Lamps Loco

Every locomotive and train movement on the railways involved having a lamp or lamps fitted as a means of identifying the type of train, be it an express, a goods, a parcels or even a light engine movement. The lamps were not used to light the way. Locomotives were built to have numerous lamp brackets front and back so that whatever train the loco was assigned, the appropriate configuration of lamps could be fitted. To the front, a white light was shown, on the rear red. Most loco lamps would have both options and a simple mechanism to change the colour to suit the need. Notably, Southern Railway Bulleid Pacific locos had electric lamps as did BR(E) Region Thompson B1s and a few other classes.