[Ian]

Manchester Liners was an associate company of the Furness Group. This combine included Houlder Bros., Prince Line, Shaw, Savill & Albion Lines and the Johnston Warren Lines Ltd.

Funnel markings were dark red with black top and black band. Hulls were black with red boot-topping.

Routes included:
Manchester to Quebec & Montreal (summer) or St. John, N.B. and Halifax (winter).
(B) Manchester to U.S. Atlantic coast ports.
(C) (Small ships) Manchester to Toronto, Hamilton, Welland & Wallaceburg, Cleveland, Detroit, Chicago, Milwaukee and home calling at Preston.

[Tony D]

Sailed on the old Cairngowan when she was either chartered to Manchester Liners or bought by them she was renamed Manchester Engineer, one trip up the lakes to Chicargo and Deluth, be about 1964.
I do recal it was the only time in my career I lost my ship, went ashore in Manchester the first night and didn't look at the number on the dock gates,when one returned slightly the worse for wear,there where seemingly hundreds of Manchester liners all looking the same for miles up and down the ship canal, eventually found it about 5.30 in the morning thougherly fed up and hung over by then.
Happy days
:hey:

[Ian]

Great story about your wee escapade Tony!
Approximately the same thing happened to me in Avonmouth.
Was on the Eucadia of Anchor Line, just back from Bombay. Went ashore with the 3rd mate up to Bristol.
Staggered back to Avonmouth about 3 a.m. and almost got arrested. There had been a robbery not far from where we were walking and we, very worse for wear, looked as though we could have done the 'dirty deed'.
Thrown in the Panda car (1960) and given the third degree.
Take a look at <mnnostalgia.com>, the Manchester Liners page.
Regards from Montreal,
Ian
(Admin). :lol:

[jig]

Hi There Sailed on the Manchester Crusader in the late 70s. on the way out of Montreal halfway up the river the 2nd enginer either jumped or fell over board. the word was he had fallen for a girl & had to be escoted back by the mounties.longest night of my life searching the cargo decks for any sign of him. spent 2 days being interviewed by the cops in the U.K. never found out what happened to the poor bugger.

[James_C]

When I was a last trip cadet me, the Choff, the 2/E, 3/E and the Leckie were up the road in Sullom Voe. Returned to the jetty at some silly hour in the morning, very much the worse for wear (the Leckie spent some time lying flat on the road trying to hold on vociferously with his hands, LOL) and being a winters day we made haste up the gangway.
Anyway, we gets to the maindeck says hello to the deck watchman, only for him to stare at us with some bemusement, and off we go down aft. Conversation ensues:

C/E: 'Is the diesel on?'
C/o: 'What?'
C/E: 'is the diesel on, we aint shaking...'
2/E: 'thats coz we're in port Chief'
3/E: 'Who was that fella, I didnt recognise him, looked like a flip flop'
Leckie sits down on a tank lid and tries to sleep.
C/O: 'we got some new joiners today, will have been one of them, you're eyes are prob a bit out due to the orange deck',
3/E: 'oh ok'
C/E: 'Are you sure the Diesels on?'
2/E: 'Hey, your crowd have been busy, already got this bit of the deck in orange primer'.
Me: Wheres the Leckie?
Choff: 'Erg, hang on, we havent got any orange paint'.
(Everyone stops, and looks around)
Collective: 'Oh ****', then cue hasty retreat back down the gangway and along to the next jetty and our own ship.

C/E: 'Ah, this is better, I feel a bit of vibration now, anyone for nightcap?....'

Cue the Leckie curling up for a snooze next to the Whessoe gauge...

How we managed to mistake our ship for a massive orange hulled beast with UGLAND in 20 foot high letters on the side, I'll never know...
Needless to say it didn't go down well with the Old Man.

LOL

[francis valente]

I Sail On The M/c Engineer And When She Was Cairngowan In 66to68

[Marcus Cardew]

Quite a few of the Cunard Line 'Old Men' I sailed with back in the late 60's had done time with Manchester Liners... Reggie Venn, Brian O'Brien, Alan Bull.... They made us feel quite jealous......

[vangooler]

Spent most of '59 on the Manchester Vanguard. Winter on Lisbon, Las Palmas run, then up the Great Lakes in the summer. Best job I ever had. Thought I was set for life, till we tied up in the Manchester Canal waiting for a blockage to clear. Thinking we were there for the night a few of us took off over the fields to the nearby village pub. Had to leave a pint when we heard the ships whistle blasting. Needless to say we didn't get signed on again. Lost my pint and my job. Bummer eh!

[albertwebster]

Served on the Manchester Prospector from August to December 1959. Didn't fancy a winter on the North Atlantic so signed of the Pacific Stronghold for the West Coast of America from L.A. to Vancouver. Had a ball.

[Eric Walter]

Did any Manchester Liners men sail with or hear of Brian Raven, who joined as a deck apprentice in 1964? I was in digs with him when we were at Fleetwood Navigation School in 1963/64.

Eric Walter

[wee bobby]

Originally Posted by Tony D

Sailed on the old Cairngowan when she was either chartered to Manchester Liners or bought by them she was renamed Manchester Engineer, one trip up the lakes to Chicargo and Deluth, be about 1964.
I do recal it was the only time in my career I lost my ship, went ashore in Manchester the first night and didn't look at the number on the dock gates,when one returned slightly the worse for wear,there where seemingly hundreds of Manchester liners all looking the same for miles up and down the ship canal, eventually found it about 5.30 in the morning thougherly fed up and hung over by then.
Happy days
:hey:

Hi-tony,Iwas on the Cairngowan-cairndu-cairnavon-on/about that time,did you come from West barnes????---regards R COPLAND--(WEE BOBBY)

[georgic]

hi i sailed on manchester liners ships in the 50s and 60s, as AB on the following ships. manchester progress,manchester mariner, manchester city, manchester port, manchester merchant, manchester commerce, manchester shipper. manchester trader. sailed on aussie ships from 1980 until 1995 and now live in brisbane. jim savage

[steviej]

Originally Posted by georgic

hi i sailed on manchester liners ships in the 50s and 60s, as AB on the following ships. manchester progress,manchester mariner, manchester city, manchester port, manchester merchant, manchester commerce, manchester shipper. manchester trader. sailed on aussie ships from 1980 until 1995 and now live in brisbane. jim savage

If you sailed or had any association with Manchester Liners. the following website and info may be of interest.
http://www.manchesterliners.co.uk/about.htm

Manchester Liners Old Ship Mates Association was founded by Captain Eric Askew, who’s aim was to keep the employees of a very family orientated business in touch with one another for as long as is possible. An aim that has been eminently successful.
How many times have were heard the term “Board of Trade Acquaintances” said of people who have served together in the Merchant Navy. People who have lived and worked together for sometimes only a short period of time, or maybe for many months, before they are spread around the world never to meet again.
Anyone who has served at sea knows how true this is. Manchester Liners though is the exception. Although the Company disappeared off the oceans off the world nearly two decades ago, its spirit still lives on through the Old Shipmates Association.
The Association is not just for the men who manned its ships, but also for all the shore personnel, both at home and abroad. All these people were the Company.

[colin.lyons2]

hi tony d i sailed on the engineer the last trip see did for manchester liners in late 1966 up the lakes as far as deluth and port arthur it was snowing going back down the seaway ,cold when you was boom man we paid of in birkenhead as she wasat the end of the charter to liners and being renamed cairngowan also sailed on the manchester exporter twice a sister the ex cairndhu liners bought her