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The Clan Is Gathering.......

85K views 159 replies 45 participants last post by  grayfrancks 
#1 · (Edited)
G'day everybody. SN has created this Forum for us, and fellow seafarers, so that we have a place to discuss anything "BOLTONS" and to help stay in touch with each other. I hope you all enjoy this place and I can see we are going to have a great time.

Here is a crew list of those Old Boltonians still kicking...I'm sure we will track down more:

Gordon Carey
Derek Chapman
Peter Charnley
Nick Chell
Simon Coate
Chris Cooke
Jim Cooper
Howard Cox
Peter Davidson
Keith Fulker
David Fullwood
Malcolm Gator
Lloyd Housley
Ian Huckin
Geoff Long
Phil Pick
Peter Sandvid
Stuart Tait
Terry Upson
Colin Wilson

Between us I am sure we have a huge inventory of stories, experiences and pictures. Let's share them......(If we make relevant posts elsewhere would it be worth including them here too?)

Best wishes all,

Ian
(==D)
 

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#2 ·
I worked for five shipping companies and can say without any hesitation that Bolton's, even though the smallest and the ships perhaps did not have the most luxurious accomodation, was the best company for friendship and looking after their staff.
it will be good to see this community of shipmates enlarge
howard
 
#3 ·
Thanks to Henk Jungerius, "MARITIEM", for this info which I copied from his post #190 under Bolton Shipping Co Ltd.

Short History of Bolton Steam Shipping Co.

Bolton Steam Shipping Co. Ltd originated from 1885 when Frederick Bolton formed a partnership with Louis T. Bartholomew as Frederic Bolton & Company and ordered a steamer from J.L. Thompson & Sons, Sunderland. She was delivered in June 1885 as the RAPHAEL (1).
Followed by the REMBRANDT (1) in August 1886 and the RUBENS (1) in July 1887 and the RUYSDAEL (1) in September 1888.
The ships were used in the Tramping trades.

Two more tramp ships were delivered from J.L. Thompson & Sons n 1893 and 1894, Sunderland, the ROMNEY (1) and ROSSETTI (1).

Henry Kenneth joined as a partner in 1887 but could not get on with Louis T. Bartholomew and Frederick bought Kenneth out in 1897 and formed the Bolton Steam Shipping Company Ltd.

Another three tramp ships were delivered from J.L. Thompson & Sons, Sunderland in 1898, 1902 and 1904 ( REYNOLDS (1), RAMSAY (1) and RIBERA (1)).

The RAPHAEL (1), REMBRANDT (1), RUBENS (1) and RUYSDAEL (1) were sold to Chile in 1906 and a new tramp ship built by William Gray and Sons, West Hartlepool the RUBENS (2) joined the fleet.

Also in 1906 Frederick’s two sons Eric and Louis Hamilton were made partner.
In January a new RUYSDAEL (2) was delivered from William Gray and Sons, West Hartlepool.

By the beginning of World War 1 the company owned seven tramp ships.

In August 1914 the RUBENS (2) was captured at Hamburg.
On 27.9.1914 the RIBERA (1) was captured by the German cruiser Emden in the Indian Ocean.
The RUYSDAEL (2) was detained at a Finnish port, where she lay until November 1916, on arrival home she was sold to A.D. Axarlis, London and was torpedoed and sunk in September 1918.
In 1915 a new RIBERA (2) was delivered from William Gray and Sons, West Hartlepool, but ROMNEY (1), ROSSETTI (1) and REYNOLDS (1) were sold in 1915/1916.
Eric Bolton had been killed earlier in the war and the company went into voluntary liquidation on 12th September 1917. The RAMSAY (1) was sold to B.J. Sutherland at Newcastle and the RIBERA (2) to other British owners.

In February 1920 Frederick died and in November 1921 Louis Hamilton restarted the company with the purchase of two second hand tramps from the Shipping Controller and were renamed RUBENS (3) and RIBERA (3) and another bought from the Well Line renamed RUYSDAEL (3)
( ex BLACKWELL). A new ships was bought while building from Bartram & Sons at Sunderland and renamed RAMSAY (2).

