A general utility van (GUV) is a type of rail vehicle built by British Rail primarily for transporting mail and parcels. They were used by both Rail Express Systems and Railtrack. Colas Rail and some train operating companies still use them.

British Rail general utility van
BR Mk 1 GUV in original form and standard Rail Blue livery
In service1956–present
ManufacturerBR York Wagon Works
BR Doncaster Works
BR Glasgow Works
Pressed Steel Company
Family nameBritish Railways Mark 1
Constructed1956–1960
Number built907
Capacity14 tonnes (13.8 long tons; 15.4 short tons)
OperatorsBritish Rail
Rail Express Systems
Railtrack
First Great Western
FM Rail
Colas Rail
Specifications
Car length57 ft 0 in (17.37 m)
Width8 ft 6+34 in (2.61 m)
Height12 ft 4 in (3.76 m)
Maximum speed70–100 mph (113–161 km/h), later restricted to 90 mph (145 km/h)
Weight30 tonnes (29.5 long tons; 33.1 short tons)
Track gauge4 ft 8+12 in (1,435 mm)

British Rail

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Fleet details

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Number range Previous number range TOPS code Primary use Notes
80250-80259 NPX Post Office van Converted from 940xx range
93078-93984 86078-86984 NJ or NK Mail van
94000-94034 85500-85534 NLX Newspaper van Converted from 86xxx range
94050-94078 NMV Newspaper van Converted from 93xxx range
94100-94229 NKA Mail van (high-security) Rebuilt from 93xxx, 951xx and 953xx ranges
95100-95199 NOX Mail van (100 mph) Converted from 93xxx range
95350-95374 NOX Mail van (100 mph) Converted from 93xxx range
95715-95763 NOA Mail van (High-security) Rebuilt from 951xx range
96100-96195 NX Motorail van Converted from 93xxx range
96210-96218 NPA Motorail van (110 mph) Converted from 961xx range
96602-96609 NVA Motorail van Rebuilt from 961xx range in 1999 for use by First Great Western on daylight trains and the Night Riviera to Penzance until 2005, briefly used by FM Rail and later sold to Colas Rail, used as brake force runners on Network Rail trains since 2015[1]

Livery examples

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Preservation

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Many GUVs have found new uses on preserved lines in the UK either stored and kept as coaches or converted for uses as different things.

Number Location Image Type Livery Status Notes
86129 Great Central Railway (Nottingham) NLX lined maroon
86565 Great Central Railway (Nottingham) NLX BR Blue Used as store
86696 Midland Railway – Butterley NLX Maroon Used as store
93180 Midland Railway - Butterley NJ or NK BR Blue Used as store
93226 Mid-Norfolk Railway[2] NJ or NK Rail Blue Static or Stored
93380 Midland Railway - Butterley NJ or NK BR Blue Used as store
93381 Midland Railway - Butterley NJ or NK BR Blue Used as store
93701 Battlefield Line Railway NJ or NK Rail Blue Stored
94062 Northampton and Lamport Railway NJV Rail Blue
94071 Northampton and Lamport Railway NJV Rail Blue
94102 Rushden, Higham and Wellingborough Railway NKA
94148 Helston Railway[3]   NKA Rail Express Systems (RES) Red In use as shop and mechanical store
96100 Tyseley Chocolate 'REG' ('Range-Extending GUV'). Converted for use as a water carrier for mainline steam railtours. (originally 86734).
96927 Plym Valley Railway[citation needed] Motorail Van BR Carmine & Cream Stored
96887 Plym Valley Railway Motorail Van RES Red Stored

The Southern Railway used the designation PMV (Parcels and Miscellaneous Van).[4]

References

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  1. ^ Network Rail takes on Motorail vans The Railway Magazine issue 1378 January 2016 page 84
  2. ^ "BR 86226 (93226)". The Railway Heritage Register Carriage Survey Project.
  3. ^ "Rolling Stock".
  4. ^ "PMV - Parcels and Miscellaneous Van (British Southern Railway)". Acronymfinder.com. Retrieved 30 March 2012.