Goods Train Formation
 

Hi, can someone please clarify for me,on the NVR on Sunday 12th September
a demonstration unfitted goods train ran with a single brake van mustered next to the loco. I note that there is already a clip of this on u tube.Is this acceptable practice? I would have thought that there was potential for a mishap if a wagon, for whatever reason, broke away and a passenger train, which in this instance was already delayed, followed on. I grew up in the steam era and cannot ever remember seeing such an incident, sometimes if there was more than one brake van one would indeed be next to the loco but there was still always the one at the end of the train. I am of course just a casual observer with a keen interest in railways so just because I never saw it does not meen it never happened, so please enlighten me, acceptable or not?

The problem with trainspotters is they take risks where they should not.
I do not know the road at this location, but you have a BV on a train to stop the trucks rolling backwards should a coupling break, or if a train divides.
There has been a lot of this on the mainline, where contractors vehicles have run away down Shap, and fatalities ensue.
If I had run a loose coupled train without a BV in the rear, with me init, I would have been sacked straight away with no excuses.
This sounds to me like people playing at trains, without the knowledge to know what they are doing.
Report if to the HMI and see what happens.

I don't know which rule book the Nene Valley Railway work to but the British Railways 1950 one says the following in rule 153.

(a) A freight train must not be run on any running line beyond station limits without a brake van in rear, unless authorised by the Operating Superintendent.
(b) Where a freight train is authorised to run without a brake van in rear, a brake van, or other suitable vehicle, for the use of the man in charge of such train, must be attached-when it can be conveniently done- as near to the rear of the train as practicable. Where no such vehicle is available the man may ride on the engine. A tail signal must be carried on the last vehicle.

It would seem that if authorised by the Nene Valley's Operating Superintendent it would have been perfectly acceptable. As I said above , I don't know which rule book the Nene Valley adopted back in, was it 1976? when they opened?

I don't have a gradient profile for the Nene Valley Railway, but would estimate the ruling gradient to be approx 1 in 1500, it's damn near flat all the way.

Regards, 62440.

Does the NVR run under a Light Railway Order? Possibly it would have its own rule book though I would have thought it would have to have approved by the HMRI

Well there you go....says it all about people playing at being railwaymen !!

If they want to do it they should at least do it right, I hope someone has put them right now !

I wish I could be a manager on one of these toy railways I really do.

I am on a roll now, I had better go before I get a Form 1 from Admin.

48111

What are the rules about propelling on the big railway?

Was the train fully fitted? If it was then there is probably no need for a brake van to be at the rear of the train, this is only necessary of some or all of the train is unfitted. In the case of partial fitted trains the fitted wagons would be marshalled next to the engine with the unfitted portion in the rear.

goods train formation
 

No, as stated in my original question ,it was unfitted.

Ah right, my apologies, should really get on with work rather than skim reading here!