(TRIVIA) Five of a kind

[norbitonflyer]

Riding SWR unit 5726 unit recently I noticed the carriage number 77777. This got me thinking. Following the demise of Pacer 142014 (55555), I believe this is now the only extant example of a "five of a kind" number, but I wondered what others there had been. as far as I have found...........

TOPS locomotives.
Classes 11, 22, and 77 never got TOPs numbers, and only Class 11 had more than 100 members (105 to be exact). However, as they were numbered 12033-12138, it is conceivable that, had it survived a few more years, 12111 might have become 11 111. As it was, the last examples were withdrawn in 1972
Classes 33, 44, 55, 88, and 99 all had/have less than 100 members, although, with subclasses, Class 33 got to 33212
Subclass 66/6 exists, but to date has only 23 members

Carriage numbers (BR series)
1. Mark 3B First Class loco hauled - highest number 11101
2. Mark 1 BCK - highest number 21275, then a gap to 24000
3. No mark 1s between 26217 and 35000
4. Mark 1 non-corridor stock - gap beteween 43383-46000
4. Mark 3 TGS - highest number 44101
55555 - part of Pacer 142014
6. the only carriage numbers I can find in the 66xxx range are the trailer vehicles of Class 350/1: 66811-66890
77777 - part of unit 455726
8. Special parcels vans - highest number 88057
9. Exhibition van - highest number 99666

(SR series)
S11111S DMBS of 4COR unit 3116

Locos (BR 1948 numbering)
11111 - later D2210 (Class 04)
2. BR only used the 20xxx, 26xxx and 27xxx series for electric locomotives
3. Bulleid Q1 class - only reached 33030
ex-LMS Class 4F No 44444
5. the LMS numbered ex Highland and Caledonian Railway passenger tank locomotives in the 15xxx series, and these became 55xxx on acquisition by BR - however, the highest number was 55361
6. Ex-LNER steam locomotives were numbered by BR in the 6xxxx series. In the 1946 renumbereing the LNER numbered all its electric locomotives in the 6xxx series. However, BR numbered all pre-grouping electric locomotives were all numbered in the 2xxxx series, so BR had no 66xxx numbers.
7. BR standard 3MT, the highest number allocated was 77019
8. BR standard tank engines - highest 84029
9. BR 9F - highest 92250 (note "Evening Star" was the last to be completed, but not the numerically highest)

I have found one locomotive example from the grouping era - LMS No 11111, a 4-6-4 tank engine built to an LYR design but completed in 1924. The LMS did number some of its locos in the 2xxxx range, but not 22222 as far as I can tell. Of the other three in the "Big Four", only the LNER got into five digits, the highest number being ex-NBR No 10102. (in the 1947 renumbering, the highest number was 10000 - one of only two locos to keep its number: the other was No 4125)

Four of a kind was more common - indeed, BR had at least one example of each "kind"
Diesel Locos
D1111 (the last Class 47, later 47528)
D2222 (Class 04, formerly 11128)
D3333 (Class 08, later 08263)
D5555 (Class 31, later 31137, 31444 and 31544)
SR units
1111 (Thumper DEMU)
4444 (4 SUB - ex-SER hauled stock plus augmentation trailer)
7777 (4VEP)
BR steam locos (all ex GWR)
2222 (0-6-0 built 1940)
3333 (4-4-0 Bulldog - withdrawn before 1948)
5555 (2-6-2T built 1928)
6666 (0-6-2T built 1928)
7777 (0-6-0PT built 1930)
ex-SR carriage numbers
S8888S - at various times part of 3SUB 1753 and 4SUBs 4550 and 4513
S9999S - part of 2NOL 1862

 

[HamworthyGoods]

Riding SWR unit 5726 unit recently I noticed the carriage number 77777. This got me thinking. Following the demise of Pacer 142014 (55555), I believe this is now the only extant example of a "five of a kind" number, but I wondered what others there had been. as far as I have found...........

