Wheel slip is not a problem that's unique to our model railway layouts, engineers in the real railway world often...
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How can you stop wheel slip?Read more -
What is the purpose of the trailing truck on a steam locomotive ?Read moreThe trailing truck on a steam locomotive serves several important purposes. It is located at the rear of the...
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What is a roundhouse?Read moreA roundhouse refers to a specialised building, typically found in larger rail depots, designed for housing and...
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What scale is Hornby?Read moreHornby model railways are OO Scale or 1/76th that is 4 millimetres to the foot (12 inches). It runs on a track with...
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How can I create a reversing loop with Y-shaped turnout on my layout?Read moreA reversing loop is a section of track that allows a train to change direction without reversing. Reversing loops can...
What is the purpose of a brake van?
Brake vans (originally called break vans) were first employed on early industrial tramways and cableways to provide braking should coupling fail. They were needed because early wagons didn't have brakes of their own. These types of wagons are known as un-fitted wagons.
As the railways developed through the 19th century, many practices from the early tramways were inherited, including the use of brake vans.
Brake vans started to appear with enclosed cabins for the guard and creature comforts such as a seat, fireplace and stove were installed. Brake vans also carried a variety of tools to assist the guard with coupling, breakdowns and emergencies. As trains got longer and heavier, brake vans were also used to help with regular service braking as well as runaway situations.
The use of brake vans on un-fitted and part-fitted trains remained commonplace until the mass introduction of fitted wagons during the 1960s and '70s and even longer in some circumstances.
Posted in: Rolling stock
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