Ships gallery

[brian daley]

I am starting a thread of some wonderful old postcards and pictures of ships throughout the age of steam. The first is of the Paddle tug Electric built on the Tyne in 1883, she worked until 1912. The second is the Emily ,a schooner rigged steamship ,built in 1878 in South Shields by Readheads. She was wrecked while on passage from Hull to Norkopping in Sweden in december 1906

[Samp]

Nice pictures Brian!

[brian daley]

Here we have the Isle of Man Steam Packet Co's Queen Victoria of 1887,she was the fastest paddle steamer of her day passing the Wallesy shore.
The Ben-My -Chree was another I.O.M liner and she was built in 1927 ( I went to school camp on her in 1954 )
Last ,but not least is the Aberdeen of 1881 ,built in Glasgow, she was a barque rigged screw ship and was in the Aberdeen White Star Line. She was the first ocean going ship to have triple expansion engines. Sold to the Turks before the First World war,she was renamed Halep and was sunk by a British submarine in the Sea Of Marmaris in 1915.

[Waterways]

The Ben-My-Chree was another I.O.M liner and she was built in 1927 ( I went to school camp on her in 1954 )

I went to school camp on her much later, which shee had a black hull. She had a long service life. The IoM ships had steam turbines.

[brian daley]

First we have another barque rigged screw ship,P. & O. Lines the Bombay of 1852,she is pictured at anchor off Port Denison in Sydney Harbour.
Next is the Manchester Merchant ,built at Jarrow in 1900. She was requisitoned by the War Departmentment for carrying supplies to the Boer war and is shown flying the Blue Ensign.

[brian daley]

The familiar red funnels of this ship show she is a Cunard liner ,it is the Lucania ,built 1883 for the Liverpool to U.S.A service. She is shown leaving the Mersey with a very old skyline on her starboard side.
The barque rigged wooden paddle steamship is the Europa of 1847. Built in Glasgow for Cunards British and North American Steam Packet service whose pennants she is flying on her main truck; the U.S ensign on her foretruck shows that she is about to enter American waters.

[brian daley]

This is the Booth Line steamship Lanfranc,built in Dundee in 1907 and shown as a hospital during the First world War.
Please note,for some reason or other I cannot download too many pictures at one time,I hope I am not overloading the system.

[brian daley]

I have had the devils own job to down loadthis thumbnail,this is the only format Icould do it in.
The picture is of the Royal Mail Stem packet company liner ,the Atlantis,She was built in 1913 as the Andes and served on the South American run until the great depression of 1929. Rather than lay her up Royal Mail changed her name and sent her cruising and she is shown here in the fjords in 1930.

[brian daley]

The first picture is of the Denbighshire,this is a brigantine-rigged steamship that was built in 1899 for the Shire of David Jenkins and Co. This is from a painting done by Chinese artists working on a production line basis specializing in ship painting in the 19th century . WhenI next show one of their paintings I shall denote it by putting a capital C after the picture.
The second picture comes from the same studio and is of the Blue Funnel liner ,the Achilles ,she is barquentine rigged and was built in 1866, one of the initial trio of ships that established Alfred Holts as a viable shipper to the Orient.

[brian daley]

Here is a wonderful painting of a jigger-barque rigged steamship the Orient ,pictured passing Gibraltar,she was built for the orient Line in Glasgow in 1879.
Then we have a brigantine rigged steamship the Saxon. Built in 1863 for the Union Steamship Co. of Southampton, shown moored up to buoys in Port Louis ,Mauritius.

[brian daley]

Some fascinating bits of ephemera now,this is a postcard of the Titanic which someone saw fit to send as a message 7 months after the disaster.

[brian daley]

Another postcard to Miss Dora Halfacre,this one sent by her Egyptian pen pal Hamdi Chime of Alexandria ,the vessel in the Suez Canal is the N.DL.S.S. Prinz Ludwig. This was sent in 1913.

[brian daley]

Another card for Dora ,this time showing the P.&O.liner Japan passing throught the Suez Canal,I wonder what became of her relationship with Hamdi?

[brian daley]

This is a pre World War One postcard sent by a boy to his friend, more of which later.I hope you like them as much as I do .

[brian daley]

This one was posted in the early 1920's,same boy sending to the same person,different address, he is not a schoolboy anymore.Look at the cost of the stamp!

[brian daley]

And here he is, at sea himself,I wonder where he was bound,the date shows 1928.

