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Royal Mail Line

104K views 160 replies 94 participants last post by  Nudger 
#1 ·
RML don't seem to be listed in the shipping companies so perhaps I had
better start the ball rolling!. I was 3rd R/O on Amazon /GVVV
and Aragon/GVVT. I remember the Aragon was under the command of
Captain Fox. The 2nd R/O Jack Barter later was killed on the
Royston Grange/GFDU. I can remember a Chief Purser called Stroud
and another purser called Nigel Yeo. After that things get a bit
fuzzy!. Had lots of wonderful times in Buenos Aires.
Brings back many memories. Thy later transferred the RML A ships
to Shaw Savill. I have a picture of one converted to a hideous car
carrier.
 
#80 ·
Graham Durant.



Hi Graham,
This reply is a long time comming. I was with Royal mail in 1970-71.
I was on the Duro in the later part of the 70s and 71. We did 2 trips: Rio, Santos, Montevideo, and Bueno Aires, Then back to London. she was a fridge ship carying general cargo out and frey bentos beef home.
I remember the A boats well. However they were being sold of at this time. Sad to here about the car carier!!
Coincadently the Duro was formaly the Hardwick Grange. On one of those trips, we saw the Royston Grange tied up in Montevideo. It was also avery sad site. She looked intact apart from the blackend Portholes and bridge. You probably know the story. She was struck to one side in a fog, by a tanker in the river plate. the impact ruptured the fridges gas tanks. The gas was then taken in and distrabuted throughout the accomadation by the air conditioning. A flash fire then followed, sadly killing all hands, as far as i know.
I would like to see that pictur if possible Graham
All the very best.
Graham.
 
#82 ·
Hi Graham,
This reply is a long time comming. I was with Royal mail in 1970-71.
I was on the Duro in the later part of the 70s and 71. We did 2 trips: Rio, Santos, Montevideo, and Bueno Aires, Then back to London. she was a fridge ship carying general cargo out and frey bentos beef home.
I remember the A boats well. However they were being sold of at this time. Sad to here about the car carier!!
Coincadently the Duro was formaly the Hardwick Grange. On one of those trips, we saw the Royston Grange tied up in Montevideo. It was also avery sad site. She looked intact apart from the blackend Portholes and bridge. You probably know the story. She was struck to one side in a fog, by a tanker in the river plate. the impact ruptured the fridges gas tanks. The gas was then taken in and distrabuted throughout the accomadation by the air conditioning. A flash fire then followed, sadly killing all hands, as far as i know.
I would like to see that pictur if possible Graham
All the very best.
Graham.
Photo of wreck of Royston Grange taken by me here:

http://www.shipsnostalgia.com/galle...68/cpage/2/title/royston-grange-wreck/cat/523
 
#81 ·
I did a couple of trips as 3rd R/O on the Amazon in 1963. Senior R/O had been on the run for about fifty years. He had a valve endorsement on his ticket to prove he had moved with the times. Anyone visiting the shack would believe he was busy with traffic as he sat with 'phones on and typing away. He was actually writing a novel. Re. an earlier post regarding the stabilisers, the ship used to pitch awkwardly and frequently.
 
#84 ·
A very interestig thread ....Do any of you know what happened to 1st Elect eng Mr A:E COOKE Who very very patiently and very strictly formed Me from a very wet behind the ears first tripper into a twenty year served man !It started on DeseadoAugust 1964 Liverpool bound for Buenos Aires Me scared shotless but thanks to that lovely man I had a life of a dream come true....Thank you Tony Regards to all KEITHMAR
 
#85 ·
I've said it before - and I'll say it again --
Royal Mail should have a proper place in the Shipping Lines Forum, not just a subsection under "Other Shipping Companies"
Royal Mail was one of Britain's oldest and best known companies, it was a house hold name in its hay days.
Its house flag was flown with pride over Leadenhall Street.
Lets put it back where it belongs.
Malcolm
 
#87 ·
Just looked at the picture of the Royston Grange. Very upsetting. What a tragic end to Jack Barter who had been on the S.America run since 1939.
A colleague at GKA also lost relatives who had been passengers on board and were unable to get a berth on their usual ship a Blue Star one.
Luck of the draw I suppose.
rgds
Graham Powell
PS I agree with you Malcolm RML should be listed as shipping company proper not where it is now.
 
