Brake Gangwayed
| British Rail Brake Gangwayed | |
|---|---|
|
BG Number 81020 pictured at the Midland Railway - Butterley on 9 June 2006 without lettering or numbering | |
| In service | 1951– |
| Manufacturer |
BR Derby (C&W), Eastleigh, Wolverton & York; Birmingham Railway Carriage and Wagon Company, Cravens, Metro-Cammell, Pressed Steel Company, Gloucester Railway Carriage and Wagon Company |
| Family name | British Railways Mark 1 |
| Constructed | 1951–1963 |
| Number built | 1129 |
| Fleet numbers | 80500–81628 |
| Capacity | 10 tonnes |
| Operator(s) | British Rail |
| Specifications | |
| Car length | 57 ft 0 in (17.37 m) |
| Width | 9 ft 3 in (2.82 m) |
| Height | 12 ft 9 in (3.89 m) |
| Maximum speed |
BR1: 90 mph (145 km/h); B4: 100 mph (161 km/h), later some 110 mph (177 km/h) |
| Weight | 31–32 tonnes |
| Bogies | BR1, some later B4 |
| Braking system(s) | Vacuum, air, or both |
| Track gauge | 4 ft 8 1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) |
The Brake Gangwayed or BG coach (also known as a Full Brake) is a type of British Railways Mark 1 passenger brake van. It has a guard's compartment in the centre and two large areas either side for storing luggage. They were a very versatile type of coach and could be found all over the British Railways network and some are still in use today - although not in conventional use. The British Railways Mark 1 BG was shorter than most other types of Mark 1 coach – the BGs being 57 feet (17.37 m) whereas most other designs were 63 feet (19.20 m). This was so the BG could go everywhere unlike their other Mark 1 counterparts which were banned from some station platforms because of their length.
Due to the large space either side of the guard's compartment and relative 'ease' of conversion, several BGs on preserved railways have been converted for other uses. Two vehicles have been converted into disabled coaches, with one on the Severn Valley Railway (which won the 1996 ARPS Coach Competition), and another on the North Yorkshire Moors Railway. A second vehicle at the Severn Valley has been converted for use as Santa's Grotto during December, as have two vehicles at the Midland Railway - Butterley, though these two are also used as disco coaches. Elsewhere, one vehicle at the Bodmin & Wenford Railway has been converted for use as a catering bar car in the line's dining set. Additionally vehicle number 92111 is to be converted into a bar / kitchen car in 2015, by the Spa Valley Railway.
References
- Fox, Peter (1983). Coaching Stock Pocket Book. Sheffield: Platform 5 Publications. pp. 50–57. ISBN 0-906579-29-5.