Motor Luggage Van (Class 419)
| Ten motor luggage vans (MLV) were built between 1959 and
1961 to provide sufficient luggage space on boat trains to and from the Kent
ports. Unlike their contemporaries the 4 Ceps/Beps, with whom they mostly
worked, they had a non gangwayed suburban cab. These unique vehicles had quite
a fascinating history. The first two, delivered in April/May 1959 had the
capability when marshalled intermediately within a train to convert air braking
on one side into vacuum braking on the other. A few trial runs were made in the
early 1960s with an EMU + MLV + Bulleid loco-hauled 3-set formation. All ten
units did however have vacuum exhausters and were able to haul vacuum braked
vans in the conventional way.
The second batch of eight were delivered between December 1960 and March 1961, all being in all-over multiple unit green and with no unit number (they did not have any for many years) shown on the end. The coach numbers 68001 - 68010 were in the usual location on the body sides. |
| Actual completion dates were as follows: 68001 25 April 1959 68002 5 May 1959 68003 23 December 1960 68004 29 December 1960 68005 4 January 1961 68006 16 January 1961 68007 24 February 1961 68008 9 March 1961 68009 14 March 1961 68010 28 March 1961 68001/2 were LOT number 30458 and 1957 'phase 1' units. 68003-10 were LOT number 30623 and 1957 'phase 2' units. |
| All were built at Eastleigh on frames from Ashford to
the standard length of 63' 6", overall length was 64' 6" over
bodywork with length over buffers (extended) was 67' 1". The cabs were 4' 2" deep and the Guards compartment was 6' 7" wide at the number 1 end of the vehicle (above the motor bogie). The remainder of vehicle was divided into two luggage compartments, the larger (at the No 1 end) being 27' 7" long, the smaller one 18' 6" long. Both had a pair of outward opening doors each side. The overall capacity of vans was 132 cubic yards, divided 80 and 52. Overall weight was 45 tons and load of 7 tons was permitted. Phase 2 units were built with conduits and wiring for AWS
equipment though this was not fitted until about 1985 (the first two were also
equipped at this time). The SR electrical codes were AF for 68001/2 and AF-1A
for remainder, all to Diagram No 498. |
 |
MLV 68006 seen leading a Dover Priory to Victoria train of
original 4 Cep stock at Shortlands Junction on 25th June 1973.
photograph by David Smith |
| This picture of an unidentified MLV also shows the same side
but from the No2 end. It is difficult to photograph an entire underframe
broadside!
photograph by David Smith |
 |
 |
Now the other side of an MLVs underframe, again in two parts,
this being on 68003, and here the Nº2 end.
photograph by David Smith |
| The Nº1 end of 68003's underframe.
photograph by David Smith |
 |
| The special feature of the MLVs was that they could work
over non electrified lines using battery power, mainly to allow them to proceed
onto the extremities of the pier lines at Folkestone and Dover. The MLVs could
work singly, hauling a limited load and in multiple with EP type stock. The vans were initially mainly restricted the South Eastern Division working boat trains from Victoria to the Channel Ports and also some internal mail trains overnight, sometimes hauling vans as part of these duties (from Ashford via Canterbury to Ramsgate was a regular turn with vans in tow). They also worked regularly to Newhaven Harbour. The amount of luggage and registered traffic on some boat trains was sufficient to require the use of two MLVs and a 2x MLV+12 Cep (or Cep+Bep+Cep) formation with a conductor rail index of 16 which was near the limit of the power supply and also had an excessive power to weight ratio. This led to the conversion of six former loco-hauled BGs at Selhurst during 1968 into Trailer Luggage Vans (TLVs) 68201 - 68206. These vehicles, with no cabs, were unpopular and caused shunting difficulties, particularly at Victoria and as traffic declined the TLVs were all withdrawn from this use in 1975, one MLV being adequate for all the traffic. By 1985, with a further decline in boat train traffic,
surplus MLVs were working more on mail trains and about this time all were
fitted with Speed Sensors, a device to prevent the driver selecting neutral on
the master controller above 6MPH without a full brake application being made,
thereby circumventing the 'deadmans handle'. The units were then able
to be used for 'Driver Only Operation' (Non-passenger) or DOO NP. An
agreement with the trade unions allowed lines to be cleared for such operation
only after a regular train had operated over them for a period of six months,
and therefore MLVs increased their sphere of activity quite considerably, with
regular diagrams from London Bridge to East Grinstead/Horsham and from Brighton
to Seaford/Littlehampton/Bognor whilst these routes were DOO cleared for ECS
trains. They ran singly and empty on these workings. |
 |
This picture of 419004 (68004) captures it not only during its
brief period in Royal Mail livery but also provides a very useful glimpse of
detail on its roof.
photograph by David Smith |
| The penultimate MLV 68009 (419 009), in "Jaffa Cake"
livery, seen on display at "Woking 150" 30th May 1988.
photograph by Colin Duff |
 |
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Also seen in in "Jaffa Cake" livery, MLV 419005 as
photographed at Dover Priory during summer 1988. This has the earlier version
of this livery, without the two black stripes bordering the orange band, as in
the above photograph.
photograph by Ian Fossey |
| Another colourful scheme in the life of a MLV! 419001 is
seen here in Royal Mail Livery on the 25th May 1989 just north of Gatwick
Airport.
photograph by David Smith |
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All photographs are copyright
This page was last updated 3 March 2004
