About 250 of this type of full brake were built by the LNWR between 1890 and 1898 for use on express passenger trains. Ninety-five survived until after the LMS renumbering scheme of 1933. The last one in capital stock was No. 33888, withdrawn in 1952. Our vehicle, the original number of which is not known, lasted in service until the late 1960s as a Carriage and Wagon Department store van, during which time it carried the number DM279982. When the Carriage and Wagon people had finished with it they abandoned it at Wolverton. There it was noticed by a QRS member, who approached British Rail with a view to purchase. British Rail headquarters did not even know it existed and were most surprised at the enquiry!. However they were pleased to arrange a sale to the Great Central Coach Group, who brought it to Quainton on 10th April 1976. In July of that year the QRS purchased the vehicle and it has since given sterling service on the vintage train.

After purchase it was moved from Wolverton to Bletchley by rail, then onward to Quainton by road, arriving at Quainton 10 days before the Easter open days of that year. This short time was taken to fitted vacuum brake standpipe and valve, and handbrake, and all the brake system overhauled. The brake appeared in the vintage train that Easter, still in its rather unkempt dull red departmental livery.

During recent renovation work, a chalked date of 14 January 1954 was discovered, indicating the date of replacing the original mahogany panelling with tongue and grove boards. Wolverton frequently had problems with mahogany splitting along the grain, so this vehicle must have been in a bad way to have required a total replacement. Previous renovation work had revealled a body work repair date of 1967. It is also apparent that there was a dog box at each end of the van, which will be replicated. The feature was once commonplace on Victorian brake vans designed to travel in passenger trains and consisted of a small pair, or a large single, louvered door that gave access to a van width box from the platform.

References:
Vintage Carriage News - Quainton News No. 28 Summer 1976
Good News from the C&W - Quainton News No. 29 Autumn 1976
Victorian Coaches - Tony Lyster - Quainton News No. 91 April 2004