Southern Route Discs

Even the most cursory study of British railways operating practice will soon reveal significant differences between the Southern Railway, and other British railway companies. Most revealed a degree of standardization when it came to signalling bell codes, head lamp codes etc.

The Southern Railway, however, used a system of ROUTE INDICATION DISCS in daylight (replaced by headlamps at night) unique amongst "big four" (SR, LMSR, LNER, GWR). The codes were re-used on widely seperated parts of the system where no confusion could be used. The discs were replaced by lamps at night.

Steam locomotives were generally fitted with four lamp brackets (Southern - six) at the front and on the rear of the tender. The positioning of the lamp(s) on these brackets indicated to signalmen the type of train, or in the case of the SR, the route. The last vehicle in the train would carry a red lamp.

Some of the more common configurations used on "named" trains travelling on Southern (and in some cases S&DJR) metals are illustrated below.

Southern Route Disks at MIXEDTRAFFIC.NET
Even the most cursory study of British railways operating practice will soon reveal significant differences between the Southern Railway, and other British railway companies. Most revealed a degree of standardization when it came to signalling bell codes, head lamp codes etc. The Southern Railway, however, used a system of ROUTE INDICATION DISCS in daylight (replaced by headlamps at night) unique amongst "big four" (SR, LMSR, LNER, GWR). The codes were re-used on widely seperated parts of the system where no confusion could be used. The discs were replaced by lamps at night. Steam locomotives were generally fitted with four lamp brackets (Southern - six) at the front and on the rear of the tender. The positioning of the lamp(s) on these brackets indicated to signalmen the type of train, or in the case of the SR, the route. The last vehicle in the train would carry a red lamp. Some of the more common configurations used on "named" trains travelling on Southern (and in some cases S&DJR) metals are illustrated below.
Common Southern Railway Route Indication Codes
Waterloo-Salisbury-Exeter-Plymouth		Waterloo-Southampton-Bournmouth-Weymouth	Waterloo-Southampton

Exeter-Plymouth (local)		Hastings-Birmingham	London (Victoria)-Brighton	Brighton-Southampton-Salisbury

Birkenhead-Bournmouth		Kings Cross-Leeds	Reading-Redhill Passenger & Down Plymouth Express

The mid-Hantz Line		Keighley & Worth Valley Railway Routes (Specials on the LMS)	Stratford-Upon-Avon to Didcot (Specials on GWR)	The "Watercress Line" Alresford-Ropeley (Specials)

Named Expresses

Atlantic Coast Express Waterloo-Salisbury-Exeter-Plymouth		Atlantic Coast Express (alternative 1)	Atlantic Coast Express (alternative 2)	The Royal Wessex Waterloo-Weymouth

The Bournemouth Belle Waterloo-Southampton-Bournmouth		The Brighton Belle London (Victoria) -Brighton	The Devon Belle Waterloo-Ilfarcombe-Plymouth	The Thanet Belle London (Victoria)-Margate-Ramsgate

The Kent Coast Express		The Cumbrian Coast Express	The Royal Train	The Pines Express (S&DJR)

Boat Trains

The Cunarder Waterloo-Southampton Docks		The Statesman Waterloo-Southampton Docks	The Holland America Waterloo-Southampton Docks	Victoria-Newhaven Boat Trains

Belgian Boat Express Continental Boat Trains London (Victoria)-Plymouth or Dover marine		Dover Boat Trains Belgian Boat Express Continental Boat Trains London (Victoria) to Dover Marine	The Golden Arrow Pullman & Night Ferry Services London (Victoria)-Plymouth or Dover Marine

Goods Workings
Down Goods (to Southampton)		Local Goods (Waterloo to Southampton line)	Cross London Transfer Freight	Down Goods (to Merstham)


For other information in this field, please visit the other articles on this site.
	*British Rail Signalling Bellcodes*	Tony Knight	Webpage	5 KB
	*British Rail Headlamp Codes*	Tony Knight	Webpage	3 KB