GWR 'Toad' brake van Profile and Models

The GWR Toad is a class of railway brake van, designed by and built for the Great Western Railway. Used by the GWR from 1894, and post-1947 by the Western Region of British Railways, its role was a safety brake on goods trains in the West of England, the Midlands and Wales. The nickname "Toad" was derived from the GWR's telegraphic code for a brake van, with each bespoke Toad model allocated diagrams in the AA series. The standard GWR brake van design dates from 1894, with many varieties were built between 1894 and the early 1950s. No longer in operational use on the mainline, a number have survived through preservation and on many heritage railways, owing to the design, which incorporates a long, open veranda and large enclosed cabin; this makes the Toad an ideal, cheap, and versatile passenger carriage.

(Information provided via Wikipedia)

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