LMS Full Brakes

Does anybody else have a soft spot for those vehicles that are hard to justify commercially such as the LMS BG?

I recently saw a link from the G5 project to their support coach, 31407, and their website had an image of what looks to be a very comprehensive external restoration. That got me interested and a quick visit to the Vintage Carriages Trust database revealed 19 other examples dotted about.

They certainly aren't coaches that could be described as in the limelight, and most of the VCT images show rusting hulks in use as stores vans, hidden from the visitors of our heritage railways...

My local line doesn't have one, so my question is are there any out there that are in use or under restoration? I have already mentioned 31407 which looks like it has a happy future as the G5 support coach (something a bit different from a Mk1 BSK! Although I'm aware you can't use the LMS ones if you go mainline), but what are all the others doing? It would be nice to hear from others around the UK who may know of these vehicles in service, I believe Keighley or Llangollen may have them?

 

The Severn Valley has several full brakes of verious types, there is a Stove R which was used to sell refreshments from in the early days, but is at the moment, not used and undergoing restoration, and LMS designed BG that is used by the carridge works, also in good order, an LNER pigeon van which is being converted to a passenger coach, while there is a MK1 BG in use as the brake van for the set that acts as Santas grotto at Christmas.
It is often hard to justify their comercial useage, but you need to be creative

 

It's nice to hear of a list of uses - all available for those vehicles...

 

The Glos-Warks Railway is restoring BGZ 32990 slowly for use as a spare passenger brake coach. They also have BG 31244 as a stores coach, which isn't in too bad a condition.

 

Wasn't there an LMS BG for sale at Shackerstone a while back? Still there, moved on or scrapped?