In February 1927 a new REYNOLDS (2) was completed at R. Duncan at Port Glasgow.
She was followed by two sisters in May 1929 and March 1930 the ROMNEY (2) and RAMSAY (3).

The RUBENS (3), RUYSDAEL (3) and RAMSAY (2) were sold in 1927, 1929 and 1928 and the RIBERA (3) was laid up in 1930 and scrapped in 1931.

By the beginning of World War 2 the company owned three tramp ships.

On 9.6.1942 the RAMSAY (3) was torpedoed and sunk by German submarine in the Atlantic while in convoy ONS 100.
On 31.10.1942 the REYNOLDS (2) was torpedoed and sunk by German submarine South of Madagascar.

Two sister ships the RIBERA (4) and REMBRANDT (2) were completed in 1940 and 1941 at the Lithgows yard at Port Glasgow.
Two standard Ocean’s were managed for the Government.

The managed OCEAN VIGIL was purchased in 1946 and renamed RAMSAY (4), while a sister was purchased in 1947 and renamed RUYSDAEL (4) ( ex OCEAN WANDERER).
The managed liberty SAMCEBU was also purchased in 1947 and renamed REYNOLDS (3).
The ROMNEY (2) was sold to Greece in 1949 and was replaced by the RAPHAEL (2) (ex OCEAN VAGRANT).
The EMPIRE MARTABAN was taken on a bare boat charter from 1946 till 1951 with an option to purchase which was taken up in 1951 but immediately resold to other London owners.

New ships were built in 1952 and 1953, the RAMSAY (5) and REYNOLDS (4).

Louis Hamilton died in 1953 and was succeeded by his son Frederic B. Bolton.

The ROMANIC joined the fleet in 1954 and was chartered to Shaw, Savill and Albion.

A new company the North Yorkshire Shipping Company Ltd was started in 1954 to transport ore for BISCO and orders were placed for four ore carriers ( REDCAR, RIBBLEHEAD, RIPON and RIEVAULX).

The RIBERA (4) and REMBRANDT (2) was sold in 1955 and 1957 to Greece.
A new RUYSDAEL (5) entered service in 1957, followed by the REMBRANDT (3) in 1960 which had gas turbines engines placed right aft, this was not a great succes and the ship was sold in 1967 with considerable loss.

Te RAMSAY (5), REYNOLDS (4) and ROMANIC were sold in the early sixties and the RUYSDAEL (5) followed in 1968.

In June 1965 the company enterde the bulk trade with the delivery of the RIBERA (5) from Smiths Dock Co., Middlesbrough.
The RIBERA (5) was sold in 1973 and replaced with two new bulkers the ROSSETTI (2) and REYNOLDS (5). Also a new funnelmarking was used with the houseflag instead of a all black funnel.
A third sister ship of the two previously built ships joined the the fleet in 1976 as RUBENS (4).
However the markt collapsed and Frederic B. Bolton was forced to sell his ships.
The ROSSETTI (2) was sold in 1978 and also the REYNOLDS (5) was sold and chartered back.
However the debt was still mounting and in 1982 they were bought by Nosira Shipping (Carnival Cruises Line Group) with Carnival in turn selling them both in 1987 to the Mountleigh Group. Whilst part of the Carnival Group the Bolton Maritime Management Ltd. was set up to manage the fleets of Bolton Steamship and Nosira Shipping but these two have gone out of ship-owning soon after and by 1992 and the management company was noted in Lloyds Shipowners acting for a non related company.

