Driving Van Trailer
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A Driving Van Trailer or DVT is a purpose-built railway vehicle that allows the driver to operate a locomotive at the opposite end of a train. Trains operating with a DVT therefore do not require the locomotive to run round to the other end of the train at terminal stations. Unlike many other control cars, DVTs resemble locomotives (specifically, classes 90 and 91) and thus when the train is operating in "push" mode it does not appear to be travelling backwards.
Development
On the IC225 sets operating on the ECML the Mk4 DVTs and locomotives operate in push-pull formation utilising a Time-Division Multiplexer to send control signals along specially screened cables which run the length of the train.
On the original Mk3 DVTs, which operated on the WCML, the intention was to use the RCH jumpers to carry the signals therefore allowing the same cables to be used for lighting and the public address system, as well as driver-guard signalling. However this proved to be very troublesome in service and eventually the rakes of coaches on WCML were re-wired with specially screened cables exclusively for the TDM system.
In addition to the driver's cab, some DVTs have luggage and cycle storage space and a guard's office.
When a train is operated by a DVT, the control signals are encoded and multiplexed onto the cables by the TDM equipment in the DVT. At the locomotive, these signals are demultiplexed by the TDM equipment, and the signals are used to control the locomotive. The air braking system is operated directly from whichever cab the driver is driving from. If the TDM fails and cannot be reconfigured, the train may still operate, but if the DVT is leading, it will be necessary to uncouple the locomotive and attach it to the front of the train.
The British DVT was developed from the DBSO, but unlike its predecessor, it was built specifically for this purpose. The original DVTs were designed to be used with British Rail Mark 2 D, E & F and British Rail Mk 3 coaches, and the second design with British Rail Mk 4 coaches, which have a narrower profile. This enables it to be converted to tilting operation if required in the future.
MK3 DVTs can be seen in service in the UK today with the EWS Company Train, with 'one' Anglia and occasionally with Virgin West Coast . The new open access operator Wrexham & Shropshire will utilise Mark 3 DVTs on its services between London and Wrexham. Class 67 and Class 90's provide the power to these DVTs. The BR MK4 DVT is operated by National Express East Coast and powered by Class 91's and by the unique Class 89 co-co locomotive which once operated between London Kings Cross and Leeds.
MK3 DVT
Virgin Trains
Virgin West Coast
Used to operate push-pull services on WCML between London Euston, Manchester, Birmingham and Glasgow in conjunction with class 86, 87 and 90 locomotives, but now the services are run exclusively by Class 390 Pendolinos.
One Anglia
Operate push-pull services between London Liverpool Street and Norwich in conjunction with class 86 or class 90 locomotives. However the class 86s have now all been withdrawn hence only class 90 locos are used on these services today. These DVTs were originally used by Virgin West Coast until the Pendolinos were fully operational. All the WCML DVTs needed refurbishing when they came off lease and were re-painted into 'one' colours.
| Key: | In Service | Withdrawn | Scrapped |
|---|
| Number | Name(s) | Dates | Built | Final Livery | Operator | Withdrawn | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 82101 | Wembley InterCity Depot 101 Squadron |
1996-1997 2000-2007 |
1988 Derby | Virgin Red/Black | Porterbrook Leasing Company | - | In service |
| 82102 | - | - | 1988 Derby | ’one’ | ’one’ | - | In service |
| 82103 | - | - | 1988 Derby | 'one' | ’one’ | - | In service |
| 82104 | - | - | 1988 Derby | Virgin Red/Black | 'one' | ? | Training vehicle for drivers |
| 82105 | - | - | 1988 Derby | 'one' | ’one’ | - | In service |
| 82106 | - | - | 1988 Derby | Virgin Red/Black | Porterbrook Leasing Company | ? | Withdrawn |
| 82107 | - | - | 1988 Derby | ’one’ | ’one’ | - | In service |
| 82108 | - | - | 1988 Derby | Virgin Red/Black | Porterbrook Leasing Company | ? | Withdrawn |
| 82109 | - | - | 1988 Derby | Virgin Red/Black | First ScotRail | ? | Withdrawn |
