British railway brake van

British Railways inheratade break vans from the Big Four (GWR, LNER, Southern Railway, and LMS).

All break vans served the same purpus, to add extra break force to a train. Break men, who oparated the break vans where incharge, and still are today, of making shore that the lights where in the corect place because at night a signal man would need to see the tail lights to know that the train hasn't split, therefore he can clear the line.

Most vans had both normal breaks and Vacuum brake. They also contained a fire for the comfort of the Break Man.

Many break vans today are used on Preserved Railways as passenger units. Like on the Helston Railway and the National Railway Museum demonstration lines at York and Shildon.

Types of Van

Name	Image	Introduced	Break Force	Number	Big Four Company	Notes
Queen Mary		1936	25Tons		Southern Railway	This type of break van had two four wheeled bogies.
Toad		c.1894 – 1945	20 Tons	18 preserved	GWR	This type of break van was so named because of its telegraphic coad.
Standard Break Van			20Tons		BR
CAO			20Tons		BR (Baced on LMS design)
Road Van		c.1894			LSWR
Ballast Plow Break Van		1934	16Tons		LMSR
LNER Break Van		1941	20Tons		LNER

Refrances

^[1] <ref>artical on the "Ecclesbourne Valley Railway" website