I went aboard Lady Pamela when she called at Yarmouth. Lots of damp where water had come in from below. Didn't have a camera so no pictures unfortunately. Soon thereafter I was aboard for her inaugeral cruise.
Andy

 

Hi Andy,thank you for the info on Pamela at Yarmouth.The only photograth that i have of Pam arriving at Yarmouth is in the book Twin Delivery,a book written about the two cats and the delivery voyage of Lady Pamela to the UK.Kind regards,Keith(Fast Cats).

 

Try the Portsmouth News as they may had Photographs in their Archives, Sea Containers owners of the Cats would had sent out Press Packs with Photos.

 

Ladies Patricia and Pamela.

G'day
I was the bloke that loaded the first of the pair in Hobart, it was the day before the Challenger blew up shortly after lift off.

It was something of a challenge in itself as we loaded her onboard the M.V. Corato, a standard bulk carrier.

I had visited Bob Cliffords yard in Hobart and worked out how it could be done with the gear available in Hobart at the time, Specifically a mobile crane that could do the job a AND remain vertical at the outreach required.
To my horror when first visiting the ship in Port Pirie, her first load port, I found grain feeder hatches the full lenght of the foredeck.
%&^%$#@#$.

Anyway Furness with Chartering in London arranged for a photo to be taken when the Corato reached the channel on her way to Antwerp where the cat was discharged and then steamed to Portsmouth.

They may still have a photo otherwise I can TRY and scan that photo (I have a print) and then try and post it. However that is something I have no idea on how to do so will need some help on posting photo's.

Regards

 

Contact "Wightlink Isle of Wight Ferries" They might well have archived photo's of the two of them. Whether they'll let you have copies is another matter.
Wightlink, Gunwharf Rd, Portsmouth. will find them.

 

I spent a Summer relief in Wight Link and the cats had hair line fratures in their aft peak and had to be pumped out periodically, the eductor pump was on the same system as the engineroom bilges so you had to be careful with your valve settings.

 

Hi Garry!

 

I have a few photo's of one of them, out of the water at Husbands Shipyard in my gallery. They were both getting a bit "Tired" by then.

 

Hi,thanks to every one for all your replys on my request for info on Pat/Pam.I have been in touch with INCAT regarding photos,they tell me that all information on these ships have been disposed of around 19 years ago.I had plans of these cats sent over to me(Robert clifford)back in 1988,Wightlink also passed on to me various information when they sold Pamela.Most of the photograths that appeared in the local press are of bow shots.I think it is shame when all to often when a ship/class of ship is disposed of, the plans/do***entation is not kept as a reference.I am a solent ferry enthusiast and i am always on the lookout for plans/drawings/do***entation on IOW & Gosport ferries,Kind regards,keith,(fastcats).

 

Fastcats: you could try Smedegaarden in Esbjerg as they purchased the "Pamela" from Wightlink and Scrapped this vessel over a year ago.

There were some Drawings/Do***ents on board and may be in their Archives an may allow Viewing there http://www.smedegaarden.net/ (click on English site link)

 

FastCats Patricia,Pamela.

Hi Ben,many thanks for that lead,will send email to them & see what they come up with.We have met in the past,many years back when the M V Southsea Society was up & running,you had your hands full drumming up support for the car ferry Lymington(well i hope i am right in saying that,LOL).Seen your videos/photograths on the C class,also C class/Pamela being broken up.Wightlink passed on to me info on INCATS,& C class.As i have said before,all to often when a ship,or class of ship is sold for scrap,all plans/do***entation is just thrown away.I have in my collection a plan/drawing of what the Saint class car ferry was to have originaly looked like,but i have not seen this drawing anywere else.Maybe meet up sometime for a solent ferry chat ?.kind regards,Keith,(FastCats)

 

G'day all,

Finally mastered the art of uploading a photo, (courtesy of son in law), anyway typing Corato and lady pamela should bring the photo up in the Cargo ship section.

Cheers

 

Hi Phineas,thanks for showing the photograth of Lady Patricia,allways on the lookout for photos of Patricia taken in the first year of service,i"ve put a comment under your photograth,kind regards,keith.(FastCats)

 

Fastcats

Hi Keith,

I used to drive both the Pamela and Patricia. The Patricia never really 'got up and went' so effortessly as the Pamela did. We used to get almost 34 knots on a good day. A bit different from the 3rd generation cats of today.
I have a few pictues from Husbands both internally and externally but nothing from the build apart from the pictures in Jocelyn Fogagnolo's 'Twin Deliveries' booklet which I guess you have.
Regards
Peter

 

Patricia/pamela.

Hi Peter,thanks for getting back to me regarding the cats PAT/PAM.

I have no photos of the cats on the slipway at HUSBANDS,any chance you could put them on here ?.

I am a big fan of these two former vessels,i have a lot of information on them(loads of builders plans/photos/R/C model of PAT)

They are much missed,along with the SOUTHSEA,the solent scene just not the same anymore.

Peter,please get in touch if you can tell me anything about these cats,i am looking for any info that i may not have on these ships.

Kind regards,keith(FastCats)

 

Hi!
One other avenue of research into the Pat/Pam is some sort of Royal Archive.
Her Maj travelled on one from Cowes to Portsmouth at the time they came into service.

 

a very long shot but think i still have a picture somewhere of the one that came to cowes, not much of a photo and couldnt tell you if its a bow or stern shot but will have a good rummage and try to find it and upload it.

regards
ben

 

I well remember another 'Lady Patricia'. Owned by Arthur Guinness and Sons..
Used to sail from Custom House Quay in Dublin to Manchester with a cargo of the black stuff in the 1950's. Rare oul times indeed! All their ships were named after female members of the Guinness family. I believe that the service was discontinued when the Park Lane Brewery in London expanded, and was able to cater for the needs of the UK.