[brian daley]

Top picture is of the Wallasey ferries,Iris and Daffodil on their return from the raid on Zeebrugge in 1918.They are battle scarred and King George V was so impressed by the part they played in that raid that he ordered them to be renamed Royal Iris and Royal Daffodil.
The second picture is of the White Star Liner Oceanic returning to the Mersey from the U,S.A., New Brighton Tower is shown just off her bow,the White Star tender Magnetic is off her port bow.

[Spike]

Great pics.

Nice site here http://www.photoship.co.uk/Browse%20Ship%20Galleries/

[brian daley]

Thre Isle of Man Steamships here,sorry they are undated but undoubtedly old, The Tynwald, the Viking and the King Orry. Maybe your grandparents went on these....

[brian daley]

Two from Liverpool and one from Blackpool, First the Manxman,then the Manx Maid and last ,but not least,the Atalanta of Blackpool. Graceful ships all.

[brian daley]

Two from my childhood, school camp and a naughty week away in my wild youth ,plus a day trip with my wife and three year old son ,a lot of memories are invested in these vessels. The Tynwald and the beautiful Lady of Mann. Do you have memories if them too!

[brian daley]

Spike ,that is a great site and I have often spent hours browsing through it. If it sailed the seas ,it is most probably on there,
Cheers,
BrianD

[brian daley]

I just love these postcards,sent in a bygone age when the world was a much bigger place and everywhere was faraway.
The Strathaird like a gleaming white castle set in an azure sea,surrounded by bumboats full of exotica,the sunblasted mountain in the background telling of a land so hot that you can feel the blessed sun burning your cold northern skin. A British and India liner is moored on the port side ,could this be Aden and our ships be bound for the Orient?
And then there is the Ranpura,majestic as she towers over the over the bustling launches and feluccas,this looks like Port Said ,the home of great literature and exotic herbs,plus those wonderful post cards.

[Spike]

I have been researching my Great uncle Austin Owens who was in the Merchant Navy. I have found he was on " BALTIC 11 " in 1932, A White Star Line ship as part of the weekly Liverpol-New York route. In WW2 he was on " BRITISH TRADITION " in 1942 and " LA PAMPA " in 1944 working as a Greaser.

He worked after the war also. probably on a lot more ships than i have found.

My Nans cousin was aboard " THE BEDFORDSHIRE " when it sank in 1942 off Ocracoke Island USA. He was only 18.

I am a total Newbie with Ships so i am loving these threads you guys are posting :PDT11 keep them coming.

[brian daley]

Hi Spike ,thank you for your kind comments,it is nice to know someone out there is interested. I was intrigued to hear about your sea going relatives.Should you ever need help in your researches you could do no better than to log on the Mercantile Marine site,there is a guy on there called Billy McGee who is the acknowledged master of M.N. history.
And talking about history,here are two more from my archives....
First is the Geelong of 1904,she was built for the Blue Anchor Line as an Emigrant carrier.P.O acquired the line and Blue Anchor disappeared without trace. The Geelong was sunk while in Convoy through the Mediterrannean after colliding with another British ship.
The second postcard is of the Clan Matheson ,built on the Clyde in 1919 and the fourth ship in the Clan Line to carry that name.

[captain kong]

I dont have any postcards of old ships , I do have photos of the old ones.
This the old Georgic, last of the White Star liners built, on fire and beached in the Gulf of Suez and after she was rebuilt as a troopship and emmigrant carrier. I sailed on her last voyage, to Cape Town, Fremantle. Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbanme, Penang, Singapore Meekong River Viet Nam, Aden ,Suez, Algiers, Marseilles, Liverpool, then to the Clyde for breaking in 1955

[captain kong]

Here is a ship I have been on a few times, she is the `FALLS OF CLYDE`,
preserved in Honolulu, Hawaii. she sailed under Red Ensign when built in 1878 to 1899, to India , Australia, California UK, Bought in 1899 by Matsons of Hawaii, under Hawaiin flag, then USA took over Hawaii in 1900. 1907 converted to oil tanker,carrying 2800 tons, Hawaii to San Francisco. 1927 sold to Alaska, then 1963, sold for preservation in Honolulu.

