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ex Ellerman City Line Crew

82K views 144 replies 89 participants last post by  j.stakim 
#1 ·
Hi Everybody, im looking for all Ellerman city Line crew from 1965 until 1973
Robin Williams x Electrcian.
 
#3 ·
OK I'll bite, Did my time '68-'76 deck officers apprenticeship came ashore with Mates ticket (after seeing the light where Ellermans & the industry was going). Mainly sailed out of Canada on CCL (Hull, Colombo, Ottawa & Toronto), Did the maiden voyage on the Hull east-about ending up in St John, One trip on the Arcadian on the Naffy Med run and one on the Bedford down to Yarpy.

Bite me back...and see if we clashed along the way.
CHEERS
 
#4 ·
You had the pleasure of the Bedford ? What a gracefull old lady she was, when her boilers weere not driving the Ch & 2nd Engs crazy that is. I was on her for one trip on the yarpy run. Was quite a come-uppance for me having just completed the maiden voyage on the Hull, the newest ship in the fleet bounced over to the oldest lady in the fleet. This would have been late 1969 or early 70 if I remember correctly.
 
#5 ·
City Line 1968 - 72

I left Houlders after getting my 2/Mates Cert. Sailed under Capt. Rex Broadbent on the City of Eastbourne on the CIP run. Spent a year on the City of Winchester under Capt. Tommy Rigg before transferring to the City of Brisbane. Left the City of Brisbane in drydock in Cardiff where she was being handed over to Ben Line. I enjoyed the experience on all three vessels and always sailed with good people. However, the fleet was shrinking rapidly, as were the opportunities, so I moved on.

The attached thumbnail was taken in the Bent-L-Bow, the bar of the City of Winchester. Recognise anyone?

Cheers
 

Attachments

#6 ·
Doug.f.



Robin.
Well hello old chap !
Joined my first ship with you in the London docks,was one of the big 4.
I was also a first trip elect.
Chief elect. was Peter Hamp.
Met you later on the C. of Chester.
I'm afraid time really flies,do hope you are well and life has treated you kindly.
Will not make this a long communication but would realy like to hear from you.
All best wishes.
Doug. Fidler
mrdf@free.fr
 
#12 ·
Manolito
You old scoundrel!
We were on the Prince Rupert City to China when I was 2/0. Got a letter today from Joe Fitzsimmons C/E on that trip....Xmas Day through Suez ring a bell?? And I have other photos !!
Looked on this thread as I was Ellermans 1969 till 1975.
All the best
John
 
#53 · (Edited)
John, you were the 2nd Mate on my first ship - City of Auckland, round the UK coast in July 1974 - master was Capt Perry, Paul Wheldon was the C/O, you were relieved by Keith Moger if I remember correctly. I recently met one of the 3rd Engineers from that trip in London and then Dubai - Brian Thornbarrow. I have been sailing recently with another ex-Ellerman officer, Brian Hall who is now working as a super for Serco.

Potted history
City of Auckland - July 1974 -Feb1975 - Capt Ramsden + wife, Ch.Off George Railston, 2nd mate Keith Moger 3rd mate Jack Toberville-Smith
City of Limassol - March 1975 - June 1975
City of Hull - March 1976 - December 1976
City of Lancaster
City of Valetta
City of Cape Town
City of Winchester
City of York
City of Genoa
City of Hartlepool - many voyages including Arctic trading
City of Perth - many voyages
City of Ipswich - many voyages
Liverpool Star - many voyages
City of Pymouth - many voyages
City of Oxford - a few trips including major engine modifications and then a couple of Arctic voyages on charter to Eimskip
ACT 8 / Portland Bay/ City of Durban - all the same ship - she later became the City of Cape Town under P&OCL ownership!
ACT 4
I then moved to P&O Containers/ P&OCL/P&O Nedlloyd/ Reederei Blue Star (wholly owned subsidary of P&O Nedlloyd) and now Maersk Line where I am in command of some of their larger containerships
 
