At Nationalisation, British Railways inherited a broad range of different types of brake van and, for a short while, continued to build to GWR and LMS designs. However, when eventually they got around to choosing a standard design, they chose that of the former LNER. In the late 1950s, long distance trains had to have brake vans with lookout duckets in each side of the van and this lead to the displacement of many earlier models including GWR and LMS vans. As diesel locomotives replaced steam engines in the 1960s, guards began to travel in the rear cab of the locomotive and brake vans quickly became redundant.

The current planked standard brake van model dates from 2001 and includes separately fitted handrails. This example is in BR grey livery and carries the number 'B951504'. It has a Darlington builders plate on the solebars.