Off The Rails: RoadRailer

Off The Rails: A Series Diving Into The History Of Lost & Forgotten Parts Of British Rail.
In The Early 1960s, With A Rise In Road Haulage Companies Taking The Large Market Share Of Freight Traffic, British Rail Decided To Create A Wagon That Would Bring The Best Of Both Worlds; The Roadrailer!
Thanks For Watching!

[@tangerinedream7211]

The roadrailer was running trials on the east coast main line when a coupling broke, this didn't help it's cause. Freightliner took a while to become operational due to 2 factors Firstly the BR unions wouldn't agree to private transport firms coming into Freightliner yards to deliver or collect containers, also BR wanted the guards to ride in the rear cab of the locomotive, BR unions were against that as well.

[@davidford85]

Well you learn something new each day. Never heard of the system till now. Fascinating.

[@pauldyer3312]

Tri-ang/Hornby made them in the 60s

[@brianhepke7182]

You beat me to it... just about to mention the same thing.😊 The Triang/Minic system was ahead of its time. And those Roadrailer models go for hefty prices these days. Both my systems are still working some 60+years later.

[@CZ350tuner]

The French experimented with the "Kangaroo" wagon system, where the truck reversed its trailer into a special4 wheeled carrying wagon frame. This wagon could be coupled up into normal freight trains. Jouef made a working model of this, in HO, back in the late 1960's. The Freightliner container system also killed off the French "Kangaroo" trailer carrying wagon system, too.

[@Tom-Lahaye]

The Kangaroo or Piggyback wagon is still in use today, just not in its original form. Specialised wagons are used which can carry semi trailers including its wheels which sit in a pocket between the frame rails of the wagon, these wagons can also take ISO containers. On the European continent these are known as Modalohr and Hupac wagons, two of the companies who own such wagons. Because of the more limited loading gauge in the UK they can only run via the channel tunnel to Dollands Moor but not elsewhere in the UK.

[@andrewkozminski6466]

I think that was more like the Tiphook Piggyback system tried in the UK in the 90's

[@neilwilkinson8062]

I remember a Piggyback type of wagon introduced by ‘Petfoods’, in their dogfood factory in Melton Mowbray, Leicestershire. Meat (substandard, unfit for human consumption) would arrive at Melton Mowbray sidings by rail. These wagons could then be coupled onto a road going Artic Tractor Unit, and taken the short distance to the pet food factory. This was about 1991. It only seemed to last a few years though. Not sure why it had such a short life.

[@OddBallThe4th8382]

Excellent! This channel is great Jack, please keep it up!

[@cdresser7175]

We have so many trucks on our roads here, they really should try to use the railways more maybe.

[@Tom-Lahaye]

Also to mention as a drawback is the heavy railway axle which is just dead weight in road use. Other systems where separate railway trucks are added between the trailers are better regarding dead weight.

[@ANobodyatall]

I saw similar in Austria.

[@awesome-xk8vj]

Can you make videos on the GT1/18000 & GT2/18100 please.

[@ANobodyatall]

So, was it ever really introduced, beyond testing?

[@TheGreatSteve]

They had them in North America.

[@buergidunitz]

Don't forget America, where this system actually made it to primetime! en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roadrailer

[@j69buckjumper]

Anyone notice the ex LMS suburban brake coach at 4.13 behind the loco pulling the freightliner consist? Being used as a guards van and converted to airbrake operation due to dispute with drivers on guards being in the locos.

[@neiloflongbeck5705]

A situation resolved in August 1968.