Has anyone got any stories from the fledgeling days of the Container industry, anyone remember John Williams of Maritime when he was cutting his teeth at Russell Davis.
backload:
Has anyone got any stories from the fledgeling days of the Container industry, anyone remember John Williams of Maritime when he was cutting his teeth at Russell Davis.
…
Hello backload i have put some history on this site about Henry Smithers of Southampton (they were owed by OCL part of the P&O group)they set up the transport in the early 70s to service OCL containers that were coming through Southampton Container Port when it opened in early 70s.They also had a depot in Orsett to do the same with Tilbury docks.A young Glyn Davis cut his teeth in the office at Henry Smithers Southampton Depot.I will put the History back on the long departed Southampton site in the next couple of days.
Regards Jacko.
I used to do quite a bit container work in the 70s, Subbing to Marsden Freight Services, (DFDS), the containers used to come in at Tyne Dock North Shields, The gaffer was a real nice bloke Jackson Armstrong, IIRC His right hand man was called Colin Daverson ■■, It was a regular job, Not the best rates but Marsdens paid on the dot, Sadley I don’t have any photos, Regards Larry.
My Dad worked for a firm out of Surrey Docks that were one of the first container hauliers and had trailers with twist locks very early on (1970) which were quite a rarity in those days.
I can remember going to Kings Lynn to get containers, they were Hapag Lloyd boxes I think and ACL boxes from Liverpool, OCL and CAST boxes from Tilbury. I can’t remember which line it was, but one of them had half height open top 20’ boxes.
I’ll ask the old man to shed a bit more light on the subject if he can remember.
Turners (Soham) Ltd. is probably the oldest surviving container haulier still very active in that sector. They were the first haulier to set up a specialist container operation in Felixstowe when the port was being developed for containers. One of the Cambridge University colleges (Trinity College IIRC) owns the Port of Felixstowe and Turners rented land from them to set up their depot. Despite being one of the first container hauliers Turners kept their involvement relatively small until the last 10 years when they started to expand dramatically in this sector by acquisitions.
In the North West I can remember the first Manchester Liners ISO containers, which would have been in 1969/1970. No twist-locks in those days, just boxes roped onto flat trailers.
About that time i can remember regular container hauliers carried attachments that hooked under the chock rail of a flat and into the ends of the containers , these were tightened down with a screw . a good idea before twist locks became common on flats . dave
newmercman:
My Dad worked for a firm out of Surrey Docks that were one of the first container hauliers and had trailers with twist locks very early on (1970) which were quite a rarity in those days.I can remember going to Kings Lynn to get containers, they were Hapag Lloyd boxes I think and ACL boxes from Liverpool, OCL and CAST boxes from Tilbury. I can’t remember which line it was, but one of them had half height open top 20’ boxes.
I’ll ask the old man to shed a bit more light on the subject if he can remember.
Half heights were Manchester Liners open tops. 4’3" high with four lift out sides on chains.
I was lower than the half height boxes meself at the time, so I can’t say for sure whose they were, but I’m sure they were CAST or OCL, do you know if they were exclusive to Manchester Liners Beanie?
Maybe OCL but not CAST. I wasn’t tall enough to see over the side (and still not now), Manchester Liners came in through Salford Docks upto around 1982 when the Port of Manchester closed the dock operation and moved to Seaforth, the whole lot was sold to OOCL around 1984 when the red was changed to grey. I remember Dad taking me to look over the edge of a half height containing roof tiles for export at Seaforth when I was about 8.
You can see 4 Half HEIGHT Manchester Liner containers think they tipped at
Ever Ready at Stanley Co-Durham. 
-
Hello all
I remember OCL having half height containers iirc they were used a lot on Steel coming out of Wales?
Regards Jacko,
R-JACKO:
backload:
Has anyone got any stories from the fledgeling days of the Container industry, anyone remember John Williams of Maritime when he was cutting his teeth at Russell Davis.…
Hello backload i have put some history on this site about Henry Smithers of Southampton (they were owed by OCL part of the P&O group)they set up the transport in the early 70s to service OCL containers that were coming through Southampton Container Port when it opened in early 70s.They also had a depot in Orsett London to do the same with Tilbury docks.A young Glen Davis cut his teeth in the office at Henry Smithers Southampton Depot.I will put the History back on the long departed Southampton site in the next couple of days.