| 82110 | - | - | 1988 Derby | Virgin Red/Black | Porterbrook Leasing Company | ? | Withdrawn |
| 82111 | - | - | 1988 Derby | Virgin Red/Black | Porterbrook Leasing Company | ? | Withdrawn |
| 82112 | - | - | 1988 Derby | 'one' | ’one’ | - | In service |
| 82113 | - | - | 1988 Derby | Virgin Red/Black | Porterbrook Leasing Company | ? | Withdrawn |
| 82114 | - | - | 1988 Derby | 'one' | ’one’ | - | In service |
| 82115 | Liverpool John Moores University | ? | 1988 Derby | Virgin Red/Black | Porterbrook Leasing Company | ? | Withdrawn |
| 82116 | - | - | 1988 Derby | Virgin Red/Black | Porterbrook Leasing Company | ? | Withdrawn |
| 82117 | - | - | 1988 Derby | Virgin Red/Black | Porterbrook Leasing Company | ? | Withdrawn |
| 82118 | Britannia | 2004-2005 | 1988 Derby | 'one' | ’one’ | - | In service |
| 82119 | - | - | 1988 Derby | ’one’ Anglia | ’one’ | 10/2005 | Scrapped at MoD Caerwent (11/2005) |
| 82120 | Liverpool Chamber of Commerce | ? | 1988 Derby | Virgin Red/Black | First ScotRail | ? | Withdrawn |
| 82121 | Carlisle Cathedral | ? | 1988 Derby | ’one’ | ’one’ | - | In service |
| 82122 | - | - | 1988 Derby | Virgin Red/Black | Porterbrook Leasing Company | ? | Withdrawn |
| 82123 | - | - | 1988 Derby | Virgin Red/Black | Porterbrook Leasing Company | ? | Withdrawn |
| 82124 | The Girls' Brigade | ? | 1988 Derby | Virgin Red/Black | Porterbrook Leasing Company | ? | Withdrawn |
| 82125 | - | - | 1988 Derby | Virgin Red/Black | Porterbrook Leasing Company | ? | Withdrawn |
| 82126 | G8 Summit Birmingham 1998 Wembley Traincare Depot |
1998-2004 2004- |
1988 Derby | Virgin Red/Black | Porterbrook Leasing Company | - | In service |
| 82127 | Abraham Darby | ? | 1988 Derby | ’one’ | ’one’ | - | In service |
| 82128 | - | - | 1988 Derby | Virgin Red/Black | Porterbrook Leasing Company | ? | Withdrawn |
| 82129 | - | - | 1988 Derby | Virgin Red/Black | Porterbrook Leasing Company | ? | Withdrawn |
| 82130 | - | - | 1988 Derby | Virgin Red/Black | Porterbrook Leasing Company | ? | Withdrawn |
| 82131 | - | - | 1988 Derby | Porterbrook Leasing Company Red/Black | EWS | - | In service |
| 82132 | West Midlands Industry '96 | 1996-2005 | 1988 Derby | 'one' | ’one’ | - | In service |
| 82133 | - | - | 1988 Derby | 'one' | ’one’ | - | In service |
| 82134 | Sir Henry Doulton 1820-1897 | ? | 1988 Derby | Virgin Red/Black | Cotswold Rail | - | In service |
| 82135 | Spirit of Cumbria | ? | 1988 Derby | Virgin Red/Black | Porterbrook Leasing Company | ? | Withdrawn |
| 82136 | - | - | 1988 Derby | ’one’ | ’one’ | - | In service |
| 82137 | - | - | 1988 Derby | Virgin Red/Black | Porterbrook Leasing Company | ? | Withdrawn |
| 82138 | - | - | 1988 Derby | Virgin Red/Black | Porterbrook Leasing Company | ? | Withdrawn |
| 82139 | - | - | 1988 Derby | 'one' | ’one’ | - | In service |
| 82140 | - | - | 1988 Derby | Virgin Red/Black | Porterbrook Leasing Company | ? | Withdrawn |
| 82141 | - | - | 1988 Derby | Virgin Red/Black | Porterbrook Leasing Company | ? | Withdrawn |
| 82142 | - | - | 1988 Derby | Virgin Red/Black | Porterbrook Leasing Company | ? | Withdrawn |
| 82143 | - | - | 1988 Derby | ’one’ | ’one’ | - | In service |
| 82144 | - | - | 1988 Derby | Virgin Red/Black | Porterbrook Leasing Company | ? | Withdrawn |
| 82145 | - | - | 1988 Derby | Virgin Red/Black | Porterbrook Leasing Company | ? | Withdrawn |
| 82146 | - | - | 1988 Derby | EWS Hospitality | EWS | - | In service |
| 82147 | The Red Devils | ? | 1988 Derby | Virgin Red/Black | Porterbrook Leasing Company | ? | Withdrawn |
| 82148 | International Spring Fair | ? | 1988 Derby | Virgin Red/Black | Porterbrook Leasing Company | ? | Withdrawn |
| 82149 | 101 Squadron | 1998-2000 | 1988 Derby | Virgin Red/Black | Porterbrook Leasing Company | ? | Withdrawn |
| 82150 | - | - | 1988 Derby | Virgin Red/Black | Porterbrook Leasing Company | ? | Withdrawn |
| 82151 | - | - | 1988 Derby | Virgin Red/Black | Porterbrook Leasing Company | ? | Withdrawn |
| 82152 | - | - | 1988 Derby | ’one’ | ’one’ | - | In service |
Mark 4 DVT
MK4 DVT's were built in 1988 by Metro Cammell at their Washwood Heath plant in Birmingham and were introduced to the ECML with the IC225 rakes of Mk4 coaches. They operate the class 91 locomotives using the TDM system via UIC screened cables through the nine Mk4 coaches of the rake.
