Mad question!....

[paulontheball]

Here’s probably a mad idea and associated mad question .... in planning my retirement, which to be fair is not for a few years yet, I’m thinking about moving to a place with a large enough garden to accommodate an ex BR brake van body - not the heavy chassis, wheels etc but just the wooden structure on top. No doubt it would require refurbishment, and may even need to be transported in pieces, so I wondered if they had asbestos built into them? - particularly as they often contain some form of Stove/burner for heating

Edited June 25, 2020 by paulontheball

[Wickham Green too]

Asbestos is very unlikely - though there could have been a sleeve where the chimney goes through the roof .......... chances are anything like that would have been removed years ago - but that might depend where you're van's been !

 

Retirement ain't what it's made out to be .......... free bus pass - whooppee - but not a lot of use if you're plunged into lockdown at the same time !

[Steamport Southport]

To be honest you might struggle to get a BR Brake Van body.

 

They're quite highly sought after. Especially in good enough condition to be reused. Then you've got the transportation costs.

 

It might be better looking at one of the companies that make replica bodies. One used to advertise in the railway magazines.

 

 

 

Jason

[The Johnster]

No asbestos in the body; this is why many were destroyed by fire, usually started by overheated brake blocks rather than the stove, which could be drawn to glow red hot!  Not sure how effective the stove would be on a permanently stationary van either, as they performed best when the train was under way, even at low speed; the draw from the top of the stove pipe is essential.  It's dark in there as well, and you will need to seal the doors and probably a good bit of the planked body against draughts.

 

Not trying to put you off, just suggesting that there might be more work needed to get it to 'man cave' condition than might first appear.  Transporting them in pieces is not the cure all it looks like either; the van will have 'worked' at the joints in service and once taken apart may refuse to go back together.  Replica is probably the way to go, erected on site.  If you are considering it as a layout room, beware that unless you ensure a consistent temperature, which is fuel expensive, and ventilate against damp, you will need to take condensation and expansion/contraction into account. 

Edited June 26, 2020 by The Johnster

[18B]

I'd imagine that an EX BR brake van body is extremely hard to come by and even when one is found, it's highly unlikely to be in anything like a useable condition. Also incredibly heavy for what would essentially be a plush garden shed.

 

IMHO Far far better off with a replica built from new.  

[chris p bacon]

On 25/06/2020 at 13:43, paulontheball said:

in planning my retirement,

You're not being fired again are you.......

 

You can get van bodies easier than a brake. 

[Covkid]

11 hours ago, 18B said:

I'd imagine that an EX BR brake van body is extremely hard to come by and even when one is found, it's highly unlikely to be in anything like a useable condition. Also incredibly heavy for what would essentially be a plush garden shed.

 

IMHO Far far better off with a replica built from new.  

 

I agree.There are several companies advertised in the magazines that produce bespoke railway syle buildings, and ifI were you I would be considering that path. Don't forget that the absolute youngest BR brakevans will be sixty years old and mostly made of wood, so new materials might be a better starting point. 

[TheQ]

You could probably pick up the metal remains of a van body, from some farmers field somewhere for nothing. then you'd need to plank it up  .

[Wickham Green too]

1 hour ago, TheQ said:

You could probably pick up the metal remains of a van body, from some farmers field somewhere for nothing. then you'd need to plank it up  .

 

I don't know whether this one's still available .....