Built by British Rail Darlington Works 1959. Lot no. 3227. Diagram 1/507.

Goods brake vans were an integral part of the UK freight scene almost from the beginning, but have now dwindled to the point of extinction on the national network thanks to the standardisation on continuous brake fitted wagons and the streamlining of operational procedures. As the name suggests, these vans were intended to provide braking to goods train (in addition to that supplied by the locomotive), but they also allowed the train guard to travel at the rear, keeping an eye on things and being able to stop the train should a coupling break and the train split.

BR built a massive 5,248 brake vans between 1949 and 1961 spread between its works at Darlington (Faverdale), Swindon and Derby. The design featured a 16ft long body, with short verandahs at each end, mounted on a 16ft wheelbase (24ft over headstocks) chassis. Two stepboards were fitted to each side, while concrete weights were built into the chassis and ends to provide additional braking effort.

In 1968, the requirement for fully fitted freight trains to end with a guard's van was lifted, and the guard was allowed to ride in the rearmost locomotive cab, giving a good view of the whole train. Most British Railways standard-design diesel and electric locomotives had double-ended cabs herefore there was no operational need for so many brake vans, and many were withdrawn. In 1985 rail unions agreed to single man operation of some freight trains, the first time trains had not had a guard on board for over one hundred and fifty years. Also in the late 1980s the final "unfitted" (non-continuously braked) trains finished leaving little need for the fleet of brake vans.

The main use for the remaining fleet during the 1990s were as barrier vehicles on trains conveying dangerous goods or as a propelling vehicle, used on short freight trips to locations with limited run around facillities necessitating in the train being pushed. By 2005 there were just 18 examples in use on the national network.

Little is known about the history of Helston's example B954673. St.Blazey Depot had an allocation of brake vans latterly seeing use on the short freight trip from the depot to Pontsmill Works which were propelled by the yards class 08 shunter. The three examples at St.Blazey last used on this flow were broken up during 2002 after traffic to Pontsmill ceased.

2004 saw a short term requirment for a brake van to be based at St.Blazey. Work by Network Rail to redouble the mainline between Burngullow and Probus saw night time ballast trains needing to be propelled from Burngullow to the limit of the newly laid track. To do this safely a brake van was needed and B954673 was dispatched to St.Blazey. B954673 had obviously been out of use for some time and on arrival at St.Blazey it was placed in the sheds where some of its wood panelling was cut away with the intention of being replaced. Unfortunately B954673 was deemed to large a job to get up to an operational standard and on 20th January 2004 a similar example in the shape of B955172 arrived at St.Blazey to take up the role.

After languishing at St.Blazey for several years, its owning company English Welsh & Scottish Railway (EWS) sell the van to local scrap merchant Henry Orchard & Sons. B954673 is purchased by the Helston Railway Diesel Group for £475, the vehicle having little value to the scrap man as most of its 20 ton weight is made up of the concrete base. On 28th May 2008 EWS use locomotive 66114 to shunt B954673 from St.Blazey to Par Harbour for loading on to road transport. This being the last ever move of a BR 20 ton brake van on the national network in Cornwall.

B954673 arrived at Trevarno during the afternoon of 30th May 2008. More....

The only clue in B954673's past is the livery it was wearing. The red and white with a thin blue band is a livery that was applied to around 13 brake vans for use as barrier vehicles with London Underground tube stock moves. B954673 also carried the black diamond Carlisle Currock fox depot plaque, Currock being a wagon overhaul depot would've been where B954673 was overhauled and repainted into its London Undergroung Limited (LUL) livery.

Since arriving at Trevarno B954673 has been totally rebuilt. Its new wooden body is thanks to Will Douglas who has spent many hours replacing nearly all the woodwork on the vehicle. December 2011 saw the van become the first passenger carrying vehicle on the line since its closure and it now sees regular use giving visitors rides over the newly laid line.

March 2012 saw a stove refitted as this was missing when the brake van arrived at Trevarno.