[macca57]

British Swift was built by Scotts' Shipbuilding & Engineering Co., Greenock not Port Glasgow.

 

[bazzaboy1]

I sailed on the swift in 64 and my recolection of Mr claymont was he was not a man of his word i had a bit trouble in Hamburg and he promised me everything would be ok got back to England and he gave me a bad discharge bazzaboy1

 

[John McAuslin]

I sailed on Btitish Swift in 1972, deck apprentice. She was carrying heavy fuel oil then, coasting round UK. Then got a 'deep sea' run from Teesport to Sandwich Masechusets, then Venezuela, back to Hamburg, then coasting in the Medi during summer/autumn. Tank cleaning was long and arduous, as was the checking of heating coils and the inevitable twice daily temperature checks on the cargo when loaded. Best part was bhandary chapattis at 5 in the morning down aft. Great ship, great trip even though the mate, Hywell Philips made life difficult for all the nav/apps.

 

[barnsey]

I sailed on Btitish Swift in 1972, deck apprentice. She was carrying heavy fuel oil then, coasting round UK. ...... Great ship, great trip even though the mate, Hywell Philips made life difficult for all the nav/apps.

What were the dates you were aboard John, I was second Mate on her

from Oct 1972 - March 1973. P.Burleigh was Master and H Philips was the Master/Extra Mate, J.Evans was the Mate, Bob Langton and Mike Magill the second mates, Ken Freeman and Peter Edwards were 3rd mates.

David Barnes

 

[John McAuslin]

Barnsey,
Joined in Teesport, Aug 72. Left her in Liverpool Oct/Nov? 72. P. Burleigh, Hywel Philips and Bob Langton, I remember. She was about to start coasting UK/NW Europe again, and myself and other cadets were transferred to allow their cabins to be used by the joining "extra" mate and "extra" second mate. I went straight from Liverpool by train to Isle of Grain and joined the British Seafarer, that same day, in time to sail before midnight to Shellhaven and Purfleet on the Thames. British Seafarer was without doubt, my most enjoyable trip at sea, even although it was coasting up the Baltic thru the winter.

Regards,

John McAuslin

 

[Dickyboy]

Hi Indra, Welcome aboard.
With reference to tank cleaning. I was never on the British Swift, or any of that class. (Commonly known as "Birdie Boats", due the them all, with the exception of British Trust, being named after birds, I wonder why the different name for her?)
The tankers I was on had epoxy coated tanks, so no, or very little scale to dig out. The tank bottoms often had to be mopped out though, at the bottom, around the suctions,Tto remove any traces of water. That was on the product carriers. The VLCCs I was on used to save the slops in the center middle tank, known as the "Settling tank" Once "Settled Out" the water was drained off from underneath the oil and discharged to sea. The oil was then saved and the next cargo loaded on top of it. This was known as "Load on Top" and several thousand tons of perfectly good crude oil was saved in this way.
Tank Cleaning was a hard job, and could take several days. It was usually done at the first opportunity, which often meant in bad weather.
The Butterworth Hoses, nozzles, saddles, sand bags, to keep the saddles in place, and the hauling up and lowering down of hoses all bring back good memories for me. Hard work, tireing, dirty and smelly work it was but it got the crew working together, and gave us something to complain about.

 

[The Sailorman]

I sailed on the British Swift 1965 joined Swansea to Grangemouth then Isle of Grain then Stockholm paid off Newcastle. A very clean ship & a good feeder

 

[retfordmackem]

I sailed on Btitish Swift in 1972, deck apprentice. She was carrying heavy fuel oil then, coasting round UK. Then got a 'deep sea' run from Teesport to Sandwich Masechusets, then Venezuela, back to Hamburg, then coasting in the Medi during summer/autumn. Tank cleaning was long and arduous, as was the checking of heating coils and the inevitable twice daily temperature checks on the cargo when loaded. Best part was bhandary chapattis at 5 in the morning down aft. Great ship, great trip even though the mate, Hywell Philips made life difficult for all the nav/apps.