#19 ·
Hello Doug
You definitely won't remember me but in 1969 I did a trip with you on the City of Gloucester. I was only 17 at the time and di the trip to India before I went to college for my cadetship. Terry cornick was the other cadet.
I'm still at sea with a few years left before retiring. Now working on a SEWOP in the Irish Sea sevicing the oil and gas rigs. It's been a long life with many adventures.
All the best
Mike Owen
 
#20 · (Edited)
City of Colombo

What a coincidence - Just sighted her photo in the gallery July 73 in Shields,
I was on her when it was taken (3 & 2 off, Capt Hine.& Cliff Bunt) after 2.5 round trips CIP/ CCL that's to say over 13 'fun & eventfull' months. We came to Shields not just for her regular D/D but also to straighten out her corrigated hull And prop which got somewhat bent trying to sail from Cornerbrook in thick ice.

The C/Eng wanted to patent the new prop shape because the slip for the voyage was the best ever recorded.

I could write a book about that trip, from the Arab oil embargo in '72 and a 42 day Voy direct Bombay to Monteal (Father's Moustache - nurses night seems stuck in my memory) ending up at the 'Jungle' and my first, and only, dose !

Brgd
Alex Booth
AKA.. The Cornerbrook Kid (but that's another story ;-

"The mate stood on the focsle deck, his name was Clifford Bunt, throwing shackles at Mason-Price coz he's a silly $*&#..."

There were some 17 verses in total from the varied 'occurances' during. That marathon voyage.
Kidapor road .... Kilindini road
Where, I think, the most colourful ;-)

Cheers all
 
#56 ·
....The C/Eng wanted to patent the new prop shape because the slip for the voyage was the best ever recorded....
Ah yes the 'Colombo! I remember that incident as, by that time, I was Supt. The problem with that class was that all the props were over pitched so we could rarely get over 100 rpm but loosing all that from the blade tips has her running at about 108rpm I seem to recall. I also remember that that prop fell of the low loader somewhere on the A1 as it was going to Birkenhead for repair!
Didn't we have about 50 tonnes of concrete to remove from the fore peak as a result of the ice damage?
The 'Colombo was quite character forming for me - I was 2/E in '68 when we has the crankshaft fracture up the Gulf then I was C/E in '71 with Capt. Hine and Supt for her when we had the microboes eating the crankshaft in '74(?)
I stayed with Ellermans until 1978 and joined Star Offshore until 1986 when I went to work for Hall Russell Shipyard in Aberdeen for a couple of years.
I then went to United Marine Dredging and stayed until 2005 when I retired - for about 2 weeks! I started doing consultancy work which I still do a bit of if anything interesting comes up. The trouble is that the only things I have been offered recently have been China, Azerbaijan, Burundi and the North Coast of Norway in December and somehow they didn't seem too interesting
Best regards to anyone who remembers me,
Tim Gibbs
 
#123 ·
I was a sparks on City of Auckland sometime in1966 -1967.
Managed to get a university place shortly after that time. My last job was as a physics teacher.
It was a long time ago and I can see a lot of the crew in my mind but only one name comes to mind:
I think it was 1st officer (Jamie?) Addison.

Tom
 
#23 ·
I was junior R/O on the City of Port Elizabeth 17-6-70 to 6-1-71. Chief R/O was Bob Kerr. The Leccie was a scouser, and a real character, but I can't recall his name. The plumber was forever trying to scrounge booze in port, but I forget his name too.

The Leccie introduced me to the delights of Rotterdam's red light district among other things. Ah, what naughty days those were!

Dave Ellis.
 
#25 ·
Hey Noel,
Your father's name is very familiar to me, but I can't remember from which ship or from where,
I can only think he must have been a relieving officer/Capt on one of my voyages.
Have you seen his Disch. Book? that would help fine tune my RAM - also cure my curiosity which you have well & truly
tweaked.
Cheers
Alex
 
#26 ·
Hullo Robin
I was with ellermans as cadet and 3/0 1965 to 1974 SydneyBirmingham ,Guilford,Durban,birmingham,Durban,and some others.Left in74 and went to Whitco till 1978 then on to British rail and all ts transformations before retiring .Good to see so many old names
John Wilson
 
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