TOPS locomotives.
Classes 11, 22, and 77 never got TOPs numbers, and only Class 11 had more than 100 members (105 to be exact). However, as they were numbered 12033-12138, it is conceivable that, had it survived a few more years, 12111 might have become 11 111. As it was, the last examples were withdrawn in 1972
Classes 33, 44, 55, 88, and 99 all had/have less than 100 members, although, with subclasses, Class 33 got to 33212
Subclass 66/6 exists, but to date has only 23 members

Carriage numbers (BR series)
1. Mark 3B First Class loco hauled - highest number 11101
2. Mark 1 BCK - highest number 21275, then a gap to 24000
3. No mark 1s between 26217 and 35000
4. Mark 1 non-corridor stock - gap beteween 43383-46000
4. Mark 3 TGS - highest number 44101
55555 - part of Pacer 142014
6. the only carriage numbers I can find in the 66xxx range are the trailer vehicles of Class 350/1: 66811-66890
77777 - part of unit 455726
8. Special parcels vans - highest number 88057
9. Exhibition van - highest number 99666

(SR series)
S11111S DMBS of 4COR unit 3116

Locos (BR 1948 numbering)
11111 - later D2210 (Class 04)
2. BR only used the 20xxx, 26xxx and 27xxx series for electric locomotives
3. Bulleid Q1 class - only reached 33030
ex-LMS Class 4F No 44444
5. the LMS numbered ex Highland and Caledonian Railway passenger tank locomotives in the 15xxx series, and these became 55xxx on acquisition by BR - however, the highest number was 55361
6. The LNER numbered all its electric locomtives in the 6xxx series, and ex-LNER steam locomotives were numbered by BR in the 6xxxx series, but pre-grouping electric locomotives were all numbered in the 2xxxx series, so BR had no 66xxx numbers.
7. BR standard 3MT, the highest number allocated was 77019
8. BR standard tank engines - highest 84029
9. BR 9F - highest 92250 (note "Evening Star" was the last to be completed, but not the numerically highest)

I have found one locomotive example from the grouping era - LMS No 11111, a 4-6-4 tank engine built to an LYR design but completed in 1924. The LMS did number some of its locos in the 2xxxx range, but not 22222 as far as I can tell. Of the other three in the "Big Four", only the LNER got into five digits, the highest number being ex-NBR No 10102. (in the 1947 renumbering, the highest number was 10000 - one of only two locos to keep its number: the other was No 4125)

Four of a kind was more common - indeed, BR had at least one example of each "kind"
Diesel Locos
D1111 (the last Class 47, later 47528)
D2222 (Class 04, formerly 11128)
D3333 (Class 08, later 08263)
D5555 (Class 31, later 21137, 31444 and 31544)
SR units
1111 (Thumper DEMU)
4444 (4 SUB - ex-SER hauled stock plus augmentation trailer)
7777 (4VEP)
BR steam locos (all ex GWR)
2222 (0-6-0 built 1940)
3333 (4-4-0 Bulldog - withdrawn before 1948)
5555 (2-6-2T built 1928)
6666 (0-6-2T built 1928)
7777 (0-6-0PT built 1930)
ex-SR carriage numbers
S8888S - at various times part of 3SUB 1753 and 4SUBs 4550 and 4513
S9999S - part of 2NOL 1862

NIR has GM class 111

 

[busestrains]

Irish Rail has a carriage number 22222 in one of their Hyundai Rotem DMU trains.

 

[Railsigns]

Following the demise of Pacer 142014 (55555), I believe this is now the only extant example of a "five of a kind" number, but I wondered what others there had been.

One of the alumina wagons regularly seen on the West Highland Line has the number 55555.

 

[86247]

I'm pretty sure their is or was a cement wagon numbered 11111.

 

[BurtonM]

Northern have 323232...

 

[D6130]

NIR has GM class 111

This loco was renumbered 8111 several years ago to give common fleet numbering for the Translink rail and bus fleet.

