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Bogie Goods Brake Vans

The vacuum-braked bogie brake vans depicted on this page were known colloquially as the "Queen Mary" because, apparently, of their size! I wonder if anyone told Queen Mary? In true Southern Railway frugal style, the originals were built on the underframes from scrapped ex-LBSCR coaches, though those built in later batches had new, purpose made, underframes. They are so long that they tend to look somewhat "flattened"!

Click on the thumbnails for a larger image. Clicking again will close the window. S56305 End view The "business end" of a Queen Mary, NºS56305. Brake vans carry three tail lights, one that shows a red aspect on the rear and one on each side that shows a red aspect to the rear and a white one forwards. By this simple means the driver of an unfitted freight could easily check that he still had the whole of his train behind him. If the white lights went missing - panic! Photograph by Ray Soper. S56305 Side view This photograph of Brake Van NºS56305 shows how unusually long they were. Photograph by Ray Soper. S56305 Bogie A close-up view of one of the bogies fitted to these vehicles. NºS56305 was one of the later batches with a purpose-built underframe. Photograph by Ray Soper. S56305 Underframe Close-up of part of the underframe and the makers plate. Originally built at Ashford by the Southern Railway as 56305, the Van has now become British Railways Van S56305. Photograph by Ray Soper. White Handrails This photograph shows Brake Van Nº56305 at Sittingbourne. The white handrails made it easier to "jump aboard" after dark. Photograph by John Lewis. Planking Intact .This is an example of a Bogie Goods Brake Van which still has its original side planking intact Photograph by John Lewis. Electrification NºBrake Here is an example being used for electrification works. It has been given a light blue diagonal stripe on the bodyside and "wasp" yellow and black ends. Photograph by John Lewis. Engineers' Green This van is in Engineers' green with yellow lookouts and sandboxes. Photograph by John Lewis. 56297 Preserved Bogie goods brake van Nº56297 as preserved by the NRM in SR livery. It is seen here giving rides, July 2000. Photograph by John Lewis. Bogie   A Queen Mary bogie brakevan bogie awaiting attention in the Carriage and Wagon yard at Horsted Keynes, 20th June 2003. Photograph by Colin Duff. BR(S) Axlebox   A BR Southern Region axle box on the bogie pictured previously, seen in the Carriage and Wagon yard at Horsted Keynes. This and its colleague have now been returned to their rightful places underneath the brake. Photograph by Colin Duff.

This page was last updated 25 January 2003