1980's Short Freight Trains

[nb1962x]

I am currently planning my next layout and want to include a couple of freight trains where the wagons and freight would be appropriate for the early sectorisation period.  I will not be able to accommodate long trains as my space is very limited so would like something that would have normally had just a few wagons, somewhere in the region of 4 or 5.  I have already decided that a nuclear flask train (loco, barrier wagon, nuclear flask wagon, barrier wagon, brake wagon) would fit this criteria but wonder if any of you can suggest other possibilities for suitable wagon types.

[woodenhead]

MOD traffic suits your criteria

[Pacific231G]

53 minutes ago, nb1962x said:

I am currently planning my next layout and want to include a couple of freight trains where the wagons and freight would be appropriate for the early sectorisation period.  I will not be able to accommodate long trains as my space is very limited so would like something that would have normally had just a few wagons, somewhere in the region of 4 or 5.  I have already decided that a nuclear flask train (loco, barrier wagon, nuclear flask wagon, barrier wagon, brake wagon) would fit this criteria but wonder if any of you can suggest other possibilities for suitable wagon types.

Even today I sometimes see quite short trains of aggregates. There is a fairly small Lafarge Tarmac aggregates depot a few hundred yards west of North Acton station (Central line) that takes them so probably others and I don't think it's a new traffic. In the same area, before it closed in I think 1982, there was also an international freight terminal on the Park Royal Branch, that also served the Guinness Brewery. That left the GWR New North Main Line (Acton-Northolt Line) between Hangar Lane and North Acton stations on the parallel Central Line (which was from where I saw them)  ; that offered an interesting selection of ferry wagons from various European railways and trains to and from there were generally short (I think they were trip workings from Willesden)  Before it was all pipelines I also seem to remember quite short trains of tank wagons going to local fuel depots. The military also ran various often short trains betweeen places like Bicester COD (Central Ordnance Depot) and Marchwood Military Port.  

Edited September 17, 2019 by Pacific231G

[The Pilotman]

Speedlink coal network? A loco plus a handful of HEAs was quite common in many locations.

[guzzler17]

31 minutes ago, Western Aviator said:

a handful of HEAs

 

A handful was an awful lot when the service to Canterbury West ran.  I once saw it with a 33/1 and 1 HEA.

 

1 hour ago, nb1962x said:

want to include a couple of freight trains where the wagons and freight would be appropriate for the early sectorisation period.

 

What about a few mixed wagons to represent a service to / from a repair shop?

[Simon Bendall]

Take you pick really - other suggestions would be cement, scrap, fertiliser, petroleum, metals, chemicals, china clay, timber and commercial explosives. Also vans carrying any number of palletised goods. Treat then as trip workings and can justify most things in the 1980s.

[Steven B]

Some photos (non of them mine!)

Scrap Rail: https://flic.kr/p/9W8JT2

Speedlink Coal: https://flic.kr/p/9Wffaw

Trip working: https://flic.kr/p/iuz7Cp

Speedlink: https://flic.kr/p/EeK8LW

Oil Tanks: https://flic.kr/p/J3HC8u & https://flic.kr/p/dxnz7c

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[nb1962x]

Thank you so much to all of you - I now have loads of ideas - just need to sell a kidney to fund the new project.