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Hornby R60021A

BR, Luggage Van, S 2467 S - Era 4

Manufacturer catalogue image - please note that pre-release images may be CAD renders or CGI images rather than photographs

Prototype Eras
Era 4 (1948 to 1956) British Railways Early Crest
Era 5 (1956 to 1966) British Railways Late Crest

Manufacturer description

During 1927 and 1928, the Southern Railway found itself with a large surplus amount of ex-LSWR underframes, as many of the former LSWR Bogie Block 4-coach sets were converted to EMUs on new 62' underframes. The spare underframes proved an ideal base for the new Gangwayed Bogie Luggage Vans (GBL) that the SR were looking to build at the time.

The GBL vans were mainly used across the SR's Western Section, with just a few working in the Eastern Section on Parcels traffic and Chatham passenger trains. In the west, their use extended to Newspaper, Parcels, Dairy and Bicycle traffic, as well as for passenger baggage on the South Coast express trains and in 1939, at the Ministry of Health's request, thirty were converted at Lancing Works for use in Casualty Evacuation Trains with more converted to ambulance coaches before the end of the war.

The GBL vans were rapidly replaced in traffic by BR bogie GUV vans and virtually all were withdrawn during 1959 and 1960, with just a few survivors continuing in service as Pigeon vans until November 1961. Other examples were transferred into Departmental use, with some modifications taking place such as the widening of doors and the removal of gangways, however one van, No. 2464, found fame by being re-entered into traffic to convey Sir Winston Churchill's body from London to Handborough on 30 January 1965.

Catalogue listing

Model details

Prototype information

Hornby BR Luggage Van, S 2467 S – Era 4 is an OO‑scale model in a pristine red finish. It measures 250 mm in length, runs on a 2nd radius curve of 438 mm and uses a NEM coupling. The model bears the running number S2467S and the British Railways maroon livery, and is supplied unpowered for DCC use. It represents a Southern Railway design from the early 1930s, with a wheel arrangement of two bogies and a manufacturer part number R60021A.

The real‑world GBL (Gangwayed Bogie Luggage) vans were constructed by the Southern Railway after a surplus of ex‑LSWR underframes became available in 1927‑1928. Primarily allocated to the Western Section, they handled newspaper, parcels, dairy, bicycle traffic and passenger baggage on South Coast express services. In 1939, thirty vans were modified at Lancing Works for casualty‑evacuation trains, and further conversions produced ambulance coaches during the Second World War.

GBL vans were superseded by BR bogie GUV vans and most were withdrawn in 1959‑1960, with a few remaining as pigeon vans until November 1961. One notable example, No 2464, was reinstated to transport Sir Winston Churchill’s body from London to Handborough on 30 January 1965.