
| 42x | 1960s British Railways-designed units |
| 43x | 1967 Bournemouth Electrification units |
| 44x | 1970s British Railways-designed units |
| 45x | 1980s British Railways-designed units |
| 46x | 1990s Networker units |
| 48x | Underground ('Tube'-sized) units (also temporary formations and, later, 'Gatwick Express' units) |
| 49x | Unpowered trailer units (later 4x8) |
Third digits were allocated as follows:
| Class | Type |
|---|---|
| 4x0 | Express units with buffet (later 4x2) |
| 4x1 | Express units |
| 4x3 | Four-car outer-suburban units |
| 4x4 | Two-car outer-suburban units |
| 4x5 | Four-car inner-suburban units |
| 4x6 | Two/three-car inner-suburban units |
| 4x7 | Special purpose units (e.g. first 'Gatwick Express' units) |
| 4x9 | Single car units |
Coaches & Wagons[]
| A: | Hauled passenger carriages |
| B: | Bogie Steel wagons (excluding coil-carrying wagons until 1984[2]) |
| C: | Covered bulk wagons (except CA: goods brake vans) |
| D: | Diesel Multiple Unit carriages |
| E: | Electric Multiple Unit carriages |
| F: | Flat wagons |
| G: | High Speed Train carriages |
| H: | Hopper wagons |
| I: | Ferry wagons (International wagons) |
| J: | Private owner bogie wagons (bogie steel coil wagons until 1984[2]) |
| K: | Private owner special wagons (2-axle steel coil wagons until 1984[2]) |
| L: | Advanced Passenger Train carriages (includes Eurostar and Siemens Velaro) |
| M: | Mineral wagons |
| N: | Hauled non-passenger carriages |
| O: | Open wagons |
| P: | Private owner 2-axle wagons (originally all private owner wagons) |
| Q: | Hauled departmental (non-revenue) carriages |
| R: | Railway operating vehicles: Barrier wagons, Adaptor wagons, Runners and Diesel Brake Tenders |
| S: | 2-axle steel wagons (excluding coil-carrying wagons until 1984[2]) |
| T: | Tank wagons |
| U: | International hauled coaching stock (Uncovered bulk wagons until 1984[2]) |
| V: | Vans |
| W: | Flat wagons |
| X: | Unused (Exceptional and Special use wagons until 1984[2]) |
| Y: | Departmental bogie wagons |
| Z: | Departmental two-axle vehicle (carriage or wagon) |
The second letter gave more detailed information, different for each series. The tables below list the variations for carriages:
| A Series | |
|---|---|
| AA: | Corridor |
| AB: | Brake Corridor |
| AC: | Open (2+2 seating) |
| AD: | Open (2+1 seating) |
| AE: | Brake Open |
| AF: | Driving Brake Open |
| AG: | Micro-Buffet |
| AH: | Kitchen Buffet |
| AI: | Open (2+2 seating) - end of Mark IV rake |
| AJ: | Restaurant Buffet |
| AK: | Kitchen |
| AL: | Open (2+2 seating) - with disabled persons' toilet |
| AM: | Restaurant |
| AN: | Miniature Buffet |
| AO: | Private Owner |
| AP: | Pullman Kitchen |
| AQ: | Pullman Saloon |
| AR: | Pullman Brake |
| AS: | Sleeping |
| AT: | Royal Train |
| AU: | Sleeping (with pantry) |
| AV-AY: | Barrier vehicles |
| AX: | Generator Van (Until 1987: Narrow gauge) |
| AY: | (Until 1987: Narrow gauge Brake) |
| AZ: | Special saloon |
| D and E Series | |
|---|---|
| xA: | Driving Motor |
| xB: | Driving Motor Brake |
| xC: | Non-driving Motor |
| xD: | Non-driving Motor Brake |
| xE: | Driving Trailer |
| xF: | Battery Driving Trailer |
| xG: | Driving Trailer Brake |
| xH: | Trailer |
| xI: | Battery Driving Motor |
| xJ: | Trailer Brake |
| xN: | Trailer Buffet |
| xO: | Battery Driving Trailer Brake |
| xP: | Driving Motor (Diesel Mechanical Multiple Unit only) |
