One factor that had to be considered is that Dover and Folkestone quay lines were not electrified for safety reasons, and so the MLVs were fitted with batteries.
The MLVs were not as powerful as the Tyneside MPV, but they were lighter and more suited for serving portside stations and quays. It was decided that a unit like these would be ideal for boat trains.īR Eastleigh Works constructed two of the Motor Luggage Vans (MLV) to Southern Region specification in 1959, and they were numbered as S68001 and S68002. The MPV, numbered E68000, ran off the third rail and could provide an opportunity to carry parcels while heading a passenger service. State-of-the-art EMUs however were not designed to handle the levels of luggage that these holiday-making passengers were carrying, and so BR looked at constructing a series of luggage vans that could hold the passenger’s belongings on the boat trains.Īn early prototype of a Motor Parcels Van (MPV), destined for the Tyneside DC network, served as the basis for the new Southern Region rolling stock. Travelers would use the boat trains to reach Dover or Folkestone from the capital, and continue their journey on a connecting ferry service to mainland Europe.
RUN 8 TRAIN SIMULATOR AIR BRAKE SIMULATION PRO
The bespoke BR Class 419 comes to Train Simulator, and is perfect for any Southern Region motor-luggage hauling in this enhanced Pro Range reproduction.Īs the Kent Coast Electrification Scheme and the subsequent widespread introduction of Electric Multiple Units on coastal services was underway, many trains such as the Dover boat train from London Victoria would soon be struggling for capacity not of passengers, but their luggage.