[captain kong]

Here is the BALCLUTHA preserved in San Francisco, I have been on board many times,
Built in 1886 on Clyde, She rounded the HORN 17 times in 13 years. 1899 sold to Hawaii 1902 sold to Alaska Packers, In 1933 she appeared in the film Mutiny on the Bounty, Charles Laughton and Clark Gable.
In 1954 she was sold for preservation to San Francisco, a Very interesting ship to go aboard if your in Frisco.

[brian daley]

Excellent Pictures,Cap'n Kong,I had'nt seen any of them before,keep 'em coming. Anyone else got any old pics they'd like to put on here? we'd love to see them!
BrianD

[brian daley]

Couple of Thos. & Jos Harrisons here,the first is the Wanderer shown being piloted past Dumbarton Rock on the River Clyde, an old coal burner.

Second is the first motorship of the line, and the first new build after WW11, the Herdsman. She is shown down in the Thames Estuary,passing a nice couple of sailing barges.

[Trader]

Capt. Kong (Brian)

There is a good article in this months "Shipping Today & Yesterday" entitled
Memorable Ships all about the Georgic & Britannic with some photos.

Alec.

[liverbob]

hi brian,i have six or seven hundred pics of merch ships,i was an avid collector of them till it got too expensive on my pension.also a big libary of ship books.

[brian daley]

Hey Liverbob, Bring 'em on!!! I look forward to seeing your pics very soon(but not all at once). I bet you have some that each and everyone of us has sailed on ;I'm agog !,
BrianD

[captain kong]

Good one of the HERDSMAN there Brian, My brother was on her in 1948. I have saved it in my collection.
Thanks fior that Trader and Liverbob.

I have more than 1200 + SEA BREEZES, SHIPS, SHIPS MONTHLY, etc.
The Sea Breeze Collection started in January 1950.

[captain kong]

I have been aboard this famous old ship many times, in San Diego, Cal. My son lived in dago and I always went aboard every time I visited. She still sails every year into the Pacific.
If only someone had preserved the Vindicatrix. we could still sail her, what an experience.
The Star of India was found in a delapidated condition by Alan Villiars, and helped to kick start the preservation.

This information is off the San Diego Museum.site. thank you.

The Star of India is the world's oldest active ship. She began her life on the stocks at Ramsey Shipyard in the Isle of Man in 1863. Iron ships were experiments of sorts then, with most vessels still being built of wood. Within five months of laying her keel, the ship was launched into her element. She bore the name Euterpe, after the Greek goddess of music.
Euterpe was a full-rigged ship and would remain so until 1901, when the Alaska Packers Association rigged her down to a barque, her present rig. She began her sailing life with two near-disastrous voyages to India. On her first trip she suffered a collision and a mutiny. On her second trip, a cyclone caught Euterpe in the Bay of Bengal, and with her topmasts cut away, she barely made port. Shortly afterward, her first captain died on board and was buried at sea.

After such a hard luck beginning, Euterpe settled down and made four more voyages to India as a cargo ship. In 1871 she was purchased by the Shaw Savill line of London and embarked on a quarter century of hauling emigrants to New Zealand, sometimes also touching Australia, California and Chile. She made 21 circumnavigations in this service, some of them lasting up to a year. It was rugged voyaging, with the little iron ship battling through terrific gales, "labouring and rolling in a most distressing manner," according to her log.

The life aboard was especially hard on the emigrants cooped up in her 'tween deck, fed a diet of hardtack and salt junk, subject to mal-de-mer and a host of other ills. It is astonishing that their
death rate was so low. They were a tough lot, however, drawn
from the working classes of England, Ireland and Scotland, and
most went on to prosper in New Zealand.




EUTERPE and now the STAR OF INDIA,

[brian daley]

The first vessel is the Goth,built in Belfast in 1902.She is shown in the colours of the Union Castle line.

The second is the Nam Sang,built on the Clyde in 1893 for Jardine Mathesons Indo China Steam Navigation Co. She traded out in the Far East between Calcutta and all ports on the way to Japan (what a run that would have been heaven or what?).
BrianD

[brian daley]

First up we have the Federal Steam Navigation's "Somerset" her classic lines show her beauty at its best. Built by John Browns on the Clyde in 1903 she sailed on the Australian and New Zealand trade until the Great War. She was torpedoed off Ushant on the 28th July 1917.

The Cunard liner "Saxonia" was built in 1900 and is easily recognisable by the size of her huge funnel,towering 106 feet above the main deck. She is shown in American waters,see the Stars and Stripes on her foremast.