Regards Jacko.
Jacko? Dont suppose youve recently walked into a vets and asked for a pint of bitter? If not forgive the question, its me thats barking!
Lawrence Dunbar:
I used to do quite a bit container work in the 70s, Subbing to Marsden Freight Services, (DFDS), the containers used to come in at Tyne Dock North Shields, The gaffer was a real nice bloke Jackson Armstrong, IIRC His right hand man was called Colin Daverson ■■, It was a regular job, Not the best rates but Marsdens paid on the dot, Sadley I don’t have any photos, Regards Larry.
Mind you I remember picking a Peter Holmes one up Loaded for Kennomeat Dog Food factory at Barhead, I weighed in at 37 Tons on a 32 tonne Foden artic , I offloaded tared off at 17. 100 Tonnes, So I was paid for 20 Tonnes, I only did it once mind you, Regards Larry.
Franglais:
R-JACKO:
backload:
Has anyone got any stories from the fledgeling days of the Container industry, anyone remember John Williams of Maritime when he was cutting his teeth at Russell Davis.…
Hello backload i have put some history on this site about Henry Smithers of Southampton (they were owed by OCL part of the P&O group)they set up the transport in the early 70s to service OCL containers that were coming through Southampton Container Port when it opened in early 70s.They also had a depot in Orsett London to do the same with Tilbury docks.A young Glen Davis cut his teeth in the office at Henry Smithers Southampton Depot.I will put the History back on the long departed Southampton site in the next couple of days.
Regards Jacko.Jacko? Don
t suppose youve recently walked into a vets and asked for a pint of bitter? If not forgive the question, its me thats barking!
…
Hello Franglais
No your right i did have a pint of bitter or two!
I think in future ill read the question when im a bit more sober before I answer lol
R-JACKO:
Franglais:
R-JACKO:
backload:
Has anyone got any stories from the fledgeling days of the Container industry, anyone remember John Williams of Maritime when he was cutting his teeth at Russell Davis.…
Hello backload i have put some history on this site about Henry Smithers of Southampton (they were owed by OCL part of the P&O group)they set up the transport in the early 70s to service OCL containers that were coming through Southampton Container Port when it opened in early 70s.They also had a depot in Orsett London to do the same with Tilbury docks.A young Glen Davis cut his teeth in the office at Henry Smithers Southampton Depot.I will put the History back on the long departed Southampton site in the next couple of days.
Regards Jacko.Jacko? Don
t suppose youve recently walked into a vets and asked for a pint of bitter? If not forgive the question, its me thats barking!…
Hello Franglais
No your right i did have a pint of bitter or two!
I think in future ill read the question when im a bit more sober before I answer lol
I was meaning to ask if your old “local” had been converted into a vet surgery? If so, I was once a regular there too. If not, then please ignore my wittering away.
I was meaning to ask if your old “local” had been converted into a vet surgery? If so, I was once a regular there too. If not, then please ignore my wittering away.
[/quote]
[/quote]
[/quote]
…
Hello Franglais
Yes your right the old local is a Vets now!
My dad was a regular there back in the day so you may be thinking of him?
Regards R.Jacko
R-JACKO… p.m. sent.
beanie:
newmercman:
My Dad worked for a firm out of Surrey Docks that were one of the first container hauliers and had trailers with twist locks very early on (1970) which were quite a rarity in those days.I can remember going to Kings Lynn to get containers, they were Hapag Lloyd boxes I think and ACL boxes from Liverpool, OCL and CAST boxes from Tilbury. I can’t remember which line it was, but one of them had half height open top 20’ boxes.
I’ll ask the old man to shed a bit more light on the subject if he can remember.
Half heights were Manchester Liners open tops. 4’3" high with four lift out sides on chains.
Tipped many of those half heights,usually copper or aluminium ingots,when I was driving for Humber McVeigh’s in Salford there used to be one used for storage in Levenshulme,Manchester,could see it from Stockport Road,probably gone by now.
David
When i started driving in 1976 on general you couldnt do container work as it was ■■■■■■■ by the tgwu and the dockers, you had to join the union to get a container federation card to be allowed to collect and deliver into tilbury and liverpool.
most container lines had half heights, funny you dont see them about now.
steve.
Anyone remember ACT , they had a depot in Stourton Leeds and probably everywhere else in the UK , white and blue i think. 