HI Any of you old Union Steam hands know what became of the Konui and the Wiamati the best thing I remember about these great little ships was the grup eggs to order ect
KONUI
Built 1949 by Henry Robb Ltd., Leith. 2,485grt.
Sold 1969 to Express Navigation (Pte.) Ltd., Singapore and renamed BONATRADE.
Sold 1974 to Tung Wo Shipping Co. S.A., Panama and renamed TUNG LEE.
Sold 1977 to Syarikkat Perkapalan Bersinar Sdn. Bhd., Kuala Lumpur and renamed BERJAYA. She had several different Managers in this period.
Sold 1983 to P.T. Perusahaan Pelayaran Nusantara Nagah Berlian, Indonesia (same name)
Sold 1983 to Golden Sea International Co. Ltd., Bangkok and broken up at Bangkok.
WAIMATE
Built 1951 by Henry Robb Ltd., Leith. 3,506grt.
Sold 1972 to Eastern Shipping Lines Onc., Manila and renamed EASTERN PLANET.
Sold 1977 to Skyluck Steam Ship Co. S.A., Panama, and renamed SKY LUCK.
On 7 Feb 1979, she arrived at Hong Kong laden with Vietnamese refugees. She drifted aground on Lamma Island on 29 June 1979 after her anchor chain was cut. At this point she was seized by Hong Kong authorities and demolition ordered. She was refloated on 12 April 1980, towed to Junk Bay and demolition was completed by 24 May 1980.
thank's for the photos and info lads now can anyone tell me the name we used to call the New Cri opposite the pickup in Aukland I think it was Ann something or other since I've started on this site the i've been hveing senior moments trying to remember some of the places
That was the KOKIRI. Two men were killed when a mystery explosion occured in the forward hold as she was arriving in Wellington on 13 March 1965. It was thought to be caused by a build up of coal gas.
Hi All,
Kokiri had an explosion in the forward hold believed to have been a build up of coal gas which ignited by a spark from opening the hatches. It happened on the 13th March 1965 as she was arriving in Wellington. The forward hatch blew over the wheelhouse and to this day has not been found. Two crew members were killed.
The Kokiri was unique for the U.S.S.Co as she was gearless and was designed to be loaded solely by grabs, shutes, and railway wagons and to be discharched by grab cranes
Built by Henry Robb Ltd Leith in 1951. 2470GRT.
Sold to E-K Litonjua Steamship Co Inc of Manila, Phillipines and renamed Junior K.L.
1971 Lost in typhoon without trace on passage from Tanjong Mani to Hong Kong.
(*)) I was on the Melbourne Star in Wellington the night the kokiri went up she was berthing ahead of us. It was near the floating drydock. we had our boats in the water to tighten the seams so went to the aid. I remember in the daylight it was not a pretty sight. Our master was George Bowden the mate was Nuelans bosun Ian McaKinnon fromTiree the lampie was Jimmie Marsden from Belfast a happy ship
The old criterion in albert street was known as ann powels.Then it closed down and the governer of the criterion took over the ambasadars nick named the blood house. witch he named the new criterion.The old criterion was meant to be done up so we were told and reopened witch never happened and they bolled it over back handers.cheers
Thats right Jim It was diesel/electric kind of set up ,if I remember right you could have one engine on ahead and the other on astern and phase one out and then the other in when manoeuvring,
I have some info and pictures re: the Konui and also Kaitawa on my site at http://users.iconz.co.nz/rwincer some good colour pics of this class of Collier
The Konui was my second ship on the coast as deck boy in '59 and I have six disgharges from her, the last in 67. I grew to like the coal run so much I sailed on all the colliers (EXCEPT the Kaitawa and Kokiri) as Bucko and AB, and Bosun later on the Kawatiri. I have fond memories of the Konui,and I remember Jimmy Hewit was bosun who became a great union official and Paddy? McDermot was Storekeeper. Its hard to forget Jimmy Hewitt who dealt to a bunch of Aussie matelots single handed in the 'Bunch' (up from 15 Darling Harbour Sydney) on one of the trans Tasman R & R trips the colliers used to get. We also did a trip to Bunbury in WA to load sleepers. We were two weeks at sea south about Tassie to Dunedin and ran short of water- before watermakers. Good seamen, good shipmates on the colliers. I have a pic of her steaming up to Dunedin and a poem " The Ballad of the West Coast colliers" if anyone is interested.
