BR 94157 General Utility Van

BR 94157 General Utility Van
BR 94157 20160921.jpg
BR General Utility Van 94157
Built By BR St Rollox
Status Static use
Number 94157
Livery BR Maroon
Other numbers M86523, M93523, 95157
History
Built 1958
Diagram 811
Lot 30402
Type GUV
TOPS code NKJ/NKA
Seats None
2006 Preserved

Carriages

94157 is a BR Mark 1 General Utility Van. These vehicles were built for use on express passenger services as well as parcels and freight trains, and were classed as Non Passenger Carrying Coaching Stock. The side doors allowed loading of containerised mail and parcels and newspapers. The GUVs were 'through piped' for use on steam heated services, although they were not themselves steam heated.[1]

Contents

Service

General Utility Van (GUV) 94157 was originally numbered 86523 when built by BR in 1958 at St Rollox.[2] It entered service in December 1958 as part of a batch of standard GUVs shared between York and Glasgow, for which it carried the number M86523. It had a TOPS classification of NJV, 'V' indicating that it was vacuum braked and 'J' fitted for electrical train heating.

Rolling stock in the 86nnn range was renumbered under TOPS in the 1980s, possibly to prevent confusion by clerical staff with numbers issued to Class 86 electric locomotives, and M86523 became M93523 in March 1984.[3] A rebuild for use as a containerised mail van (100 mph) resulted in a further renumbering as 95157 in June 1992,[4] later renumbered as 94157 in September 1994.[5] This configuration included roller shutter doors, steel floors and plated over windows; the TOPS code NKA also indicating fitting with air brakes only[6] It is equipped with commonwealth bogies.[7]

Preservation

94157 and 94200 (earlier 86207) were declared surplus to requirements by EWS Railways at Old Oak Common in 2006. They were delivered to Kidderminster on 13 March 2006, having been acquired by SR 34027 Taw Valley owner Phil Swallow to keep parts secure during the locomotive’s overhaul.[6]

The photograph below shows 94157 in March 2015 at Bridgnorth MPD where it is used by the Department as a storage vehicle. In 2016 it received an overhaul and repaint into BR maroon livery.[8]

See also

References

  1. SVR Stock Book 9th Edition
  2. Longworth (2013) p.201.
  3. Longworth (2013) p.222.
  4. Longworth (2013) p.236.
  5. Longworth (2013) p.232.
  6. 6.0 6.1 SVR News 155
  7. Railway Heritage Register Carriage Survey
  8. SVR News 194 p. 14.

Links