[brian daley]

This is a wonderful painting by Frank Mason R.I.,it is called Oil on Troubled Waters and shows an old coal burning tanker in a storm at sea. It was painted before WW11 and there is no name for the ship.

[brian daley]

I had to post this one just to give you folks who have not been to sea a glimpse of what a storm can look like from aboard ship. This is an old colourgravure and it was taken from the promenade deck of the Norddeutscher Liner "Bremen". This deck is 38 foot above the water line and the gale was a force 8 with the velocity of the waves running at between 34 to 40 knots. Bracing what?

[birdseye]

The Wavertree, 2170 tons, built in Southampton in 1885 and operated by the Leyland Line in Liverpool. All their ships were named after suburbs of the city. I took this in the South Street Seaport museum in New York last summer. Picture is a bit cropped but when I moved back to get it all in you couldn't read the name on the bow.

[brian daley]

Nice picture birdseye,I have long wanted to visit the South Street Maritime museum. Have you got any more pics, and is that brooklyn Bridge we can see through the rigging?

[brian daley]

Two ship from our Imperial past, the P,&O. liners, S.S. Narkunda and S.S. Maloja. Built for the India ,China and Australia trade, they would have carried the people who ran our overseas Empire, from the solar topeed ,walrus mopustached officers of the Indian Army to the memsahibs who ran the hospitals ,schools and other necessary services. There would have been troops to man the frontiers and emigrants to build up our dominions, I cannot look at these ships without thinking of how Britain predominated world affairs in those long ago days. "Another brandy Colonel?" " I don't mind if I do!!"

[birdseye]

Sorry Brian, that was the only shot I got there. It was our last day and it was a really fleeting visit. The museum is really well done, like everything else in the city. I had time to grab this postcard which I've scanned. The ship behind the Wavertree there is the Peking, which has quite a history too. I was interested to see just where all those thousands of voyages from the Princes Dock finished up. I hope to go back in the not too distant future and, having done all the major sights, I can concentrate on places like this.

Yes, that's Brooklyn Bridge behind the museum.

[brian daley]

Wonderful shot birdseye, I had a painting on a plate of the Peking and the Taipei ,two of the tea clippers, it showed them in full sail scudding up the channel in a bid to be first home with the tea. What graceful vessels they were. Thank you,
BrianD.

[birdseye]

A few years ago I watched the Gorch Fock going out of the Mersey and what a fantastic sight it was when it dropped all sail and took off like a greyhound. There's a really good account of life on a sailing ship called "The Last Grain Race" by travel writer Eric Newby, who sailed on the Moshulu in the 1930s. A tough life.

[brian daley]

Hi birdseye, I read Eric Newbys book when I was at sea and was enchanted by his tales of the Moshulu, I also read Cracker Hash before I went to sea and that made me even more determined to have a life less ordinary.
I tried to post two pictures on here tonight,one of the Thermopylae and the other of the Cutty Sark, both with the bone in their mouths soaring along under full sail. Unfortunately they would'nt download because the browser wanted a security code? whats up?
The browser has accepted the Gunung Djati, Blue Funnels only full size passenger liner.
Formerly the Empire Orwell,she was purchased by Holts in 1958 and was used on the Hadj service from Indonesia to Djeddah and was renamed after an ancient Javanese Islamic holy man.

[birdseye]

Nice picture Brian. Funny how ships always look better in paintings rather than photographs. Here's a link about sailing ships you might not have come across. Shows what happened to the Moshulu - a very swish dockside restaurant in Philladelphia now.

http://www.thesquarerigger.com/moshulu.html

[captain kong]

Some good pictures there lads. I used to see the Gunung Djati at Tanjong Priok in 1960, our cadets and Mates used to go aboard to see their Blu Flu mates.
Gunung Djati once said ?Ingsun titip tajug lan fakir miskin?
The word Gunung means `Mountain` in Javanese. bagoos.

