City of Agra, 1962

Nice to see the old rod and chain telegraph. Many the one I polished when I was an apprentice as well as the compass binnacle

Like the wooden steam whistle handle in the background.

The old rod and chain Telegraphs were bu**ers to set up and nearly always required two to complete the task. One of the Chiefs of the 'Sheildhall' asked me if I could source some new chain a few years ago hoping someone in the N.E. may have a drum of it on the back shelf covered in dust, no chance. The only thing I could offer was to wait until the American vessels were scrapped at Graythorp as they might have some onboard.

When serving as Apprentice on board, Chief Officer paid us 1 beer for every rat we caught in the Galley coal bunker. Took him some time for him to realise we kept showing him the same dead rats.