GWR 16 Ton Brake Vans

The GWR 16 Ton Brake Vans are a type of goods brake van. The North Western Railway owns a limited supply of these vans.

These are added to the back of a goods train and a guard rides in it. Each brake van is equipped with a strong brake to assist with slowing and stopping the train. From here, the guard can keep an eye on the train in case of problems, such as hot axle boxes, or trucks becoming uncoupled while running.

The Railway Series
Toad, a GWR brake van, escaped from scrap on the Other Railway along with Oliver and Isabel. The stowaways where rescued Douglas, whom brought them to Sodor. Toad was restored and repainted in full Great Western colors.

Thomas & Friends
One of these brake vans was used as part of The Circus Train. The brake van carried the circus performers and brass band members. Thomas was given the task of pulling the train and was told to share the load due to its weight. However, as he wanted all the glory, so tried to pull the train all by himself. When his side-rods broke from the strain of pulling the heavy train, James and Percy came to the rescue. James took the brakevan of performers for Thomas.

Several of scrapped brake vans have been seen at the Scrapyards, the Sodor Ironworks and Bertram's Old Mine.

Personality
Toad is the only known sentient brake van of this design in both the Railway Series and television series.

Toad the Brake Van:

Basis
These brake vans are based on the real GWR 16 ton brake vans. Toad share the same basis.

Early vans were just 10 or 16 tons weight, but this gradually increased to 20 and 25 tons. A number of these brake vans survive in preservation.

Livery
These brake vans are painted grey. Toad and the Circus brake van both have "GW 56831" written on their side in white.

There are also scrap variants of these brake vans seen in a rusty and deteriorated brown colour with "SCRAP" written on the sides in white.

Appearances
Television Series= {{Scroll box|

Thomas & Friends

 * Season 6 - James and the Red Balloon (deleted scene cameo)
 * Season 7 - Emily's New Coaches (cameo),
 * Season 8 - Thomas and the Circus (cameo)

Specials

 * 2005 - Calling All Engines! (music video cameo)

A scrap model appeared throughout the fifth to ninth seasons. It also appeared in the 2000 movie, Thomas and the Magic Railroad.

Music Videos
{{Scroll box|
 * Calling All Engines! - Busy (cameo)
 * Season 9 - Party Time (cameo)
 * -|Other Media=

Books
}}
 * 2006 - Thomas, James and the Red Balloon (cameo)
 * 2009 - Thomas and the Circus (cameo)

Trivia

 * To date, Toad is the only known brake van of this design to have face.
 * The GWR brake van model that appears in the television series is actually Toad's model but faceless. The scrap variant is also a faceless model of Toad, this first appeared as the character in Escape.
 * Another model of a grey GWR brake van without any white lettering is currently on display at Drayton Manor. This brake van has never appeared onscreen in the television series.

Merchandise

 * Pocket Fantasy (discontinued)