We must have sailed together. !980/81 I was 3rd Eng. Peter Sutton was old man Tom Makepeace ChEng. We were all made redundant 31st Jan. after pay off in Ras Tannura.
I think we did. Peter Sutton was relieved by a Welsh bloke whose name escapes me, apart from "Dai". I paid off in drydock in Rotterdam. The Chief got unspeakably drunk at Christmas. literally, in that he couldn't speak intelligibly! Good ship, of which I have fond memories. Even as I speak I can see my Skyfotos picture of her. I have 2 pictures onm the wall at my place of work, my first ship and the biggest.
Peter
I joined the Castleton First trip catering boy at 16 in Oct 1974 I have some good memories from then I was also on the Carnegie and the casterbridge after that as well they were good ships a good start to my life in the merchant navy Ian Butler
Yesterday I posted a pic of OSWEGO GUARDIAN, in the Shipping Accidents gallery, being repaired after her collision with TEXANITA of Cape Agulhas in 1972 - is this the same Oswego ?
Hi Guys,
That brings back a few memories. I was 2nd eng on Bulford/Casterbridge when we had all the boiler problems in 1972/73.
Old George Johnson was Chief along with Tom Makepiece and another guy whose name escapes me but he was ex RN and this was his first job out of the services. He sure got a good intro. Henry was the 3rd eng that decided to put the evap drain to cond and unknown to us we were pumping s/w into the feed water all night. Got to know the insides of superheaters real quick after that.
Had a couple of real hard case 3rd engs Ross Ramsay and Johnny Lochart(I think) A couple of mad scotsmen who liked the odd dram or 3. A good bunch to sail with.
Apart from a trip on QM2 last year have not been back since although have done a lot of sailing and powerboating and still own a 13m launch which gets good use as I live in New Zealand
Paul Cooper (Kiwi)
.
Hi Guys,
That brings back a few memories. I was 2nd eng on Bulford/Casterbridge when we had all the boiler problems in 1972/73.
Old George Johnson was Chief along with Tom Makepiece and another guy whose name escapes me but he was ex RN and this was his first job out of the services. He sure got a good intro. Henry was the 3rd eng that decided to put the evap drain to cond and unknown to us we were pumping s/w into the feed water all night. Got to know the insides of superheaters real quick after that.
Had a couple of real hard case 3rd engs Ross Ramsay and Johnny Lochart(I think) A couple of mad scotsmen who liked the odd dram or 3. A good bunch to sail with.
Apart from a trip on QM2 last year have not been back since although have done a lot of sailing and powerboating and still own a 13m launch which gets good use as I live in New Zealand
Paul Cooper (Kiwi)
.
Missed out my name (a senior moment!!), cheers, Bill Sutherland
Hi Guys, Specially Paul,
I sailed on the Bideford in 1972 as R/O, then after I got married (Joan) and myself joined Oct 72 thru to Feb 73.
I had previously sailed on Bideford 1971/72 saving cash to get married. Sailed with an equally nuts Leckie Paul Cooper. Remember delivering the Bonsai trees at Finart? Paul, you were saving up for a Lotus ?? I've forgotten the name, and we met up again at the nautical college in South Shields, and yep you had the Lotus. Hope you are doing well, living in Kiwi??
When wife was onboard, she got her first swimming lesson from Johnnie Lochart on xmas day 1972, she still has the nightmares!!
Had some great times on these unique "T -Pee" tankers, everything got smaller the higher up the tower you went, thank christ I was on tank level!!,
Hi Guys, Specially Paul,
I sailed on the Bideford in 1972 as R/O, then after I got married (Joan) and myself joined Oct 72 thru to Feb 73.
I had previously sailed on Bideford 1971/72 saving cash to get married. Sailed with an equally nuts Leckie Paul Cooper. Remember delivering the Bonsai trees at Finart? Paul, you were saving up for a Lotus ?? I've forgotten the name, and we met up again at the nautical college in South Shields, and yep you had the Lotus. Hope you are doing well, living in Kiwi??
When wife was onboard, she got her first swimming lesson from Johnnie Lochart on xmas day 1972, she still has the nightmares!!
Had some great times on these unique "T -Pee" tankers, everything got smaller the higher up the tower you went, thank christ I was on tank level!!,
I sailed on Bideford in 71/72. Trip to Kharg island. Last voyage of Captain Smith. Very weird trip. Russian CE Indian 2nd. I was 4th or 5th? Great mates with both the RO (from John O'Groats I recall) and the Electrician. Lost touch with both. Some very funny things happened on the voyage and the Captain and Mate both fell for the Fourth Engs wife which caused some trouble!
spike stokes,gp,i sailed with you on gatx,good ships and good crowd,always plenty of laughs,remeber rolly sartin,cat/dept,he died about 4 years ago cancer,live in yovil,spike.
Sailed on Camden as 3/0 Feb-Aug 77 travelling very slowly from Bonaire to Turkey via Iraq. Then spent Silver Jubilee alongside the detached mole in Gibraltar after our "mechanical problems".
