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

The second bullet struck the brake-van, embedding itself in the woodwork.

From Newsweek

From Auckland the Prince went south on a train, every part of which, from the engine to the brake-van, had been built in New Zealand workshops.

From Project Gutenberg

It was the old story—a luggage train was being shunted and not sufficient time allowed, with the result that the fast night train had dashed at full speed into the goods trucks, and they and the brake-van formed a pile upon which the engine of the fast train seemed to have made an effort to climb; and then, defeated, the monster had fallen right over upon its side, setting fire to the trucks upon which it had dashed.

From Project Gutenberg

This eventually took the form of being driven to the nearest railway terminus, a short day's journey, and being deposited in a first-class carriage, with all their effects in the brake-van, carefully labelled.

From Project Gutenberg

It is composed of ten trucks and vans, and has besides a guard's brake-van fitted with a screw-down brake of the usual sort.

From Project Gutenberg