Dundee Perth Sidings at Channelsea?

[MadMac]

While researching one of the Railcar site’s mystery photos, the site owner brought this to my attention. Any idea quite how they came to get that name?

 

[ChiefPlanner]

There was an oufit called the Dundee , Perth and London shipping line , which sometime in the late 1960's transferred their operation from sea to Freightliner , with a daily Dundee - London service (attached to the Aberdeen - Kings Cross service) , was only a 5 set and I guess dissapeared when the terminal ceased operating.

 

[MadMac]

There was an oufit called the Dundee , Perth and London shipping line , which sometime in the late 1960's transferred their operation from sea to Freightliner , with a daily Dundee - London service (attached to the Aberdeen - Kings Cross service) , was only a 5 set and I guess dissapeared when the terminal ceased operating.

Thanks! Remarkably, the company still exists!

 

[ChiefPlanner]

Thanks! Remarkably, the company still exists!

Yes - googled it ! - the Freightliner terminal at Dundee only lasted 7 years , it does beg the question if you cannot economically move freight over that sort of distance , (over 400 miles) , you might as well give up. Charitably , perhaps the rates were very (too) low.

Before the container operation , DP&L had their own express goods service to London using the then standard 12 ton "Vanfits" - I see you write from the USA where a 12 ton goods wagon (freight car) - would be deemed somewhat puny !

 

[MadMac]

Yes - googled it ! - the Freightliner terminal at Dundee only lasted 7 years , it does beg the question if you cannot economically move freight over that sort of distance , (over 400 miles) , you might as well give up. Charitably , perhaps the rates were very (too) low.

Before the container operation , DP&L had their own express goods service to London using the then standard 12 ton "Vanfits" - I see you write from the USA where a 12 ton goods wagon (freight car) - would be deemed somewhat puny !

I’m retired BR, I know exactly what you mean!

 

[Mcr Warrior]

Where is Channelsea / Dundee Perth Sidings?

= Stratford area of London?

 

[MadMac]

The sidings were just to the south of Channelsea Junction.

 

[Harpo]

Where is Channelsea / Dundee Perth Sidings?

= Stratford area of London?

There is a triangular west-east-north junction on the London-end of Stratford station. Channelsea sidings curved alongside its east-north side.

 

[Gloster]

They seem to be on the south side of the Carpenters Road Curve between Carpenters Road North Junction and Carpenters Road South Junction (on the GE mainline) with access from the former; they are roughly on the site of the Carpenters Road Goods Depot (1892-1964). Looking at large scale maps they appear to have been lifted by 1970. If you Google channelsea dundee perth sidings the first result is a 1967 resignalling notice for the area.

Before the container operation , DP&L had their own express goods service to London using the then standard 12 ton "Vanfits" - I see you write from the USA where a 12 ton goods wagon (freight car) - would be deemed somewhat puny !

There are probably plenty on this forum from these shores who don’t know what a Vanfit is. The word always brings back the sickly-sweet smell of animal feed nuts from the days when I had to sweep them out.

 

[Big Jumby 74]

There is a triangular west-east-north junction on the London-end of Stratford station. Channelsea sidings curved alongside its east-north side.

Not to be confused with Thornton Fields Carriage sidings, slightly West thereof, on the Down side of and at near right angles with the GEML, with their buffer stops adjacent to the GEML, if that makes sense?

There are probably plenty on this forum from these shores who don’t know what a Vanfit is.

As a nipper I found it fascinating watching trains of vanfits being shunted at my then local station, from the vantage point of a footbridge, and seeing what seemed to be a wide variety of different roof profiles. How sad is that!

 

[Harpo]

As a nipper I found it fascinating watching trains of vanfits being shunted at my then local station, from the vantage point of a footbridge, and seeing what seemed to be a wide variety of different roof profiles. How sad is that!

To which I can only add, Scammel Scarabs.

 

[Davester50]

Yes - googled it ! - the Freightliner terminal at Dundee only lasted 7 years , it does beg the question if you cannot economically move freight over that sort of distance , (over 400 miles) , you might as well give up. Charitably , perhaps the rates were very (too) low.

Before the container operation , DP&L had their own express goods service to London using the then standard 12 ton "Vanfits" - I see you write from the USA where a 12 ton goods wagon (freight car) - would be deemed somewhat puny !

Dundee just didn't have the industry compared with elsewhere. It missed most of the North Sea boom, and the shipyards moved away from building.
Until the 80s the biggest industry would be NCR, Timex, Michelin and Bonar Long.
Michelin would likely be the bulkiest goods, but all of these plants were built along the Kingsway, miles from a railhead.

DP&L do a lot of business travel agency work.