Little boxes, little boxes.... all in a line

Dog Star

Dog Star

Western Thunderer
Thinking about these words by Malvina Reynolds (1962) sung by Pete Seeger (1963):-

<<quote>>
Little boxes on the hillside
Little boxes made of ticky tacky
Little boxes
Little boxes
Little boxes all the same
There's a green one and a pink one
And a blue one and a yellow one
And they're all made out of ticky tacky
And they all look just the same
<<end quote>>

we may well have a prophesy as to the appearance of an early 21st century freightliner train. Life was not always that simple boring.... "open" containers... "tautliners"... "bulk liquid"... any more? So what have we lost, in regard to types of containers by rail, in the last twenty years?

Or put another way - what types of containers could have been seen on freightliner rail services of the 1980s-1990s?

Why am I asking? Son has had a desire for such a train for yonks and I guess that there is no time like now to start the research with a general question.

regards, Graham
 
micknich2003

micknich2003

Western Thunderer
Can't help with your question, but a sobering thought the song is 50 years ago. I was still at school, and tomorrow, I draw my pension.
 
S

SteveO

Guest
Would cars (import or export) have been carried at that time?

I don't really know, I just wanted to reply because I love that song! It was a bit of a theme tune used by my tutor when I was studying architectural design. You've taken me back, I must now go find it on YouTube...
 
Osgood

Osgood

Western Thunderer
Dog Star said:
..Or put another way - what types of containers could have been seen on freightliner services of the 1980s-1990s?....
Click to expand...

why, the BEST type of course - i.e. those built at Crewe Works in the late 70s. They were two-tone blue and mauve but I can't remember the shipping line name now (and no, it wasn't PREMIER LINE).

Of course these days the best quality comes from Taiwan - the Hitachi Heavy Industries containers I have at work are built to quite amazing standards, the plate on them specifies both metric and imperial dimensions - the width is something like 7ft 11 45/64 in. That ain't bad for a welded box! :rolleyes:
 
SteadyRed

SteadyRed

Western Thunderer
I remember the Swansea - Leeds (Sturton) container train in the 70s, into the early 80s it seemed to be loaded with OOCL containers and often produced a WR named Brush 4, which was nice.

I always though the original BR Freightliner livery grey, with a red band & Freighliner branding looked OK
 
mickoo

mickoo

Western Thunderer
iploffy said:
I remember in the high winds, the containers started off on a wagon and ended up all over Buckinghamshire after being:)) blown off
Click to expand...


http://www.raib.gov.uk/publications/investigation_reports/reports_2009/report122009.cfm

Click on the pdf link, very sobering reading, I believe there was another incident in Cumbria as well, can't find the RAIB document for that. Some interesting stuff in these reports, very detailed regarding aspects of track work and rolling stock.
 
iploffy

iploffy

OC Blue Brigade
If I remember right Mat it was you who bought it to my attention mate, thank god no-one was hurt but it was a wheeze
 
Dog Star

Dog Star

Western Thunderer
Thank you Mick, an interesting read... some of the pictures are amazing. What would exhibition visitors make of such a scene if containers are placed carefully to represent line closure as a cover for a temporary electrical short?

regards, Graham
 
Steph Dale

Steph Dale

Western Thunderer
Dog Star said:
Thank you Mick, an interesting read... some of the pictures are amazing. What would exhibition visitors make of such a scene if containers are placed carefully to represent line closure as a cover for a temporary electrical short?

regards, Graham
Click to expand...

Well yeah - if you chose to replicate the couple that were on end you can short the OLE as well as the rails...
Steph
 
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