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CEGB Steam Colliers

19K views 35 replies 24 participants last post by  pippin 
#1 ·
I've put a picture, albeit not a good one, of James Rowan and Sir Wiliam Walker on the gallery under Coasters. I'm trying to find some more of them which may be of interest.

Regards

John Mavin
 
#5 ·
There seems to be a lot of interest, not just in this thread, regarding these colliers. I have to say that they were amongst my favorites and I was lucky enough to capture both Sir William Walker and James Rowan on film not long before they were sold.

Ahoy Phil,
Here another shot of the Sir William Walker1954 taken at Commissioners Straith North Shields 24-06-1956
 

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#15 ·
hi
i was born in the house across from the lighthoues at shoreham and took a picture of the walker coming into shoreham for the 1st time a copy of that picture is in ports and harbours section i grew up watching all those bigger colliers comming to shoreham after the new power station was built and the harbour made bigger my father was on the middle pier at the time of the modernisation of the port he had been master of the harbour tug before that.
later on i was a boatman from about 63 till 68 then i went to sea, i attended all those colliers in and out off shoreham i could name them all but this would take for ever as you may remember if you were ever in those ships comming into shoreham the boatman used to skull down to the ship to run the spring to the lock head we used to do the same up at the swinging basin and on sailing run the spring to the locks as well some off those colliers i my eyes were beautifull looking vessels very majestic
regards
granty
 
#17 ·
I have fond memories of seeing these go by my bedroom window. I was brought up in a house that was just across the river from Battersea Power Station in central London from 1963-73. The colliers were of course up and down the river supplying Battersea and other power stations. Not the most romantic of ships but I was always mad about any kind of ship and watched them come and go daily.
 
#29 ·
I was 2/m on the flattie 'Hackney' going up to Battersea, she was steam driven and lowering the funnel for going under the bridges ensued getting covered in soot. At sea loaded they were like submarines, in ballast you couldn't see the horizon from the wheelhouse so it was a bridge wing job, winter and summer. Good accommodation, as were all CEGB and Stevie Clarkes, well the one's I sailed on were
 
#22 ·
granty said:
i was a boatman from about 63 till 68 then i went to sea
in Shoreham.
You must have been there when I was the Sparks on "Sir William Walker" July to November '64 - I inherited the job from completing my 6 months as a trainee then the chief sparks went on extended leave and I stayed on. Had a good few sessions in the "Rising Sun" by the lock gates. A few years later - August 69 - I joined the RNR up the other end of the harbour and pleased to see that the colliers were still going to the power station.
 
#24 · (Edited)
Hi Martin,
I was a jnr/sparks on the Sir William Walker (GSMX) in November 1966 through February 1967. Cant remember the chiefs name but he was pretty old in those days. I remember calling Stevie Clarks office in Leith/Grangemouth to see what time she was sailing for Shoreham and was told 12 o'clock, thinking it was noon the next day I stayed overnight with some friends in Leith and turned up the next day and the 'Walker" was gone on her merry way without me. So went back to Leith and caught a bus that night from Edinburgh to London then another bus to Brighton and a local to Shoreham where I had beaten the 'Walker' to the power station. Her sister ship was in port so explained to them what had happened much to their enjoyment and promptly went ashore with some the guys to the local pub. Slept on the couch in the mess and rejoined the 'Walker' at about 3 am as she had come in while I was asleep. The ch/sparks tore me up one side and down the other but didn't report me but it took awhile for the jokes to subside. Had lots of great times at the Top Rank ballroom in Brighton as well. Happy happy days.
 
#25 ·
That story reminded me of when I was A/Steward on the Gosport,the ship had docked in Middlesborough and the watch ashore,and me, spent the weekend on Tyneside.On returning the lot of us were on the same train,and the C/E and I were in the same compartment.As the train pulled out of Eaglesham we saw the rest of the crew standing on the platform staring at us,the 2/E pointing at us and yelling "Shorthand Money!"Nobody told us to change at Eaglesham!
We went back to N Shields for another night,the Chief to his wife and me to"The Jungle",travelling down to Shoreham the next day! If I had been on my own I'm pretty sure I'd have been sacked,or at least logged,but then the Old Man would have to Log the C/E as well.
 
#32 ·
DEPTFORD (1951 - 1972)
O.N. 184540. 1 ,782g. 923n. 2,690d. 259.2 (270.5 oa) x 39.5 x 16.6 feet.
T.3-cyl. (16½”, 27” and 47” x 33”) by George Clark (1938) Ltd., Sunderland. 214 NHP. 10½ knots.
16.8.1951: Launched by S. P. Austin and Son Ltd., Wear Dock, Sunderland (Yard No. 410).
27.11.1951: Completed for the British Electricity Authority, (Stephenson Clarke Ltd, managers), London.
29.11.1951: Registered at London; Vessel No. 255 of 1951.
12.4.1955: Owners renamed Central Electricity Authority (same managers).
1.7.1958: Owners renamed the Central Electricity Generating Board (same managers).
1.4.1968: Managers renamed Stephenson Clarke Shipping Ltd.
12.1972: Sold to Victorine O. Levy, South Ockendon, Essex.
6.2.1973: Arrived at Briton Ferry for demolition by T. W. Ward Ltd., Sheffield.
13.2.1973: Work commenced.
 
#27 ·
DEPFORD
Completed in 1951 by S. P. Austin and Son Ltd., Sunderland, for the British Electricity Authority
T. 3-cyl engine built by George Clark (1938) Ltd., Sunderland
1954 Owners became the Central Electricity Authority
1958 Owners became the Central Electricity Generating Board
In 1972 she was sold to Victorine O Levy, South Ockendon, Essex.
In February 1973 she arrived at Briton Ferry for demolition by T.W.Ward Ltd.
 
#30 ·
Devans47 said
Cant remember the chiefs name but he was pretty old in those days.
IIRC his name was Wilf, usually called "Old Wilf". I don't think he ever saw the light of day he was so pale - continually reading either in his cabin or on watch and he would have two showers a day! Sometimes I would go home when the ship was in Shoreham, my parents lived in Croydon on the Brighton line so I could get there pretty quickly, but in Blyth there was me and the nigh****chman! The cook would come back and set up meal for me and the watchman and then go home, although sometimes he gave me a lift to a pub and let me find my own way back!
 
#31 ·
Hi Martin,
yes you are correct the chief R/O was called Wilf, a bit crusty and was probably as old as Methuselah, but I'm still grateful that he didn't report my indiscretion. Those runs to Shoreham from "up north" were great, loved being at sea , as it were, but being able to go ashore in a British port.
 
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