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BR standard 20 ton brake van

BR standard 20 ton brake van Profile and Models

954937 at the Swindon & Cricklade Railway in June 2018. ©Dan Adkins

British Rail inherited a large number of brake vans from the Big Four operators upon nationalisation. They began a large construction programme of new vans based on Big Four designs, with the LNER design becoming the main one used from 1950 onwards. They featured a 16ft long body with short verandahs at each end, mounted to a 16ft wheelbase chassis. These vans formed an integral part of the British freight scene but fell out of use towards the end of the 20th century as continuous brake-fitted wagons became the norm and operational procedures were improved.
Type of Vehicle	Brake van
Builder	BR Faverdale Works BR Swindon Works BR Derby Works
Build Dates	1949 to 1961
Total Built	Over 5000
Wheel Configuration	4-wheel
Operated By	British Rail
Main Duties	Goods train braking + Guard transport
In Service Until	Early 2000s
Surviving Examples	Many in preservation

Some of these listings are incomplete. Please excuse any errors.

OO Gauge (1:76 Scale)

trainModels Produced

1959 Hornby Dublo release

Hornby Dublo OO Gauge (1:76 Scale) BR standard 20 ton brake van

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View 3 products

update 1974 Wrenn upgrade

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View 5 Products

1967 Hornby release

Hornby OO Gauge (1:76 Scale) BR standard 20 ton brake van

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View 9 products

1976 Mainline release

Mainline OO Gauge (1:76 Scale) BR standard 20 ton brake van

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View 7 products

update 1985 Dapol upgrade

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View 2 Products

update 1987 Replica Railways upgrade

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View 4 Products

update 1990 Bachmann Branchline upgrade

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View 13 Products

1977 Lima release

Lima OO Gauge (1:76 Scale) BR standard 20 ton brake van

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View 4 products

1982 Hornby release

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View 24 products

2002 Bachmann Branchline release

Bachmann Branchline OO Gauge (1:76 Scale) BR standard 20 ton brake van

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View 22 products

update 2003 Bachmann Branchline upgrade

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View 25 Products

2011 Hornby release

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View 12 products

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format_paintLiveries Produced

Longmoor Military Railway
(1903 - 1969)

SR brown
(1923 - 1947)

LNER grey
(1923 - 1947)

LNER brown
(1923 - 1947)

London Transport
(1933 - 2000)

BR bauxite
(1948 - 1985)

BR grey
(1948 - 1990)

BR non-standard
(1948 - 1994)

BR departmental olive
(1955 - 1985)

BR engineers yellow
(1970 - 1994)

Railfreight grey (inc. Red Stripe) livery sample

Railfreight grey (inc. Red Stripe)
(1982 - 1992)

NSE - Network SouthEast
(1986 - 1994)

Railfreight 'Sector' triple grey livery sample

Railfreight 'Sector' triple grey
(1987 - 1994)

RFS Engineering
(1987 - 2000)

Civil Engineers 'Dutch'
(1990 - 2000)

RES - Rail Express Systems livery sample

RES - Rail Express Systems
(1991 - 2002)

Awaiting Categorisation

Unpainted

Thomas the Tank Engine (Fictitious)

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N Gauge

trainModels Produced

1984 Peco Products release

Peco Products N Gauge BR standard 20 ton brake van

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View 4 products

2007 Graham Farish release

Graham Farish N Gauge BR standard 20 ton brake van

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View 4 products

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format_paintLiveries Produced

LNER brown
(1923 - 1947)

BR bauxite
(1948 - 1985)

BR grey
(1948 - 1990)

Railfreight 'Sector' triple grey
(1987 - 1994)

Unpainted

View All Products Produced

O Gauge (1:43 Scale)

trainModels Produced

2018 Dapol release

Dapol O Gauge (1:43 Scale) BR standard 20 ton brake van

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View 15 products

format_paintLiveries Produced

BR grey
(1948 - 1990)

BR bauxite
(1948 - 1985)

Railfreight grey (inc. Red Stripe)
(1982 - 1992)

Railfreight 'Sector' triple grey
(1987 - 1994)

Civil Engineers 'Dutch'
(1990 - 2000)

