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I didn't realise standing in the windowless bit was a thing at all, I've never been on one but all those I've seen seemed to have everyone standing outside on the "verandah"!
I certainly wouldn't pay to stand inside with no view!
I've been on the Scuthorpe brake van tours, stood on the veranda for most of the 2 hour or so trip, only went inside to warm up on the stove, it was late October!
There should be more stock either verandahs on heritage and industrial tour lines.
Common in other countries even on mainline.
I miss the open air of a brake van trip as only fledgling lines normally do them until passenger numbers increase to full coach levels then they seem to stop them.
They get a lot fewer paying passengers in, and these days would need a volunteer in each van as well. That said Dean Forest Railway advertise trips, typically when they have a demonstration freight out.
I will only ever do Scunthorpe on a brakevan and am permanently in the veranda, if it’s the 4 hour trip you do a couple of hours then a rest at the shed for a cuppa and snack along with a look around and then back on the brakevan for the final part , you don’t miss out on anything neither as that is how it’s scheduled
You're not trapped inside (on any of the ones I'm familiar with). You can see everything. It's like a motorbike/bicycle V car/bus - sure it's not as comfy but the visceral experience is far more involving.
I understand why many would prioritise comfort but can you not understand it the other way around? Your avatar suggests you are used to outdoors discomfort
The GCR (and others) offer Freight Train "experiences" which involve travel in brake vans, but there are bench seats inside. Most people enjoy standing outside though for the 30 min trips.
Our Windcutter volunteers had such a ride a few weeks ago to thank them for their hard work in restoring the 16T mineral wagons and keeping them running.
The only time I've ridden in brake vans was at the Heritage Shunter Trust's gala last year. Most of us were on the verandahs as experiencing haulage by unusual classes was the point (01/02/03/05/06/09 - their 04* had decided to sulk so the 09 was deputising. But i can quite see that track-bashing in a brake van may have less appeal.
(* They actually have five, but only one was supposed to be working that day)
From previous experience yes, but it tends to be busy cause let's be honest - those of us doing this sort of thing fall into two categories - those who are up and honest about wanting to pretend in our head that we're crew for a bit and those of us trying to hide and it fooling no one
At the Ecclesbourne Valley Railway diesel gala last year I took the opportunity to stand on the veranda of the "Toad" brake van while 08168 (Running as D3236) took us up and down the incline.
They couldn't fit everyone on, so had to run a relief service and few minutes later.
Just part of the normal service - no special booking or extra payment required.
I very much enjoy brake van trips and now go out of my way to take then whenever available. Apart from the different experience, and usually rare haulage (ie shunting locos), it gives one a feel, in a small way, for what freight guards experienced; How they survived a ride of any distance in a Shark (in particular) is beyond me!
My partner and I (no dogs) did the Scunthorpe trip in 2022
At the time the option of booking exclusive use of a veranda was £60.00 which we paid ( Now £100!)
The railway kindly supplied a chair as one of us needed to sit and have space
A chap with what I assume was his grandson came onto our veranda and was not best pleased at being chased back inside.
Was I being mean in doing so?
The trip was really interesting and a totally unique experience.
I also had a very short breakvan trip at Alresford station on the Watercress last year
"Working" brake vans in SW Wales were invariably fitted with rock hard seats , and none too clean either. Still , picking up coal spillage for stove use was always well received ! - when an ex LMS van turned up - they invariably got rid of it by depatching "home" towards Severn Tunnel Junction.
I very much enjoy brake van trips and now go out of my way to take then whenever available. Apart from the different experience, and usually rare haulage (ie shunting locos), it gives one a feel, in a small way, for what freight guards experienced; How they survived a ride of any distance in a Shark (in particular) is beyond me!
Long ago, the Southern Region used to keep much of its fleet at Meldon Quarry and they would run with the ballast wagons from there to wherever they would be stabled in preparation for work, with the Shark acting as the brake van en route. The Shark has a 9’ wheelbase, so the guards must have just loved rolling up the West of England main line in one of them.
Long ago, the Southern Region used to keep much of its fleet at Meldon Quarry and they would run with the ballast wagons from there to wherever they would be stabled in preparation for work, with the Shark acting as the brake van en route. The Shark has a 9’ wheelbase, so the guards must have just loved rolling up the West of England main line in one of them.
Never an easy choice for organisers of preserved events I guess. Maximise the body count, and they maximise their ££ return on ticket sales, which is understandable.
Some punters (loco bashers) just want haulage, so it may not matter to many of same if they're crammed inside a brake van I guess, but others (myself included) would prefer to have space to move around and share the views from the veranda's, or be able to take a seat next to one of the duckets, assuming someone had taken the time to clean the brake dust off the glass (nigh on impossible in my experience, cleaning the ducket window glass that is!).
May be the numbers (of passengers) should be restricted to the total amount that can be accommodated on both veranda's, so everyone has a chance to enjoy the views and space to move around?
Having ridden on several types, SR pillbox and Queen Mary's in the course of my job, and standard BR 20T, and LM 20T in preservation, the Queen Mary's are IMHO by far the best for maximising space on the veranda's, given their design.
Here's a pic I took of a trio giving rides at the Woking 150 event back in 1988.
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The only time I've ridden in brake vans was at the Heritage Shunter Trust's gala last year. Most of us were on the verandahs as experiencing haulage by unusual classes was the point (01/02/03/05/06/09 - their 04* had decided to sulk so the 09 was deputising. But i can quite see that track-bashing in a brake van may have less appeal.
Haven't been for a few years now, but was more active in their early days at Chapeltown, before the move to Meadowhall etc, when D2284 ex NCB, was their only usable diesel for a couple of fledgling open days.
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If you paid up in advance for specific sole use of a certain space, then no, not at all. That 'space' should have been designated/taped off/shown as reserved, whatever.
PS: given my point above, had the chap concerned politely asked you if his grandson could join you on the veranda for a few minutes, then that's a different matter, and I doubt anyone would refuse such a polite request. I certainly wouldn't.
Have you never travelled around a tight(ish) curve in a Pacer? I imagine Scunthorpe Steel Works would have a few tight curves so the flange noise would soon have you reaching for the ear defenders.
Much as I like to sit down, if those were the only choices, I'd rather stand and keep my hearing.
So was the screeching on the curve on the down main into Hartlepool. In fact this stretch of track was used in both directions in the days of Pacers, when only one through platform was in use.
Bakerloo out of Oxford circus (as one example?)...
But getting back to brake vans rides, one of mine, on business, during the transfer of 1938 LUL stock from Ruislip to the SWD for future Island Line use, and posted before;
The locations I remember are round the east end of the Circle line, but if that's going north it will be one as I certainly went on that line to that station many times. I also loved seeing a met line train heading south from Chorleywood at night (seen from Common Road just before the sharp bend over the railway), with all the flashes and flickers. I thought it a bit like a dragon! I also remember vaguely when we had to change engines at Rickmansworth to electric, and when the Master Cutler came along that line.
That's correct, it was either entering or departing the Northbound platform. I'm assuming entering, as changing to the Northbound Vic was a regular move.
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