Scenic query - rubbish tins

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Graeme Leary
GNR C1 4-4-2
Posts: 751
Joined: Fri Oct 28, 2011 9:43 pm

Scenic query - rubbish tins

Post by Graeme Leary »

In a typical Northern town scene of terraced houses in say the 1920s-40s would rubbish tins have been placed out for collection by the local authorities and if so, would they have been placed on the street, front door entrance side of the terraces or in the lanes at the rear of the house backs?
(All in the interest of authenticity of course - found a pack of Langley's rubbish tins and better out than in a box!)

Graeme
New Zealand
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manna
LNER A4 4-6-2 'Streak'
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Joined: Sun May 24, 2009 12:56 am
Location: All over Australia

Re: Scenic query - rubbish tins

Post by manna »

G'day Gents

I know as a kid in North London, we lived in a terraced house, and often had to help take the bin out, through the house, it was heavy, so much ash in it. We used to put it by the front door, anywhere else and it would block access to the house, also the dustcart was horse drawn, couple of big Shire horses.


manna
EDGWARE GN, Steam in the Suburbs.
drmditch

Re: Scenic query - rubbish tins

Post by drmditch »

Do you mean 'dustbins'?
Collected by 'dustmen'
(as in the song 'My old man's a dustman.......'
Usually galvanised corrugated steel with a lid.

Ours were emptied weekly.
Hatfield Shed
LNER A4 4-6-2 'Streak'
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Re: Scenic query - rubbish tins

Post by Hatfield Shed »

I doubt there's an absolutely hard and fast rule, but the usual thing is that for the local authority collection the dustbin had to be on the property boundary directly accessible from a public road on which the 'dustcart' collection route was operated. If the lanes between the terraced house backs were 'unadopted' (effectively private roads of the builder/developer/owner) then you would see a great cluster of dustbins on collection day where the lane gave out onto the public road. This can still be seen now in the 'wheelie bin' era.
john coffin
LNER V2 2-6-2 'Green Arrow'
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Re: Scenic query - rubbish tins

Post by john coffin »

It is worth considering seeing if you can find any early black and white English films even as late as
Richard Harris' as a rugby player, This Sporting Life, which although it is Wales, gives some valuable clues
to the state of housing and services in the pre war and directly post war period
Or Lawrence Harvey in Room at the Top, a gritty northern drama which will give you good guidance.
For nearer London, then the Alec Guinness films The Lavender Hill Mob,The LadyKillers, and
The Man in the White Suit, all now considered classics, but really useful for picking up peripheral information
about how people lived and survived.

In Luton, many of the terraces had alleyways between each pair of middle houses, and generally there was
a pub on one corner and a "corner shop( think Arkwright)" at the other. This into the 1970's.

Don't forget also that most houses in pre war terraces had outside toilets, and the man collected the waste
about once a week, generally going down the alleyways between each adjoining terraces.

This might help, or overwhelm you.

Paul
Graeme Leary
GNR C1 4-4-2
Posts: 751
Joined: Fri Oct 28, 2011 9:43 pm

Re: Scenic query - rubbish tins

Post by Graeme Leary »

Great feedback all and I do have most of the old films you mention Paul. Will go through them again to pick up these points but even just for the enjoyment of watching these classics.

Makes sense too about the accessibility for the 'dustmen' (sorry for the rubbish bin 'oops' drmdtich) so I'll place a few at the front with a number where the back lane opens out on to the roadway. I do have corner pubs well represented on my layout - my local mates know the only time I drink beer is when I'm in the UK and get a decent bitter (and frequently 'real' ale) pulled out of a cask, not the bottled stuff, usually ice cold that is sold as beer here.

Graeme (new Zealand)
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