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 round to choosing a standard design, they chose that of the former LNER.

The van had a small compartment with a narrow verandah at either end and, beyond each verandah, there was a platform giving the impression that the chassis was too large for the body. However, the longer chassis ensured a steadier ride. On BR standard brake vans a raised grab-rail was provided along the edges of the two platforms. Each van also had a ducket on either side to give the guard a view along the train without having to leave his cabin. With the introduction of through-train vacuum breaking, brake vans were converted and the guard had a release valve in the van with which he could apply the brakes.

From 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 vehicles including GWR and LMS vans. As diesel locomotives replaced steam in the 1960s, guards began to travel in the rear cab of the locomotive and brake vans quickly became redundant.