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STAG LINE ..MV Ixia

24K views 24 replies 21 participants last post by  Michael Thomson Beaumont 
#1 · (Edited)
Hi Shipmates
Ive inserted an on board pic of Ixia in Japanese waters in July 1972 . i did two trips , so i was away from Feb till December started as JOS payed off SOS .Now profoundly deaf due to the constant chipping and scaling (joking)
Do any members have any external pics of this ship ? i only have the a sky fotos shot of her with deck cargo and a bow view.
I also wish to find out the final fate of the Ixia ,i know she was renamed Telemachus not Blue funnel!!!( Lebanese flag) in 1982. I bet Dave Edge can delve into his LLoyds Lists and enlighten me
cheers Ronnie
 

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#5 ·
Hi Guys.
I know I am reopening an old thread but I was just looking up anything on the "Ixia". This is the ship that cost me my deep sea ticket!
It was 1979, and I flew out to Montreal with a crew from the South Shields pool, I was joining as EDH. Anyway when we got to the port and I saw the old girl I couldn't believe the poor condition she was in.. talk about rust!!
Of course we hadn't yet signed the crew articles and there was no way I fancied 6 months on board so I refused to sign (along with 2 others?) and we flew back to Tyneside the next day. Back at the pool and a disciplinary hearing and I my registration was terminated! - After that I did a couple of years coasting before coming shoreside and joining the RAF.
Anyone else have this kind of experience? as far as I was concerned having not signed the ships articles I was entitled to turn down the ship and the old man in his day cabin was quite understanding (or has time mellowed my memory of the incident?). It seemed to me that if they did a crew change in UK waters they would have had a hard job getting a crew together, so what do they do.. they do it overseas and you lose your rights. Maybe I was just unlucky as it was 1979 and seamans jobs were becoming fewer and such indescretions weren't being tolerated. In my defence my previous ship had been the Shell vlcc tanker "Litiopa" and she was all shiny new!
Any other members out there ever refused to sign articles overseas? what was your response when you reported back to the pool?
 
#21 · (Edited)
HI,my first trip was the ixia in 1979 and I remember paying off in Montreal, it was a big crew change, and we were working stores right up until our reliefs came onboard. the ship might not have been as clean as you liked it, I did nine months on her and did a lot of chipping and painting, chatty (ie Crap) but happy was a saying at the time.
Joined the ship in the tyne, off the south shields pool, first port Dunkirk, thru the medi, suez, the Hong Kong , ports in china, aussie, then honolulu, thru the panama, right up the great lakes back down to Montreal, and then flew home, was my first time flying as well. not bad for a first trip, suez, panama and the great lakes in one trip.... I had a few good memories of her
 
#11 ·
I have been looking through some old Slides & came across a few photos of MV 'IXIA' in Dry Dock on the river Tyne. The ship looks like it's came into a South Shields dry dock for painting but not sure when I took the photos. If anyone would like me to email the photos to them I can do that within 24 hrs. (email address removed as per site policy - MS)
I've removed your email address so that you don't get inundated with spam.
You may have a long wait since the member hasn't been on site since November.
I'm sure the crew would enjoy seeing your pictures in the gallery.
Cheers
Kris
 
#13 ·
My first ship

hi all, I joined the Ixia as catering boy, i think just before christmas 70. She was offloading grain in Tilbury. I remember some of the grain had gone mouldy in the hold so some of the crew had to remove this by hand.
The shipping pool in South Shields said " It will be no longer than 6 months son", 9 months later I sgned off at Dunstain Staiths! Looking back thoug, for a young lad of 15, it was an enjoyable experience, in spite of a bad tempered 2nd cook! lol
 
#14 ·
ixia

hi all, I joined the Ixia as catering boy, i think just before christmas 70. She was offloading grain in Tilbury. I remember some of the grain had gone mouldy in the hold so some of the crew had to remove this by hand.
The shipping pool in South Shields said " It will be no longer than 6 months son", 9 months later I sgned off at Dunstain Staiths! Looking back thoug, for a young lad of 15, it was an enjoyable experience, in spite of a bad tempered 2nd cook! lol
are you tommy scorer?
 
