brake-van

[breyk-van]

noun

British.

1. the caboose of a railway train.

brake van

noun

1. railways the coach or vehicle from which the guard applies the brakes; guard's van

Word History and Origins

Origin of brake van¹

First recorded in 1880–85

Example Sentences

Brake′man, the man whose business it is to manage the brake of a railway-train; Brake′-van, the carriage wherein the brake is worked; Brake′-wheel, the wheel to which a brake is applied.

From Project Gutenberg

By the time that the engine and tender had been uncoupled from the foremost car, the guard had come through the corridors from the brake van to know what had happened.

From Project Gutenberg

There was some little difficulty in ascertaining the exact cause of the accident, but the Coroner’s jury were satisfied that there was “no negligence on the part of any of the officials,” and were of opinion that the disaster would not have happened but for a Lancashire and Yorkshire four-wheeled brake van in the front of the train, which, it was stated, had been “running rough.”

From Project Gutenberg

The battery is carried in a box in the brake van.

From Project Gutenberg

For carriage lighting any ordinary type of generator, preferably, perhaps, fitted with a displacement holder, can be erected either in each corridor carriage, or in a brake van at the end of the train.

From Project Gutenberg