Fleetlist

Name Built Builder History Tons
Raphael (1) 1885 J.L. Thompson & Sons, Sunderland 1906 sold to Chile renamed Presidente Bulnes 1,860
Rembrandt (1) 1886 J.L. Thompson & Sons, Sunderland 1906 sold to Chile renamed Presidente Prieto 1,828
Rubens (1) 1887 J.L. Thompson & Sons, Sunderland 1906 sold to Chile renamed Presidente Manuel 2,077
Ruysdael (1) 1888 J.L. Thompson & Sons, Sunderland 1906 sold to Chile renamed General Freire 2,095
Romney (1) 1893 J.L. Thompson & Sons, Sunderland 1915 sold to Transport & Trading Co., London 2,806
Rossetti (1) 1894 J.L. Thompson & Sons, Sunderland 1915 sold to Cambo Shipping Co., Cardiff 2,080
Reynolds (1) 1898 J.L. Thompson & Sons, Sunderland 1916 sold to Watts, Watts & Co. renamed Chertsey, 26.4.1917 torpedoed and sunk by German submarine. 3,264
Ramsay (1) 1902 J.L. Thompson & Sons, Sunderland 1917 sold to B.J. Sutherland renamed Caithness, 1919 sold to J. Griffiths, Cardiff. 4,318
Ribera (1) 1904 J.L. Thompson & Sons, Sunderland 27.9.1914 sunk by German cruiser Emden in Indian Ocean. 3,500
Rubens (2) 1906 Wm Gray & Co Ltd, West Hartlepool 4.8.1914 seized at Hamburg, fitted out as a blockade runner to supply the German cruiser Konigsberg, blockaded in the Rufiji River but was caught of the African coast and was scuttled by her own crew to avoid capture. 3,587
Ruysdael (2) 1912 Wm Gray & Co Ltd, West Hartlepool 1916 sold to A.D. Axarlis, London and was September 1918 torpedoed and sunk. 3,478
Ribera (2) 1915 Wm Gray & Co Ltd, West Hartlepool 1917 sold renamed Glorose 3,511
Rubens (3) 1905 D. & W. Henderson & Co Ltd., Glasgow Ex Armanistan built for Frank C. Strick, 1906 sold to Dampfschiffs Reederei Union A.G., Germany renamed Wellgunde, 1912 sold to Continentale Rhederei renamed Heimfeld, 1914 sold to Deutsche Levante Linie renamed Pera, 1919 allocated to Great Britain, 1921 sold to Bolton SS Co. renamed Rubens, 1927 sold to Greece renamed Ioannis Corcodilos, 1934 scrapped. 4,071
Ribera (3) 1907 Flensburger Schiffsbau Gesellschaft, Flensburg Ex Hanau built for Deutsch Australische DG, Hamburg, 1919 allocated to Great Britain, 1921 sold to Bolton SS Co. renamed Ribera, 1931 laid up, 1931 scrapped. 4,221
Ruysdael (3) 1907 J.L. Thompson & Sons, Sunderland Ex Blackwell, 1921 purchased from Well Line renamed Ruysdael, 1929 sold to Italy renamed Iris 4,712
Ramsay (2) 1921 Bartram & Sons Ltd., Sunderland 1929 sold to Scheepvaart Mij. Millingen, Rotterdam renamed Kerkplein, 1940 seized by Germans in service as a transport ship RO 23, 1945 recovered at Christiansand, 1945 repaired and back in service, 1947 sold to Van Ommeren renamed Ossendrecht, 1950 sold to Germany renamed Alstertor, 1953 scrapped Bremerhaven. 5,053
Reynolds (2) 1927 R. Duncan & Co., Port Glasgow 31.10.1942 torpedoed and sunk by German submarine U.504 and lost with all hands, south of Madagascar. 5,024
Romney (2) 1929 R. Duncan & Co., Port Glasgow 1949 sold to A.G. Tsavliris, Greece for scrapping renamed Granny Suzanne, but resold in 1950 to Ernst Komrowski, Bremen renamed Montan, 1954 sold to Kyrtatas Brothers renamed Antonios A. Kyrtatas, 1960 scrapped at Hamburg. 5,840
Ramsay (3) 1930 R. Duncan & Co., Port Glasgow 9.6.1942 torpedoed and sunk by German submarine U.94 while in convoy ONS100 with the loss of 40 lives. 4,855
Ribera (4) 1940 Lithgows Ltd., Port Glasgow 1955 sold to Goulandris Bros renamed Okeanis, 1959 sold to SOARMA, Italy renamed Jolanda, 1964 sold not renamed, 1971 scrapped at Split. 5,593