.
John-if you still about. I was on the Swift ,joined at Malmo 10/6/72 and left 6/Nov 1972 in I.O.G . I was on with my Missus and I think the captain Burleighs wife was on board . I remember going to Sandwich .Where my wife and I went ashore and got up to Boston with Bob a junior engineer .We actually went to see the premier of the godfather at a cinema. When getting to Venezuela my missus could not go ashore because she did not have a long skirt to go ashore. Armed guards on gangway if I remember. Was there a deck cadet called Howard on board who had an incident in Hamburg where he pooled his money with another deck cadet (This may have been you)for a lady of the night and could not rise to the occasion . He got some stick over that.
I hope to god you read this pal as memory of you is slowly coming back.
I remember the ship as a very happy ship . I am going to see if Graham Wallace can get me a crew list for the time .

 

[retfordmackem]

Barnsey,
Joined in Teesport, Aug 72. Left her in Liverpool Oct/Nov? 72. P. Burleigh, Hywel Philips and Bob Langton, I remember. She was about to start coasting UK/NW Europe again, and myself and other cadets were transferred to allow their cabins to be used by the joining "extra" mate and "extra" second mate. I went straight from Liverpool by train to Isle of Grain and joined the British Seafarer, that same day, in time to sail before midnight to Shellhaven and Purfleet on the Thames. British Seafarer was without doubt, my most enjoyable trip at sea, even although it was coasting up the Baltic thru the winter.

Regards,

John McAuslin

HOPEFULLY YOU ARE STILL ON THE SITE .
John I was on the Swift when you joined and left . I was on board with my wife and joined at Malmo 10/6/72 and left in I.O.G 6/11 72. Liverpool date was 20/10/72 when you left .I can remember the one trip across the pond to Sandwich and Venezuela. My wife with junior engineer Bob went up to Boston while in Sandwich and went to a multi plex cinema to see Godfather 1 .Wot an experience 6 cinemas in one.
Then when we went to Venezuela and we could not go ashore as the wife did not have suitable clothing ,all minis and would not wear a boiler suit.I think the captains wife was on board as well.
When we went to Hamburg ,if my memory serves me right there was another deck cadet called Howard . And him and another cadet ,possibly you-pooled there money to visit a lady of the night. Unfortunately he could not rise to the occasion. He got some stick over that and every time on deck ,the shout was "no hard feelings Howard " Do you recall this?

 

[retfordmackem]

What were the dates you were aboard John, I was second Mate on her

from Oct 1972 - March 1973. P.Burleigh was Master and H Philips was the Master/Extra Mate, J.Evans was the Mate, Bob Langton and Mike Magill the second mates, Ken Freeman and Peter Edwards were 3rd mates.

David Barnes

.Dear Barnsey if you joined Oct 72 then John left in Liverpool ,date 20/10/72 according to my Discharge book. I was on board though as Lecky,my wife was with me
until 6/11/72 . Left at I.O.G so we must have had a couple of weeks on board with you.

 

[retfordmackem]

What were the dates you were aboard John, I was second Mate on her

from Oct 1972 - March 1973. P.Burleigh was Master and H Philips was the Master/Extra Mate, J.Evans was the Mate, Bob Langton and Mike Magill the second mates, Ken Freeman and Peter Edwards were 3rd mates.

David Barnes

David Barnes[/QUOTE].Dear Barnsey if you joined Oct 72 then John left in Liverpool ,date 20/10/72 according to my Discharge book. I was on board though as Lecky,my wife was with me
until 6/11/72 . Left at I.O.G so we must have had a couple of weeks on board with you.

