- An Extraordinary Survivor: A Victorian Brake Van which led a charmed life -

Some builds lead one on an astonishing journey of discovery to not just identify the origin of the vehicle concerned but also understand the incongruity of its history. Unpicking the background to this brake van was typical of that journey and took some considerable time. Its history is fascinating and in so many ways just as labyrinthine as that of many of the smaller railways which criss-crossed Wales during the latter years of the C19th.

It was common practice at that time for small, cash-strapped railway companies to replace their older or irrepairable stock by purchasing redundant vehicles from other companies. In South Wales, for eg, ancient locos and coaches from the Mersey Railway, the North London Railway, the Hull and Barnsley Railway and many others could be seen re-liveried, eking out their final days before finally succumbing to the torch many miles from their former homes.

One such Welsh concern was the short lived and hopelessly optimistic Capel Bach and Ystrad Cerrig Light Railway, eleven miles of rambling single track which took its name from two small villages, one at its terminus, the other at its junction with the Burry Port and Gwendraeth Railway near Pont-Henri, which gave it limited running powers to Burry Port for transhipment. Its main traffic was freight: coal and bricks, lime and some agricultural produce outward and general goods inward. Even by light railway standards the line was poorly maintained and under-capitalised and it ran in an irregular way for just nine years [1907-1916], its final closure being forced upon it by the BP&GVR following a dispute over fees and the brake van featured in this article.

The CP&YCLR had little general stock and just one brake van, the vehicle featured in this build. Originally a North British Railway vehicle, and known as a ‘Kipps’ brake van, it was one of a pair built by the NBR for incline use and then rebuilt as ten-tonners following the cessation of cable haulage on the Cowlairs Incline [1908]. One continued in use by the NBR and later by the LNER for some time whilst the other, this one, was purchased by the CP&YCLR. The purchase date is not known, but it would have been after 1908. The header photo shows the van used by the LNER in later years and the initials of that railway can just be made out.

The CB&YCLR was forced into Receivership by the BP&GVR as a result of non-payment of charges for siding occupation and transhipment fees. Unable to pay, and subsequent mediation failing, the CB&YCLR was unable to operate further as its only brake van had been seized in lieu, effectively trapping the company’s freight stock at Burry Port. Further, concern over the safety of the line’s bridge at Pont Gwilym, badly damaged in a storm, forced the railway to file for bankruptcy with little more than the scrap value of its track and single loco to its name. It was insufficient to repay the creditors and the CB&YCLR disappeared into the dust of railway history. I have not been able to discover anything further about this railway but a copy of the Light Railway Order will be lodged with either the PRO or the NRM and the details of its bankruptcy proceedings could be found within the pages of The London Gazette.

And the brake van? The BP&GVR put it to good use and it was eventually absorbed into the GWR at the 1923 Grouping. It was not viewed fondly by the new company however and quickly put aside for scrapping near Swansea East Dock Shed. There it languished for some years until it was seen by chance by the Shed Manager of Dan-y-Graig Shed. He saw the potential in the shed having a small brake attached for use on occasional stores trains and arranged for it to be transferred to him for minor repairs and re-livery. This was probably an informal, unofficial arrangement. It is known to have been used at least twice in the Swansea area before its aging shortcomings became too great for continued use. Its scrapping date was not recorded and, with that fate, went an astonishing survivor of the railway fever which once gripped the UK.

And, so, to the restoration. This was the starting point, an absolute basket case purchased in a 2018 club stock sale for £2, largely because it looked too interesting to leave on the table. And anyway, who else was going to buy it?

The old plastic wheel sets, running in Peco bucket-sized bearings, had been removed prior to the photo, as had the bent step boards. There was no roof.

I did nothing with it until 2024 when I decided to rebuild it in GWR colours [it came labelled ‘GVR’, possibly for the Gwendraeth Valley Railway?]. The model was the remnant of a white-metal kit manufactured by the long-defunct Model Wagon Company, but its prototype origins were unknown to me at the time of purchase. It took the next six years to unravel the story above. Work on the kit also commenced sometime before the header photo had been found, so a degree of supposition followed. The van’s GWR running number is not known.

The rebuild was fairly straightforward as the photos below show and whilst it is not a completely faithful representation of the prototype, it is nevertheless recognisable and is a pleasingly unique conversation piece. And I’m pretty damn sure that I’ll never see another one, either.

The left-hand image above shows the body cleaned up and sprayed in a first coat of primer. The roof bracing at the veranda end has been recreated and a number of handrails applied. The wheels have been inserted temporarily prior to fitting V-hangers and cobbled-up brake gear. Lamp brackets have also been attached. A brake stanchion has been fitted within the veranda.

The right-hand image shows the foot boards reinstated and their hangers applied. The brakes are now in place. These were difficult to create as the model appears to have a 9ft. wheelbase and I had no gear shorter than that for a ten-footer to hand. Consequently, I had to cannibalise some old Coopercraft ones. Note that the model came with different buffing gear fore-and-aft.

Above, the completed model with a roof in place and painted and lettered. For the final photo below, the plastic roof has been replaced with a thinner and slightly larger card one which allows for a little more overhang all around. I will also look for some 3mm [TT] GWR numeral sheets to apply more accurate running numbers. The lamps by the way are of equal vintage to the model and maybe even older. They were made by the equally long-defunct Kenline.

And there you have it. This white-metal kit does not match the quality and sharpness in casting of, say, D&S Models or the kits produced by George Mellor and ABS Models. It still has charm however and captures the rugged, almost locally-built appearance of the prototype and I believe it to be the only example made in kit form.