GUNUNG DJATI was built in 1936 by Blohm & Voss K.a.A. at Hamburg with a tonnage of 16662grt, a length of 578ft, a beam of 72ft and a service speed of 18 knots. She was launched as the Pretoria on 16th July 1936 for the Deutsche Ost-Afrika Linie and commenced her maiden voyage from Hamburg to South Africa via Southampton on 19th December. In 1939 she was requisitioned by the German Navy as an accommodation ship based at Hamburg. She was taken over by the British Government as a war prize in 1945 for use as a troopship. Renamed Empire Doon she was managed by the Orient Line for the Ministry of War Transport but it was soon ascertained that she had problems with her boilers and was laid up. She was reboilered in 1949, brought up to troopship standard and renamed Empire Orwell in recognition of Orient Line management retaining also the MOWT's 'Empire', the Troopship's 'River' and the Orient Line's 'O' nomenclature. In 1958 she was chartered to Pan-Islamic Steam Ship Co. of Karachi to carry pilgrims and at the end of the season was laid up in the Kyles of Bute. Alfred Holt & Co. purchased her in November of the same year for pilgrimage duties. It was Holt's intention to rename her Dardanus but she entered service as the Gunung Djati, the name of the leading Javanese Haji and an Islamic missionary. Operated by the Ocean Steam Ship Co. she was refitted by Barclay Curle at Glasgow who replaced the troopship accommodation with space for 2000 pilgrims and 106 first class passengers. On 7th March 1959 she sailed from Liverpool bound for Djarkarta where she joined the Tyndareus which was operating a similar service. After three seasons she was sold to the Indonesian Government in 1962 who continued to operate her for pilgrimages. In 1965 she was sold to P. T. Maskapai Pelajaran 'Sang Saka' of Djakarta without a change of name and transferred to Pan-Islamic Steam Ship Co. who continued the Mecca Pilgrimage service. She was converted to diesel in 1973 and refitted at Hong Kong in 1975. She returned to the Indonesian flag in 1980 as a naval accommodation ship and was renamed Kri Tanjung, Penant 971. By 1984 she was no longer operating as a seagoing vessel.
Source: http://www.red-duster.co.uk/BLUEFUN19.htm


I have been on the Peking in South Street a few times. I have some photos some where. I`ll try to find them. When your on deck she is massive, UI was amazed at the size of her. The Vindi is no comparison.

The Moshulu, I have the book by Eric Newby and a photo book by him taken when he did the "Last Grain Race".
An interesting link about it there.
I did a painting of the Moshulu.
Here is the Peking, I found it on my computer, I think it belongs to a lady who put it on a site somewhere. If she sees it thanks for the use of it.I lost the details.

[brian daley]

The steamship "Tregenna" was built for the Hain Steamship Co. in 1949 and is shown being berthed by an Alexanders tug on the London River. She has nice elegant lines,but I don't know what they were like to sail in.

[brian daley]

The "Thermopylae" was one of the greatest tea clippers ,built in 1868,she set a record on her maiden voyage which has stood for all time .She left Gravesend for Melbourne in November 1868 and anchored off Melbourne sixty two days after passing the Lizard . She went on to greatness in competition with the Cutty Sark and the Peking in the China Tea "races"

[brian daley]

Built in 1869 ,the Cutty Sark was designed to rival the Thermopylae.She made her maiden voyage from London to Shanghai in 104 days. She has come to personify the greatest in Maritime achievement and is currently being restored to her former beauty in Greenwich.

[birdseye]

Thanks Brian. Yes, the Tregenna does have very elegant lines, a really sleek looking ship. I was just thinking, looking at the squareriggers, what it must have been like to be ordered aloft to take in sail when the ship was battering along in a gale. Just the thought of doing it is frightening enough.

Thanks for the Red Duster link Cap'n Kong. Never come across that one. I'm saving it for the next rainy Sunday afternoon.

[taffy]

Built Dumbarton Scotland 1939. For more info

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MV_Royal_Daffodil_(1939)

http://www.bbc.co.uk/ww2peopleswar/stories/87/a2740187.shtml

[brian daley]

Hi Taffy, I used to see the London Royal Daffodil regularly when I was working on the Thames,she was a very pretty ship much larger than the original owner of the name ,the Mersey ferry . They both perormed heroically in their respective wars and were worthy of the "Royal" sobriquet.

[captain kong]

Tho it is not a ship it is the Merchant Navy Memorial in Cardiff, near the bottom of Bute St. on the dock side. Very unusal.
Some kids were jumping on it so I gave them a bollocking and ended up having to defend my title against some dads.

[brian daley]

The Ariel of 1865 was one of the most extreme of the clippers built for the china Tea trade.She had a length of 195 feet, a beam of 33.9 feet,a depth of 21 feet ,and a gross tonnage of 1085. The vessel was unusually fast in some conditions ,but to this speed her after lines were so fine that it was dangerous for her to run before the wind in heavy weather. This probably accounted for her disappearance without a trace in 1872.(Ignore the Title Taipei on the picture, a mistake)BD.

