Noticeably shorter at 20 feet than the later and more familiar 24 feet 20-ton vans these all-wood bodied vans were the GWRs standard goods train brake vans from the 1888 to 1901, with around 840 being built. Early examples weighed only 13 tons with later built vans being ballasted up to 20 tons, though 16 tons became the most common weight. These vans were allocated diagram reference AA3 in the new index and after WW1 were allocated to lighter duties such as branch line and local pick-up goods trains. By the 1930s these vans were being allocated to the track and signalling engineering departments for use as tool and riding vans. Several examples lasted into British Railways service, being perfectly adequate for their duties.