Rembrandt (2) 1941 Lithgows Ltd., Port Glasgow 1957 sold to Navigation Transport Co., Greece renamed Capetan Antonis, 1963 renamed Mastromitsos, 1965 sold same name, 1967 scrapped at Kaohsiung. 5,588
Ramsay (4) 1941 Permanente Metals Corp., Richmond, California Ex Ocean Vigil, 1946 purchased from British Government renamed Ramsay, 1951 sold to Cia.Nav.Maropan S.A, Panama renamed Stork, 1955 to Cia.Maritima de Nav. Conval.S.A., Panama, 1960 sold to Derna Cia.Nav, Panama renamed Roumeli, 03.02.1963 aground while leaving drydock at Gijon, 11.02.1963 refloated, 21.02.1963 beached, CTL, sold for scrap in situ. 7,111
Reynolds (3) 1944 Southeastem S.B. Corp., Savannah Ex Samcebu standard ship type Liberty, 1947 purchased from British Government renamed Reynolds, 1951 sold renamed St. Nicholas, 1956 sold to Greece renamed Panagos, 1959 sold renamed Amazon, 24.12.1963 aground near Cape Bon, bound from Italy to Buenos Aires, refloated, and broken up Spezia 1964. 7,219
Ruysdael (4) 1942 Todd-Bath Iron S.B. Corp., Portland, Maine Ex Ocean Wanderer, 1947 purchased from British Government renamed Ruysdael, 1951 sold to Kronos Cia Nav S.A., Panama renamed Santa Irene, 02.11.1962 aground Los Cabezos Shoal, 4 miles West of Tarifa, 09.11.1962 broke in two, CTL. 7,118
Raphael (2) 1942 Permanente Metals Corp., Richmond, California Ex Ocean Vagrant built British Government, ex Atlantic Vagrant 1948, 1949 purchased from Baltic Shipping Co, Newcastle renamed Raphael, 1951 sold to Cia.de Vapores S.A., Panama renamed Siram, 1961 sold to Syramar Cia.Nav.S.A., Panama renamed Syros, 1968 scrapped at Shanghai. 7,146
Empire Martaban 1944 Burntisland Shipbuilding Co. Ltd., Burntisland Ex Empire Martaban built for British Government (MOWT), 1951 purchased after finishing bare boat charter and sold to Aviation & Shipping Co, London renamed Avistone, 1959 sold to Faik Zeren, Istanbul renamed Turkiye, 1972 scrapped at Istanbul. 7,542
Ramsay (5) 1952 Smith's Dock Company, Middlesborough 1960 sold to United Oriental Steamship Co., Pakistan renamed Anisbakshi 6,273
Reynolds (4) 1953 W. Pickersgill & Sons Ltd., Sunderland 1961 sold to United Oriental Steamship Co., Pakistan renamed Imtiazbaksh, 1976 scrapped in Pakistan. 6,247
Romanic 1954 Smith's Dock Company, Middlesborough Intendend name Ruysdael, by completion chartered to Shaw, Savill & Albion as Romanic, 1961 sold to Greece renamed Plate Clipper. 6,320
Ruysdael (5) 1957 Smith's Dock Company, Middlesborough 1968 sold to Greece renamed Aristides Xilas 6,452
Rembrandt (3) 1960 Smith's Dock Company, Middlesborough 1967 sold to Greece converted into a motorship renamed Galini 8,104
Ribera (5) 1965 Smith's Dock Company, Middlesborough 1973 sold to the Ben Line Steamers renamed Benvorlich, 1976 sold to peoples Republic of China and renamed Kang Hai, 1976 owners titles China Ocean Shipping Co., 1983 owners now Shanghai Ocean Shipping Co. (COSCO -Shanghai). 18,088
Rossetti (2) 1973 Boelwerf N.V., Temse 1978 sold renamed Carefowl 17,996
Reynolds (5) 1973 Boelwerf N.V., Temse 1978 sold and chartered back, 1987 sold to Malta renamed Seaduty, 1989 sold to Greece renamed Predator, 1993 sold to Cyprus renamed Trias, 1993 sold to peoples Republic of China and renamed Gueng Shen. 18,025
Rubens (4) 1976 Boelwerf N.V., Temse 1988 sold renamed Laura C, later Ziya K, later The Med, scrapped in China. 17,996