 

[superalbs]

Irish Rail has a carriage number 22222 in one of their Hyundai Rotem DMU trains.

Continuing with the foreign theme, then DB wins all.

They have 111 111-1 in their fleet!

 

[M-Train]

I think there was B888888, a Presflo…or was that a Prestwin?

 

[aliceh]

SWR's 444044 comes so close!

 

[eastwestdivide]

I'm pretty sure their is or was a cement wagon numbered 11111.

A regular this year on the Hope/Dewsbury circuit.

I think there was B888888, a Presflo…or was that a Prestwin?

Presflo: I have a photo somewhere.

Also B777777 was a 12t van.
See also https://www.ltsv.com/w_ref_numbers_b1.php for more 6-of-the-same examples in the B-prefix wagon number series, very few of which still exist

 

[JonathanH]

SWR's 444044 comes so close!

As does the coach with the same number in 385044.

Coach 411111 is in 700111 and 101111 is in 195111, while 121111 is in 196111

 

[zwk500]

SWR's 444044 comes so close!

As does EMR's 222022. Frustratingly, the 4-car 222s are split to 222/1s but 5- and 7-cars are mixed in as 222/0. If they reclassified the 5-cars to 222/2 then you'd have a 6 of a kind.

 

[xotGD]

Issue 1 of Traction magazine featured photos of D1, D11, D111, D1111 and the above mentioned shunter 11111.

 

[D365]

As does EMR's 222022. Frustratingly, the 4-car 222s are split to 222/1s but 5- and 7-cars are mixed in as 222/0. If they reclassified the 5-cars to 222/2 then you'd have a 6 of a kind.

It's because they were ordered separately and have minor interior variations. I understand the ex-HT 222s are now being lengthened?

 

[eastwestdivide]

Here's B888888, photographed from a passing train in 1982-ish, Nottingham area I think.

 

[61653 HTAFC]

Is someone going to suggest massive expansion of Merseyrail, in order to make 777777 necessary?

 

[xotGD]

If first generation units had been given set numbers from new we could have had 101111.

That's binary for 47.

 

[150249]

There's several examples regarding buses

 

[D6130]

That's binary for 47.

Oh dear! I'm surprised at you mentioning that! What's binary for 37?

 

[xotGD]

Oh dear! I'm surprised at you mentioning that! What's binary for 37?

100101

 

[D6130]

100101

Thanks for that! I well remember the Gloucester RC&W Co. class 100 DMUs running in Scotland in the 1970s....and I have ridden in a pair of them on the North York Moors Railway in the late 1970s - painted in the LNER light green and cream 'tourist' livery.

 

[Towers]

There's several examples regarding buses

But none involving registration numbers!

 

[Peter Mugridge]

Riding SWR unit 5726 unit recently I noticed the carriage number 77777. This got me thinking. Following the demise of Pacer 142014 (55555), I believe this is now the only extant example of a "five of a kind" number, but I wondered what others there had been. as far as I have found...........

How recent was this? I thought 455 726 had been scrapped after being roaded out from Wimbledon last December to Long Marston and later went to Sims in Newport? @Siemens Staines maintains a list of these somewhere, I think? He'd be interested if it has in fact returned instead.

 

[xotGD]

Anything numbered 12345 or 54321?

 

[M-Train]

But none involving registration numbers!

Guernsey often gets close though!

 

[Mat17]

Anything numbered 12345 or 54321?

If there was a 54321 it would be a first gen.

There's plenty of mirrored ones though like 54045.

 

[150249]

Anything numbered 12345 or 54321?

That's funny. I just saw falcon coach 54321

 

[Phil Scott]

I thought 55555 was still at Eastleigh, or has it been scrapped recently?

 

[fgwrich]

I thought 55555 was still at Eastleigh, or has it been scrapped recently?

It is indeed still in Eastleigh and did some runs up and down the yard during late August / early September. The LSL twins are also still there, albeit undercover.