| xQ: | Driving Motor Brake (Diesel Mechanical Multiple Unit only) |
| xR: | Non-driving Motor (Diesel Mechanical Multiple Unit only) |
| xS: | Driving Trailer (Diesel Mechanical Multiple Unit only) |
| xT: | Trailer (Diesel Mechanical Multiple Unit only) |
| xU: | Trailer Brake (Diesel Mechanical Multiple Unit only) |
| xX: | Non-passenger Driving Motor and single-car passenger DMMUs |
| xY: | Non-Passenger Non-driving Motor |
| xZ: | Departmental stock |
| G and L Series | |
|---|---|
| xC: | Motor |
| xE: | Driving Trailer |
| xF: | Barrier Vehicle |
| xH: | Trailer |
| xJ: | Trailer with Guard's compartment |
| xK: | Trailer Kitchen with Buffet |
| xL: | Trailer Kitchen |
| xM: | Trailer Kitchen with Lounge |
| xN: | Trailer Buffet |
| N Series | |
|---|---|
| NA-NI: | Gangwayed Brake vans |
| NF: | Brake van (non-gangwayed) |
| NG: | Car-carrying flat wagon |
| NJ-NK: | General Utility van |
| NL-NM: | Newspaper van |
| NN: | Courier vehicle |
| NO-NQ: | Parcels van |
| NR: | Container van |
| NS: | Post Office Sorting van |
| NT: | Post Office Stowage van |
| NU: | Post Office Stowage Brake van |
| NV: | Car-carrying van |
| NW: | Bullion van |
| NX: | Motorail van |
| NY: | Exhibition van |
| NZ: | Driving Van Trailer |
| Q, Y and Z Series | |
|---|---|
| xA-xC: | Ballast and sleeper wagons |
| xD: | General materials wagon |
| xE: | Runner wagon |
| xF: | Ballast hopper wagon |
| xG: | General materials wagon |
| xH: | Spoil wagon |
| xI: | Crane |
| xJ: | Tracklayer |
| xK-xM: | Ballast wagon |
| xN: | Steel wagon |
| xO: | Crane (travelling) |
| xP: | Staff or dormitory vehicle |
| xQ: | Tool vehicle |
| xR: | Stores or materials vehicle |
| xS: | Operating vehicle (e.g. barrier, generator) |
| xT: | Brake van |
| xU: | Brake van plough |
| xV: | General equipment vehicle (e.g. flat wagon) |
| xW: | On-track plant, saloon or self-propelled vehicle |
| xX: | Specialist equipment vehicle |
| xY: | Electrification equipment vehicle |
| xZ: | Miscellaneous vehicle (e.g. snowplough, unpowered former locomotive) |
The final letter indicated the braking arrangements. Nowadays almost all stock is air-braked, but when TOPS was introduced there was much greater variety, which made marshalling trains more complicated and this information essential. The letters were:
| A: | Air brake only |
| B: | Air brake plus through vacuum pipe |
| D: | Electronic control |
| E: | Electro-pneumatic brake |
| F: | Vacuum brake (AFI equipment) [AFI: Accelerator Freight Inshot - a rapid-acting vacuum brake[3]] |
| G: | Vacuum brake plus through air pipe (AFI equipment) |
| H: | Dual brake (AFI equipment) |
| O: | Unfitted (handbrake only) |
| P: | Unfitted with through vacuum pipe |
| Q: | Unfitted with through air pipe |
| R: | Unfitted with through air and vacuum pipes |
| V: | Vacuum brake only |
| W: | Vacuum brake plus through air pipe |
| X: | Dual brake (air and vacuum) |
| Y: | Unfitted (Civil Engineer's self-propelled stock) |
| Z: | Automatic brake of unknown working order[3] |
References[]
- ↑ South Devon Railway newsletter 8
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 Marsden, Colin J. (1984). BR and Private Owner Wagons. Rolling stock recognition. 2. Shepperton: Ian Allan. p. 6. ISBN 0-7110-1403-5.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Hendry, Robert (2003). British Railway Goods Wagons in Colour 1960-2003. Hinckley: Midland Publishing. p. 94. ISBN 1-85780-170-9.