Mainsource
Travel of the Tramps, twenty Tramp fleets Vol. I, N.L. Middlemiss, Shield Publication, 1989/1991.
Regards
Henk Jungerius
 
#7 ·
Thanks Baltic Wal for the addition, updated list follows:

Gordon Carey - Electrician
Derek Chapman - Chippy
Peter Charnley - Engineer
Nick Chell - Engineer
Simon Coate - Deck
Chris Cooke - Deck
Jim Cooper - Master
Howard Cox - Engineer
Peter Davidson - Engineer
Keith Fulker - Deck
David Fullwood - Master
Malcolm Gator - Deck
Lloyd Housley - Engineer
Ian Huckin - Engineer
Geoff Long - Deck
Phil Pick - Engineer
Peter Sandvid - Engineer
Ian Stockbridge - (Help me here please)
Stuart Tait - Engineer
Terry Upson - Deck
Colin Wilson - Deck
(21)

If anyone would like their contact info or any notes included please let me know and I will edit them in.

O.K. let's start a topic - Tango Express and Merangue Express? That should wrinkle some foreheads!!!

It hasn't snowed for two days here...must be summer!!

Ian
 
#12 ·
G'day all.

Another Old Boltonian just checked in, welcome back on board Jonathan Bregazzi. He was 4/E on Reynolds when we sailed together in late '82 early '83. He is going to update his Bolton's time on this thread.

Revised "crew list" below:

Jonathan Bregazzi
Gordon Carey
Derek Chapman
Peter Charnley
Nick Chell
Simon Coate
Chris Cooke
Jim Cooper
Howard Cox
Peter Davidson
Keith Fulker
David Fullwood
Malcolm Gator
Lloyd Housley
Ian Huckin
Geoff Long
Phil Pick
Peter Sandvid
Stuart Tait
Terry Upson
Colin Wilson

(21)

Ian
 
#13 ·
Hello Everyone.
As promised (by Ian!) here is my quick potted history:
Joined T&J Harrison as an engineer cadet 1977 and made redundant by them in July 1981.
Joined Boltons on the Nosira Lin in August 1981 as cadet then junior engineer.
Paid off in Port Said 16th November to join the Reynolds on the 26th November 1981(what do you want leave for, you've got a job haven't you) and got home from that trip 1st May 1982. Trips after that were:-
Reynolds 13/08/82 to 20/12/82 Junior and 4th Eng
Nosira Madelaine 22/03/83 to 22/08/83 4th Eng
Reynolds 14/11/83 to 11/4/84 4th Eng
Nosira Sharon 14/7/84 to 6/12/84 4th Eng

After that I sat my Second Engineers ticket and was due to join the Reynolds again in Australia when I got a job with the Isle of Man Steam Packet as a 3rd and, shortly after 2nd Engineer.
I left the Merchant Navy in 1988 and changed careers joining Manx Airlines as a First Officer flying Shorts SD360 from the Isle of Man.
I'm now a Captain flying for Flybe, based in Manchester and flying Embraer 195 type aircraft (twin jets, 118 seats) to Europe.
Great to see some familiar names from the past and some familiar faces on the reunion photo.
All the best.
Jonathan
 
#14 ·
Jon,

Who was the J/E we had on board at that time...I remember he was up to party anytime but left at the same time as I did.

I visited with him in Southampton and he was jacking it in.

I wonder if Rubens ever picked up all the spares we left for them up in the Lakes or if they are still there!!!!

Ian
 
#15 ·
I think his name was Tony Herbert, known as 'the shrubber' as in Roger the Shrubber from Monty Python, for reasons that I've long forgotten. I last heard of him as 2/e on what looked like a very sophisticated oil support vessel that had moored in Douglas harbour though I didn't get to meet him after my time in Boltons.
He was from Cleveland in the North East I think. As I remember he was a pretty switched on chap.
Do you remember the 'lecky' (in his case something of a misnomer) on that trip who disconnected his bench grinder with a pair of tinsnips when there was still juice on it?

