Containing containers
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SOME observers believe that the economic case for privately operated Freightliner terminals should be fully made out. Sir Stanley Raymond told me last week that 50 Freightliner terminals could perform the work of 500 private sidings; he had no qualms, therefore, that public and private finance would be unnecessarily dissipated.
He accepted that rapidly approaching containerization presented a challenge if terminal bottlenecks were to be avoided. "The container revolution will go right to the core of the whole distributive system," he told me. "Warehousing, storage, accounting and invoicing procedures will be transformed." He envisages well-sited concrete aprons as necessary links in container distribution. The Ministry, it seems, is looking into methods of avoiding congestion.
Mrs. Castle did not respond to my hint that she should deploy her persuasive talents now to prepare industry for 24-hour working, at least on the transport and dispatch side. In political terms, this battle may prove to be as difficult as the protracted open terminals fight. Many more trade unions, not to mention worthy manufacturers, will be involved.