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J & J Denholm

280K views 896 replies 190 participants last post by  Varley 
#1 · (Edited)
There must be SN members who have fond (or not so fond) memories of their times sailing under the "Diamond D." Let's hear them!

From memory, the following is a list of Denholm owned and managed ships from the late 60s to early 80s. There are probably mistakes, but it's a start. I know that there were 90 to 100 ships in the company at that time and I would love to hear of any additions to the list. I've named 85 ships and those I sailed on are highlighted in blue.

Additions to the original post are shown in red:

Al Dhrafrah (Tanker), Andros (Geared Container), Anglia Team (OBO), Arctic Troll (Bulk Carrier/Car Carrier), Arisaig (Bulk Carrier), Asiafreighter (Container), Asialiner (Container), Athol Forest (Geared Bulk Carrier), Avon Bridge (OBO), Bibi (General Cargo), Braveness (Bulk Carrier), Broompark (Bulk Carrier), Burmah Agate (Tanker), Burmah Endeavour (Tanker), Burmah Enterprise (Tanker), Burmah Gem (Tanker), Burmah Opal (Tanker), Burmah Pearl (Tanker), Burmah Peridot (Tanker), Carronpark (Bulk Carrier), Cast Fulmar (OBO), Cast Narwhal (OBO), Cast Puffin (OBO), Cast Tern (OBO), Chelsea Bridge (Bulk Carrier), Chemical Explorer (Tanker), Chemical Venturer (Tanker), Clarkavon (Bulk Carrier), Clunepark (Bulk Carrier), Coastal Corpus Christi (Tanker), Coastal Hercules (Tanker), Conon Forest (Geared Bulk Carrier converted to Geared Container), Craigallian (Bulk Carrier), Crinan (Bulk Carrier), Dunadd (Bulk Carrier), Dunelmia (General Cargo), Duncraig (Bulk Carrier), Dunkyle (Bulk Carrier), Eden Bridge (OBO),
Erskine Bridge (Bulk Carrier), Eurofreighter (Container), Euroliner (Container), Gallic Bridge (Bulk Carrier), Gastor (Gas Carrier), Gina Maria (General Cargo), Holness (Bulk Carrier), Industria (General Cargo), Letitia (General Cargo), Loch Lomond (Reefer), Loch Long (Reefer), Loch Maree (Reefer), Morar (Bulk Carrier), Mountpark (Bulk Carrier), Muirfield (OBO), Nestor (Gas Carrier), Nordic Ambassador (Tanker), Nordic Clansman (Tanker), Nordic Commander (Tanker), Nordic Crusader (OBO), Nordic Louisiana (Sulphur Carrier), Nordic Texas (Sulphur Carrier), Norvegia Team (OBO), Scandia Team (OBO), Scotspark (Bulk Carrier), Seatrain Bennington (Container), Seatrain Saratoga (Container), Sevonia Team (OBO), Silver Bridge (OBO), Sir Alexander Glen (OBO), Sir Andrew Duncan (Bulk Carrier/Cadet Training Ship), Sir John Hunter (OBO), Spey Bridge (OBO), Stirling Bridge (Bulk Carrier), Stonehaven (Tanker), Stromness (Bulk Carrier), Suecia Team (OBO), Sugar Trader (Bulk Carrier), Sugar Transporter (Bulk Carrier), Tor Anglia(RORO), Tor Hollandia (RORO), Troll Lake (Bulk Carrier/Car Carrier), Troll Park (Bulk Carrier/Car Carrier), Troll River (Bulk Carrier/Car Carrier), Vancouver Forest (Geared Bulk Carrier converted to Geared Container), Wellpark (Geared Container/Cadet Training Ship)
 
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#387 · (Edited)
irvingman think you got your M.E. wrong , gotaverken M.E. me thinks is correct .vancouver forrest had her M.E. replaced in late 77 /early 78 due to chain breaking and came through side of M.E. only to destroy a geny.archie dowling your face i remember can you remember whom the E.R gp,s were on maree at that time or the chippy ?
 
#388 · (Edited)
Hi.
Just got my little purple Sea Service record book out, I am going back to 1975 here. Vancouver Forest, Built Charles Connel & Co, with a 7RD76 760mm bore Barclay Curle Sulzer. Ruston straight six Generators. Chief Engineer was from IOM James Cowley. Chinese crew.This was before conversion to take containers, she may well have been re-engined later, I left the company in 78.