Cheers.
Jon
 
#21 ·
Jon,

You nailed it, yup "Shrubber" had some good runs ashore with him up da Lakes. A very good engineer with great prospects at the time. Never heard from him after about '82

Cannot remember the leckie. Keith (?) and Peter (?) "Pig-Pen" were two long serving Bolton leckies but I just cannot remember. Maybe Sammy does but I am not sure if he posts here.

I'm trying to get all my ship photos sent up here so I can scan and attach. I have hundreds of Boltons pics. let you know when it happens. Take it easy......

Ian
 
#18 ·
I did my 1st trip to sea as deck boy, maiden voyage of the Rievaulx Jan 1958.
Davey Caton(Thumb)
G'day davey,

You are on the list.

My first trip to sea was also on Rievaulx...22Jul70.

It would be of interest to us all here if you can remember any of your ship mates names and, of course, photos would be great.

Tell us some of your stories etc

Best wishes,

Ian(POP)
 
#17 ·
Ribblehead 1960/61 Bolton S/s Co

Iron Ore Carrier Ribblehead
Does anyone remember the iron ore carrier Ribblehead of the Bolton Steamship Co. I sailed on her 1960/61. good ship , good crew .
There was a tragedy that occured on a trip to Port Elizabeth . one of the ABs fell from the upper deck onto the hatch below . good shipmate , his name was Ronnie Coleman . We couldnt do anything for him .He died on Christmas Day and we had to bury him at sea . of course that cancelled out Christmas celebrations . all the crew turned out to pay their respects . Thankfully that was the only serious bad experience in my 10 years at sea.
Does anyone remember Ronnie . from Merseyside and would be in his early 20s
Cheers to all from Jim Parker
 
#20 ·
Iron Ore Carrier Ribblehead
Does anyone remember the iron ore carrier Ribblehead of the Bolton Steamship Co. I sailed on her 1960/61. good ship , good crew ......Cheers to all from Jim Parker
G'day Jim,

Your on the list.

I sailed Ribblehead a couple of times in '71. Bit of a workhorse but always a great crew.

I heard about the accident you refer to though nobody really knew the true story. Thank you.

Tell us your stories and list any shipmates you can remember.

Thanks,

Ian
 

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#22 · (Edited)
Hello all.

Davey Canton and Jim Parker just "signed on" Ore carrier men from late 50s and early 60s.

Revised "crew list" below:

Kevin Bird - Catering
Jonathan Bregazzi - Engineer
Davey Canton - Deck
Gordon Carey - Electrician
Derek Chapman - Chippy
Peter Charnley - Engineer
Nick Chell - Engineer
Simon Coate - Deck
Chris Cooke - Deck
Jim Cooper - Master
Howard Cox - Engineer
Peter Davidson - Engineer
Keith Fulker - Deck
David Fullwood - Master
Malcolm Gator - Deck
Lloyd Housley - Engineer
Ian Huckin - Engineer
Geoff Long - Deck
Jim Parker - Deck
Phil Pick - Engineer
Peter Sandvid - Engineer
Ian Stockbridge - (Help me here please)
Stuart Tait - Engineer
Terry Upson - Deck
Colin Wilson - Deck

(25)

Ian
 
#23 ·
crew list

Hello all.

Davey Canton and Jim Parker just "signed on" Ore carrier men from late 50s and early 60s.

Revised "crew list" below:

Kevin Bird - Catering
Jonathan Bregazzi - Engineer
Davey Canton - Deck
Gordon Carey - Electrician
Derek Chapman - Chippy
Peter Charnley - Engineer
Nick Chell - Engineer
Simon Coate - Deck
Chris Cooke - Deck
Jim Cooper - Master
Howard Cox - Engineer
Peter Davidson - Engineer
Keith Fulker - Deck
David Fullwood - Master
Malcolm Gator - Deck
Lloyd Housley - Engineer
Ian Huckin - Engineer
Geoff Long - Deck
Jim Parker - (Help me here please)
Phil Pick - Engineer
Peter Sandvid - Engineer
Ian Stockbridge - (Help me here please)
Stuart Tait - Engineer
Terry Upson - Deck
Colin Wilson - Deck

(25)

