Brake Post Office stowage van
| Brake Post Office stowage van | |
|---|---|
 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 |