title: Brake Post Office stowage van
text: # Brake Post Office stowage van
  
  A brake Post Office stowage van is a type of rail vehicle built for use in a travelling post office.
  
  British Rail built nine of these vehicles between 1959 and 1968, to two similar designs, both based on the Mark 1 coach design. They were numbered in the range 80450-80458. Following the Great Train Robbery, vehicles from 80456 onwards featured a revised design with smaller windows.
  
  In the early 1970s, British Rail introduced the TOPS classification system. Vehicles were given the TOPS code NU, followed by an A if they were air-braked, V if vacuum-braked, or an X if they had both air and vacuum brakes.
  
  ## Preservation
  
  All three of the latter-build Mk1 vehicles have been preserved. Also a survivor from GWR has also made it into preservation.
  
  | Number | TOPS Code | Built | Location |
  | - | - | - | - |
  | 80456 | NUA | 1968 York | Nene Valley Railway |
  | 80457 | NUA | 1968 York | Churnet Valley Railway |
  | 80458 | NUA | 1968 York | Great Central Railway |
  | Number | Company | Built | Location | Notes |
  | 814 | GWR | 1940 Swindon | Didcot Railway Centre | Only exchange equipped coach with nets on both sides |
  