#90 · (Edited by Moderator)
Hi my name is Geoff Grundy (nickname was Barney) i was with RML from 1965 to 69 & yes wish i had never left. 3rd Elect on Amazon 65/66 with Rudy Lockhart, Dai Ross, & Jimmy McAughtrie(Elects). RD Jones,Andy Beveridge,Bob Petch,Pedro Stroud,Pimplehead Mortimer,Dickie Dabinett,Peter Hunter -died 2008,Odgie,Martin Rasor,Clagger Reid,Peewee Purves,Jim Stewart -died some yrs ago,John Fuller,John watson,Mike Short,Willy Patrick thats a few for you all to think about! After that went 2nd Elect Loch Loyal 67/68 have left a message on that thread if you care to have a look.Then i went to the Eleuthera as Senior Elect in1969 with Fred Dickenson & others. Went to sea for 3/4 yrs and stayed for 44, did my last year on Ben My Chree with IOMSP. Still go to NW Area dinner in Dec, Eileen Jones widow of RD is still alive or was 15 months ago. Well i think thats all, be interesting to see what replies i get. Cheers, Geoff (private message me)
 
#91 ·
Did anyone know engineer Archie Arnott, A Scot who last sailed on the Andes about 1958/59 as supernumerary second before joining the Union Co of New Zealand. He was our chief on the Navua and a great guy.
I believe he went to Canada and sailed on the Lakes after marrying a NZ girl.

Bob
 
#93 ·
Gascony. 1953/4.

I sailed on the old (GASCONY) as Seamans ( PEGGY). What a job, never mind we had a good crowed of lads.some good run ashores,I wonder if any of the old lads are about now,I can only remember an E.D.H. his name was Fred Guyot. We did the Spanish Main Run, had a month in Kingston, I loved the place,and did many more trips there over the years on various Royal Mail Ships. Would like to hear from any shipmates.
 
#95 ·
I sailed on the old (GASCONY) as Seamans ( PEGGY). What a job, never mind we had a good crowed of lads.some good run ashores,I wonder if any of the old lads are about now,I can only remember an E.D.H. his name was Fred Guyot. We did the Spanish Main Run, had a month in Kingston, I loved the place,and did many more trips there over the years on various Royal Mail Ships. Would like to hear from any shipmates.
Hi David. Was amazed to read your entry and the name GASCONY after all these years. Rushed and got dis/bks out to check on dates I sailed on the old. ship. See I signed on 10/12/49 and off again 4/3/50 a good date to sign off as my birthday 5th march...... 19 years old,good God !!!! Was asst Stwd, Enginners Stwd actually and remember she had wooden decks in cabins which needed scrubbing on hands & knees. no mops in those days...... Did the West Indies and of course Kingston was always a favourite with the rum. My first ship was Loch Garth and also did Durango before Gascony, Was at sea 47 to 77.
Stuart Henderson. Still got couple photos(
 
#97 ·
To apraynor posting 2/10/12. My grandfather was a senior captain late 40s and if your Gt. Uncle was expecting to get Andes he must have been a senior as well as it was the Flagship. I understand my g/father was one of three captains in line for commadore capt. but RML couldn`t decide who to give it to so a junior to them was given it, if your G/uncle was one of these three that is probably the reason he didn`t get the Andes.
 