View All Products Produced

Products awaiting categorisation

Scale	Brand	Construction Type	DCC Capability	Product Code	Product Title	Livery
OO Gauge (1:76 Scale)	Airfix	Requires assembly	Not set	A02658-9 View	Brake Van Kit	Unpainted
OO Gauge (1:76 Scale)	Bachmann Branchline	RTR/RTUse/Pre-assembled	Not set	30-125Van View	20 Ton Brake Van in BR Bauxite - Split from set	BR bauxite
OO Gauge (1:76 Scale)	Dapol	Requires assembly	Unpowered	C038 View	BR Brake Van wagon plastic kit	Awaiting Categorisation
OO Gauge (1:76 Scale)	Hornby	RTR/RTUse/Pre-assembled	Not set	R1030Brake View	BR Brake van B808733, Seperated from R1030 Trainset	Awaiting Categorisation
OO Gauge (1:76 Scale)	Hornby	RTR/RTUse/Pre-assembled	Not set	R1036-B952016 View	20T Brake Van B952016 in BR Bauxite - split from set	Awaiting Categorisation
OO Gauge (1:76 Scale)	Hornby	RTR/RTUse/Pre-assembled	Not set	R1121BrakeVan View	BR 20 Ton Brake Van Split from 'Devon Flyer' Train Set	Awaiting Categorisation
OO Gauge (1:76 Scale)	Hornby	RTR/RTUse/Pre-assembled	Not set	R6148 View	20 Ton Boxed Brake Van B950866 in BR Bauxite	BR bauxite
OO Gauge (1:76 Scale)	Hornby	RTR/RTUse/Pre-assembled	Not set	R6289 View	Wagons - 4 x 20 ton ICI methanol tankers (differently numbered) & 1 x BR 20 ton brake van - Pack of 5	Awaiting Categorisation
OO Gauge (1:76 Scale)	Hornby	RTR/RTUse/Pre-assembled	Not set	R6357 View	Departmental 20T brake van	Awaiting Categorisation
OO Gauge (1:76 Scale)	Hornby	RTR/RTUse/Pre-assembled	Not set	R6365brake View	BR 20 ton brake van in BR bauxite - B952040 - Split from R6365 pack	Awaiting Categorisation
OO Gauge (1:76 Scale)	Hornby	Not set	Not set	R6931 View	20 ton brake van "Hornby 2019" yearly wagon	Freelance
OO Gauge (1:76 Scale)	Hornby	RTR/RTUse/Pre-assembled	Not set	R9690 View	Works Unit Van (Thomas the Tank range)	Thomas the Tank Engine
OO Gauge (1:76 Scale)	Hornby	RTR/RTUse/Pre-assembled	Not set	R9706-brake View	20 Ton brake van in BR bauxite (Thomas the Tank range) - Split from set	Thomas the Tank Engine
OO Gauge (1:76 Scale)	Mainline	RTR/RTUse/Pre-assembled	Not set	37140 View	20T Brake van in NE 178595 / 182030 in LNER brown	LNER brown
OO Gauge (1:76 Scale)	Mainline	RTR/RTUse/Pre-assembled	Not set	37155 View	20 ton brake van W68816 in BR brown	BR bauxite
OO Gauge (1:76 Scale)	Parkside Models	RTR/RTUse/Pre-assembled	Not set	PC14 View	Brake Van Kit	Awaiting Categorisation
OO Gauge (1:76 Scale)	Ratio	RTR/RTUse/Pre-assembled	Not set	5069 View	20-Ton Brake Van Kit	Awaiting Categorisation
OO Gauge (1:76 Scale)	Wrenn	RTR/RTUse/Pre-assembled	Not set	W4315 View	BR Mk1 Horse Box E96435 - 'Royden Stables'	BR plain green
N Gauge	Graham Farish	RTR/RTUse/Pre-assembled	Not set	1710wagon View	Brake Van 114926 in BR Grey	BR grey
N Gauge	Graham Farish	Not set	Not set	3001 View	Brake Van in LMS Brown	LMS bauxite
N Gauge	Graham Farish	Not set	Not set	3003 View	Brake Van in Southern Railway Brown	SR brown
N Gauge	Graham Farish	Not set	Not set	3105 View	Brake Van BR Grey 114920 114926	BR grey
N Gauge	Graham Farish	RTR/RTUse/Pre-assembled	Not set	3106 View	20 ton brake van M734658 in BR brown	Awaiting Categorisation
N Gauge	Graham Farish	RTR/RTUse/Pre-assembled	Not set	370-050Brake View	20t Brake Van NE151752 - Split from set	Awaiting Categorisation
N Gauge	Graham Farish	RTR/RTUse/Pre-assembled	Not set	370-202Brake View	20T Brake Van in Civil Engineers 'Dutch' Livery - Split from 'Civil Link' set	Civil Engineers 'Dutch'