The Vancouver Trader could well have been Gotaverken.
 
#389 ·
hi exdenholm,just to unconfuse you,my father was archie dowling,electrician,myself,graham dowling,g.p.1.will look through the rest of my photo,s and see if there are any more when i was on the maree.i know i was stuck down the pit most times because the rest of the lads were deck,i was the only [real] e.r.rating onboard.regds graham.
 
#390 ·
graham , i remember your face , (Thumb) i,m just trying to remember the first few months of the trip?(30years ago)(though tom s, jc and gulphers whose only a few years in front of me put me to shame ,memory wise)i was eng cadet at that time, the only one. bob todd was 2/eng then m pride joined in jan/feb78 think her first stop was fort de france with a discharge of ford lorry chassis, and banana uplift. then limon for more bananas,seem to remember funnel being painted when she changed charter?(Thumb) what do you remember of the voyage ?p.s. tex would stand out anywhere with that haircut.did he not play shaft in the film of that name (Jester)
 
#391 ·
did the galley boy not get rushed to hospital in limon,dived of the bridge while we were at anchor waiting on a blue star boat loading up?tex would stand out anywhere even with no hair.alex leckie still at sea,meet him often in aberdeen when both our shops are in.remember willie barclay from lesmahagow?rgds graham.
 
#392 · (Edited)
yes the galley boy and others jumped into the water at anchor but from the gangway not from the bridge,the water was very inviting,we berthed alongside a blue funnel , it was a riveted job, regesterd in liverpool with derrick cranes ,general cargo ,unloading sheet steel and beams ,slightly smaller than maree, we got on her for a drink in the bar and look round the ship,(Thumb) that was interesting ,reminded me of the clan line ships in glasgow,all the passageways in the accomadation were painted ,lino and carpets, well thats a luxury, but the captains and c/o s made sure these ships were imaculate.with the help of the crew of course.having been on clan macintosh and maciver[=P]
 
#393 ·
A few of the Fleet from 1982
"Advara"
'Al Ain"
"Al Dhafrah"
"Alexander Dio"
Andros"
"Artic Troll"
"Bern"
"Bilbao"
"Broland"
"Burmah Endeavour"
"Burmah Enterprise"
"Burmah Legacy"
"Burmah Pearl"
"Burmah Peridot"
"Cast Bear"
"Cast Caribou"
"Cast Cormorant"
"Cast Fulmar"
"Cast Gannet"
"Cast Gulf"
"Cast Heron"
"Cast Kittiwake" ex Nordic Challenger
"Cast Narwhal"
"Cast Petrel"
"Cast Puffin"
"Cast Skua"
"Chemical Explorer"
"Chemical Venturer"
"Coastal Corpus Christi"
"Coastal Hercules"
"Dalma"
"Glenpark"
"Lamma Forest" ex Clarkspey
"Lantau Trader"
"London Team"
"Malmros Monsoon"
"Mapy T"
"Mariajose T"
"Marilena"
"Nordic Clansman"
"Nordic Commander"
"Nordic Louisiana"
"Nordic Patriot"
"Nordic Texas"
"Scandia Team"
"Sir Alexander Glen"
"Tai Cheung"
"Troll Lake"
"Troll Park"
"Wellpark"
Now there must be some interesting thoughts about some of these?
TomS
 
#394 ·
vancouver forest

[=P] Anyone on the Vancouver Forest when we were in the collision in the Suez Canal.I remember when we lost several containers overboard also several landed on the boat that was alongside.I think the cause was,the Anchor was dragging and the wind was pushing the boat onto the quay.(==D)
 
#395 ·
no pat it was blowing a hooley our cable was out about seven shackles i was up ford checking when the japanese ship picked up her anchor steamed right across our bow over the cablewe hit her on the port side ford lost some containers but we got paid well to lift of the damaged ones in dubia the arabs would not touch them the best part of it was the jap tried to blame us we were the one at anchor captain blackie was none to pleased are you just home terrible about the anchor handler regards kev.
 
