[Rupert]

Built John Brown & Co 1947; 11,281 grt, twn scr 2 x5 cyl Doxford 2 stroke dbl action. speed 16knts (At a push).

scrapped in Sept 1973 @ Tung Chen Steel. Kaoshsuing.

Not a bad ship bit heavy on deck but there again not as heavy as Essex.

Picture file to large to load!

[danube4]

Pic Haperang.
Barney.

[scooby do]

1971 I was supposed to fly to Chigago to sail back to UK as jnr Eng on Haperangi
The phone line to the Otaio the ship i was on got broken by a docker. I heard later
Haperangi broke down 27 times on the way back to UK. God bless that scouse docker.

When you walked from the Albert Dock Liverpool passed the warehouses
Written in paint on one of the doors. THE SUN DID NOT SHINE BUT IT SHONE.

Every Scouse I ever met was a great philosopher. good folk.

[Doxfordman]

27 times, is that all, must have a very good trip, lol.

I think we recorded 32 engine stops from Falmouth to Cape Town on Sussex - stopped at Los Palmas to change a Xhead bearing as the weather was too bad to stop at sea, happy days!

[scooby do]

On a trip to Belfast with Otaio the engine oil pressure almost blew the seals out. The main oil filter was clogged up. 3 days at dead slow weather was force 11, 41 deg roll.
I got the job turning self cleaning oil filters 2 turns 8 banks every 1 hour. 6 hours on 6 hour of. when we got ino port the chief organized bacon & egg sandwiches for the blokes in the engine room. Best sandwiches I'v ever had in my life.

[john24601]

I was on her final voyage in 1973 - UK/New Zealand/Japan before she went for scrapping. The engineers were completely mad (well you had to be to serve on an 'H' boat) - here is a picture of some of the boys after a hard day in the crankcase.

[cubpilot]

one voyage as apprentice in mid 60s. little difference to the othe H boats. hard work and good fun in port. fond memories of the old way of seafaring life where it took weeks to load cargo.

[Mike S]

It was the Haparangi that turned up in Galveston Texas to take our cargo when the old Durham broke both crankshafts. The stbd engine failed in the middle of the Atlantic en route to New Zealand after a huge storm. The effect of war time damage to the bedplate chocks.
The port engine failed while berthing in Galveston. It had kept running all the way to Galveston however it to was found to be damaged once we arrived.
Haparangi came out about 10 weeks later and we transferred the cargo in around 9 weeks.
Stability on the Durham was an issue.......she had no engines in her by that stage!
Haparangi sailed away and we apprentices were left to await the arrival of the new crankshafts. Remember these were engines that were designed and built in the very early 1930's
A full acount of the event is on http://www.rakaia.co.uk/ under Durham anectdotes.

[jorgy]

I joined Haparangi june 71, in wellington my first deep sea ship, as jun: eng: we slowed in a couple of time and had a couple of stops but not 27, sorry,

[Basil]

Just read DURHAM – THE GALVESTON VOYAGE BY CAPTAIN E M (MIKE) SMITH.
What an epic.
Mike S, are you the author? If so, was scrapping the existing engines and fitting new units considered? - Perhaps even diesel-electric.

john24601
Your engineer pic could be used in a recruiting campaign - for steam engineers

[Mike S]

Sorry for the delay in replying!

No consideration was given to any other arrangement as I understand Lloyds covered the whole event under "Mechanical derangement" clause.

The engines were fine once the were re-aligned and shoved her along with very few stops for another 8 years.

By then they were 31 years old...........and the whole ship was tired.

Yes I am the author of the article on the Rakaia site

Regards