Ships Nostalgia banner

Benrinnes

6K views 7 replies 7 participants last post by  Paul Barford 
#1 ·
Photographed in the Royal Albert Dock in London, Ben Line’s BENRINNES (44/8008) was built as HMS TROUNCER. She became GREYSTOKE CASTLE in 1954 and GALLIC in 1959. Not sure when she became BENRINNES.
 

Attachments

See less See more
1
#4 ·
Bennevis = HMS Puncher, Muncaster Castle, Bardic
Benrinnes = HMS Trouncer, Greystoke Castle, Gallic
As rebuilt from `Woolworth Carriers` for Moller Groups Lancashire & Castle Line., chartered to Shaw Savill as Bardic & Gallic, then bought by Ben Line whilst still on Shaw Savill run.
David
 
#5 · (Edited)
The BENRINNES (official no. 168560) I was on was built by TODD – CALIFORNIA SHIPBUILDING CORPORATION, RICHMOND, CALIF.COMPLETED: APRIL 1942.TONNAGE: 7,410 grt, 4,231 net, 10,322 dwt.LENGTH: 425 feet. BEAM: 57 feet.DRAUGHT: 27 feet.SPEED: 10 ½ knots.MACHINERY: TRIPLE EXPANSION STEAM ENGINES, 2500 ihp BY THE GENERAL MACHINERY CORPORATION, HAMILTON, OHIO.
THIS SHIP WAS BUILT AS THE OCEAN VOLUNTEER FOR THE MINISTRY OF WAR TRANSPORT AND WAS MANAGED BY W. H. COCKERLINE & Co. Ltd.
DURING 1946 THE MANAGEMENT OF THE SHIP WAS TRANSFERRED TO THE ALCYONE SHIPPING FINANCE Co. Ltd. OF LONDON, BEING SOLD TO THAT COMPANY DURING 1949 AND BEING RENAMED ALCYONE UNION. BEING ACQUIRED BY THE BEN LINE IN DECEMBER 1950 AND RENAMED BENRINNES.

I JOINED THE BENRINNES AT HULL ON THE 21st OCTOBER TO TAKE HER ‘ROUND THE COAST’, WHILE HER REGULAR CREW WERE HOME ON LEAVE. THIS MEANT WE WERE TO TAKE HER TO VARIOUS DESTINATIONS, DISCHARCHING THE CARGO SHE HAD BROUGHT FROM HER REGULAR VOYAGE TO THE FAR EAST.

FROM HULL WE WENT TO NORTHFLEET AT GRAVESEND IN KENT THEN ACROSS THE RIVER THAMES TO TILBURY IN ESSEX WHERE WE STARTED TO LOAD FOR THE FAR EAST AGAIN, STORING UP THE SHIP AND GETTING HER READY FOR HER CREW TO REJOIN HER.

I PAID OFF THE BENRINNES ON THE 3rd NOVEMBER 1955.

THE BENRINNES WAS SOLD FOR FURTHER TRADING IN JANUARY 1959 WHEN SHE WAS SOLD TO THE QUEENSLAND SHIPPING Co. Ltd., OF NASSAU, BAHAMAS, THE GREAT SOUTHERN STEAMSHIP Co., BEING HER MANAGERS, AND RENAMED TWINBEAR. IN 1962 SHE WAS RENAMED KUALA TREGGANU, HER OWNERS REMAINING THE SAME.

DURING JANUARY 1963 SHE ARRIVED AT OSAKA, JAPAN, FOR BREAKING UP BY THE AMAKASU SANGYO KISEN K.K.

ALL BEN LINE SHIPS ARE NAMED AFTER SCOTTISH MOUNTAINS, BENRINNES IS AN 840 FOOT MOUNTAIN IN THE GRAMPIANS, NEAR DUFFTOWN.

BIBLIOGRAPHY: THE BEN LINE BY GEORGE BLAKE.
BEN LINE BY GRAEME SOMNER.
 
#6 ·
Bennevis

EBenarty said:
Spot on Bennevis was my first ship as cadet. I spent 2 years on board , great ship great crew !! She was an air crft carrier before and ended up with sam boat accomodation !!! Great ship all the same !!
I sailed on the 'Nevis for her last two voyages, first one was a round the world trip from London to Panama,lost an AB on that leg and buried him at sea.Panama to Hawaii,Japan and all ports around the far east before back home via the Cape.
Last voyage (scrapper) loade full cargo of bagged sugar in Dunkirk for the Iranian army,discharging at Bandar Sharpour (now Bandar Khomeni) then around to the scrap yard in Kaoshiung.A sad day when we left her but the voyage getting her there was full of boiler problems etc.
Paul
 
#7 ·
The thing I remember about the Benrinnis and Bennevis was that the Engineers who had sailed on them never stopped talking about them! although they were built in 1944 . As former warships their Engine Rooms were designed to reduce water wastage so they had an extensive drain collecting system etc etc.... it's all coming back to me.
 
#8 ·
Bennevis/rinnes

Yes, these were remarkable ships,but hot like hell. I was a green eyed 7th Engineer on my first trip and learned a hell of a lot.You could virtually use any pump for any job on these ships,although many had been removed over the years.
The main boiler feed pumps were three cylinder,variable stroke piston pumps,electrically driven! Only the C/E understood them at the time! Pressurised engine-room from the navy days, meant you had to kick open the door which was at the boiler steam drum level, let the hot blast of air rush out,before running down to the manoeuvring flat (no such things as control rooms!) The manoeuvring flat was squeezed between the H.P. turbine and one of the three T/gens and the man. wheels were directly on the valves-no extended spindles! So we had asbestos tape wrapped around the wheels,but they still got warm. The main feed tank was also below your feet, so the engine-room boots got a bit pongy after a few watches !
Big bug bear for junior engineers was they spernt most of the watch looking after the two "two stage,solo shell evaporators" These were a night-mare to keep steady and if you allowed them to 'carry over' they polluted the main feed storage tanks.Every ton of water produced had to be tested before transfer to the "high tank" which was then run down to the feed double bottoms.....Now 33 years on, I can still remeber the routine! Happy days!
Paul
 
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