Freightliner(?) container on a lowmac?

[JohnH]

I was watching a video on Youtube and spotted this on a short Class 26 hauled freight. Is it one of the early, small Freightliner containers and is that a lowmac that it's travelling on? Does anyone know what traffic this would be carrying? Thanks as always for any help.

[Cwmtwrch]

https://www.rmweb.co.uk/forums/topic/135466-lowmac-carrying-a-container-in-1968/

[Mol_PMB]

Interesting - a shot I’ve not seen before. The lowmac is a Conflat ISO and this thread is worth a look:

 

I’ve not seen a Freightliner container on a ‘Conflat ISO’ before, and that does look like one of the early pre-ISO Freightliner containers. 

[JohnH]

Thanks for the replies gents :)

[hmrspaul]

Unusual container, Looks like it has openings for the tines of a large forklift. 

 

Paul

[Mol_PMB]

1 minute ago, hmrspaul said:

Unusual container, Looks like it has openings for the tines of a large forklift. 

 

Paul

I was visualising those as the pockets for the original Freightliner bottom-lift grapples. They look to be in the right place and about the right size.

 

It looks like an insulated container but the side door is very unusual for an insulated container.

[Mol_PMB]

... and diverging on a tangent from that thought, I was looking for an online photo of the bottom-lift grapples (I have some pics in books) and I came across this image of a variety of bottom-lift Freightliner containers on the ferry-fitted flats in Amsterdam. Clearly some sort of publicity event:

 

https://picryl.com/media/hua-171580-afbeelding-van-de-britse-liner-train-freightliner-tijdens-een-demonstratie-40164c

https://picryl.com/media/hua-171690-afbeelding-van-de-britse-liner-train-freightliner-na-aankomst-bij-1b33fc

https://picryl.com/media/hua-171687-detail-van-de-britse-liner-train-freightliner-na-aankomst-bij-de-a28ad5

https://picryl.com/media/hua-171627-afbeelding-van-de-britse-liner-train-freightliner-na-aankomst-bij-4a1d81

 

In fact there are a lot more - scroll down and click on 'related'.

 

Hope these are of interest, there's probably another thread where these links belong?

[br2975]

How about this one ?

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Cardiff General

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Strange thing about this image, is it gives the impression the train is working 'wrong road' as it appears to be an 'up' train on the 'down through' road at Cardiff General.

However, I cannot recall these  ever working in South Wales.

I would date the photo as late 60s, when 8F27 was the 08:45 Margam (Knuckle Yard) - STJ (Bristol Yard).

But why that train would be carrying containers, is open to debate. The only container destinations west of Cardiff (Pengam) at that time were Danygraig (Swansea) and Fishguard.

The alternative explanation is - the containers are on the right road, heading west with the train loco out of view, and the light Cl.37 has drawn up behind, not uncommon in those days.................Unless someone out there has the info we (OK , I ) seek ?

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An explanation given on another group is that this   It IS on the down through running from Cardiff (Pengam)  to Swansea (Danygraig)  as one of many early trial runs.

Loco on the rear is to provide sufficient brake force for 75mph running as without this the train would have been limited to 60 or even less dependant upon weight.

At that time it was not uncommon to put a loco on the rear for additional brake force.    

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But, should 6889 on the rear have a taillamp ?

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Answesr please, on a post card..................

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[bécasse]

Perhaps the loco has just run round the train prior to propelling it west clear of the station in order to cross over on to the up. The pristine state of the wagons does suggest some sort of trial run.

[Mol_PMB]

Lack of brake force makes no sense to me. The Conflat ISO wagons were all vacuum braked.

 

The containers appear to be insulated types, because I can see traces of vertical panels on the sides but there aren't any of the horizontal strakes so characteristic of Freightliner's early containers.

They also appear to be branded 'Freightliners Limited' judging by the length of the wording and the absence of the double arrow logo.

 

This thread gives chapter and verse on the birth of 'Freightliners Limited'  which legally took over on 1st January 1969 but had been planned for a few months previously:

I think that would place the date of the Cardiff photo in early 1969, but the containers themselves may have been from an order placed somewhat earlier.

 

80 of Freightliner's insulated containers were built by Duramin, with four orders placed in 1966. The firm is sometimes called Duralumin, but they certainly called themselves Duramin. Duramin also built some other types of Freightliner containers as well as supplying many other early users of containers. Duramin were based in Lydney, only about 35 miles from Cardiff.

 

A further 70 of Freightliner's insulated containers were built by Concargo, with two orders placed in 1968 and 1969. Their factory was at Weston-super-Mare so also fairly near Cardiff as the crow flies.

 

Could this be a delivery run of a new batch of containers? I'm not convinced the routing makes sense for either firm.

 

Another external firm that built 20' insulated containers for Freightliner, with one order in 1968, was Viking Marine. I can't find any information on where they were based.

 

If we widen the remit to conventional 20' boxes ordered in the late 60s and early 70s then they were from Horwich, Derby and Dukinfield, which can't explain a trip to Cardiff.

 

Info from 'Jane's Freight Containers 1968-69' and 'Life and Times Series: Freightliner'.

[Halvarras]

On 16/03/2024 at 21:22, Mol_PMB said:

 

I think that would place the date of the Cardiff photo in early 1969

 

Certainly no earlier as the loco was a 1968 early blue repaint with D prefixes and these have already been painted out, which is why the number appears misaligned with the double-arrow logo. This hadn't become widespread practice at depots by January 1969 (works output only) but it took off that spring.

[br2975]

(D)6889 was reported as headlight fitted in a BR (WR) fleet / allocation ist dated Wednesday, 31st. December, 1968, and although allocated to Landore was at Radyr the previous weekend, having been employed on the Sundays Only 05:05 Cardiff - Treherbert passengers and news .

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Just a thought.......................

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If, as has been suggested the containers shown in the Cardiff image are insulated, and are heading west from Cardiff, the most likely destination may be either Danygraig, or Fishguard Harbour for 'Irish traffic', and, could they be in the process of delivery, ex-works ?

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Commencing with the introduction of the 1969-1970 Winter WTT in October, 1969 the WR had intended for;

The 08:00 Paddington-Fishguard Harbour TThSO to pick up Freightliner wagons at Llanelli, which had been worked across by the 10:50 ex-Danygraig.

The empty wagons to return on the 13:55 ECS Fishguard – Llanelli from whence they would depart at 15:55 for Danygraig, and on Saturdays to Cardiff, Canton for maintenance.            NOTE:-                                                                                                                                      

The 'mixed' liner trains to/from Fishguard did not materialise.

As a result, the following working was introduced from;  22nd. October 1969                                                                                                                                                                                                                                

07:00 Danygraig – Fishguard TThSO                                                                               

12:45 Fishguard – Danygraig TThO                                                                                        

12:45 Fishguard – Cardiff, Canton SO (for maintenance)

 

This was a Cl.47 diagram, although on Saturday 27th. November, 1971 4F35 the 07:00 ex-Danygraig was hauled by 6606..

Edited March 18 by br2975