RMweb Gold Tony Teague Posted October 6, 2016 RMweb Gold Share Posted October 6, 2016 Can anyone help me to understand whether the Southern Railway would have attatched brake vans to their continental freight trains? I have a book "International Train-Ferry Wagons" by David Ratcliffe (ian Allan) which says at one point that "The inclusion of a brake van at the rear of an otherwise fully-fitted train for the guard to ride in was a requirement for all trains that included wagons labelled as containing toxic gases", however, this relates to BR practice. I model the 1938 - 1948 period and so I am keen to know what the correct train formation was at that time. All help appreciated! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold russ p Posted October 6, 2016 RMweb Gold Share Posted October 6, 2016 Any freight train which doesn't have the automatic brake operable on the last three or in the past two wagons required a brake van. If the continental wagons weren't vacuum braked they would require them unless the southern put an air fitted loco on it. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Tony Teague Posted October 6, 2016 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted October 6, 2016 Thanks Russ, very helpful. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fat Controller Posted October 6, 2016 Share Posted October 6, 2016 The SR had purpose-built bogie brake vans for express freight trains, which included the train-ferry traffic; the first one were converted from EMU underframes, IIRC, with a subsequent batch being purpose built. Initially fitted with vacuum brake, those which survived into the 1970s received air-brakes. During SR days, all freights would have required a brake van, regardless of whether they were fully or partially fitted. Bachmann do a model of the SR bogie brake, which was sometimes referred to as a 'Queen Mary'. Here's a link to a prototype photo:- http://paulbartlett.zenfolio.com/srbogiebrakevan/h351eabb1#h351eabb1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Simon Lee Posted October 6, 2016 RMweb Premium Share Posted October 6, 2016 Les Ayres, one of the supervisors when I started at Dover Ferry, had progressed via the shunter - freight guard - supervisor route. He was a great raconteur, and many times on nights we had a replay of his trips down from London to Dover in a Queen Mary, usually with fully actions winding the hand brake on / off waving at the driver etc. His best tale was of the time he managed to set fire to his van during a very fast trip down Sole Street bank with vans ex Ewer St. It was after this that spark guards were fitted to the vans. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Tony Teague Posted October 6, 2016 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted October 6, 2016 Thanks Fat Controller, Simon - sounds pretty definative, and I have some QM brakes, so quickly solved! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nearholmer Posted October 6, 2016 Share Posted October 6, 2016 Does anyone know of photos of the trains anywhere on the web? I've only seen one photo, c1947, with a WD 2-8-0 on the front. K Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rivercider Posted October 6, 2016 Share Posted October 6, 2016 Here is a picture from 1967 with E5011 on the front and two brake vans on the rear https://www.flickr.com/photos/irishswissernie/7367848622/in/photolist-icraUo-7deVWr-d3s3aQ-9o1LQM-ce59GN-4GyQrV-dE83me-ce58ZE cheers Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Tony Teague Posted October 7, 2016 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted October 7, 2016 Does anyone know of photos of the trains anywhere on the web? I've only seen one photo, c1947, with a WD 2-8-0 on the front. K I have also got (copyright) pictures in various books with a N class (in 1955) and a Schools (BR period), Here is a picture from 1967 with E5011 on the front and two brake vans on the rear https://www.flickr.com/photos/irishswissernie/7367848622/in/photolist-icraUo-7deVWr-d3s3aQ-9o1LQM-ce59GN-4GyQrV-dE83me-ce58ZE cheers Thanks, very helpful - and what an excellent archive! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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