Where Have I Been?? - Brake Van Diaries #22

[@gs425]

Just a tip....when repairing concrete make sure you damp the surface first else the concrete will dry before going off and crack. Better still coat the old surface with SBR beforehand and it'll be good as new.

[@WardleRestorations]

Thank you for the tips, as you can tell I’m no expert at laying concrete but hopefully that corner will last a couple of years, if not I’ll chip it out and try again…

[@gs425]

@@WardleRestorations it's always a pleasure to view your progress. I've only learnt by struggling and then getting advice from people who do it all day. You'll be ready to order the hammock for snoozing inside soon!

[@WardleRestorations]

@@gs425 just need to get the concrete sealed and painted, hopefully it lasts more than 5 mins 🤣

[@gs425]

@@WardleRestorations it'll be fine. You are doing a cracking job. Oops...I mean great job lol

[@WardleRestorations]

@@gs425 don’t jinx it 😂

[@simonchapman5611]

Takes me back 20 years to when I bought my LNER brake van of 1936 and had to do a similar rebuild job. The design is a forerunner of this BR standard design and after years of neglect was in a sorry state. As I did most of the repair work myself in the open air I can appreciate the time and effort taken, not to mention difficulties to overcome, to achieve the completed job. But it was worth it!

[@spectrumanalyzer3093]

I used to watch the guard riding the brake van on what must have been some of the last of the unfitted freights in the eighties. I used to think it was a great job, just enjoying the view and drinking tea but obviously there was a great deal more to the job than that. I would love to see a description of how a brake van was used and how the guard did his job and it would be great to hear some recollections from former brake van guards.

[@alexfalconer7551]

Fantastic project, I'm so jealous. If I won the lottery I would buy a Queen Mary Brake Van and use it for a Radio shack/ man cave. Well done you.🙂

[@WardleRestorations]

Glad you’re enjoying it! Plenty more episodes on the way 🙂

[@Menticknap]

Check out the BV Resto Yorkshire Wolds Railway have been doing. 5 years labour of love!

[@russellnixon9981]

Good progress, My top top hen painting the concrete, give it a coat of pva ( a glue , and dilute with water ) to seal and bond the surface together and stope the paint from constantly socking into it. You will get a much better finish. Looking so much better already. All the best.

[@andyallthings]

glad yore back dowing up the brake van whos wonderting whot whos happening keep gowing lad

[@davedrury1284]

Good to see you back. Just a tip. Make sure you seal the concrete before painting it

[@WardleRestorations]

Hope you enjoyed! Any product recommendations for sealing in concrete?

[@Britishbricks]

Missed these updates, glad to see your back mate!

[@WardleRestorations]

Thanks for the support! They won’t be too frequent until all my trainings done!

[@mels1811]

Wonderful video

[@WardleRestorations]

Thanks 👍

[@UndergroundEric]

Liked the intro. Looks good with some paint on it

[@WardleRestorations]

New camera FTW! Cheers dudeee

[@carolinecleaveley]

welcome back. saw your 66 on our trip to immingham last weekend.

[@WardleRestorations]

Hope you enjoyed it!

[@roberthocking9138]

I wondered where you were, thought you had abandoned ship. Good to se you back

[@WardleRestorations]

I could never abandon the brake van 😂 life gets in the way sometimes 👍

[@RailcarRestorers]

Looking good mate keep up the good work!

[@WardleRestorations]

Thanks guys!

[@hamshackleton]

Nice to see you back, Ollie. I assumed you'd gone quiet because you were busy with your main-line training! As you said - One job at a time! - and as you didn't say - Important ones first!

[@WardleRestorations]

One job pays for the other, hope for some more free time to get going with the brake 😂

[@TheDaf95xf]

Fantastic update on the break van 😊 so glad someone is saving what was once a very common site on BR 🤣 Good luck with your train driving training 👏🏻 Ollie 😊

[@WardleRestorations]

Glad you enjoyed it & thank you for watching! Yeh a once very common bit or rolling stock that can now only be found in Heritage!

[@Flymochairman1]

Great work Ollie. We'll catch up when you've got time. All the best with the Driving Course. Keep Safe, chap! Cheers!

[@piccadillyline9765]

Great update. I konw theres a lot of hard work to become a driver, I done it 25 years ago. Keep your head in the books and the outcome will be 110% worth it. Oh yes enjoy leaf fall season.

