▁five ▁vehicles ▁could ▁be ▁taken ▁on ▁there ; ▁so ▁the ▁re arm ost ▁ten ▁vehicles ▁would ▁have ▁to ▁be ▁left ▁standing ▁on ▁the ▁running ▁line . ▁Once ▁this ▁rear ▁portion ▁was ▁un cou ple d ▁from ▁the ▁front ▁portion , ▁the ▁continuous ▁bra kes ▁on ▁it ▁would ▁be ▁released , ▁and ▁the ▁only ▁bra kes ▁holding ▁it ▁against ▁the ▁gradient ▁would ▁be ▁the ▁hand - oper ated ▁bra kes ▁in ▁the ▁rear ▁bra ke ▁van . ▁ ▁For ▁a ▁goods ▁( fre ight ) ▁train ▁in ▁a ▁similar ▁situation , ▁the ▁whe els ▁would ▁have ▁been ▁' sc ot ched ' ▁against ▁roll - back , ▁and ▁guard ' s ▁v ans ▁on ▁goods ▁trains ▁carried ▁' sp rag s ' ▁with ▁which ▁to ▁do ▁this . ▁Those ▁on ▁passenger ▁trains ▁with ▁continuous ▁bra kes ▁were ▁not ▁required ▁to ▁carry ▁sp rag s , ▁and ▁the ▁exc urs ion ▁train ▁did ▁not . ▁The ▁guard ▁in ▁the ▁rear ▁van ▁having ▁applied ▁his ▁hand bra ke ▁then ▁( on ▁the ▁instructions ▁of ▁the ▁chief ▁cl erk ) ▁dis mount ed ▁and ▁sc ot ched ▁the ▁whe els ▁of ▁his ▁van ▁with ▁pieces ▁of ▁ball ast . ▁He ▁then ▁also ▁sc ot ched ▁the ▁near ▁re arm ost ▁vehicle ▁on ▁its ▁r ighth and ▁whe els ▁and ▁intended ▁to ▁similarly ▁sc ot ch ▁its ▁le f th and ▁whe els ▁before ▁going ▁back ▁down ▁the ▁track ▁with ▁flags ▁and ▁det on ators ▁to ▁protect ▁the ▁train ▁from ▁the ▁scheduled ▁service ▁which ▁was ▁to ▁set ▁off