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How many brake vans should a goods train have?
The number of brake vans that were marshalled into a goods train varied depending on the type of rolling stock used, the era in which it operated and any operating requirements specific to a particular journey.
The majority of trains featured just a single brake van placed at the rear end to assist with braking, keeping couplings taut during start-up and to catch any runaways should a coupling break. However, on occasions, trains could be seen with more than one brake van attached. The main reasons for this included when a train was to be split along its route, when a train needed to change direction mid-route, when a train required extra braking power and when other brake vans needed to be relocated by piggybacking on a freight heading in a convenient direction.
Brake vans started to disappear from freight trains when 'fitted' wagons became numerous. In 1968, the requirement for fully-fitted freights to include a brake van came to an end. Such trains still required a guard, however, they were permitted to travel in the rear cab of the locomotive in the absence of any other accommodation.
The use of brake vans continued to become rarer as un-fitted wagons became withdrawn. By the late 1970s, only a few specific trains still required a brake van. Examples included any remaining unfitted or part-fitted trains, some dangerous chemicals trains, trains with an unusual cargo and some engineering trains. In 2021, the requirement to use brake vans in Great Britain was officially revoked when the rules were formally updated.
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