Brake Gangwayed

The Brake Gangwayed or BG coach (also known as a Full Brake) is a type of British Railways Mark 1 passenger brake van. It has a guard's compartment in the centre and two large areas either side for storing luggage. They were a very versatile type of coach and could be found all over the British Railways network and some are still in use today - although not in conventional use. The British Railways Mark 1 BG was shorter than most other types of Mark 1 coach – the BGs being 57 feet (17.37 m) whereas most other designs were 63 feet (19.20 m). This was so the BG could go everywhere unlike their other Mark 1 counterparts which were banned from some station platforms because of their length.

Due to the large space either side of the guard's compartment and relative 'ease' of conversion, several BGs on preserved railways have been converted for other uses. Three vehicles have been converted into disabled coaches, with one, 80776, on the Severn Valley Railway (which won the 1996 ARPS Coach Competition), a second, 80509, on the North Yorkshire Moors Railway, and a third, 80736, on the West Somerset Railway.

A second vehicle at the Severn Valley, 81013, has been converted for use as Santa's Grotto during December, as have two vehicles at the Embsay and Bolton Abbey Steam Railway, 81517, and 80830, and two vehicles at the Midland Railway - Butterley, 81020 and 81144, though these latter two are also used as disco coaches.

Elsewhere, three vehicles, 80654 at the Dean Forest Railway, 81033 at the North Norfolk Railway, and 80993 at the East Lancashire Railway, have all been converted into kitchen cars, with 80654 used as part of the café at Norchard Station, and 81033 and 80993 being an integral part of their respective line's dining trains, four vehicles, 80933 at the East Lancs, 81023 at West Coast Railways's base at Carnforth, 80903 at Eastleigh Arriva TrainCare, and 81448 at Crewe LNWR Heritage Company, have been converted into generator vans to provide on train heating, one vehicle at the Yorkshire Wolds Railway, 81305, has been converted into the site's static Visitors' Centre and Shop, one vehicle at the Bodmin & Wenford Railway, 80702, has been converted for use as a catering bar car in the line's dining set, and one vehicle at the National Railway Museum, 81025, has been converted into a static catering facility and given the name "Countess of York".

Additionally, vehicle number 81432, previously based at Crewe, is to be converted into a bar/kitchen car by the Spa Valley Railway sometime during 2018.