Leadhead codes

The majority of methods which are commonly rung have leadheads which are the same as those found in the plain courses of Plain Bob and Grandsire at the same stage. The reason for this is that these leadheads are the only ones which preserve the coursing order of the working (non-hunt) bells.

It is convenient to have a shorthand for which Plain Bob/Grandsire leadhead the method reaches at the end of its first lead. This leadhead determines the place bell order, or cycle of work, of the method. Two methods which reach the same leadhead at the end of their first leads have the same place bell order.

Plain Bob leadheads

Methods with Plain Bob leadheads are split into groups depending on what change is made at the leadend in the absence of calls.

Even stages

At even stages:

  • Methods with a leadend change of 12 are given leadhead codes [a–f];
  • Methods with a leadend change of 1n are given leadhead codes [g–m] (excluding letter i, to avoid confusion with the number 1).

Stages higher than n=8 supplement the letter code with a number if needed.

LH code Minimus Minor Major Royal Maximus
12    1n
  a      g 1342 135264 13527486 1352749608 13527496E8T0
  b      h 156342 15738264 1573920486 157392E4T608
  c      j 17856342 1795038264 1795E3T20486
c1      j1 1907856342 19E7T5038264
c2      j2 1ET907856342
d2      k2 1T0E89674523
d1      k1 1089674523 108T6E492735
  d      k 18674523 1860492735 18604T2E3957
  e      l 164523 16482735 1648203957 1648203T5E79
  f      m 1423 142635 14263857 1426385079 142638507T9E

Odd stages

At odd stages:

  • Methods with a leadend change of 12n are given leadhead codes [p–q].
  • Methods with a leadend change of 1 are given leadhead codes [r–s].

All odd stages supplement some leadhead codes with numbers.

LH code Doubles Triples Caters Cinques
12n    1
  p      r 13524 1352746 135274968 13527496E80
p1      r1 15432 1573624 157392846 157392E4068
p2      r2 1765432 179583624 1795E302846
p3      r3 198765432 19E70583624
p4      r4 1E098765432
q3      s3 108E6947253
q2      s2 186947253 18604E29375
q1      s1 1647253 164829375 1648203E597
  q      s 14253 1426375 142638597 142638507E9

Methods with Plain Bob leadheads which do not fall into either of these two categories are not given a leadhead code.

Grandsire leadheads

Methods with Grandsire leadheads and whose hunt bells have the same path are similarly organised into two groups depending on which change is made after the leadhead.

Odd stages

At odd stages:

  • Methods with a change of 3 immediately after the leadhead are given codes [a–f];
  • Methods with a change of n immediately after the leadhead are given codes [g–m] (again, excluding letter i).
LH code Doubles Triples Caters Cinques
 3      n
  a      g 12534 1253746 125374968 12537496E80
  b      h 1275634 127593846 127593E4068
  c      j 129785634 1297E503846
c1      j1 12E90785634
d1      k1 120E8967453
  d      k 128967453 12806E49375
  e      l 1267453 126849375 1268403E597
  f      m 12453 1246375 124638597 124638507E9

Even stages

At even stages:

  • Methods with a change of 3n immediately after the leadhead are given codes [p–q].
  • Methods with a cross-change immediately after the leadhead are given codes [r–s].
LH code Minimus Minor Major Royal Maximus
 3n     -
  p      r 125364 12537486 1253749608 12537496E8T0
p1      r1 12758364 1275930486 127593E4T608
p2      r2 1297058364 1297E5T30486
p3      r3 12E9T7058364
q4      s4 12TE09876543
q3      s3 1209876543 120T8E694735
q2      s2 12876543 1280694735 12806T4E3957
q1      s1 126543 12684735 1268403957 1268403T5E79
  q      s 1243 124635 12463857 1246385079 124638507T9E

Again, methods with Grandsire leadheads which do not fall into either of these two categories are not given a leadhead code.