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Caltex Plymouth

11K views 24 replies 17 participants last post by  stuartcooper35 
#1 ·
CALTEX PLYMOUTH,owned by Overseas Tk.U.K.Hitachi Zosen build 1960,31109 g.t.(old pic collect.)
 

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#4 ·
Hi Jim, my father Arthur Dick sailed on the Plymouth too. According to his log he sailed on her as the Extra 2nd Engineer twice in 1960: from El Segundo to Bahrain from 18 Jul to 8 Oct, and then Bahrain to Botany Bay from 4 to 24 Dec.

Sadly he passed away in 1993 but he often shared stories with me as a child, and I remember him telling me that the Plymouth was, at the time, the biggest ship ever to sail into Sydney Harbour, and as such they held a VIP reception. Somewhere he had a picture of the Plymouth alongside the Harbour Bridge but not an Opera House in sight!

Just wanted to share that memory and see if it jogged any with yourself, Best Regards, Bob Dick
 
#3 ·
Hi Jim,
I sailed with "Standard Vacuum Transportation Company" out of Durban,South Africa,we were the Durban Refinery ship " Stanvac South Africa", also sailed on the "Stanvac India". Our trips were " Rastanura,Mena Alamadi" to Bombay,Durban,various ports on the African Coast, Japan and Australia.The India was a good ship,built by Cammell Lairds, the South Africa by Mitsubishi (when they did'nt know how to build ships) I wonder if photographs of any of those ships are available as I have a collection of all the ships I have sailed on in my family room and I would love one of those two to complete my collection of ships I have sailed on?
Neil Macl.
 
#8 ·
Hi Neil,

I sailed on the Stanvac India after she was sold in 1966 and re-named The Golden Falcon, I boarded her at The Golden Eagle Refinery in 1967 and was on her untill 1972, you are so right, she was plain in regards to crews quarters, but she was solid, and dependable. I lost most of my pictures of her when I moved a few years back, the moving company lost some of my boxes and one of them had most of my pictures, I may have one or two, I will try and find them, and upload them.

Steven Z.
 
#5 ·
I sailed on the Texaco Plymouth (ex Caltex Plymouth) as Chief Mate from August 1970 to Dec 1970 and have very fond memories of her and the people on board at the time. Wally McCullough was Master, he has since passed on. I relieved another SN member, John Campbell, on joining in Whitegate in Ireland. We subsequently went to Rotterdam, Yokohama, Indonesia, Australia, Bahrain, Singapore and eventually completed a round the world trip. She was a nice reliable tanker, (something Texaco did not have a lot of!) and was a pleasure to sail on.
 
#6 ·
Hi Mervyn - I remember the day well when you relieved me in Whitegate. What a trip with fuel-oil from Rotterdam to Yokohama - she was a splendid ship and well maintained - Wally was fun to be with. There was a great crowd of very sociable engineers and wives there when you joined. I remember getting one of the fastest discharge of cargo for that ship on the day you joined (I was going home) much to Wally McCullough's disgust as he had invited his wife and father down tom see the ship from Belfast and was hoping for at least twelve hours more.
Happy New Year Mervyn
jc
 
#9 ·
I joined her on my first trip as deck cadet in September 1964, soon after she was built.

In the ten months of that trip we did two or three trips to Whangerai, one from the Gulf and two (I think) from Dumai (Sumatra). Did a Cape Town and two trips to Europort, one trip loading from the buoy off Sidon.

Not a well built ship, the port compass repeater complete with pedestal came off in my hands when rolling around in ballast.

Fortunately I went on to the older product carriers on the Far East run after that and became an expert in fixing tank bulkhead leaks - a peculiarly Caltex problem I believe.

Also have a better picture than in the header:-

 
#13 ·
My first deep sea trip was on the Texaco(Caltex) Plymouth. I joined her in Bahrain and made three trips down to Australia, two to Botany Bay and one to Gladstone.Great memories
Hi Jim,
My father, who is 92 years was 1st Mate on the Caltex Plymouth in 1962. One of his trips included Singapore.
He Joined his first ship the Irish Cedar as a new Cadet on the 24th Aug 1944 in Cork, Ireland and returned there from St John New Brunswick, Canada on 1st October 1944, having collected grain. He had an interesting career becoming 1st mate on the M T Camillo in 1957. He retired from seafaring in 1967 to take up a position of Harbor Master in Drogheda, Ireland. His last ship was the Caltex Tanganyika (Texaco) 1965-1967.
He has some great memories and accompanying stories.
Des.
 
