Post Office Stowage Van

British Rail Post Office Stowage Van
In service 1959–2004
Manufacturer BR Wolverton & York
Family name British Railways Mark 1
Number built 19 (new), 21 (converted)
Fleet numbers 80400–80439
Operator(s) British Rail(ways)
Specifications
Car length 64 ft 6 in (19.66 m)
Width 9 ft 3 in (2.82 m)
Height 12 ft 9 1⁄2 in (3.90 m)
Maximum speed 90–100 mph (145–161 km/h)
Weight 34–35 tonnes (33.5–34.4 long tons; 37.5–38.6 short tons)
Train heating Dual heat (steam and electric),
ETH 3 or 4
Bogies BR2 or B5
Braking system(s) Vacuum or Dual (Air & Vacuum)
Track gauge 4 ft 8 1⁄2 in (1,435 mm)

A Post Office Stowage Van is a type of rail vehicle built for use in a Travelling Post Office (TPO). Several of these have passed into preservation as they are very useful for storage on the railways.

Preservation

The preserved stowage vehicles are as follows:

Preserved BR Mk1 TPO Stowage Vehicles
Number TOPS Code Built Location Notes
80401 NTA 1959 Wolverton Great Central Railway Originally fitted with collection nets.
80402 NTA 1959 Wolverton Nene Valley Railway Originally fitted with collection nets.
80411 NTA 1966 York Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway Rebuilt from BSK 35003.
80413 NTA 1966 York Rushden, Higham & Wellingborough Railway Rebuilt from BSK 35004.
80417 NTA 1968 York Nene Valley Railway -
80423 NTA 1968 York Buckinghamshire Railway Centre -
80429 NTA 1973 York Colne Valley Railway -
80433 NTA 1976 Wolverton Strathspey Railway Rebuilt from SK 25150.
80435 NTA 1976 Wolverton Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway Rebuilt from SK 25117.
80437 NTA 1976 Wolverton Bo'ness & Kinneil Railway Rebuilt from SK 25068.
80438 NTA 1976 Wolverton Great Central Railway Rebuilt from SK 25139.

In addition, 80421 was also purchased for preservation by the Embsay and Bolton Abbey Steam Railway, but was scrapped in July 2008.

Pre-Nationalisation TPO Stowage Vehicles:

Number Company Built Location Notes
70268 LNER 1931 Dunkinfield Great Central Railway Converted from Pigeon Van in 1950
4958 Southern 1939 Ashford Mid Hants Railway -


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