Ian
Cheers Ian
I sailed as AB on the Ribblehead
Jim Parker
 
#28 · (Edited)
Ooops! Sorry Davey. List corrected and SN I.D.s added:


Revised "crew list" below:

Kevin Bird - Catering - Kev Bird
Jonathan Bregazzi - Engineer - Spanner
Davey Caton - Deck - nomad21
Gordon Carey - Electrician
Derek Chapman - Chippy - tiachapman
Peter Charnley - Engineer - P. Charnley
Nick Chell - Engineer
Simon Coate - Deck - Simon C
Chris Cooke - Deck
Jim Cooper - Master
Howard Cox - Engineer - cubpilot
Peter Davidson - Engineer
Keith Fulker - Deck
David Fullwood - Master
Malcolm Gator - Deck
Lloyd Housley - Engineer - Lloyd Housley
Ian Huckin - Engineer - Ian J. Huckin
Geoff Long - Deck
Jim Parker - Deck - jimtar17
Phil Pick - Engineer
Peter Sandvid - Engineer
Ian Stockbridge - Deck - Baltic Wal
Stuart Tait - Engineer
Terry Upson - Deck
Colin Wilson - Deck

(25)

Best wishes all,

Ian
 
#26 ·
Ian.
The lecky I'm thinking of was called Jack, an older chap from London. I sailed with Keith Rowe who was lecky on the Nosira Lin.
I was on the Nosira Lin when the rudder pintle bearing shattered going into Sept Isles; a big bang and a few 'what the **** was that' looks in the control room.
Next trip,I was on the Reynolds when we got hit by the 'Finn Forest' while coming down the Seine, more WTFWT looks!
 
#29 ·
O.K. Jon, I have it now...he was a right plonker...Last night I awoke and remembered it was Keith Rowe and Dick Ballantine who were the leckies I sailed with most.

Keith, Richard Avenin (Mate) and myself shared digs up in Sunderland when standing by the Nosira new buildings. We started brewing our own beer. Man, I got so hammered one day I was as sick as I have ever been. The last thing I remember of that night was leaving a restaurant and I leaned over a table of about six people to tell the daughter, I guess, how good she looked. Well, when I leaned forward I just kept going and collapsed on their table, wine and food everywhere. It all went very dim after that!!!!!

Check out "Billy1963" he was on Reynolds when in collision with Finn Forest too.

Back to you later about your pintle bearing experience....

Ian
 
#27 ·
Ian,

Further to an earlier post, I was on deck.

Ribblehead Apprentice Aug 1959-March 1960
Romanic Apprentice May 1960-January 1961
Rievaulx Apprentice February 1961- October 1961
Ruysdael Apprentice October 1961-April 1962
Rievaulx Apprentice May 1961- November 1962
Ripon Apprentice January 1963-March 1963
Rembrandt 3rd Mate October 1963-December

Salary slips for the Romanic I have are confusing as we spent a lot of time waiting and not on articles. Seamens strike in Liverpool and laid up a bit in Glasgow. Seemed to get paid run money in addition to normal pay 6/4p per day and overtime 2/- per hour.

Ian
 
#31 · (Edited)
A Good Start

Remember the ore carrier saloons? My first trip was for 6 weeks during the college summer holidays and we (my fellow cadet Pete Foreman and I) were sent to join the Ribblehead in Cardif. We arrived in time for lunch and were allocated our places at the after end of the 'Engineers table' on the starboard side. The port side table being for the Mates and the small centre table was reserved for the 'Famous Four' (Skipper, Chief, C/O and 2/E).
A year later and we were assigned to Redcar for more vacational training and again arrived in time for lunch. By now, being old hands, we knew that the Officers Smoke Room was the place to introduce ourselves and get a (free?) pre-lunch pint in the process. This time instead of the usual Sparkie serving behind the bar there was a Leading Steward from Blythe. I forget his name but he spoke incomprehensible geordie through a huge black handlebar moustache whilst serving and regaling the assembly with much wit and repartie. Come time to wander through to eat he whispered to us "Yours is the little table in the centre boys"
Now everyone loves to help a cadet get himself into bother through his own inexperience and stupidity but not us boys... oh no. I smelled a rat straight away and said to Pete as we scudded up the alleyway to be first in.
"That little Geordie bugger is trying to get us into the doodoo first day here, fancy thinking we'd fall for that old trick!!"
So we duly sat starboard table aft as per Rubbleheap a year previously and were almost immediatelt turfed out of our seats by the irate Chief and Second, who's seats we were in, to go sit at the central Cadets table!!(Cloud)
 

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#33 · (Edited)
Remember the ore carrier saloons?
Hello Lloyd.

