Ships Nostalgia banner

Bluestarline.org website

10K views 17 replies 11 participants last post by  sternchallis 
#1 · (Edited)
Sadly on the 20th May Fraser closed the web site down. He posted his message on FaceBook. ..........."I have from tonight closed bluestarline.org permanently. The reasons being financial, failing eyesight and other health concerns which make it impossible to keep the website updated.

Thank you to all those who have visited the website in the past.

Fraser Darrah".
**********************
A very informative company website with a list and history of all the company ships, many images supplied by members, history of the Vestey family firm, crew lists going back into 1970' s or earlier until the demise from the centre fold of the house magazine, a logbook of posts, obituary section and copies of the house magazine as pdf's and images of various reunions. Other intersting sections added by Fraser including his own photographic images.
A well structured and interesting website, definately a labour of love by one man.
 
#2 ·
There is a faint chance that it maybe resurected, if so I would like to think a few 'blueys' would log in or register and relay a few sea stories in the Log Book section.
SN is a vibrant forum and so could BSL return to be. You might even find some old shipmates close by to have a pint with in our dottage.
 
#3 ·
Sorry to hear of the demise of this wonderful website. As a Marconi R/O sailed on Lamport & Holt and Blue Star ships. Having been unable to access the site recently was hoping it was just a temporary glitch. Hope Fraser overcomes his health and sight issues. I wish him all the best and extend my thanks to him for running such a successful website.
 
#4 ·
Very sad to hear of Fraser's health issues. I always enjoyed the BSL web site, and have fond memories of sailing with Fraser on the Andalucia Star. My brother Brian was at Popular with Fraser as a Cadet and they flatted together with Sam Sprinks one time LR surveyor in Japan sadly passed away some years back.
Kind regards
David Richards
 
#9 ·
yep thats true anything placed on the internet can be archived, say gross tonnage.com could have been archived but it wasnt and now shipspotting.com dont have the names of the shipbuilders in a section down below the details.

stuff can be saved and cost very little to nothing to have sit.
 
#12 ·
I'm not Fraser, but did coast with him and kept loosely in touch, but as soon as I heard about the Fraser closing the website due to health problems thought I better let everybody know.

Whilst in Barry laid up on the Andalucia Star about summer 1978 Fraser, a 2nd Mate Alan Brown, DKW 3/E and myself as xtr3/E visited a RN submarine across the dock and drank their fridge dry (Pint), though it was only a small fridge. Just as well Fraser didn't have to take his mini van out of the Dock Gate.

A former BSL Engineer now runs an IT Network installatioan company and hosted the website on his servers.

Moves are afoot to re-stablish the website.

If this does happen successfully I would hope that anybody who sailed with Blue Star, ACT, Lampolt & Holt, Booth Line, Starman, Austasia Line in whatever capacity would contribute to the Log Book as its called. I am sure everybody has a amusing experience to share, which often triggers somebody elses thoughts. SN being a good case in point.

At one time it was very lively, but due to spamming Fraser had to institute a log in system , which these days is normal for forums. This appeared to confuse people and put them off posting and usage dried up.

There are back copies of the house magazine Gangway going back quite a number of years that can be read as PDF's, plus the Centre Spread of Crew Lists, which are a good resource now as they were when each magazine came out.

Each year a Reunion is held in Liverpool which consists of a lunch and every 4 years one is held in either New Zealand or Australia which is takes place over 3 days and takes the form of Friday night - Meet and Greet at a Pub, Saturday Night Dinner, Sunday Lunch on a hired boat and a trip round the docks or river cruise.

I will let you know when and if it comes back up and will copy your comments into Word and see if they can be passed onto Fraser.

Thank you for your comments about Fraser and the website.
 
#15 ·
Welcome News

I am pleased to report that www.bluestarline.org* is alive again. (Applause)(Thumb)(Pint)

Jim Blake the custodian and webmaster may have to carry out a few tweaks in the background so it may be off ocassionally in the month, but from what I have seen there are no scavenge fires or trailing anchors and the gyro is running true and it appears to operate quite smoothly.
So we look forward to some sea stories from the roaring 20th century, you have written them on SN, why not repeat them on BSl.
 
#17 ·
I am pleased to report that www.bluestarline.org* is alive again. (Applause)(Thumb)(Pint)

Jim Blake the custodian and webmaster may have to carry out a few tweaks in the background so it may be off ocassionally in the month, but from what I have seen there are no scavenge fires or trailing anchors and the gyro is running true and it appears to operate quite smoothly.
So we look forward to some sea stories from the roaring 20th century, you have written them on SN, why not repeat them on BSl.
Don`t copy the * it will lead to a bad link.

www.bluestarline.org should do it. Great to see the site up & running again.
 
#18 ·
Now that your shore leave has been cancelled, your tap stopped and toilet rolls are on ration by order of the Master, why not add a few lines, start a topic on the BSL Logbook.
Several of you commented on Frasers good website, he went through a lot of pain to copy it so it could be resurected on Jim's server.
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top