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Just found another great image of a Western Region chocolate & cream Freighlifter at work that I haven't seen posted on this thread before. A London depot I presume by the Scarab trailers?

https://www.flickr.com/photos/62532775@N03/8250388563

 

It's Marylebone goods yard and a publicity shot. The yard was often used to display new equipment to customers and the public.

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Interesting container. Listed in 'British Railway Wagons' by Don Rowlands as dia. 3/047, lot 3174, 50 built in 1958 (B55850-99, so that one is the highest number) 'Probably aluminium construction'. The photo definitely seems to bear that out. The end is not unlike the 'Speedfreight' container without the horizontal strips.

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Interesting container. Listed in 'British Railway Wagons' by Don Rowlands as dia. 3/047, lot 3174, 50 built in 1958 (B55850-99, so that one is the highest number) 'Probably aluminium construction'. The photo definitely seems to bear that out. The end is not unlike the 'Speedfreight' container without the horizontal strips.

As here http://paulbartlett.zenfolio.com/bralloycontainerb

 

Paul

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Believe they were still in use in 1976, Andy. Pictures in British Railway Goods Wagons in Colour shows an 08 shunting the Donington trip at Wellington with containers stuck inside open wagons snd on Conflats in 1976 virtually 40 years ago to the day! Not sure but i guess their last hurrah was on military traffic but when that ended I'm not sure......

 

Disgusting of Market Harborough

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A Question for Merfyn here, I found this one for sale on ebay:

 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/122032769233?_trksid=p2060353.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT

 

Its probably an ex BT Van, but the age and body style says it could be ex BR, do you have any info on it? The Reg is D338 VCN.

 

If it is ex BR, I`ll have to have it!

 

Andy 

Doubt it was a BT van, by that time their fleet was mostly box bodied on chassis cabs. There were a few panel vans still but they were few and far between. The two D plates we had in our team were both transits.

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A Question for Merfyn here, I found this one for sale on ebay:

 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/122032769233?_trksid=p2060353.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT

 

Its probably an ex BT Van, but the age and body style says it could be ex BR, do you have any info on it? The Reg is D338 VCN.

 

If it is ex BR, I`ll have to have it!

 

Andy 

 

Hi Andy

Newcastle registration, so probably BT or a local authority van. With very few exceptions BR was at the time (D reg.) still registering in Leeds for it's Eastern Region stuff and very few were registered locally.  Not on my lists, but of course anything was possible.

Merf.

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When did the conflat style of containers finally fall out of use?

 

I'd have thought they were early 70s but I saw a picture recently taken n the Midland Mainline of a freight train with two in the consist taken in 1975. 

Certainly still in use in September 1976. http://PaulBartlett.zenfolio.com/brconflata/e6aa3b33c

 

There were a lot condemned in Gloucester in Summer 1977. http://PaulBartlett.zenfolio.com/brconflata/e30b03f21 http://PaulBartlett.zenfolio.com/bcontainer/e67d42177

 

Paul

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Hi Andy

Newcastle registration, so probably BT or a local authority van. With very few exceptions BR was at the time (D reg.) still registering in Leeds for it's Eastern Region stuff and very few were registered locally.  Not on my lists, but of course anything was possible.

Merf.

Thank you Merf, shame its not BR, but Mrs is relieved!

 

Cheers 

 

Andy

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  • RMweb Gold

Nothing to stop you from painting it in BR colours and markings. :jester:

You'll struggle to find a genuine BR one, and some were very badly abused.

If you are looking for a Sherpa this looks like a good starting point as there are very very few left especially in yellow.

Shame the listing doesn't give more details such as engine type.

Go for it....

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When did the conflat style of containers finally fall out of use?

 

I'd have thought they were early 70s but I saw a picture recently taken n the Midland Mainline of a freight train with two in the consist taken in 1975. 

I photographed three Speedfreight containers loaded on conflat wagons* in Bradford Victoria goods yard on 3rd August 1979.

 

* the proper Speedfreight version of the Conflat A.

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I photographed three Speedfreight containers loaded on conflat wagons* in Bradford Victoria goods yard on 3rd August 1979.

 

* the proper Speedfreight version of the Conflat A.

 

That is an interesting observation. Several of the redundant Speedfreight containers I photographed had late writing about their use for parcels traffic, such as the preserved one at the NRM http://PaulBartlett.zenfolio.com/speedfreight/e2a5f3b01 andn others  http://PaulBartlett.zenfolio.com/speedfreight/e69090bd3

 

paul

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Here's the photo, Paul. I did try to load it this morning, but I'm afraid that Photobucket wasn't being co-operative.

post-1877-0-31795900-1498910055.jpg

 

I just realised I could have actually uploaded it here.... oh well. - edit 1/7/17 - since Photobucket have been such a bunch of rotters, I've uploaded the picture here now.

