Below is a table of the different classification of operational trains, and their speed limits.
Note that whilst postal trains are technically freight (unless carrying Royal Mail staff on board) they tend to be class “1” trains, which are signalled as Express Passenger.
The full classification of trains in the UK is…….
| Class | Type | Max MPH |
| 0 | Light engine | 60 Unless line speed 90mph or more, in which case 75mph |
| 1 | Express passenger or Postal | |
| 2 | Local Passenger | |
| 3 | Parcels train | |
| 4 | Fully fitted freight train | 75 |
| 5 | Empty coaching stock | |
| 6 | Fully fitted freight train | 60 |
| 7 | Fully fitted freight train | 45 |
| 8 | Fully fitted freight train | 35 |
| 9a | Partially fitted freight train | 35 |
| 9b | Unfitted Freight Train | 25 |
In the modern era, Class 9 trains do not run anymore (e.g. every freight train is fully fitted), and with very few, if any vacuum braked wagons around, class 8’s may now only exist in the history books.
I only drive 1’s, 2’s and 5’s these days, but i have driven them all throughout my career, and i can say that on a class 9b, 25mph seems very fast indeed when approching a red signal downhill with 1500 tons pushing you, with only the locomotive brakes!
