Boris Posted December 6, 2011 Share Posted December 6, 2011 Exactly what it says on the tin. In my travels I have found a steel B type BR container on a farm in extremely good condition, examination has shown that is definitely built as steel, its not some tin sheets that the farmer has put on later for waterproofing. I know that the common ones were wooden, and a few fibreglass ones existed, but I had never heard of metal ones. It is identical to a standard B type container aside from having no side doors, end door only. My question is, can anybody supply any rough dates for use or building of these? I know roughly when the wooden ones were in service, but any information is greatfully received about anything steel. Any information is greatly appreciated because I am currently putting a case together for a museum to preserve it. I reckon its fairly rare having not yet found a picture of one or a referance to one, but I need some facts and figures to back it up. I don't want to post pictures or give up locations at the moment though. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold TheSignalEngineer Posted December 6, 2011 RMweb Gold Share Posted December 6, 2011 May be one of the ones mentiones on the conflat site. http://www.conflat.com/gcr_box.html Apparently 50 alloy bodied ones were built by Park Royal in 1958. Is this one of the three survivors that the site author knows about or is it possibly a fourth? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boris Posted December 6, 2011 Author Share Posted December 6, 2011 Is it similar to this one? Like yours it has one set of end doors only but it is clad in what appears to be aluminium sheet, not steel. The faint remains of the title " Northern Eland Trailers" can be seen on the side along with the number 624 I took some shots and rough measurements as I thought that it may have a railway connection but I haven't followed it up. It is indeed, probably one of the same batch? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
hmrspaul Posted December 7, 2011 Share Posted December 7, 2011 One of these http://paulbartlett.zenfolio.com/bralloycontainerb ? Paul Bartlett Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boris Posted December 7, 2011 Author Share Posted December 7, 2011 One of these http://paulbartlett....alloycontainerb ? Paul Bartlett It is indeed, thanks Paul. Although given this ones remote location is believe it may be a fourth survivor. Either way its destined for a museum with any luck. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
hmrspaul Posted December 7, 2011 Share Posted December 7, 2011 It is indeed, thanks Paul. Although given this ones remote location is believe it may be a fourth survivor. Either way its destined for a museum with any luck. I think I would need more evidence before confirming it is the same - have the hinges been altered, as they differ to the rather unusual U shaped metalwork the BR one had. The roof line looks wrong, and I cannot see any evidence of the number plate which would have been central above the end door - it can be seen on http://PaulBartlett.zenfolio.com/bralloycontainerb/e2d559b19 The BR ones were built by an outside builder and it is quite likely that other similar containers were built for private use - there is a boom in containerisation prior to Freightliner - as evidenced by the huge numbers of Conflat A constructed c1957-58. Paul Bartlett Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fat Controller Posted December 7, 2011 Share Posted December 7, 2011 The Freightliner and later containers had flat roofs, allowing them to be stacked; the example illustrated is one of the last examples of a tradition dating back to the very beginning of public railways. The name you give is curious; is it the manufacturer's name, or an owners? Is it possible that there are letters missing, perhaps an 'Ir' in front of the Eland? The only reference I could find to a manufacturing concern with 'Eland' in the title is a cable producer. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
BernardTPM Posted December 7, 2011 Share Posted December 7, 2011 When I first saw it I wasn't too sure if it was a railway container - if it was then I didn't think that it was an early example as there are no fixings on the corners to attach shackles. Presumably if it was carried by rail then it was on a wagon equipped with restraining mounts into which the container was placed and sat secured by gravity alone? Until very recently Railway containers were normally secured into postion (quite how such lax practice was allowed to become established I don't know, except by the backdoor because of privatisation ) Traditionally this was shackles and chains, sometimes with sprung elements, later (with Speedfreight and early Freightliner containers) coned locking devices on the base. Twistlocks came in with ISO standard containers: earlier ones were not stackable, despite flat roofs. This helped keep the container weight down, allowing a higher load weight. They were also lifted by the base, which was the strongest part. If a proper Conflat was not available, containers could be carried in 5-plank wagons, but not Lowfits, presumably because the fixed sides made the chances of the container coming astray negligible. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boris Posted December 7, 2011 Author Share Posted December 7, 2011 I think I have caused some confusion here, it isn't one of those pictured, although it is very similar, I'm pretty sure its BR built as you can just about make out "British Railways" if you squeeze round the back. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pennine MC Posted December 7, 2011 Share Posted December 7, 2011 If a proper Conflat was not available, containers could be carried in 5-plank wagons, but not Lowfits, presumably because the fixed sides made the chances of the container coming astray negligible. Although they could be carried in Medfits, which have dropsides arranged similarly to Lowfits (other than obviously being taller, which may well be a factor). IIRC have seen the official reasoning somewhere or other; again IIRC, I think they had to be roped if in a Medfit, whereas they didnt in a Highfit (5 plank). Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fat Controller Posted December 7, 2011 Share Posted December 7, 2011 Although they could be carried in Medfits, which have dropsides arranged similarly to Lowfits (other than obviously being taller, which may well be a factor). IIRC have seen the official reasoning somewhere or other; again IIRC, I think they had to be roped if in a Medfit, whereas they didnt in a Highfit (5 plank). The reason for not using a Lowfit was that the internal width was slightly greater, apparently- Page 11 of the relevant BR Document on the Barrowmere site (http://www.barrowmoremrg.co.uk/BRBDocuments/Booklet_BR20427_Issue.pdf) says that the internal width of 8'2" means that containers could move out-of-gauge. A further note says that Insulated and Fresh Meat containers should only be loaded on Conflats, as they might be unloaded or loaded whilst still on the wagon. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
mike hughes Posted December 7, 2011 Share Posted December 7, 2011 Looking at the Barrowmore site as well (http://www.barrowmoremrg.co.uk/BRBDocuments/BRContainerIssue.pdf), to me diagrams 75 (page 20) or 76 (page 21) or 230 (page 40) look close judging by the fairly flat roof and also the lack of lifting rings on the corners. Michael Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carnforth Posted December 8, 2011 Share Posted December 8, 2011 Mornin' As mentioned earlier Park Royal built 50 Aluminium B boxes for BR in 1958. They were numbered B55850 B / B55899 B. Below should be links to pics of one near me used as a store on a used car lot. It would seem to have been in use by a Marine engineering outfit after BR service. Steve http://i227.photobuc...th/PICT1511.jpg http://i227.photobuc...th/PICT1512.jpg http://i227.photobuc...th/PICT1515.jpg http://i227.photobuc...th/PICT1520.jpg http://i227.photobuc...th/PICT1522.jpg Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eggesford box Posted January 1, 2012 Share Posted January 1, 2012 There was one in use in the yard at Barnstaple in the 70s/early 80s to assist in the unloading of steel plates from Trestle/Trestrol wagons. The plates would be lifted off by a Freightlifter and would be hanging vertically from the clamps on the Freightlifters brakets. It would then be propped up against the container, the Freightlifter would then drive round the other side of the container and give the top of the steel plate (above the height of the container roof) a nudge with its arms. The steel plate would fall flat on the ground. Round again with the freightlifter, reattach the clamps and lift the plate, now horizontal and load it onto a flat bed lorry,simples! I was vaguely aware that a metal sided B type container was a rarity but as with such mundane items you do not think about documenting it until it is gone. Presumably, by this time there where a lot of B containers surplus to requirements and a metal bodied one would be more robust for such usage. Who thought of such material handling or that a B container would be just the jolly right thing to use I have no idea. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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