[HM181]

The stoves in a Goods Brake Van threw out a massive amount of heat when running at 35mph.
This speed was as fast as a class 9 train could go.
In the top of the stove there is a depression in the casting where you put your mashing can.
If there was some good coal to be had, you could have the stove glowing red, and half way up the chimney pipe.
Some guards put detonators in the stove, and when they went off, shifted all the ash in the stove.
The problem with some brake vans was the gap in the floor boards which blew up your trouser legs.
In summer ok but on a winters night you could sit there and shiver.
When putting coal on this fire, you had to keep a firm hold on something, as class 9 trains were apt to throw you about the van.
These stoves were good for cooking onions wrapped up in tin foil or a tin of beans with the lid off.
On a Saturday night ballast train you made up the fire so it threw off a welding heat, wrapped your self up in the bullet proof black BR issue over coat. These coats would stop an exocet missle.
This was called getting a welder on, then if sleep overcame you so be it.
The last BV I rode in was a Shark on Christmas Week 1991. This journey was from Turners Lane, Wakefield to Neville Hill Depot at Leeds.
Sometimes at night, I would go out ont he verandah of the brake to check the tail/side lamps were lit, I then looked at the fire coming out of the BV stove. It would be about 6 inch high, that meant the stove was welding away correctly.