#398 ·
Hi,Kevin just got home today.Do you remember the hassle with the crew joining the new cast boats in Korea.Some of the crew had no passports,but were still able to fly from THE UK.When they arrived in Japan they were going to sent them hme.So when i joined the Cast Bluewhale in Korea Sylvia Aitken made sure we had passports,the captain was Jim Anderson
rgds Pat
 
#399 ·
remember it well pat i was out there standing by cast huskybob cotter old man eric mate cant remember cheng pat was cook barra john sandy thomson etc we were out there for ages did not know what was happening half the time we left with next to no stores headed for la where denholms put stores aboard then up to montreal nothing but hassle there because nobody in cast was paying bills still we had some great laughs regards pat kevin.
 
#401 ·
no dig at you john and no eric icant remember his second name was mate the cheng came from your part of the country his son went into denholms as a deck cadet when bob told him he should be ashamed of him he replied it was that or borstal we had some great laughs on there john you must know him a great guy kev.
 
#404 ·
Hello Gulpers
I sailed as R/O on the Hopepark Feb-May71, Conon Forest Jun71-Feb72, Gina Maria Jul72-Jan73 and Mountpark Mar73-Sep73, I left Marconi to go direct
employ with SSM but only lasted two trips, fell out and joined BP, must have
been mad. Apart from Hopepark which was an ex Esso tanker bought on the stocks for some New York outfit I enjoyed all my trips, good ships and crews
especially the Gina Maria, US east coast to Central America/Mexico with
general. Some ships I remember Federal Hudson, Fidentia, Dealbrook, Sig Ragne, Haverton, Axel Hieberg, Fort St catherine, another Fort something, will probably find somemore

Cherrs
Brian
 
#597 ·
Hopepark



Hi Brian, I remember you well and hope you prosper. I was 2nd mate then. D'you remember the day right on 1200, 3rd mate and me sorting out the noon position when an AB jumped through the chart room door shouting "We're on fire!" The expression on his face should have been enough but being a born again fool I asked are you sure?" I hit the fire alarm - right on mid-day mind. It rang and rang. Finally the master, Ron Watson, phoned the bridge in a temper "Why is the fire alarm still ringing!!?" (thinking it was just the 'set your watches chaps' gone wrong) "Because we are on f-g fire!" It was just a wee fire in the top pof the funnel though, no big deal for that ship. Happy days right enough. I don't think I or my generation could survive at sea nowadays. When I recollect all the 6 on 6 off watches tank cleaning etc, the mate on the go-on-stay-on, etc etc and the repetitive engine break downs, black-outs ....... when would all this paperwork get done?
 
#406 ·
hello fellow Diamond D's. Anyone sailed on Loch Lomond around 1980? I was 3rd mate. In my opinion they were the best little ships in the Denholms Management Fleet. With sister ship Loch Maree, both built on Clyde
History: Built 1975 "Loch Lomond", Chas. Connell & Co., Glasgow, 1981 purchased by Salen Redereina, Stockholm and sold to Oman renamed Al-Zahra, 1984 sold renamed Fastelle, 1984 purchased from Fastelle Shipping Co, Hong Kong and renamed Geesthaven, 1993 sold to Bahamas, renamed Star Haven. 8,030 tons. Is she still sailing? or have the shell doors gone to meet their maker !
 
#407 ·
Welcome

Neil,

A warm welcome to the site from another ex-Denholm man on the Isle of Anglesey.
I guarantee you will thoroughly enjoy the SN experience!
You will certainly spark many happy memories when you have a chance to explore our threads and, who knows, you may even re-establish contact with old shipmates.
Good luck! (Thumb)

There have been quite a few messages about the Loch ships in the Denholm Forum and, if you go to the Gallery and search for "Loch Lomond" there are quite a few photographs of your baby - like this one by Fairfield. (Applause)
 
#414 ·
hullo Dowling ,
was trawling through old threads and thought you might like to know that I sail with an old acquantice you sailed with George Mc Greevy ,who was telling me he knew a Bert Campbell, I met up with Bert a couple of months ago, he was working on the Saturn a Cal-mac ferry, Bert and I were together in Elder Dempster and were Joined at the hip, I was best man at his First marriage which did not last too long, that was the first I saw bert in 40 years.
 
