List of British Rail TOPS depot codes

From the introduction of TOPS in 1973, all British Rail diesel and electric locomotives and multiple units were allocated to a particular Traction Maintenance Depot or TMD. Drawing from the terminology of steam traction, these deports were generally referred to as "sheds", and indeed most locations were those which had possessed depots for steam locos. Each TMD had a two-character code which was originally displayed underneath the number of each locomotive allocated there. Later this was extended to cover each carriage of Diesel Multiple Units (DMUs), and even some coaching stock; at this time additional depot codes were added covering places with Coaching stock allocations, and also Works locations.

About allocations and TOPS depot codes

Locations given a TOPS code included all TMDs, servicing depots (where minor work such as A exams could be undertaken), and some Stabling Points (SPs) where locomotives or multiple units would be parked when not required. The locations varied from comprehensively equipped depots through covered accommodation with fuelling point to a mere siding. The use of TOPS codes for SPs was also somewhat haphazard, with Machynlleth (code MN) hosting 1 or 2 locomotives on some weekends while Wolverhampton Station, which had no TOPS code, could be found with more than a dozen locos stabled there.^[1]

The application of a depot code was generally reliable as a guide to the base from which the locomotive or multiple unit operated but with some variations, mainly relating to shunters and departmental locomotives.

EMU depots such as Birkenhead North (BD) often required a diesel shunter for moving stock when not powered. As there was no fuelling or maintenance capability at BD, a shunter allocated to nearby Birkenhead Mollington Street (BC) was used, returning to its home depot once every 4 weeks.^[2] This arrangement also existed at other locations such as Ilford/Stratford.

Departmental locomotives, by the nature of their use, were sometimes reported as allocated to a base location or even to a region in general rather than an official depot. The Western Region sometimes followed this practice, with number 20 (latterly 97020) reported as allocated to "Reading Signal Works" throughout the 1970s.^[3] Locomotives used for research purposes would be reported as allocated to the Derby Research Centre.^[3]