#15 ·
I was on the Photinia in 63, joined her Birkenhead, went to Canada for grain and back to B.H. She was built for cable laying, on the way back the mate asked who was coming on the next trip, she was going down to KiWi cable laying between the north and south islands I knocked it back and regretted it since, some of the lads who stayed ended up staying in KiWi.
 
#24 ·
I joined the Photinia in 1965, was part of the kiwi contingent working for BICC cables, and we were laying the power cables between the north and south islands. I was the L.A.B' and we lived in number 6 hatch in 4 berth caravans. and was paid " hard living money" for doing so. We also carried out BICC work on a coaster that was with the company called the Arran Firth. Very enjoyable time, although it was only for about 3 months. 12 ABs, 2 motormen, (engine room) and 2 messmen. They were a good crowd. Cheers Sharkie Price
 
#17 ·
Mv Ixia

Hi I joined the Ixia as a JOS on the 23/01/80 in Brindisi Italy. Sailed to the Congo, Norway, Baltimore, Alexandria and paid off in Lisbon 02/06/80. She was an old rust bucket and there were holes in the deck which allowed you to see into the deck below. Good crew though and happy times.
 
#18 ·
Hi I joined the Ixia as a JOS on the 23/01/80 in Brindisi Italy. Sailed to the Congo, Norway, Baltimore, Alexandria and paid off in Lisbon 02/06/80. She was an old rust bucket and there were holes in the deck which allowed you to see into the deck below. Good crew though and happy times.
Must of past you on the gangway, as I paid off there. I joined her as a cadet and we had just been up to the Great Lakes before going to Brindisi.She was a rust bucket, but a very happy ship. I remember having the cabin above the Crews drying room, which really came into its own when it was -25 outside!
 
#20 ·
Its surprising how quickly a ship deteriates,despite constant chipping and red leading.I was a deck apprentice on the Gloxinia in in 1966 when both the Ixia and Gloxinia were loading wheat in Bacomoeux(not sure of the spelling)in Quebec.We were on the same quay,but different sides.The Ixia looked the very model of technological design in merchant shipping,with its cut off stern etc.It towered over us on the Gloxinia.We went on board,and had a chat with apprentices Davy Ling and Steve Tong and toured the ship.Now most people call it a rust bucket ?Mind you it was only two years old then.
 
#22 ·
Hi ronnie r, I was Captain on the Ixia when she was sold in Elevsis dry dock in Piraeus. She was without doubt the most rust prone ship I ever sailed on but the story of holes in the deck where one could see right through is, in my opinion absolutely rubbish and belongs with all the other urban myths doing the rounds. She was renamed Telemachus and I saw her about a year later in Durban. I believe she was scrapped in 1985 in China.
Brian Rowlings.
 
#23 ·
I joined the Ixia in Montreal (4/9/79) and remember a couple of lads refusing to join ( short hand money never goes amiss) down to Brazil, across to Durban, loaded sugar for Toronto. Coming along side in Toronto ship hit the quay , but reasonable size hole in starboard bow. Once repaired up to Superior loaded wheat for Italy and paid off in Brindisi (23/1/1980) after partial off load in Savona. No holes in the deck, but plenty of rust. Sadly don't remember many of the crew, however remember 2nd cook went my the name of Blondie and from Middlesborough. If anyone sees him, he still owes me £25.00. Great days anyone remembers that trip please get in touch.
 
#25 ·
Hi all, Sorry if this post is inappropriate for this site, but just found out my dad Fred (Frank) Beaumont served on the Ixia in the late 40's early 50's. if anyone remembers anything about him, I would love to know what you remember. It's a long shot I know but worth a try. Will also be posting a similar message on the Biographer forum. Thank you.
Mike
 
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