Initially operated by BR's InterCity sector in its familiar livery, following privatisation of the railways the services were taken over by Sea Containers under the Great North Eastern Railway (GNER) brand but following a change of operator in December 2007 they are now run by National Express and will in future be re-liveried into 'National Express East Coast' grey and white colours.
| Key: | In Service | Withdrawn | Scrapped |
|---|
| Number | Name | Dates | Built | Final Livery | Operator | Withdrawn | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 82200 | - | - | 1988 Metro-Cammell | Unbranded Blue | National Express East Coast | - | In service (Note: was involved in Hatfield derailment) |
| 82201 | - | - | 1988 Metro-Cammell | Unbranded Blue | National Express East Coast | - | In service |
| 82202 | - | - | 1988 Metro-Cammell | Unbranded Blue | National Express East Coast | - | In service |
| 82203 | - | - | 1988 Metro-Cammell | Unbranded Blue | National Express East Coast | - | In service |
| 82204 | - | - | 1988 Metro-Cammell | Unbranded Blue | National Express East Coast | - | In service |
| 82205 | - | - | 1988 Metro-Cammell | Unbranded Blue | National Express East Coast | - | In service |
| 82206 | - | - | 1988 Metro-Cammell | Unbranded Blue | National Express East Coast | - | In service |
| 82207 | - | - | 1988 Metro-Cammell | Unbranded Blue | National Express East Coast | - | In service |
| 82208 | - | - | 1988 Metro-Cammell | Unbranded Blue | National Express East Coast | - | In service |
| 82209 | - | - | 1988 Metro-Cammell | Unbranded Blue | National Express East Coast | - | In service |
| 82210 | - | - | 1988 Metro-Cammell | Unbranded Blue | National Express East Coast | - | In service |
| 82211 | - | - | 1988 Metro-Cammell | Unbranded Blue | National Express East Coast | - | In service |
| 82212 | - | - | 1988 Metro-Cammell | Unbranded Blue | National Express East Coast | - | In service |
| 82213 | - | - | 1988 Metro-Cammell | Unbranded Blue | National Express East Coast | - | In service |
| 82214 | - | - | 1988 Metro-Cammell | Unbranded Blue | National Express East Coast | - | In service |
| 82215 | - | - | 1988 Metro-Cammell | Unbranded Blue | National Express East Coast | - | In service |
| 82216 | - | - | 1988 Metro-Cammell | Unbranded Blue | National Express East Coast | - | In service |
| 82217 | Off to the Races | 2006- | 1988 Metro-Cammell | Unbranded Blue | National Express East Coast | - | In service |
| 82218 | - | - | 1988 Metro-Cammell | Unbranded Blue | National Express East Coast | - | In service |
| 82219 | Duke of Edinburgh | 2003- | 1988 Metro-Cammell | Unbranded Blue | National Express East Coast | - | In service |
| 82220 | - | - | 1988 Metro-Cammell | Unbranded Blue | National Express East Coast | - | In service |
| 82221 | - | - | 1988 Metro-Cammell | GNER Blue | None | 2001 | Written Off in Selby Rail Disaster - stored at Doncaster |
| 82222 | - | - | 1988 Metro-Cammell | Unbranded Blue | National Express East Coast | - | In service |
| 82223 | - | - | 1988 Metro-Cammell | Unbranded Blue | National Express East Coast | - | In service |
| 82224 | - | - | 1988 Metro-Cammell | Unbranded Blue | National Express East Coast | - | In service |
| 82225 | - | - | 1988 Metro-Cammell | Unbranded Blue | National Express East Coast | - | In service |
| 82226 | - | - | 1988 Metro-Cammell | Unbranded Blue | National Express East Coast | - | In service |
| 82227 | - | - | 1988 Metro-Cammell | Unbranded Blue | National Express East Coast | - | In service |
| 82228 | - | - | 1988 Metro-Cammell | Unbranded Blue | National Express East Coast | - | In service |
| 82229 | - | - | 1988 Metro-Cammell | Unbranded Blue | National Express East Coast | - | In service |
| 82230 | - | - | 1988 Metro-Cammell | Unbranded Blue | National Express East Coast | - | In service |
| 82231 | - | - | 1988 Metro-Cammell | Unbranded Blue | National Express East Coast | - | In service |
DVT 82221 was destroyed in the Selby rail crash on February 28, 2001.
EWS
EWS operate a Mk.3 DVT as part of their EWS Company Train. 82146 is painted in the Silver colours of the executive train and operates with 67029 and three MK3 coaches.
