How was the Dornoch Branch able to run without a brake vehicle?

[Iskra]

Photos of the Dornoch branch often show short trains running without a brake vehicle in the consist. Does anyone know why this was and how it was permitted?

The photos I’m thinking of usually show a single composite carriage and a freight van or two.

 

[EyeKay]

Perhaps it was a brake composite. The photos I’ve found on google appear to show a small brake compartment at one end. I guess if the goods wagon was vacuum braked as well then it would be acceptable.

 

[Cowley]

Photos of the Dornoch branch often show short trains running without a brake vehicle in the consist. Does anyone know why this was and how it was permitted?

The photos I’m thinking of usually show a single composite carriage and a freight van or two.

There’s quite a few photos online if you search for Pannier Tank at Dornoch, but most of them are on Facebook. There’s also an Rmweb thread which has a few photos on the second page here:

https://www.rmweb.co.uk/topic/163430-dornoch-train/

There’s some useful details in the thread, but also some photos on the second page and the coach looks to me like a Stanier coach with a small brake section at one end. Not sure if it’s a composite or not because I haven’t had a chance to have a proper read yet.

 

[Gloster]

I believe that they were LMS Brake Composites to Diagram 1704, including one or two that were later rebuilt with a more modern appearance. They had two First, four Second Compartments and a small van area: quite sufficient for the branch. There are diagrams on .steve-banks.org in the Prototype & traffic area.

 

[Iskra]

Thanks all for the response