The Ore Carrier saloons were pretty special were'nt they? how nice the engraved glass doors at the entrance were. I had to sit right aft as App., the unemployed sat right up fwd.

I seem to remember the bars better. Did they have the beer dispensers when you started? You were a year ahead of me and they were gone by the time I got onboard. I do remember being on Ribblehead over Christmas one year in the N. Atlantic when a "spare" barrel of beer broke loose and we could not get a hold of it.

Ship was throwing around all over and the barrel demolished most of the furniture in the bar then went out the door across the alleyway and into the seconds cabin. I think we lashed it down in there while he was still in his bunk.

Talking apprentices, what ever happened to Graham Skinner, and keep it polite :) I remember he once located a really remote and awkward to reach valve in a generator fuel line and shut it. He was 3/E and when the gen could not be started he thrust himself to the front and "found" the closed valve and saved the day....no comment.
 
#32 ·
Hi Ian.
Couldn't find the 'Your best repair at sea' thread. In my case, I think it was my suitcase handle though I was involved in replumbing one of the Main Engine purifiers to handle the worst gas oil I've ever seen. It was on the Nosira Sharon and we'd bunkered in Phily. The poor gas oil purifier wouldn't last more than 5 minutes before waxing up.
 
#34 ·
Hi Ian.
Couldn't find the 'Your best repair at sea' thread.
Hello Jon,

Have not started it yet as I want to attach some pics and I am working on getting a scanner. Over here in Kodiak we have very few shops and prices are stupidly high. There is a Walmart though and I will go check out there for one.

Re: waxy D.O. - had a similar instance when 2/E on the Reynolds after bunkering in Commie China. Should have known we were in for trouble when I saw the drip drip drip from the filling line in the purifier cleaning tank had formed a stalagmite of wax on the bottom of the tank!

Trouble is the wax has a high calorific value so, when in suspension, is good, but when it precipitates out........kept all the D.O. as hot as we could and purified it at about 50 deg C and re-circed the day tank.

Minimal problems really but was concerned for M.E. as when stopped on D.O. could not trace heat the fuel lines with T.F. due to all the leaks.

Hey, you know what it is like....it all really does work out in the end (imshallah!)(Thumb)
 
#35 ·
Lloyd,

Things must have changed, although I cannot vouch for the Redcar, on the other three there was no such thing as a bar, and for an apprentice to be given beer was unthinkable. The only time we were allowed to buy alcohol was a bottle of spirits to take home.

There were two officers smoke rooms, midships for the deck and aft for the engineers. the midsgips was next to the apprentices cabin and was too small for the bar. The engineers was in different places aft and on the Ribblehead was on the top deck, on the Rievaulx this was the Chief Engineers cabin.

We always eat on the port table with the 2nd & 3rd Mates and the 2 Sparkies. This was before the days of Engineer Cadets.
 
#36 · (Edited)
Hi Baltic Wal, well thank goodness things had changed when I got there!! On all four old smokers the Aft Smoke Room was really the Engineers Bar since that's where they all lived (or at least that's what we all thought at the time!). Up midships you could hardly hear the heart beat and could almost believe you were on a desert island, whereas down aft you could almost believe you were living next to a pub. Yes Ian, I also witnessed a keg do the rounds of demolition as did the cat who tried to chase it all around the bar but jump to safety whenever it looked like being steam rollered.

By the time I got there (1967) apprentices were welcome in the bar provided they didn't spend more than a £1 per day (DD was approx. 5d per pint (surely not!!)

Thanks Ian, by the way, for the picture of Rievaulx saloon which looks lots smaller than I remember but very smart nonetheless.
 
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