Why London Lorry Drivers Queued for Hours at the Docks

Before containers, London Docklands moved break-bulk cargo by hand onto classic British lorries, once the world's busiest port. The lost 1960s story. Before modern container shipping, London's Upper Docks — East India, Millwall, Surrey, and the Royal Docks — formed the busiest freight logistics hub in the world. Cargo was loaded by hand onto classic British lorries like the Leyland, Bedford, ERF, and Foden, with queues stretching for miles at the dock gates. This documentary uncovers the lost world of 1960s break-bulk cargo handling, the dockers who moved it, and the classic road transport system that connected London's docks to the rest of Britain — right before the container revolution changed global maritime trade forever. If Britain's classic lorries and industrial history interest you, subscribe for more stories like this one. And let us know in the comments: did anyone in your family work on London's docks, or drive for a haulage firm serving them? 0:00 The Morning Queue at London's Docks 2:17 The Mechanics of Breakbulk Cargo 4:29 The Daily Call for Labor 8:20 Navigating the Narrow Dock Roads 15:54 The Arrival of the Steel Box #LondonDocklands #PortOfLondonHistory #BreakBulkCargo #EastIndiaDocks #MillwallDocks #RoyalDocks #DockworkersHistory #ClassicBritishLorries #1960sDocklands #BritishTruckingHistory