Brake Post Office stowage van
Appearance
(Redirected from Brake Post Office tender)
Brake Post Office stowage van | |
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![]() Preserved Great Western Railway vehicle no. 814 at the Didcot Railway Centre. | |
In service | 1959–2004 |
Manufacturer | BR Wolverton & York |
Family name | British Railways Mark 1 |
Constructed | 1959, 1968 |
Number built | 9 |
Fleet numbers | 80450–80458 |
Operators | British Railways |
Specifications | |
Car length | 64 ft 6 in (19.66 m) |
Width | 9 ft 3 in (2.82 m) |
Height | 12 ft 9+1⁄2 in (3.90 m) |
Maximum speed | 90–100 mph (145–161 km/h) |
Weight | 34–36 tonnes (33.5–35.4 long tons; 37.5–39.7 short tons) |
HVAC | Dual (steam & electric), ETH 3 or 4 |
Bogies | BR2 or B5 |
Braking system(s) | Vacuum or Dual (Air & Vacuum) |
Track gauge | 4 ft 8+1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) |
A brake Post Office stowage van is a type of rail vehicle built for use in a travelling post office.
British Rail built nine of these vehicles between 1959 and 1968, to two similar designs, both based on the Mark 1 coach design. They were numbered in the range 80450-80458. Following the Great Train Robbery, vehicles from 80456 onwards featured a revised design with smaller windows.
In the early 1970s, British Rail introduced the TOPS classification system. Vehicles were given the TOPS code NU, followed by an A if they were air-braked, V if vacuum-braked, or an X if they had both air and vacuum brakes.
Preservation
[edit]All three of the latter-build Mk1 vehicles have been preserved. Also a survivor from GWR has also made it into preservation.
Number | TOPS Code | Built | Location |
---|---|---|---|
80456 | NUA | 1968 York | Nene Valley Railway |
80457 | NUA | 1968 York | Churnet Valley Railway |
80458 | NUA | 1968 York | Great Central Railway |
Number | Company | Built | Location | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|
814 | GWR | 1940 Swindon | Didcot Railway Centre | Only exchange equipped coach with nets on both sides |