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GWR Route: Banbury to Wolverhampton

GWR Route: North Warwickshire Line

Birmingham Snow Hill Station - Grouping Period Rolling Stock: gwrbsh1780

A 54 foot clerestory Parcel Brake Van with other parcels stock waits in bay platform No 10 in 1947

Fifty-four foot clerestory Parcel Brake Van (PBV) No 1128 (diagram K17) with other parcels stock waits in bay platform No 10 in 1947. This is one of four PBVs built in December 1903 under lot 1043 to operate as brake vans at either end of travelling post office (TPO) trains. The running numbers were 1125 to 1128. The guard's compartment occupied a seven foot long section at the end nearest the photographer. The moulded panel side has been completely replaced with flush steel panels, but the two recessed sliding doors are original features and the end retains its original moulded panels. TPO vehicles had offset gangways to prevent access from normal passenger stock (with their central gangway) and thus the odd and even numbered TPO PBVs were handed in this respect. These four PBVs were all condemned in the 1950s. As well as acting as a brake on TPO trains, No 1128 also acted as a spare TPO sorting van. The recessed sliding doors could be opened during travel and after positioning of a safety bar, mail pouches could be extended and dropped into a receiving net. In this photograph No 1128 is marked:

TO WORK
TO AND FROM
PADDINGTON

This photograph is displayed courtesy of the HMRS (Historical Model Railway Society) and copies can be ordered directly from them using the link HERE, quoting reference AEL407.

Robert Ferris

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