Brake Vans

  CGI Series= |-|Model Series= |-|Railway Series=   BR Standard 20 Ton   Railway Series=   NER 20 Ton Brake Vans   Model Series=   The Differently Brake Van   CGI Series= |-|Model Series=   SR 25 Ton "Pillbox" <table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="4" style="float:right; margin:0 0 .5em 1em; width:350px; background:#666666; border-collapse:collapse border:1px solid #666666; font-size:smaller; line-height:1.5; "><tr style="text-align:center; background:#666666;"> <td colspan="2" style="padding:0; background:#FFFFFF; color:666666;"> Model Series= <tr style="color:#FFFFFF; background:#666666; font-size:larger;">  The Oldest Brake Van <table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="4" style="float:right; margin:0 0 .5em 1em; width:350px; background:#995500; border-collapse:collapse border:1px solid #995500; font-size:smaller; line-height:1.5; "><tr style="text-align:center; background:#995500;"> <td colspan="2" style="padding:0; background:#FFFFFF; color:#995500;"> CGI Series= |-|Railway Series= <tr style="color:#FFFFFF; background:#995500; font-size:larger;">  LMS 20 Ton Brake Vans <table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="4" style="float:right; margin:0 0 .5em 1em; width:350px; background:#666666; border-collapse:collapse border:1px solid #666666; font-size:smaller; line-height:1.5; "><tr style="text-align:center; background:#666666;"> <td colspan="2" style="padding:0; background:#FFFFFF; color:#666666;"> CGI Series= |-|Model Series= |-|Railway Series= <tr style="color:#FFFFFF; background:#666666; font-size:larger;">  GWR "Toads" <table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="4" style="float:right; margin:0 0 .5em 1em; width:350px; background:#cbcbcb; border-collapse:collapse border:1px solid #cbcbcb; font-size:smaller; line-height:1.5; "><tr style="text-align:center; background:#cbcbcb;"> <td colspan="2" style="padding:0; background:#FFFFFF; color:#cbcbcb;"> CGI Series= <tr style="color:#FFFFFF; background:#cbcbcb; font-size:larger;">  W&LLR Brake Vans <table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="4" style="float:right; margin:0 0 .5em 1em; width:350px; background:#FF0000; border-collapse:collapse; border-collapse:collapse border:1px solid #FF0000; font-size:smaller; line-height:1.5; "><tr style="text-align:center; background:#0080FF;"><td colspan="2" style="padding:0; background:white; color:#FF0000;"> Books= <tr style="color:#FFFF00; background:#FF0000; font-size:larger;">  Cabooses The brake van, also known as the guard's van, guard's car or the caboose (in American narrations), is an important part of every goods train.

It carries the Guard and 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.

Basis
Several different types of standard gauge brake vans have been seen on the North Western Railway: BR Standard 20 Ton vans, NER 20 Ton vans, Southern Railway 25 Ton "Pillbox" vans, LMS 20 Ton vans, GWR "Toads" and narrow gauge Welshpool & Llanfair Light Railway vans scaled up to standard gauge (albeit still carrying narrow gauge "chopper"-type couplings and lacking buffers)

Livery
Most brake vans are painted a shade of grey, green or brown.

Trivia

 * A few brake vans are on display; one at Drayton Manor along with a model of Toad, one at the British Museum, and a few at the Hara Model Railway Museum.
 * To date, only four brake vans have been named: Beatrice, Cora, Toad and Bradford. They, along with The Spiteful Brake Van, The Elderly Brake Van and The Old Guard's Van are so far the only known brake vans to have faces. A brake van was briefly seen with a face in the second season episode, A Close Shave. Another brake van with a face appeared in the Railway Series pop-up book, James the Red Engine and the Troublesome Trucks.
 * Between the eighth and fifteen seasons, brake vans were rarely seen. Since the sixteenth season, brake vans have been seen more often.
 * The brake vans seen from the first to the fifth season were made out of modified Tenmille gauge one kits. These kits are still distributed by Tenmille today.
 * In most of the merchandise ranges, the brake vans are portrayed as American cabooses.

Merchandise

 * Wooden Railway (as a caboose; red, yellow, musical, Halloween, Day Out with Thomas 2007 Exclusive and Christmas/Holiday versions)
 * Motor Road and Rail (discontinued outside Asia)
 * TrackMaster
 * Lionel Trains (as a caboose)
 * Take Along (as a caboose; discontinued)
 * Take-n-Play (as a caboose)
 * Thomas Engine Collection Series (with Post coach; discontinued)
 * Bachmann (HO and large scale)
 * Hornby (two versions; brown and grey (grey discontinued))
 * Pocket Fantasy (discontinued)