Steam Generator Van in England!

[201bhoy]

I didn't know some of the Cravens generator vans had gone to England here's a pic of one on a railtour

[snapper]

As far as I remember they got 4, 3184,3177,3172,3178. I remember hearing that 2 were scrapped but I cant remember what numbers they were.

[snapper]

ah found it, they still have 3172 and 3178. 3184 was scrapped and 3177 is at the Strathspey Railway in Scotland.

The cravens vans (known as BR vans) were originally converted from BR brake coaches.

 

 

3171 (21140)

3172 (21138)

3173 (21146)

3174 (21143)

3175 (21196)

3176 (21137)

3177 (34227)

3178 (34590)

3179 (34677)

3180 (34378)

3181 (34581)

3182 (34685)

3183 (34687)

3184 (34566)

3185 (34093)

3186 (34757)

3187 (34012)

3188 (34701)

3189 (34264)

3190 (34262)

3191 (34076)

3192 (34565)

Edited August 4, 2012 by snapper
add numbers

[201bhoy]

ah found it, they still have 3172 and 3178. 3184 was scrapped and 3177 is at the Strathspey Railway in Scotland.

The cravens vans (known as BR vans) were originally converted from BR brake coaches.

 

 

3171 (21140)

3172 (21138)

3173 (21146)

3174 (21143)

3175 (21196)

3176 (21137)

3177 (34227)

3178 (34590)

3179 (34677)

3180 (34378)

3181 (34581)

3182 (34685)

3183 (34687)

3184 (34566)

3185 (34093)

3186 (34757)

3187 (34012)

3188 (34701)

3189 (34264)

3190 (34262)

3191 (34076)

3192 (34565)

 

Ah right cheers for the info

[islandbridgejct]

Those vans were generator / steam vans (GSVs). They had a generator for electric lighting and a steam boiler for steam heating. The Cravens coaches had 'train line' lighting and a 'TL' suffix on their numbers in the late 80s, which meant they needed a light source because they didn't have a dynamo fitted beneath the coach. Some other coaches also had the TL suffix, but I can't remember which. The advantage was that, when your engine broke down, you weren't left sitting in the dark. I think the Park Royals and laminates had the dynamo, and worked with a heating / luggage van (HLV), but I wouldn't be sure on that. There were some coaches that had storage heaters for working the Ballina branch without a van. Oliver Doyle and Stephen Hirsch's first edition of Locomotives and Rolling Stock of CIE and NIR had all the details.

 

Alan

[charlie petty]

Think its on the Great Central preserved railway as non I believe are mainline certifiied

[wiggy]

Think its on the Great Central preserved railway as non I believe are mainline certifiied

 

They have been at the GCR for a number of years now.

I took some photo's for John at Silverfox before he brought out the model to get the roof correct.

They were at Quorn & Woodhouse car park with no bogies standing on wooden sleepers for months

I have been looking for the photo's but think I have lost them.

Wiggy.

[Broithe]

From Google Earth..

 

[Mayner]

Those vans were generator / steam vans (GSVs). They had a generator for electric lighting and a steam boiler for steam heating. The Cravens coaches had 'train line' lighting and a 'TL' suffix on their numbers in the late 80s, which meant they needed a light source because they didn't have a dynamo fitted beneath the coach. Some other coaches also had the TL suffix, but I can't remember which. The advantage was that, when your engine broke down, you weren't left sitting in the dark. I think the Park Royals and laminates had the dynamo, and worked with a heating / luggage van (HLV), but I wouldn't be sure on that. There were some coaches that had storage heaters for working the Ballina branch without a van. Oliver Doyle and Stephen Hirsch's first edition of Locomotives and Rolling Stock of CIE and NIR had all the details.

 

Alan

 

Up to the introduction of the TL system most coaches would have had a dynamo and batteries for lighting, a few gas lit ex GSWR coaches may have lasted into the early 70s, while a SLNCR Hurst Nelson bogie coach built in the 1920s which was intended for day-time use was never fitted with lighting.

 

The TL lighting system was supposed to be cheaper to maintain than battery and dynamo, but I am not sure if anyone factored in the fuel and maintenance costs on the generators, let alone the noise pollution.

 

The Loughrea and Ballina coaches were fitted with storage heaters mainly to avoid having to haul a HLV around. Loughrea was worked from the mid 1960s by a G Class with a relatively modern Laminate Brake End.

 

Ballina lost its branch train and main line connections around the same time but the service was re-instated in the 1970s initially with a through Ballina Coach attached to the down morning and up evening Dublin-Westport services and later a connecting servicce between ballina and Claremorris.

 

CIE fitted an early 1950s Bredin style Brake End and a Laminate coach with storage heating and bus style seating for thee Ballina Branch, but seem to have gone over to Park Royal later Craven and GSV operation by the mid 1980s.

[DJ Dangerous]

On 4/8/2012 at 9:17 AM, snapper said:

ah found it, they still have 3172 and 3178. 3184 was scrapped and 3177 is at the Strathspey Railway in Scotland.

The cravens vans (known as BR vans) were originally converted from BR brake coaches.

 

 

3171 (21140)

3172 (21138)

3173 (21146)

3174 (21143)

3175 (21196)

3176 (21137)

3177 (34227)

3178 (34590)

3179 (34677)

3180 (34378)

3181 (34581)

3182 (34685)

3183 (34687)

3184 (34566)

3185 (34093)

3186 (34757)

3187 (34012)

3188 (34701)

3189 (34264)

3190 (34262)

3191 (34076)

3192 (34565)

 

...And 3177 is off to Heating Van Heaven:

 

 

Edited September 11, 2023 by DJ Dangerous

[Niles]

Only seen it there a few weeks ago, glad I snapped it now