List of TMD, Servicing Depot and SP codes

TOPS code	Shed name	Origins	Comments
AB	Aberdeen Ferryhill		[4]
AC	Aberdeen Clayhills		[5] Carriage maintenance depot
AF	Ashford Chart Leacon		[4]
AK	Manchester Ardwick		[6]
AN	Allerton		[4]
AY	Ayr		[4]
BC	Birkenhead Mollington Street		[4]
BD	Birkenhead North		[4] EMU depot[7]
BE	Bedford Midland Station		[4] No allocation - Fuelling Point only.
BG	Botanic Gardens (Hull)		[4]
BH	Barrow Hill (Staveley)	Midland Railway	[4]
BI	Brighton Lovers Walk		[4] EMU depot[7]
BJ	Bristol Marsh Junction		[4] DMU depot[7]
BK	Birkenhead Central
BL	Blyth		[4]
BM	Bournemouth		[4] EMU depot[7]
BN	Bounds Green		[4] HST depot[7]
BQ	Bury		[4] EMU depot[7]
BP	Blackpool		[5]Carriage maintenance depot
BR	Bristol Bath Road	GWR	[4]
BS	Bescot		[4]
BU	Burton		[4]
BW	Barrow		[4]
BX	Buxton		[4] DMU depot
BY	Bletchley		[4]
BZ	St. Blazey (Par)	Cornwall Minerals Railway	[4]
CA	Cambridge		[4] DMU depot
CC	Clacton		[4] EMU depot[7]
CD	Crewe Diesel Depot		[4]
CE	Crewe Electric Depot		[4]
CF	Cardiff Canton		[4]
CG	Croxley Green		[4] EMU depot
CH	Chester		[4]
CJ	Clapham Junction		[4] No allocation.
CK	Corkerhill		[4] DMU depot[7][8]
CL	Carlisle Upperby		[5]Carriage maintenance depot
CM	Camden		Carriage maintenance depot
CP	Crewe Carriage Shed		[4] No allocation - Fuelling Point only.
CQ	Crewe Heritage Centre	Crewe Heritage Centre	Storage Facility & Heritage Centre
CR	Colchester		[4]
CV	Coalville		[9]
CW	Cricklewood		[4]
DA	Darnall		[4] DMU depot[7]
DE	Dundee		[4]
DM	Dollands Moor		No allocation.
DN	Darlington		[4]
DR	Doncaster		[4]
DT	Dunfermline Townhill		[4]
DY	Derby Etches Park		[4] DMU depot
EC	Edinburgh Craigentinny		[9] HST depot[7] Carriage Maintenance Depot[5]
ED	Eastfield		[4]
EG	Edge Hill		[4]
EH	Eastleigh		[4]
EJ	Ebbw Junction (Newport)		[4]
EM	East Ham		[4] EMU depot[7]
EN	Euston Downside		[5]Carriage maintenance depot
EU	Euston Station		[4]
EX	Exeter St Davids		[4]
FH	Frodingham (Scunthorpe)		[4]
FP	Finsbury Park		[4]
FR	Fratton (Portsmouth)		[4] EMU depot[7]
FW	Fort William		[4]
GC	Cowlairs (Glasgow)		[5]Carriage maintenance depot
GD	Gateshead		[4]
GF	South Gosforth		[4] DMU depot[7]
GI	Gillingham		[4] EMU depot[7]
GL	Gloucester		[4]
GM	Grangemouth		[4]
GU	Guide Bridge		[4]
GW	Glasgow Shields Road		[4] Electric locomotive/EMU depot[7]
HA	Haymarket		[4]
HD	Holyhead		[4]
HE	Hornsey		[4] EMU depot[7]
HF	Hereford		[4]
HG	Hither Green		[4]
HI	Hitchin		[4]
HM	Healey Mills (Wakefield)		[4]
HN	Hamilton		[4] DMU depot[7]
HO	Holbeck (Leeds)		[4]
HR	Hall Road (Liverpool)		[4] EMU depot[7]
HS	Hammerton Street (Bradford)		[4]
HT	Heaton		[4] HST and DMU depot[7]
HY	Hyndland		[4] EMU depot[7]
IL	Ilford		[4] EMU depot[7]
IM	Immingham		[4]
IP	Ipswich Station		[4]No allocation - Fuelling Point only.
IS	Inverness		[4]
KD	Carlisle Kingmoor		[4]
KK	Kirkdale (Liverpool)
KM	Carlisle Yard		[4] No allocation - Fuelling Point only.
KX	Kings Cross		[4] No allocation - Fuelling Point only.
KY	Knottingley		[4]
LA	Laira (Plymouth)		[4] HST, DMU
LE	Landore (Swansea)		[4]
LG	Longsight Electric Depot (Manchester)		[4] Electric locomotive and EMU depot[7]
LJ	Llandudno Junction		[4]
LL	Liverpool Edge Hill		[5]Carriage maintenance depot
LN	Lincoln		[4] DMU depot[10]
LO	Longsight Diesel Depot (Manchester)		[4]
LR	Leicester		[4]
LV	Liverpool Street		[4] No allocation
MA	Manchester Longsight Carriage Maintenance Depot		[5]
ME	Marylebone		[4] DMU depot[7]
MG	Margam (Port Talbot)		[4]
MH	Millerhill (Edinburgh)		[4]
ML	Motherwell		[4]
MN	Machynlleth		[4]
MR	March		[4]
MV	Manchester Victoria (Red Bank)		[5]Carriage maintenance depot
NA	Newton Abbot	South Devon Railway	[4]
NC	Norwich Crown Point		[9]Carriage maintenance depot
NG	New Cross Gate		[5]Carriage maintenance depot
NH	Newton Heath (Manchester)	Lancashire & Yorkshire Railway	[4] DMU depot
NL	Neville Hill (Leeds)		[4] HST and DMU depot[10]
NM	Nottingham Carriage Sidings		[4]
NR	Norwich	[4]
NW	Northwich		[4] No allocation - Fuelling Point only.
OC	Old Oak Common		[4]
OM	Old Oak Common Carriage Maintenance Depot		[5]
ON	Orpington		[4] EMU depot[7]
OO	Old Oak Common (HST)		[4] HST depot[7]
OX	Oxford		[4]
OY	Oxley (Wolverhampton)		[5]Carriage maintenance depot
PA	St Pancras		[4] No allocation.
PB	Peterborough		[4]
PC	Polmadie Carriage Maintenance Depot (Glasgow)		[5]
PH	Perth Station		[4]
PM	Bristol St Phillips Marsh		[4] HST depot[7]
PO	Polmadie (Glasgow)		[4]
PZ	Penzance		[4]
RB	Ranelagh Bridge		[4] No allocation - Fuelling Point only.
RE	Ramsgate		[4] EMU depot[7]
RG	Reading		[4] DMU depot
RL	Ripple Lane		[4]
RR	Radyr		[9]
RS	Reddish		[4]
RY	Ryde		[4] EMU depot[7]
SA	Salisbury		[5]
SB	Shirebrook		[4]
SE	St Leonards		[4] DEMU depot[7]
SF	Stratford		[4]
SG	Slade Green		[4] EMU Depot[7]
SI	Soho (Birmingham)		[4]
SL	Stewarts Lane		[4] Electric locomotive and EMU depot[7]
SP	Wigan Springs Branch		[4]
SR	Stratford Repair Depot		[4]
ST	Severn Tunnel Junction		[4]
SU	Selhurst		[4] EMU depot
SW	Swindon		[4]
SY	Saltley (Birmingham)		[4]
SZ	Southall		[4] DMU depot[11]
TB	Three Bridges
TE	Thornaby (Tees)		[4]
TF	Thornton Fields (Stratford)		[5]Carriage maintenance depot
TI	Tinsley (Sheffield)		[4]
TJ	Thornton Junction		[4]
TO	Toton		[4]
TS	Tyseley		[4] DMU depot
TW	Tunbridge Wells West Station		[4] DEMU depot[7]
TY	Tyne Yard		[4]
VR	Vale of Rheidol Railway (Aberystwyth)		[4] Steam locomotive depot[7]
WB	Willesden Brent Sidings		[5]Carriage maintenance depot
WC	Waterloo & City line		[9]
WD	Wimbledon		[4] EMU depot
WH	Wath		[4]
WJ	Watford Junction		[4] No allocation - Fuelling Point only.
WK	Workington		[4]
WN	Willesden		[4]
WO	Wellingborough		[4] No allocation - Fuelling Point only.
WS	Worcester		[4]
WT	Westhouses		[4] No allocation - Fuelling Point only.
WY	Westbury		[4]
YC	York Clifton		[9]
YK	York		[4]