 

[retfordmackem]

Barnsey,
Joined in Teesport, Aug 72. Left her in Liverpool Oct/Nov? 72. P. Burleigh, Hywel Philips and Bob Langton, I remember. She was about to start coasting UK/NW Europe again, and myself and other cadets were transferred to allow their cabins to be used by the joining "extra" mate and "extra" second mate. I went straight from Liverpool by train to Isle of Grain and joined the British Seafarer, that same day, in time to sail before midnight to Shellhaven and Purfleet on the Thames. British Seafarer was without doubt, my most enjoyable trip at sea, even although it was coasting up the Baltic thru the winter.

Regards,

John McAuslin

John-if you still about. I was on the Swift ,joined at Malmo 10/6/72 and left 6/Nov 1972 in I.O.G . I was on with my Missus and I think the captain Burleighs wife was on board . I remember going to Sandwich .Where my wife and I went ashore and got up to Boston with Bob a junior engineer .We actually went to see the premier of the godfather at a cinema. When getting to Venezuela my missus could not go ashore because she did not have a long skirt to go ashore. Armed guards on gangway if I remember. Was there a deck cadet called Howard on board who had an incident in Hamburg where he pooled his money with another deck cadet (This may have been you)for a lady of the night and could not rise to the occasion . He got some stick over that.
I hope to god you read this pal as memory of you is slowly coming back.
I remember the ship as a very happy ship . I am going to see if Graham Wallace can get me a crew list for the time .

 

[retfordmackem]

John-if you still about. I was on the Swift ,joined at Malmo 10/6/72 and left 6/Nov 1972 in I.O.G . I was on with my Missus and I think the captain Burleighs wife was on board . I remember going to Sandwich .Where my wife and I went ashore and got up to Boston with Bob a junior engineer .We actually went to see the premier of the godfather at a cinema. When getting to Venezuela my missus could not go ashore because she did not have a long skirt to go ashore. Armed guards on gangway if I remember. Was there a deck cadet called Howard on board who had an incident in Hamburg where he pooled his money with another deck cadet (This may have been you)for a lady of the night and could not rise to the occasion . He got some stick over that.
I hope to god you read this pal as memory of you is slowly coming back.You would have left in liverpool on 20.0ct
I remember the ship as a very happy ship . I am going to see if Graham Wallace can get me a crew list for the time .

........

 

[Batley Bill]

The penny has only just dropped that I sailed with 'Barnsey' a couple of times (the Reliance and extra 2/0 possibly on the Kestrel). David, you persuaded me that the best way to deal with an especially nasty cold that I had was to drink hot whiskey toddies whilst listening to your Strauss Waltz records (or was it Gilbert and Sullivan?). I felt great.....until the next morning.

Nice to see your smiling face on your profile.

Sorry to go off thread!!

 

[The Sailorman]

I sailed on the British Swift 1965 joined Swansea to Grangemouth then Isle of Grain then Stockholm paid off Newcastle. A very clean ship & a good feeder

Ops My mistake it was 1963 not 65 sorry

 

[david freeman]

Good Morning. Most BP Tankers were built with (At the Time) Indisn/pakistani crews at some later date Crewing the vessels. I do believe on first trips and from the builders yards, and for the first set of article (FG), the crew were white crew only!!! with the ocassional crew member replacement from the international pool in Rotterdam.
Your introduction piece of a novel/story from the Clydeside builders, appears to me to be a little wide of the mark. Your story may be more appropriate from the time the ship changed flag, and sailed foreign. To include the original white crew members, may raise a few hackles, and your story line is not what happened at sea during this white crew manning, unless written fom a crewman point of view, when as I say after some period of time the ship was recrewed from White Crew to asiatic crew form Bombay or Karachi.
From a few stand points everything was not a bed of roses, and I cannot remember from crew lists Officers who were british, with names, other than of european origin.