#99 ·
Hi Geoff,
Some names from the past there. I can remember most of them.
Pete Hunter was in charge of the lifeboat when we went to the aid of Greek ship that had suffered an engine room explosion. Brought back a couple of badly burnt guys who later died on board. I always remember it because the boat missed the falls on its return and was nearly turned over. Odgie I remember. Bob Petch was 2nd R/O . Dick Dabinett. Martin Rasor was 4/O I think. I seem to remember he fell down into a hold on the Durango. Chief R/O was crusty old b.....r Ted Winslow. Pursers I remember were Pedro Stroud, Salmon and Nigel Yeo. Wonderful memories. Wish I could have stayed but the Marconi Co had other ideas.

regards
Graham Powell
(ex R/O Aragon and Amazon)
 
#100 ·
Ted Winslow was 2/RO on the Amazon with Frank Goodall as Chief RO. Frank spent most of his time writing his novel. It was amusing to watch them re-enacting the Battle of Jutland with salt cellars etc on the dinner table while in port. Frank had a valve endorsement in his ticket....I managed a couple of trips as 3/RO
Regards, Alan Calvert+
 
#101 ·
Hi Alan, My first ship was the Aragon with a chief called Rollason who retired at the end of the voyage. 2/R/O was Jack Barter who died on the Royston Grange.
Winslow was chief on the Amazon and 2/R/O was Bob Petch.
Winslow tried not to retire and crudely altered his birthday in his ticket. He also chased a Brazilian widow who was passenger on board. I relieved him once all dressed up his regalia...!
I had to leave the Aragon because we were at sea during the seamans strike. As soon as the strike broke I was sent to the Amazon.
After that I went to South America again but on Houlder Brothers.
Latterly I ended up at Portishead where I stayed for over 20 years. One of the guys at GKA Colin Cushion also sailed with Winslow and Goodall on the Amazon.
All the best
rgds
Graham Powell
(ex GKA 1975 to 1996)
 
#102 ·
One of the 'exciting' moments on the Amazon was while passing one of the other A boats coming in the opposite direction. It was after midnight, (before the press) and we were pretty close when we had an engine room, (generator) fire which tripped everything. Eventually one of the deckies raised an aldis lamp on a halyard in an attempt to indicate the ship's position. I put the emergency TX/RX on but discovered the RX was dead. Frank wouldn't turn out....The skipper came into the shack when power was restored, surprised that Frank was not there.
Alan+
 
#103 ·
My first trip to Sea straight out of Seaschool 1970 was the Andes ,Jeez what an eyeopener for a green 16 year old ,joined her in Southhamton off course then off round the Norwegian Fjords , then next trip round the Med ,our cabins were 6 berth with a porthole that was down a small alleyway and had to be battened down tight as it was usually below the waterline ,we used to open it in port ,wriggle out and go swimming even made us a wee ladder to get in and out .But who could forget Sods Opera nights in the Pig when all the Queens,and there were many off them , would put on a show in full drag ,pretty good shows I remember ....but the biggest eyeopener for me was going to the bog one night for a pee when one off the Queens marches in,full drag and slap on , hikes up her evening gown and starts having a pee in the next urinal to me !(EEK)(EEK) " Evening dear " he/she says in a deep voice ,sheesh im thinking theres something you don't see every day in Edinburgh ,well at least not where I came from ,great first trip to sea though I was bellboy my morning job was manning a row of toasters ,20 if I remember right ,that were constantly on the go for the bloods brekkie ,had it sussed nae bother in a week toast a nice shade of brown ,knew which one would pop up next etc quite an art too it ,the rest of the day was driving the after lift jeez what a cushy job ,tips too !! even got to chat up the young passengers as long as Mater and Pater weren't there like(Thumb)
 
#104 ·
Hi Alan, Captain Fox on the Aragon would pop into the radio room with the odd message. Only time I saw a Capt in the radio room on the Amazon was when we had an HF R/T phone call from the owners of the previously mentioned Greek ship.
Were you on there when they repaired a transformer by unwinding it,
fixing a break and then re winding it?. Jack Barter on the Aragon was always trying to stop the neon lights from flashing when we transmitted. Happy Days though I enjoyed all my time at GKA.
rgds
Graham Powell
 
#105 ·
The Captain only came into the radio room that night, twice. Gave me an MSG for the owners and then came back ten minutes later to alter it. Unfortunately I had already sent it, but GKA cancelled it for me as it had not been forwarded and I sent the second version. R/T calls were always made from a remote point*. No recollection of the transformer.
* Remember working CUL on 16Mhz off Brazil when he informed me of a QRJ and requested I call him on 2182!
 
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