#416 ·
Hello Gulpers,
I just came back on line and see you are looking for memories,
I was app from 1961 till 1964, ships I served were Broompark (general cargo) Dunkyle (ore carrier) Naess Cavalier (bulk carrier) Naess Clipper(Bulk carrier)sister ship to Cavalier. both built in Nagaski. Crinan (ore carier) cadet ship. some of the ships you mentioned were different types when I was there e.g. clunepark was a general cargo, v/l wellpark was an ore carrier.I think i'm right in saying she was originally called Needles and belonged to Clyde Shipping if I'm wrong then I 'm sure some of the older hands will correct. I could go on with some character assination but maybe leave that till another day,
Argyll.
PS anyone out sail with a Bert Campbell
 
#420 ·
denholms men.

run into a murdo mackay on my last trip there with cal mac,he brought up a few names that will jog the memory to a few of you old denholms men,tommy maxwell,current third eng. on the muirneg,alan pringle,still working on the m.v.hascosay,he also says that ted wetherly is long retired but still plodding on,and finally capt.ernie warman,still the same old b******d.(Smoke)
 
#423 ·
Gulper's Fleet

There must be SN members who have fond (or not so fond) memories of their times sailing under the "Diamond D." Let's hear them!

From memory, the following is a list of Denholm owned and managed ships from the late 60s to early 80s. There are probably mistakes, but it's a start. I know that there were 90 to 100 ships in the company at that time and I would love to hear of any additions to the list.
To add (maybe?) to your fleet list Ray do I recall, through the fog, the Denholms had management of the Globtik Sun and the Globtik Mercury at one time and the Beafort Sea and Greenland?Sea. I seem to recall some horror stories of the latter two including one where the second and third mates along with the quartermasters had to stand their watches turn about at the emergency steering position, which I believe was on the funnel deck, whilst transitting the North Atlantic in winter. If anyone on site has memories of this it would make interesting reading. (Smoke)
 
#425 ·
To add (maybe?) to your fleet list Ray do I recall, through the fog, the Denholms had management of the Globtik Sun and the Globtik Mercury at one time and the Beafort Sea and Greenland?Sea. I seem to recall some horror stories of the latter two including one where the second and third mates along with the quartermasters had to stand their watches turn about at the emergency steering position, which I believe was on the funnel deck, whilst transitting the North Atlantic in winter. If anyone on site has memories of this it would make interesting reading. (Smoke)
no disrespect but think your on the wrong site kev.
 
#553 ·
To add (maybe?) to your fleet list Ray do I recall, through the fog, the Denholms had management of the Globtik Sun and the Globtik Mercury at one time and the Beafort Sea and Greenland?Sea. I seem to recall some horror stories of the latter two including one where the second and third mates along with the quartermasters had to stand their watches turn about at the emergency steering position, which I believe was on the funnel deck, whilst transitting the North Atlantic in winter. If anyone on site has memories of this it would make interesting reading. (Smoke)
Kev, Skye Sierra is actually on the right site. I found this while looking at previous correspondents. In January 1971, I was on the Denholm managed, Beaufort Sea during our trip from El Palito, Venesuela to New York with heavy fuel for their power stations. Two days out of New York we were caught in a force 10. The Beaufort Sea had midships accommodation with a flying bridge between Midships and the Aft Accommodation.

In the heavy weather the flying bridge took a hammering which destroyed the hydraulic telemotor pipes which allowed steering from the bridge. The Cargo heating pipes were also damaged so there was no heating to the cargo.

Both the Deck and Engine room went on to 6 on / 6 off watches. The Old Man and the Mate were on the Bridge and the 2nd Mate and 3rd Mate were out in the sub zero temperatures steering from the Emergency steering station.

After two days of this we arrived in New York with the cargo solidified in the holds. We were a week with Todds shipyard people renewing pipework then another week with a steam barge alongside getting steam heating into the cargo.

You will probably know a number of the crew who went through this never to be forgotten experience.

Master: Bobby Kinder
Mate: Stuart Hulse
2nd Mate: Dougie Pollock
3rd Mate: Ian Turner

Chief Engineer: Mike Patton
2nd Eng: Ralph Kahn
3rd Eng:
4th Eng: Bob McGowan
Jnr Eng: Jim Boyd
Elect. Malcolm Mort

I think I got all the names correct. You don't usually forget what you were doing for your 21st Birthday.

Hector Connell relieved Dougie Pollock after all the fun but he went on to get his own fun with the boat people.

Happy days.

Hope this puts the record straight.
 
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