Latest C Rail box

[Arran]

HI All 

 

The ACT 20ft x8ft chilled containers are now in stock .

ACT were seen from the 1966 till the boxes died out mainly in the 80s 

 

Regards Arran

 

Regards Arran

[DJ Dangerous]

Absolutely fabulous detail!

Would these have run in Ireland or only the UK?

[Mol_PMB]

8 minutes ago, DJ Dangerous said:

Absolutely fabulous detail!

Would these have run in Ireland or only the UK?

ACT was formed by a consortium of British shipping lines and primarily traded between UK, Europe and Australia. I would expect that some of their containers would have been seen in Ireland.

Certainly, containers of some of their parents (e.g. Ellerman Lines) were seen on trains in Ireland, there are some Ellerman Lines boxes here:

 

This thread:

Looking for bell line pics - UK PROFESSIONAL DRIVERS FORUMS / OLD TIME LORRIES, COMPANIES AND DRIVERS (INTERACT - Trucknet UK

includes this image:

where there are a couple of early ACT containers amongst the Bells. 

But I'm not sure this photo is in Ireland.

 

 

 

[Arran]

If only i could go back in time with a digital camera .

I did take container pics back in the 80s but back then every time you pressed that button it cost you .

 

Regards Arran

[skinner75]

8 minutes ago, Arran said:

If only i could go back in time with a digital camera .

I did take container pics back in the 80s but back then every time you pressed that button it cost you .

 

Regards Arran

Kids these days will never know the pain of not being able to preview pics, and having to pay a fair whack for a couple of dozen shots!

[DJ Dangerous]

10 minutes ago, skinner75 said:

Kids these days will never know the pain of not being able to preview pics, and having to pay a fair whack for a couple of dozen shots!

You’d think you had the perfect shot, then get the photos back a few days later and that perfect shot was ruined!

[skinner75]

36 minutes ago, DJ Dangerous said:

You’d think you had the perfect shot, then get the photos back a few days later and that perfect shot was ruined!

I remember sneaking a camera into a gig years ago - around 1990 I'd say.

I cleaned condensation off the viewfinder, but not the lens! Looked all good through the viewfinder, but all shots came back like I was standing in a fog bank! 

Edited July 1, 2025 by skinner75

[Broithe]

I went to the open day at Abbeyleix House on Sunday - I took 191 pictures.

Imagine the cost with a real camera forty years ago...

[Mol_PMB]

I’ll look up more info on ACT tonight or tomorrow when I have my copies of Jane’s to hand. I’ll see if they had an Irish office. 
These ACT boxes certainly appeared on early Freightliners and at the terminals in Manchester. In the late 60s and early 70s they were common. 

 

Seeing the circles printed on the end of the box representing the chilled air connections, you could do the same for a Manchester Liners chilled container (white, with red and black lettering). 
I have a copy of the original painting and lettering diagram for them. 

[Mol_PMB]

I’ve not yet stumbled across definite evidence of ACT boxes in Ireland but I expect it did happen. 
ACT was strongly into the refrigerated / insulated container trade of meat from Australasia to Europe, so these white 20’ insulated boxes were a big part of their 1970s fleet. 

In the mid-1970s they had offices across GB including Manchester and Liverpool, but none listed in Ireland. They probably relied on Irish Sea feeder services. 

[ttc0169]

Brand new Dana tanks recently unloaded off the XPO liner in Ballina freight yard. 
 

[MOGUL]

2 hours ago, ttc0169 said:

Brand new Dana tanks recently unloaded off the XPO liner in Ballina freight yard. 
 

The older tanks in the fleet must have been the best part of 25 years old, so these are long overdue, especially as the walkways etc on the old ones were very much the worse for wear!

Hopefully, Givaudan will keep the Murphy's tanks on hire, and haven't replaced the entire fleet with these! 

[Arran]

HI All

Are the tank frames dark green or Black ?

 

Regards Arran

[ttc0169]

3 hours ago, Arran said:

HI All

Are the tank frames dark green or Black ?

 

Regards Arran

Matt black. 

[Arran]

HI All

Some bang up to date 40ft hc next

 

Still got work to do but this is how all Mearsk containers will be done from now on 

 

Regards Arran

[Arran]

HI All

The Next batch of C Rail OO 40ft Hc containers are almost finished .

 

Maersks new all Blue livery and a run of MSC 40ft hcs in Sand 

 

Regards Arran

 

 

 

[Arran]

HI All

 

The New Maersk blue and MSC sand 40ft hc containers are now in stock

 

Regards Arran

[DJ Dangerous]

Lovely stuff, @Arran!

Any thoughts on doing 45’ boxes some day?

[Arran]

HI All

 

Some more OO arrived today with the Freightliner being released before "but i've been getting nagged for this one again"  

 

The OCL is a new livery , these liveries date from the Late 70s till the early 90s But evidence suggests the OCL went on longer with many getting repainted in to P&O with the flag.

Not they have different doors to suit the prototype  .

 

Regards Arran