#17 ·
Good Morning Tankermen:

On the subject of Caltex/Texaco, I searching for information on an incident on Texaco Southampton, in Dec 1975 off the NSW coast. There was an engine room switchboard fire and the ship suffered a "power-out". This led to a salvage case claimed by the crew of the tugboat, Kembla II. I am trying to ascertain if there were any casualties in order to show some respect.

I have read Lloyd's Law Report on the ensuing salvage claim but there is no mention of any casualties (as in many reports, the fate of the seafarer is omitted). This is an interesting case which I intend to publish on in Sea Breezes (or similar journal).

Can anyone assist, please?

With Thanks,

Merv
Southampton
 
#19 ·
I joined the Caltex Brisbane in Milford Haven in early 1965 as a 3rd year Navigating Apprentice. The main turbine blades had been damaged while attempting to tow the Caltex Edinburgh sometime during 1964.

We limped at 4 knots from Pembroke to Bahrain then Yokohama a voyage of 4 months then on to the Hitachi Shipyard in Inoshima where the ship was built to have a new Main Turbine shaft fitted. Those were the days!
 
#20 ·
Forwarded from "Ex-Texaco Overseas Tankships" chat.
Point of interest : Texaco/Caltex Plymouth.


[IMG alt="Dale Elliott No 3 Son."]https://www.shipsnostalgia.com/d1/avatars/m/239/239626.jpg?1613415767[/IMG]
Dale Elliott No 3 Son.
Registered

Joined 3 h ago
1 Posts
#10 2 h ago

Hello Mike and anybody else still viewing from the Texaco Corp.
My name is Dale Elliott (no.3 Son) of Cpt James Lynn Elliott. My dad passed away nearly 20 years ago but I'm pretty sure some of you fella's or maybe even you Mike would of had the pleasure of his company aboard. Dad (Jim) had a fairly long career starting out as a cadet up on the River Tyne with the R.Chapman & Son in 1949. All thru' Caltex and on to the VLCC ,finally achieving his Master ticket with Texaco in 1971. I believe Texaco Plymouth was often a conversation starter with him. Call sign 'GDYU' ? Will need to fact check that with No.1. Son, my brother Kevin, also of Texaco Overseas Tankships.
A bad attack of angina while offshore Indonesia had him hospitalized in Manila. I recall him often saying he thought his days were numbered lying in that steaming hot tropical ward and not knowing his survival chances. The Texaco London office eventually got him transported back home to N.Yorkshire. Early retirement ? not my 'Old Man' a new career path in Marine Surveying and leading figure in the early days of the Sea Safety Group / Coast Watch kept him just as active as he was all those years spent at sea.
I have recently contacted :
Brian Watson @
Benjidog Historical Research Resources:
The Allen Collection .
as I have a collection of my dad's many photo's from his service at sea. I haven't had time to pass them over as yet to Brian but I have read past posts on here/ facebook / merchant navy associates etc . So would like to post some pic's & notes from his book "Star of the Red Ensign" before handing them over to Brian. If somebody would like to suggest which web site to display them on ?

On another note I believe Terry Nunn knew my dad fairly well, would anybody know if Terry is still with us or for that matter anybody from the Fellowship of The Nautical Institute would like to leave a note of interest.

Great respect to all you ex-Texaco guy's and hope your all living a healthy retirement.
As my dad would say TTFN.
Kind Regards No.3 Son. Dale.



Dad..JPG
 
#21 ·
Ref #3

Neil

It was a long time ago when you posted this. There is probably one in this gallery, but would take you nearly the same time to fiond it. Search on the name Stanvac South Africa, and look for the Auk Visser site. Some really good pictures there.

Also anyone else looking for tankers, the Auk Visser site is brilliant.

David

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