Cheers, off for a bevvie.
While all you ex Union Co blokes are on this subject can anyone recall the name of the specialist single hold pole carrying ship that the Union Co had on the NZ- Coffs Harbour run. She used to ship all the long hardwood poles to NZ for the NZED and the Power Boards. They used to say that if you crewed on this ship there was a 50/50 chance that you would marry a Coff's Harbour girl
Bob , that would have been the 'KOPUA', x Watchlins & under command of Capt. Fred Chapman for many years both with Watchlins and in Union Co., as he actually came over with the ship . She was built by Henry Robb of Leith and quite a nice looking vessel.
In the latter years, the Able Tasman, owned by H .C. Sleighs, was the main Coffs Harbour-N .Z runner, but quite a few Union Coy ships used to load there as well.I went there on the Karetu, and loaded a cargo of logs for Lyttelton ,Oamaru and Bluff .From memory we had a wk to 10 days there, and a very pleasant time was had by all !!!
I left the Kokiri the trip before she blew up in wellington. I was told, by a good contact, that when she went up they took people of her. One was one of the engineers where just before going on the east wind life boat came back to his cabin for his evertime sheet, then left the ship. Konui, I did a short time on her early 1968, one trip with coal as I remember.
Jim B
note questions on Waimate, I sailed in her in the 60's to the pacific islands,Griff Ted was Master? anyhow I remember the story that she was delayed building because of WW2 and design was changed to meet USSCO requirements and perhaps explains the short funnel and engine configuration.
brgds
Saintfield
From Ray Lusty, Brisbane: I did most of my boys time on the Kaitawa in 61-62 then was on it as an AB later. .Got off it just a few months before it went down.Your right "old collier hand. there was some top guys on them.Had some great times,especially at Dirty dots in Westport.
I dont think I've ever seen any "character Pubs" like the "Bunch( Sydney) or Gleesons, Auckland".Pheew!!! Those Aussie runs were good humour.
Any of you guys know Les Hartley(Gig),messman, brother of John(the beard)an Ab in the 60's. Also Ray Miller AB, Jimmy wellsAB, Mike Mullholland,Dave Tickner,AB.
Theres others but its late and the ol brains, well u know.! I went ashore and moved to Oz in 1970 and I've lost touch with all the ole mates.
I ran into Lyndsay Hawkins,AB in Mackay Qld in 74.
Darrell(dinga) Bells came back here about 71 and we've stayed in close touch. He like me, is a multiple grandfather(Jeeeese! Time sure gets away.)I've worked as a Rigger since i've been in OZ. The last 28 as a Rigger/Crane Supervisor around Oz with a few stints o/seas
All these guys were shipmates in the 60's.If u know of them or can track them ,give us a bell.
Cheers,Lusty
I only spent a short time on Kiwi coast in 69 in the Kurutai as A.B. also previous to that i was in the Kumalla on the Aussie coast a question for those who know, did any of the Aussie crewed ships run to Kiwi , i know the Kiwi ships ran to Aussie all the best to everyone
The Able Tasman was an Aus boat that used to trade to NZ,I can remember seeing her in picton(I think she was Aus , another multiple grandad here)theres a photo in the gallery of myself in football gear (Only time I played)with her in the background,There was a schooner also that used to run explosives over to the west coast ports
Gidday billmaca 237681 I remember the Abel Tasman she was an Oz flagged ship, was light green in colour, The schooner you were talking about could have been the " Piri " she was either run or owned by the DSIR or ICI. I was in the Kurutai in 1960 on the wheat run, the skipper was a capt sadler, he was known as " Scratchie **** Sadler, because he had wheat dermatitis. Any info on the Piri would be appreciated. Sharkie Price ex AB now living in the UK
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