EFE Rail E86018 OO Gauge NAA Propelling Control Vehicle 94320 Rail Express Systems

Propelling Control Vehicles (PCVs) were introduced by British Rail to improve efficiencies on mail trains, removing the requirement for multiple locomotives to service mail trains at Royal Mail hubs. In particular, it was intended that the push-pull operation would benefit Royal Mail#s planned Railnet Hub terminal at Willesden which opened in 1996, as they sought to end parcels traffic using London termini.

Whilst the PCVs could be hauled at speeds of up to 100mph, they were limited to 40mph when being propelled as, unlike DVTs and DBSOs, they were not intended to travel long distances whilst being propelled, but instead their purpose was to release the train from a siding or buffer stop without the need to provide a second locomotive.

Two prototypes were converted by the Railway Technical Centre at Derby in 1993, with a further 41 production vehicles outshopped by Hunslet-Barclay at their Kilmarnock Works between 1994 and 1996.

The vehicles were created by converting driving vehicles from Class 307 Electric Multiple Units - the 1950s-built 4-car units having been made redundant by the introduction of new Class 321s on the Great Eastern Mainline. Given the TOPS code NAA but more commonly known as PCVs - Propelling Control Vehicles - the entire fleet was allocated to the parcels sector - known from 1991 as Rail Express Systems - before passing into EWS ownership in 1996 following Privatisation.

Conversion work included the removal of the bodyside windows and doors and the fitting of bodyside strengthening and roller shutter doors, two per side, with the remaining bodysides reskinned with steel panels. The cab ends were fitted with WIPAC lights, ETH cables and brake pipes at bufferbeam level, and RCH jumper cables - RCH being the push-pull system used to control the propelling locomotive from the controls in the PCV. At the gangway ends, conventional buffing gear was fitted, allowing the vehicles to couple to other parcels coaches. Internally, the cabs were refurbished, and the former passenger saloons gutted to provide space for mail to be carried.

B5 bogies were fitted, with the bogie at the cab end carrying footsteps on either side, the AWS magnet and a speedometer. On the roof, a cab to shore radio pod was fitted above the cab.

A common train formation saw two PCVs marshalled at either end of a train comprising two General Utility Vehicles (GUVs), with a Class 47/7 providing haulage, however Class 90s, and in later years 67s, were also found hauling these formations. These short rakes could be run in multiple and with other parcels stock creating interesting and varied trains.

The four-plus-loco formations would work into the Royal Mail hub, with the PCV negating the need for the locomotive to run round the train at its destination nor the need for a second locomotive to aid this manoeuvre. PCVs worked to all corners of the UK, including Scotland and Wales, and could also be found in Travelling Post Office trains operating around the country.

The PCVs were made redundant when EWS lost the contract to operate Royal Mail services in mid-2003, with services ending later that year and whilst EWS looked to find new work for them, ultimately the vehicles went into store, and many have subsequently been scrapped.

- Directional Lights (cab-end only) with Day/Night Mode
- Cab Light (when used on DCC)
- Lighting Operation on DCC requires a Next18
- Sprung Buffers
- Accessory Pack
- NEM Coupling Pockets
- Close Coupling Mechanism
- Length 275mm