Works codes

TOPS code	Works name	Origins	Comments
ZC	Crewe Works		[5]
ZD	Derby Litchurch Lane Works		[5]
ZE	Derby Locomotive Works		[5]
ZF	Doncaster Works		[5]
ZG	Eastleigh Works		[5]
ZH	Glasgow St Rollox Works		[5]
ZL	Swindon Works		[5]
ZN	Wolverton Works		[5]

References

1. Woodley, Geoff; Wood, Ron (1979). Shunter Duties. Inter City Railway Society. p. 65.
2. Castle, John; Wood, Ron (1981). Shunter Duties. Tiverton: Inter City Railway Society. pp. 4–5.
3. British Rail Locoshed Book. Shepperton: Ian Allan. 1981. ISBN 0-7110-1112-5.
4. Kilpatrick, R (March 1978). British Rail Locoshed Directory. London: Ian Allan. ISBN 0-7110-0871-X.
5. Fox, Peter (1986). Locomotives & Coaching Stock. Sheffield: Platform 5. pp. 236–237. ISBN 0-906579-58-9.
6. "Diesel & Electric Locomotive Depot Search Results". Retrieved 4 December 2015.
7. British Rail Traction Depot Directory. The Rail Enthusiasts Society Ltd. 1980. ISBN 0-907183-02-6.
8. Hunt, John (10–23 September 1997). "Corkerhill - a canny wee depot!". RAIL. No. 313. EMAP Apex Publications. pp. 58–63. ISSN 0953-4563. OCLC 49953699.
9. Wood, Roger (1985). British Rail Locoshed Book. London: Ian Allan. ISBN 0-7110-1542-2.
10. Kennedy, Rex (1980). Diesels and Electrics on Shed Volume 2 - Eastern Region. Oxford: Oxford Publishing Co. ISBN 0-86093-036-X.
11. Kennedy, Rex (1981). Diesels and Electrics on Shed Volume 3 - Western Region. Oxford: Oxford Publishing Co. ISBN 0-86093-042-4.