Edited by BernardTPM
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Here's the photo, Paul. I did try to load it this morning, but I'm afraid that Photobucket wasn't being co-operative.

Speedfreight%201979_zpsradr6i6m.jpg

 

I just realised I could have actually uploaded it here.... oh well.

Thanks, are any of the numbers of the wagons and/or the containers readable on the original?

 

An interesting working I wonder if they were used for the catalogue sales traffic that worked from the Yorkshire and Lancashire stations?

 

Some Speedfreight containers were used in Scotland for bonded traffic but that was earlier. Perhaps they were considered to be less liable to pilferage than ordinary RCH containers?

 

Paul

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  • 3 weeks later...

Hope this picture of the Freightlifter has not already appeared on here, anyone know which Western Region Depots had these, I wonder if this was the furthest west they got?

 

[/url]Bridgwater Goods Yard April 1959 by norman finnimore, on Flickr">http://13435233485_7e56048e27_h.jpgBridgwater Goods Yard April 1959 by norman finnimore, on Flickr

Edited by bubbles2
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That's a great find Bubbles - in addition to the Freightlifter, there's a Ransomes and Rapier electric crane, pair of Blue Circle liveried tippers (both Kew Dodges, I think), Scammell Mechanical Horse, a Presflo in early condition without the additional side struts, a rake of Conflat Ls with associated containers (one being discharged) and assorted bogie bolsters delivering steel rod. I especially like the wagon sheets draped over the buffer stops at the siding end. Wonderful!

 

A little further south east, Yeovil Pen Mill had one and I'd be surprised if there weren't more at say, Taunton, Exeter and so on.

 

https://www.flickr.com/photos/invader1009/14664462249/

 

Adam

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Hope this picture of the Freightlifter has not already appeared on here, anyone know which Western Region Depots had these, I wonder if this was the furthest west they got?

 

[/url]Bridgwater Goods Yard April 1959 by norman finnimore, on Flickr">http://13435233485_7e56048e27_h.jpgBridgwater Goods Yard April 1959 by norman finnimore, on Flickr

 

Apologies for going OT but that rake of L containers being unloaded into bulk cement open road wagons is very interesting. Anyone any idea why Bridgwater would be using dry cement in such large quantities - perhaps to do with building the nuclear power plant ?? [which I know nothing about, so have no idea if it is the correct time scale]. I suppose that steel rodding could be for reinforcing concrete.

 

By the way, a lovely photo.

 

Paul

 

PS the wooden cabbed Scammel is also nice!

Edited by hmrspaul
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During the construction of Aberthaw Power Station, Llantwit Major had a couple working there. The Full Loads Terminal at Swansea (Hafod Goods) had one as well, and I'm sure I've seen a photo of one at Barnstaple.

To return to the photo; 'why all this activity at sleepy Bridgwater?' you ask. The answer- the construction of Hinkley Point A power station, which started in 1957.

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Apologies for going OT but that rake of L containers being unloaded into bulk cement open road wagons is very interesting. Anyone any idea why Bridgwater would be using dry cement in such large quantities - perhaps to do with building the nuclear power plant ?? [which I know nothing about, so have no idea if it is the correct time scale]. I suppose that steel rodding could be for reinforcing concrete.

 

By the way, a lovely photo.

 

Paul

 

PS the wooden cabbed Scammell is also nice!

It would be about the right time for the construction of Hinkley Point A (as Brian says) - work began there in 1957 - though there was quite a substantial amount of building and residential expansion under way in and around Bridgwater at about that time so it could be something else. That the tippers appear to have been modified with roofs suggests that this was regular work and the steel reinforcing rod (at least, I assume that's what it is) would tend towards power station construction work.

 

Adam

Edited by Adam
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That's a great find Bubbles - in addition to the Freightlifter, there's a Ransomes and Rapier electric crane, pair of Blue Circle liveried tippers (both Kew Dodges, I think), Scammell Mechanical Horse, a Presflo in early condition without the additional side struts, a rake of Conflat Ls with associated containers (one being discharged) and assorted bogie bolsters delivering steel rod. I especially like the wagon sheets draped over the buffer stops at the siding end. Wonderful!

 

A little further south east, Yeovil Pen Mill had one and I'd be surprised if there weren't more at say, Taunton, Exeter and so on.

 

https://www.flickr.com/photos/invader1009/14664462249/

 

Adam

 

Certainly a very transitional time.

 

How long did the Freightlifters last in service?

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