In simple terms, no, a gloss surface is not always needed for the application of decals but this is not a...
Cart 0 Product Products (empty)
No products
Free shipping! Shipping
£ 0.00 Total
Product successfully added to your shopping cart
Quantity
Total
There are 0 items in your cart. There is 1 item in your cart.
Total products (tax incl.)
Total shipping (tax excl.) Free shipping!
Total (tax incl.)
Search Tips
Tips categories
Latest Tips
-
Do I need to apply a gloss surface to my models before applying decals?Read more -
Can you fit a Train-Tech sound capsule to an N gauge model?Read moreFitting any component inside an N gauge body shell can be challenging, and whether fitting a decoder, figures or even...
-
How long does it take for enamel paint to fully dry?Read moreMost enamel model paints will be fully dried (cured) between 48 and 72 hours after application.Of course, there...
-
What is a backscene?Read moreA backscene is a proportionately sized photograph or painting that sits upright at the back of a model railway layout...
-
What is the difference between a traditional DC motor and a coreless motor?Read moreDC motors such as the ones in your model engines, work on the principle of an armature (made of several wire coils to...
What are railway telegraphic codes?
Long before computer systems were introduced, signal boxes, stations and goods yards communicated with each other by sending telegraphs to ensure the safe and efficient running of trains. Telegraphs are a bit like an early form of text message and date back to the first half of the 19th century. They consist of electronic messages sent through wires suspended on poles often located at the side of railway lines.
A code representing the alphabet is created by the making and breaking of a circuit, however, communicating full and meaningful messages in this way is very time consuming and expensive. Although cost wasn't an issue for the railways (who utilised an internal system), many abbreviations and code words were introduced to speed things up a little and make sentences shorter. These codes are referred to as railway telegraphic codes.
The Great Western Railway was the first railway company to introduce such a system (between Paddington and West Drayton in 1839) with other companies soon following suit. By 1939, the GWR was using over 900 codes to represent anything from commonly used operational sentences to codes for specific rolling stock or loads. At that time, only around half of the codes used by the GWR were commonly recognised between railway companies who had each implemented their own versions. Because of this, harmonisation was very much needed and by 1943 was achieved.
Interestingly, most of the old codes used for wagons and loads are still recognised to this day either officially or as a nickname. CONFLAT, for example, is code for a flat wagon for containers and MINK is a code for a covered goods van. Some of the codes will even make you smile, LOUGH, is telegraphic code for shunting horse ill send relief, SNAKE is code for passenger brake van and TERMITE is code for third-class carriage.
Posted in: Model Railway
Click here to receive the tips weekly in your mailbox. You can unsubscribe at any time.
Related products
GWR 10T Mink A Goods Van V12/14/16 - OO plastic...
Price: £ 18.20GWR 10T Mink A Goods Van V12/14/16 - OO unpainted plastic kitComes with metal...
GWR Mink D Goods Van - OO plastic kit
Price: £ 23.70GWR Mink D Goods Van - OO unpainted plastic kitComes with metal wheels....
Parkside Dundas PC48 - GWR Mink G Long...
Price: £ 22.90GWR Mink G Long Wheelbase Goods Van - OO unpainted plastic kitComes with...
Related posts
-
What scale is Hornby?Hornby model railways are OO Scale or 1/76th that is 4 millimetres to the foot (12 inches). It runs on a track with... - How to weight my model so it does not tip?For wargaming figures, a small coin or washer glued to the under side of the base will usually to do the job. This...
- Is Bachmann compatible with Hornby?Yes, any OO scale loco, wagon or coach will work on any OO scale track, regardless of brand. Couplings are also...
- What are the model railway eras?According to Bachmann, as it states in their catalogue there are 9 eras. As they say in their catalogue this is not...
- Can a "DCC ready" train be used on analogue?Yes, you can use a DCC ready train on your analogue layout. DCC ready just means that the train has been factory...