Weekly Photo Challenge: Unique

In any large transport fleet it becomes important to be able to identify individual vehicles in order to maintain records of servicing and any failures experienced. On the railways, everything has a Unique number from the largest locomotive to the smallest track maintenance vehicle. The allocated number usually stays with the vehicle throughout its life unless significant changes are made to its mechanical condition or use, when it might be renumbered to separate it from other un-modified members of the class.

Very occasionally an unusual event results in a renumbering. In 1933 the Royal Scot attended the ‘Century of Progress’ exhibition in Chicago and also toured the USA and Canada. Although not officially recorded, it has become accepted fact that 6152 and 6100 swapped identities to allow the newly built locomotive to attend the exhibition. You can read about it on the Royal Scot Locomotive and General Trust website.

An example of a current diesel – 66204 of DB Schenker at Acton Main Line.

A steam example - Drummond T9 30120 at Bodmin General. This locomotive was originally numbered 120 in the London & South Western Railway fleet. It was renumbered when the railways were nationalised in 1948. — A steam example – Drummond T9 30120 at Bodmin General. This locomotive was originally numbered 120 in the London & South Western Railway fleet. It was renumbered when the railways were nationalised in 1948.

Buses also have unique fleet numbers. T219 is an AEC Regal and entered service in 1931.

17 responses to “Weekly Photo Challenge: Unique”

cobbies69

February 6, 2013 at 1:34 pm

Unique indeed,, and great pictures,, I assume you took them,, I like the angles..;)

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1. Martin
  
  February 6, 2013 at 3:15 pm
  
  Thanks Gerry 🙂 Yes, all images on my blog are taken by myself unless otherwise stated.
  
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teeceecounsel

February 6, 2013 at 7:48 pm

That’s quite a unique observation. Unique concept about unique identities.
Oh, so unique! 🙂

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1. Martin
  
  February 6, 2013 at 8:36 pm
  
  LoL – Thanks TeeCee 🙂 And, of course, once you have a lot of numbers to collect you have Train Spotters; Bus Spotters; Aircraft Spotters – in fact, just about anything spotters 😉
  
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dadirri7

February 7, 2013 at 8:05 am

i love your take on things martin, always so refreshing and interesting!!!

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1. Martin
  
  February 7, 2013 at 8:49 am
  
  LoL Christine – put it down to struggling to find something suitable for the challenge 😉
  
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  1. dadirri7
    
    February 7, 2013 at 10:06 am
    
    ahhh, just so, but from your special knowledge, something the rest of us have very little idea about … thanks martin, i love it!!!
  2. spilledinkguy
    
    February 7, 2013 at 2:20 pm
    
    Ha! That’ll be the day! I’m fairly certain A photographer with your skill-set and creativity is un-stumpable, Martin!
    🙂
  3. 2e0mca
    
    February 7, 2013 at 3:31 pm
    
    Et tu, Brute?… The photographs are always there; it’s powering up the sleeping lump inside the skull that presents a problem 😉
Patti Kuche

February 7, 2013 at 6:22 pm

Your great photos add such depth and character to the numbers Martin!

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1. Martin
  
  February 7, 2013 at 9:45 pm
  
  Thanks Patti – I suspect that some of the locomotives to which the numbers are applied can be very individual characters. We see them as machines with numbers at our peril – they do seem to have personalities of their own!
  
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kateshrewsday

February 9, 2013 at 6:53 pm

Wonderful response to the theme, Martin. The pictures are just fantastic.

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1. Martin
  
  February 9, 2013 at 9:25 pm
  
  That’s very kind Kate 🙂
  
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Touch2Touch

February 13, 2013 at 3:18 am

Who would have thought just plain old numbers could have such photogenic possibilities!
That last shot, especially — is like a painting.

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1. Martin
  
  February 13, 2013 at 7:28 am
  
  Thanks Judith – that last shot is a bit of HDR work to bring out the details in the vehicle’s aged bodywork 🙂
  
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Tony McGurk

February 13, 2013 at 10:46 pm

I really like that shade of green in the last photo Martin.

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1. Martin
  
  February 14, 2013 at 7:58 pm
  
  It is a great colour Tony – London Country always called it ‘Lincoln Green’… Cue images of Robin Hood in tights 😉
  
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