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A Play On Loco Numbers

pistonvalve

pistonvalve

master brummie
Hi All,

Looking through my LMS numbers spotted 1954-1958 on the Aston - Stechford branch at 'grassy banks' high level ( Aston Church Road) two numbers stand out:

Jubilee: 45678 De Robeck
4F: 44444
I believe these were from local sheds at the time.

Are these number sequences unique in the BR fleet?

Mike.
 
According to my 1955 Ian Allan Locospotters book, I did see 45678 De Robeck but not 4F: 44444. I did see 3F: 43210. Most GWR engines had only 4-figure numbers and 5555, 6666 and 7777 are recorded. Dave.
 
Apparently 44444 was artist Philip Hawkins favourite engine, he used to see it regularly when he was a boy.

Don't think he has ever painted it though.
 
LMS 5678 (later BR 45678) was I believe De Rebeck and was built at Crewe Works in 1935 (lot no 121), makers number 276. LMS 4444 (later BR 44444) was also built at Crewe in 1927, this time on the older makers number series 5799

Continuing the play on numbers there was a D5555 (class 31) and a D2222 (Drewry 0-6-0D), a D3333 (class 08)
 
Thank you Heartland for that info. Whilst bunking Bromsgrove shed (mid 50's) I saw 69999 the LNER Garrett, now this number is divisible by '3' but the interesting number is '9' whose product sum is always equal to 9, i.e. 12X9= 108 now 1+0+8=9. 7X9=63, 6+3=9. The mathematicians amongst us will have a name for this? A further play on loco numbers!

Mike.
 
pistonvalve said:
Thank you Heartland for that info. Whilst bunking Bromsgrove shed (mid 50's) I saw 69999 the LNER Garrett, now this number is divisible by '3' but the interesting number is '9' whose product sum is always equal to 9, i.e. 12X9= 108 now 1+0+8=9. 7X9=63, 6+3=9. The mathematicians amongst us will have a name for this? A further play on loco numbers!

Mike.
Click to expand...

Strange that number 9!

As you say if you multiply 69,999 by 9 it becomes 629,991. Adding the digits 6+2+9+9+9+1= 36 and 3+6 =9.

Another strange thing about 9 is if you take any random number, for example 69,999 and add its digits (in this case being 42), then subtract the sum from the original random number it becomes 69,957......if the digits are added, 6+9+9+5+7=36 and 6+3 =9!
 
https://www.warwickshirerailways.com/lms/mrkn791.htm

This loco was built in June 1925 running as LNER 2395, subsequently renumbered by the LNER in 1946 as 9999 and later became 69999 in 1948 as a British Railways locomotive. It was tried a couple of times as the Lickey Banker and was converted to an oil burner at one point but that experiment was unsuccessful. It was withdrawn in December 1955 and scrapped in 1956.
 
The Great Western Railway (of Great Britain) had many locomotives that carried subsequent or repetitive numbers.
1234 - an 0-6-0T wheel arrangement - built in 11/1876 and survived until 12/1935 originally saddle tank later pannier?
2345 - an 0-6-0 " " " 9/1884 " 5/1947 with tender
4567 - a 2-6-2T " " " 10/1924 " 9/1962 tank (side straight tops)
5678 - an 0-6-2T " " " 9/1926 " 1/1964 tank
1111 - an 0-6-0 " " " 4/1871 " 10/1928 with tender
2222 - a 4-4-2T " " " 1906 " 12/1934 tank
2222 - an 0-6-0 " " " 8/1940 " 5/1968 with tender
3333 a 4-4-0 " " " 2/1900 " 10/32 tender. Named Perseus
5555 - a 2-6-2T " " " 11/1928 " 7/1963 tank (partial slope top)
6666 - an 0-6-2T " " " 9/1928 " 7/1963 tank
7777 - an 0-6-0PT " " " 11/1930 " 11/1960 pannier tank

I cannot vouch for total accuracy in the list but this is from my records.
 
I suppose many railway companies could fit into the repetitive number sequence, if pre grouping railways are considered- those local railways to our area include

Midland Railway
1111 a 0-6-0T built by Neilson in 1874 and scrapped January 1928 as LMS 1629
2222 0-4-4T built by Dubs in 1893, became LMS 1375 and BR 58070 scrapped 2/1953

London and North Western
there were 3 1111
the first was a Lancaster and Carlisle 0-6-0 built by Jones and Potts in 1857, 7 Eden, became LNWR 383, 1801, 1111 and 1855 scrapped 11/1886
the second was an Experiment compound 6/1884 2-2-2-0 Messenger, scrapped 2/1905
and the third was a Precursor 3/1905 Cerebus 4-4-0 withdrawn 9/1934

there were 2 2222
11/1875 coal engine 0-6-0 renumbered 3339, transferred to the ROD in 1917, not returned
1/1913 Claughton 4-6-0 4 cylinders Sir Gilbert Claughton withdrawn 3/1935
 
G'day, I have just caught up with a video? YouTube, of a steam train coming into New St. station Birmingham, it's The Earl Of ???????
couldn't quite catch the name, it was full and just looked like a normal service as I remembered them in years gone by, No. 5043, do you know if this is a one off or are they still running?? Thanks in advance.
 
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