N Gauge	Graham Farish	RTR/RTUse/Pre-assembled	Not set	373-300 View	20 Ton brake van in BR bauxite	BR bauxite
N Gauge	Graham Farish	RTR/RTUse/Pre-assembled	Not set	373-301 View	20 Ton Brake Van BR (M) Grey	Awaiting Categorisation
N Gauge	Graham Farish	RTR/RTUse/Pre-assembled	Not set	377-525 View	20 Ton brake van BR bauxite	BR bauxite
N Gauge	Graham Farish	RTR/RTUse/Pre-assembled	Not set	377-525A View	20 ton brake van B951094 in BR bauxite	BR bauxite
N Gauge	Graham Farish	RTR/RTUse/Pre-assembled	Not set	377-525B View	20 Ton Brake Van B953810 BR Bauxite (Early)	BR bauxite
N Gauge	Graham Farish	RTR/RTUse/Pre-assembled	Not set	377-525C View	20 Ton Brake Van B952497 in BR Bauxite (Early).	BR bauxite
N Gauge	Graham Farish	RTR/RTUse/Pre-assembled	Not set	377-526 View	20 Ton brake van BR (M) grey	BR grey
N Gauge	Graham Farish	RTR/RTUse/Pre-assembled	Not set	377-526A View	20 Ton brake van BR (M) grey B950884	BR grey
N Gauge	Graham Farish	RTR/RTUse/Pre-assembled	Not set	377-527 View	20 Ton brake van LNER, oxide	LNER brown
N Gauge	Graham Farish	RTR/RTUse/Pre-assembled	Not set	377-527A View	20 Ton Brake Van LNER Oxide	LNER brown
N Gauge	Graham Farish	RTR/RTUse/Pre-assembled	Not set	377-528 View	20 Ton Brake Van B952830 in BR bauxite (late) - weathered	BR bauxite
N Gauge	Lima	RTR/RTUse/Pre-assembled	Not set	L320405 View	20T BR Standard Brake Van B954521/B954524	Awaiting Categorisation
N Gauge	Lima	RTR/RTUse/Pre-assembled	Not set	L405 View	20T Standard Brake Van in BR Bauxite B954521	BR bauxite
N Gauge	Lone Star	RTR/RTUse/Pre-assembled	Not set	EL80 View	Brake Van	Awaiting Categorisation
N Gauge	Minitrix	RTR/RTUse/Pre-assembled	Not set	13570 View	20T Brake Van in BR Brown	BR bauxite
N Gauge	Minitrix	RTR/RTUse/Pre-assembled	Not set	13630 View	20 ton brake van B954817 in Railfreight livery	Railfreight grey (inc. Red Stripe)
N Gauge	Minitrix	RTR/RTUse/Pre-assembled	Not set	13636 View	20 ton brake van B972163 in Departmental livery	Awaiting Categorisation
N Gauge	Minitrix	RTR/RTUse/Pre-assembled	Not set	N501 View	BR Standard Brake Van B952698 in Brown	Awaiting Categorisation
N Gauge	Peco Products	RTR/RTUse/Pre-assembled	Not set	NR-28R View	Brake Van B954673 in Railfreight Red Grey	Railfreight grey (inc. Red Stripe)
O Gauge (1:43 Scale)	Bassett Lowke	RTR/RTUse/Pre-assembled	Not set	BL99039 View	20 Ton Brake Van BR brown with working rear light	BR bauxite
O Gauge (1:43 Scale)	Bassett Lowke	RTR/RTUse/Pre-assembled	Not set	BL99043 View	20 Ton Brake Van in LNER brown with working rear light	LNER brown
O Gauge (1:43 Scale)	Connoisseur Models	RTR/RTUse/Pre-assembled	Not set	PMK24 View	BR Standard Brake Van brass kit (requires wheels)	Awaiting Categorisation
O Gauge (1:43 Scale)	SkyTrex	RTR/RTUse/Pre-assembled	Not set	SMR42 View	20 ton brake van in BR bauxite	BR bauxite
O Gauge (1:43 Scale)	SkyTrex	RTR/RTUse/Pre-assembled	Not set	SMR42B View	BR Standard 20 ton brake van in departmental grey & yellow	Awaiting Categorisation
O Gauge (1:43 Scale)	Slaters	Requires assembly	Not set	7033Slaters View	LNER/BR 20 Ton Brake Van Kit	Awaiting Categorisation
HO Gauge (1:87 Scale)	Lima	RTR/RTUse/Pre-assembled	Not set	3152 View	20T Brake Van in BR Bauxite B954521	BR bauxite
G Scale	Bachmann - Thomas the Tank	RTR/RTUse/Pre-assembled	Not set	98021 View	Spiteful brake van - Thomas and Friends	Thomas the Tank Engine