Inside a large covered goods depot 1960s

[TheSignalEngineer]

found this shot of Wavertree parcels concentration depot in 1961.

 

1961-may-liverpool-wavertre.jpg

Yard Lamps and masts and notices match up. The brick building shown is to the right of the later clips from the film. The similar building to the left of the clips may have still existed in the undergrowth along Picton Road recently. There's one in a similar place if you backdate Google Earth a couple of updates.

[TheSignalEngineer]

Its definately Wavertee, well done to those who recognised it, totally stumped me, the houses in the background are all still there, they are on Picton Road.

The type of houses looked familiar, my daughter lived about 3/4 mile away over near Hattons old shop when she was a student in the 1990s.

[The Stationmaster]

can anyone add any more info to this? I take it the number is for a van which corresponds with the item, wondering what the letters after the number would mean..

 

vlcsnap-2013-12-11-19h36m42s27.png

 

'T' usually stood for 'transfer' but it might have had another use up there although I think the codes were national - as far as I can remember they are sundries sort codes.  

 

The big problem with smalls/sundries traffic was the multiple handling - not too bad between main centres where there were direct wagons but if there wasn't a direct wagon or if the originating depot was a small depot then you started getting involved in transfers or, quite often, multiple transfers which created delay and led to stuff going astray or getting lost plus of course every extra handling  brought a chance for damage and it would be impossible to trace where it happened, the same with pilferage of course which was a never ending problem with some types of traffic.

 

All in all it was labour intensive, notwithstanding concentration schemes, and a lot of the traffic simply couldn't be carried at rates which were competitive and profitable as road hauliers would pick and chose the easy stuff and the stuff that could have a premium rate for a slightly better level of service.  Odd in some respects that it is effectively what mainly of the distribution type firms do today but there are costs are considerably less in comparative terms, their labour isn't heavily unionised, and their admin is heavily computerised - all a world of difference from where BR had got things to by the d 1960s (which was in itself a massive advance on and far simpler than things had been before nationalisation).

[colin penfold]

the scammel scarab is a Southern region one too.

 

Looks like Brighton to me

[colin penfold]

Excuse my ignorance ... but what is a 'ring stiffness tester' used for ?

 

Brian R

 

(I wonder who'll be first to bite ?)

 

Two new ratings buttons required "asking for it" and "don't tempt me"

[Sasquatch]

Excellent thread Micheal. Thanks.
This is Brighton. Ship street to be exact.


This looks like Bethnal Green in Londons East End

[Sasquatch]

What caught my attention the most, is how clean all the vans look. And you're right about the roof vents. There's two ex LMS without any and one LNER fruit van without any still labeled as fruit!

Edited December 14, 2013 by Sasquatch

[Michael Delamar]

Found this shot of the corn mill near to Oldham Clegg Street parcels depot, demolished in 1970.

the Hope mill I thought Fred Dibnah demolished wasnt the same one I was thinking of, that was Dart mill.

 

 

 

 

 

[Michael Delamar]

Another excellent film, Fully fitted freight from 1957, see inside Bristol Temple meads depot with its travelators..

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QbOinLtpAbI

[Fat Controller]

More roof vents on the vans in that one, Michael...Surprised to see as many unfitted vans in front-line service as there were, at such a late date.

Thanks again for finding this one.

[Enterprisingwestern]

Oldhamcornmill.JPG

 

 

From another thread, but;

A Hornby type SPV van in the middle of those 3, number not quite readable.

 

Mike.

[keefer]

 

this is argyle st. in glasgow looking east - timothy white's is on the corner of what's now st.enoch square, the hotel is out of shot to the right

 

 

think this is looking down buchanan st., glasgow from cathedral street

 

 

think this might be the view to left of the previous shot, in which case that's glasgow queen st. station in the background

[TheSignalEngineer]

That block of flats is typical of council developments all over the city.  There was one almost identical at Bellingham SE London, on the corner of the road from Bellingham station, right by to the traffic lights on the A21, near to Catford bus depot.  Granddad drove buses from there up until the late 60s.

 

Great thread Micheal, very interesting.

They were the LCC standard flats during the inter-war years.

[The Stationmaster]

Another excellent film, Fully fitted freight from 1957, see inside Bristol Temple meads depot with its travelators..

 

 

And a very young looking (because he was of course) Dick Wilcox in charge at Temple Meads Goods.

[Michael Delamar]

They were the LCC standard flats during the inter-war years.

If it helps recognise the flats location..

 

 

some other images..

 

[Fat Controller]

I wonder if that style of flat was used elsewhere; the buildings in the background look more northern than London. 

[skipepsi]

Liverpool had some I think they were called the piggeries and demolished around 82-83-84 when most of Liverpool seemed to disapear.

[Merfyn Jones]

For one interested in the railway's road fleet, this thread has been wonderful. Made my week, many thanks Mike for setting it off.

Merf.

[TheSignalEngineer]

The identifiable vehicles in the robbery shots have London, Middlesex and Suffolk registrations.

[Clive Mortimore]

Looking at the photos Michael has posted and the wonderful film, at 56years old I seem to approaching the recruitment age for British Railways Did they employ anyone who wasn't about to retire.

 

Another excellent thread started by Michael.

[Michael Delamar]

Did they employ anyone who wasn't about to retire.

 

 

my dad always points that out, in all of these films the men are always old. although I dont think the fashions, hairstyles and glasses helped.

Edited December 14, 2013 by Michael Delamar

[Fat Controller]

my dad always points that out, in all of these films the men are always old. although I dont think the fashions, hairstyles and glasses helped.

They're probably all younger than I am now- but then, most of them would have lived through the Depression and WW2, and smoked large quantities of Woodies, Capstan Full-Strength or Senior Service, so no wonder they looked knackered. 

[Ian Smeeton]

I may have missed this, but do you have a link to the original film please, Michael.

 

Regards

 

Ian

[Michael Delamar]

sadly not Ian, recommend the DVD,

http://www.amazon.co.uk/British-Transport-Films-Collection-Volume/dp/B001HU9332

 

or even better the whole boxset, loads more of interesting films..

[Michael Delamar]

thats all I can do now, its a 28minute film, lots of insite and detail shots for modellers, notice how the scammel scarabs sometimes have a opening front window and sometimes they're fixed rubber ones. could do with an etched replacement for the diecast models.