 

[david freeman]

Good Morning. Most BP Tankers were built with (At the Time) Indisn/pakistani crews at some later date Crewing the vessels. I do believe on first trips and from the builders yards, and for the first set of article (FG), the crew were white crew only!!! with the ocassional crew member replacement from the international pool in Rotterdam.
Your introduction piece of a novel/story from the Clydeside builders, appears to me to be a little wide of the mark. Your story may be more appropriate from the time the ship changed flag, and sailed foreign. To include the original white crew members, may raise a few hackles, and your story line is not what happened at sea during this white crew manning, unless written fom a crewman point of view, when as I say after some period of time the ship was recrewed from White Crew to asiatic crew form Bombay or Karachi.
From a few stand points everything was not a bed of roses, and I cannot remember from crew lists Officers who were british, with names, other than of european origin.

An Extra comment I wish to make at this time, is that BP Personnel in the late 60's employed on Bombay crew agreements 3 Indian Fitters as part of the GP CRew ( For engineering /mainetenance duties under the C/E.;
The men were very wary of the Sherang system of work as they were (the Fitters) enganged at the PO Rank-same as the Sherang! : However they were not christian (Goanese Catering Crew) of Mahamadan (Deck/Eng crew), or the (Jackie-Untouchable group). The fitters beleived they should have been signed on with the same agreements as the engineering Officers, with the same leave considerations. It was not BP personnels finest hour. I had experience of this rank on the 28's and 32's the older ladies of the BP Fleet, which required a lot of engineering attention at this time.(Frogger)
With modern articles and signing off and on agreements under foreign flag's I suspect one has to adapt more readily to a ships muliticultural society, and the living personally with so many nationalities and religions. Maybe as off shore there are only companies men and non companies men. The meaning of officers and crew is now a distiction confined to history????

 

[retfordmackem]

An Extra comment I wish to make at this time, is that BP Personnel in the late 60's employed on Bombay crew agreements 3 Indian Fitters as part of the GP CRew ( For engineering /mainetenance duties under the C/E.;
The men were very wary of the Sherang system of work as they were (the Fitters) enganged at the PO Rank-same as the Sherang! : However they were not christian (Goanese Catering Crew) of Mahamadan (Deck/Eng crew), or the (Jackie-Untouchable group). The fitters beleived they should have been signed on with the same agreements as the engineering Officers, with the same leave considerations. It was not BP personnels finest hour. I had experience of this rank on the 28's and 32's the older ladies of the BP Fleet, which required a lot of engineering attention at this time.(Frogger)
With modern articles and signing off and on agreements under foreign flag's I suspect one has to adapt more readily to a ships muliticultural society, and the living personally with so many nationalities and religions. Maybe as off shore there are only companies men and non companies men. The meaning of officers and crew is now a distiction confined to history????

David I was on the Gunner which in July 1970 changed its crew in Bombay. They took off the ship tons of dry goods (tea sugar etc and also sewing machines, bikes from second hand store.)that they had ac***alated from the ship over there 2 years on board and were robbed by there own customs officers when going ashore. I know because we went ashore at same time .
We had 3 indian fitters on board who I thought and they did say they were christians and I believed them . The oddest experience I had with one of these chaps (JOE)was when I went to his cabin to fix his lights. He was sat on his cabin floor eating the Bhandaris curry (flying fish that day )and rice and on the bed plated up ,was an entree a dinner and a sweet.
As I finished and was leaving he got up ,opened his cabin door and threw all the food over board . I asked why he did that he promptly said in a loud proud voice "Because I am entitled to it Battywaller under articles". As a young man ,and not worldy wise at that time could not at the time fully understand his logic .

 

[twogrumpy]

Must say on the whole my preference was for Indian crew, at least you could get a damned good curry.(Thumb)

2G

 

[retfordmackem]

Must say on the whole my preference was for Indian crew, at least you could get a damned good curry.(Thumb)

2G

Hear hear twogrumpy. The (crews cook)Bhandaries curry was good also as long as you did not watch the preparation. Every part of the fish went in when we caught fish or shark.
And very trustworthy.