Followed up with the Carnegie between South Riding Point and Nigeria
Best wishes to all fellow travellers
Sailed on Camden as 3/0 Feb-Aug 77 travelling very slowly from Bonaire to Turkey via Iraq. Then spent Silver Jubilee alongside the detached mole in Gibraltar after our "mechanical problems".
I was a soldier at the time in Gibraltar.....I remember looking at Camden often, it's 'Lighthouse' block stood out.
I never thought I'd end up being a steward on it a couple of years later!
I joined it at anchor of Kharg Island and stayed at anchor for weeks and weeks....I couldn''t wait to get off the Cockroach infested thing.
The 'Armadale' that followed was the ship that showed me the world.
Hi Spike, Yes remember sailing with you on the Gatx crusies! Not been on this site for a while. George Higgins was the other steward and John Hale the C/Off. How are you keeping?
hi, finish at sea 1982,spent up to retirement driving heavy plant,from bulldozer to cranes,still like a drink,spend 4 month a year,away on holiday abroad,on inclusive,of course,rolly sartin did a couple of years ago,had some good times on gatx,all the best to your family,spike.
Goodness! This is a blast from the past. I was deck officer for a couple of trips on the Castleton, a relief on the Cadogan (Teeside/Flotta and Norway) and an epic four month trip on the Carnegie from the Bahamas to Brunei Bay where all we carried was ballast water. Happy days!
Hi Sandy, I am chuffed to see this site, I think I have a photo of you still! I was the galley rat (catering boy) on the Castleton, in 1977 and 1979, did the Cadwallader also. Just noticed Roland had died from another member. he was as goog as gold to me, and he managed to flog his record and tape player which was in a briefcase to me for fifty quid? . Names you may remember: Bernie woolgar, Arfur watts, Dai davies, ray Gardner (second cook) In fact there are many more.
Great site.
Gary Trabert
Hi Paul you must have sailed with Jimmy Bone (Lecky) or John Atkinson (Lecky). I remember Ross Ramsey & Johnny Lockhart very well. Was Capt Milligan the OM or Pete Davidson? Jeff Moon was 3/0, Gerry Penguilly(?) was C/Off. Lenny Springett was 2/Eng.
Joined the Castleton as Catering Officer in late 1974, then the Cadwallader and finally the Casterbridge. Think Captain on Castleton was Captain Goodinson and C/E Makepeace. Captain on the Casterbridge was Deidrich.
Went ashore after Casterbridge as Port Catering Superintendent for London Drilling Company in Egypt.
Will look out some photographs and post them soon.
Morning All
I am one of Mick Cooke's daughters, just wondering if anyone is still about? Sadly Dad died this year, and ploughing through the old photos came across some tankers, not sure which ones but know Gatx Oswego was one of the companies he worked for
Morning All
I am one of Mick Cooke's daughters, just wondering if anyone is still about? Sadly Dad died this year, and ploughing through the old photos came across some tankers, not sure which ones but know Gatx Oswego was one of the companies he worked for
Hi Jackie I was R/O with Gatx for about 9 years in the 70's, I remember an Arthur Cooke, who had a great interest in aircraft and different routes, not sure if we are talking about the same person? If I remember correctly he was employed as a pump man with Gatx. Regds Tom
Hi Rod, I dont know that incident, but remember the yugoslavian pumpman being coshed over the head by a Spanish mechanic, and ended up pulling in to Dakar to let the police helicopter take the Spaniard off, and ended up sliding the pumpman down the freeboard to a boat in a chair thing!(A bit brain dead).We were all in the bar and got splattered by his head fluid, as he got smashed on top from behind. ended up chasing the spaniard around the accomodation and locking him up in the brig! I think this was on the Castleton
Morning all ex GATX men Harry Richardson here sailed 75 to78 I recall JohnnyLockhart as I was junior with him on my first ship Carnegie along with Ned phayres who made me a large brass key as I had my 21st on board april76 .Went on to Cadogan.Castleton and then Cadwalader which we laid up at Itea if my memory is correct unfortunately then made redundant and moved onuiuntil leaving merchant navy in 82
Hi Harry. For a few seconds there your post had me thinking I was losing my mind. (Jester)
I was on the Castleton, maybe 1978, when Ned [and his wife] were on board. The 4th Engineer, Davie Niven also had his wife [Lynn] with him and as her 21st was approaching, I suggested making a brass 21st key . Naturally, Ned got involved, manufacturing an engraving machine out of scrap laying around the ship. The key she was presented with on her birthday really was a work of art. (Thumb)
I think Neds wife was a motor mechanic to trade and seemed to like nothing more than crawling through the main boiler with him when it was opened for inspection.
Hi Harry, my name is Gary wilton and I served on the cadogan from 18/04/77 till 09/09/77 as catering boy the on the cadwalader from 28/11/77 till 16/05/78 as assistant steward unable to obtain a photo of these unusual ships as all the photos I took have been lost.
Hello Gary
when you joined the Cadogan I had already left but I'm not sure of the exact date that I sailed on the Cadwalader but I'm sure it was late 77 to early 78.
Of the stewards I can only recall a Cornish guy and I think the cooks name was billy a rather camp fellow and very funny. Unfortunately I don't recall yourself thank you for replying
Cheers and good luck for the future
Harry
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