[@WardleRestorations]

I haven’t heard one good thing about leaf fall season 😂 glad you enjoyed the update!

[@nutsnbolts77]

Brake van is taking shape Ollie. Nice work so far.

[@WardleRestorations]

Thank you mate! And thanks for the continued support, means a lot 💚

[@carlgauntletttrains3026]

Hi Ollie, really enjoy the brake van videos. It was good to see the two locos running also. All the best. Carl.

[@WardleRestorations]

Hi Carl, glad you enjoyed it, hope to get more running footage in the future 👍

[@3brail34]

Great update video Ollie and nice to see you back. Van is looking good with the new paint going on and the new wood in the interior. Hope all goes well with the rest of your driving course. Look after yourself.

[@WardleRestorations]

Thanks for watching mate, it’s much appreciated & glad you enjoyed the update! 🙂👍

[@GWRailFan]

nice to see you back, massive Progress on the driving side, but got to see most of that on facebook, is great to see the brake van hast been forgotten

[@WardleRestorations]

Just need a few weeks of warm weather and it’s amazing what progress I’ll be able to make but can’t control the weather sadly 😂

[@maicimyoshikinewchannel5511]

Like 261👍👍👍👍 very nice video！

[@ModelTrainOutsider]

A full plate doesn't leave a lot of room for dessert, as we used to say when I was young. Great to see you back, but bigger things are occupier your time, successfully, I might add! Great work on the brake van... already so prime, especially where it was last year. Nice to see it all again!

[@WardleRestorations]

Yeh life does get in the way but hope to get plenty of time down the railway over the summer 👍

[@davidcook380]

Great to see your back Ollie mate , Vans looking great mate

[@WardleRestorations]

Thanks David, much appreciated

[@Living_Life_RN]

Glad to see you back at it again. You’ll soon need to update the intro with footage of you driving a 66!

[@WardleRestorations]

Yeh true! Need to update the intro with some more recent videos tbf!

[@TheScpotter]

Great update, Ollie. The brake van is really coming on and looking forward to seeing what you achieve over the summer. I can’t wait to see it in use at the CVR. Simon

[@WardleRestorations]

Me too mate I hope it doesn’t just become a giant doorstop but even if it does at least it will look the part! Glad you enjoyed it👍

[@brandonharris7516]

Wow reminded me of the ones from Thomas

[@WardleRestorations]

Does look like it!

[@brandonharris7516]

@@WardleRestorations yep

[@brianfalzon6739]

Wow, that’s interesting how Brakevans in the UK that are different compared to cabooses in the USA!

[@WardleRestorations]

Yeh although they served a similar purpose, very much nothing alike looks wise!

[@VivianMakin]

I think about this brake van once in a while wondering how things are progressing. I love brake vans even though we don't have them in the US. Cabooses have always been my favorite non-locomotive part of trains...in fact, my dad built us one as a playhouse when my sister & I were kids. I've ridden in a caboose on a local excursion line in Pennsylvania. Their purpose was different than brake vans, and I do prefer bay window style cabooses vs. the cupola style, which is why I like the looks of brake vans so much. Why do they use concrete on the ends?

[@petesspark]

add weight

[@WardleRestorations]

As Peter says above, concrete adds weight which helps give it its ‘20T’

[@johnblair8146]

A pressure washer would have blasted out that "garden" quite nicely.

[@WardleRestorations]

It would have but can’t get water to where it is!

[@Thomas-xb5eo]

Quick question. What's to become of the brake van once the restoration is finished? Is it going to be put in a good use again like the old times or is it going to be put on display like taking visitors a ride or put in a museum?

[@lewismeyer4452]

Any update?

[@WardleRestorations]

Literally watch recent video 👍

[@kellyashfordtrains2642]

The Driver's Eye View from the DMU is always something I like to get. Later this year, I'll be training to live a dream of my own: driving a Standard Gauge steam engine on the Cambrian Heritage Railway in Oswestry. Can you tell me what class the saddle tank engine I saw is? She looks like a slightly bigger version of the Andrew Barclay saddle tan engine. Spin me, Ollie, one more time.

[@WardleRestorations]

I have no idea what type of saddle tank it is, other than it’s called ‘Swordfish’. Hope you enjoyed and good luck with the driving!!