[captain kong]

This should bring back the memory Brian
The Star Ferry in Hong Kong. I took the photo last March while in Honkers.
They are still the same ones we sailed on 50 years ago. never changed.
The trip on them was free for pensioners.

[captain kong]

Here is a superb painting of the Cunard Liner, FRANCONIA, built in 1922.
I sailed on her as Quartermaster in 1956, Liverpool -- New York run. then scrapped in December 1956.
This Painting is on board QE2.

[captain kong]

Here is another memorable historic ship, photo taken in San Francisco.
the ARRANMORE, built in 1893 on the Clyde.
later the VINDICATRIX. I was Bosun on her in 1952

[captain kong]

Here is the CERAMIC,
Built in 1913 for White Star Line, in 1934 when Cunard took over she was transferred to Shaw Savill,Torpedoed and sunk by U515. (The Captain was later shot in USA as a POW trying to escape, he was accused of being a war criminal.) on 6/7 December 1942
655 pasengers and crew were left in the lifeboats to perish. one man, Eric Monday, was taken prisoner.

[brian daley]

Splendid collection there Cap'n Kong, the Ceramic was as ugly as the Franconia was beautiful. The one an ungainly old scow and the other a pretty lady. Perhaps the Ceramic would have looked nice in a painting though.
The Hong Kong skyline was a lot less crowded when I was there, the ferry is more modern than the ones that were there then too. Remember that film about the poor guy stuck on the ferry,"Ferry to Hong Kong". Now come on you quizzers , who starred in it?
BrianD

[captain kong]

Ferry to Hong Kong, with Curt Jurgens, Sylvia Syms, Orson Welles, Noel Purcell

Curt Jurgens is the ferry boat skipper and Orson Welles a drunk on a trip to Macao
Orson Welles has no passport and he cant get ashore in Macau and cant get ashore in Honkers, so he is stuck on the ferry until they are attacked by pirates.
They were making the film in Honkers when I was there in 1959, on the Good Hope Castle, we had just taken her to Junk Bay for scrapping. We were there for two weeks hanging around. waiting for an old Dakota to find Hong Kong and take us home. I went into a tailors shop in Kowloon and there was Curt Jurgens being measured for a suit. I thought if the tailor is good enough for him then he is good enough for me. So I got the best suit I have ever had and so cheap.

[brian daley]

A nice old picture of the White Star sisters in Gladstone dock in 1934. The Georgic is on the right and her appearance only differs from the Britannic in the shape of her streamlined bridge.The Georgic was slightlly heavier at 27,759 gross tons against the Britannics 26,943 gross tons. At the time they were the largest motor vessels in the world.
BrianD

[captain kong]

Good ones of two famous ships,
Here is a different type of photo

It is me as a Captain over the bow rigging a sling on the anchor to remove it as it was damaged.
The crowd didnt want to go over the side in case they fell in and got their feet wet, modern "ABs".I was nearly sixty years old then so I had to show them what being an AB is all about, I must admit, I did enjoy doing it.

[18stanley]

Thanks for showing the Britannic and the Georgic, Brian. I spent hours
along the Dock Road and the Pier Head in the 30's. Whenever I got to the
Landing Stage it seemed to be almost a certainty that one or the other would
be there - they were a wonderful sight. If by chance they weren't there it was
usually the turn of either the Apapa or the Reina del Pacifico. Any chance of
seeing a photo of either of these in due course,please? Stan H.

[captain kong]

Here you are two views of the infamous Reina Del Pacifico and one of the APAPA

[brian daley]

Glad you like the pics StanH, Cap'n Kong was quick off the mark there with those great shots. Let's hope we can keep digging in to those photo albums and revive some more memories.
Tonight we have a picture of a really special square rigger, the "Lightning".
She made her maiden voyage from liverpool to Melbourne in 1854 in record breaking time.Outward bound she did 2,188 miles in seven days.She served succesfully on the Liverpool Melbourne for over 10 years. She was destroyed by fire in 1869.
BrianD

[18stanley]

Many thanks Cap'n for such a quick reply. You've left me not a little
intrigued concerning the Reina but I wont press. I only remember her as a
frequent visitor and very attractive looking ship. The Apapa was a recent addition to Elder Dempster, if I remember rightly- didn't she replace the Accra ?
Stan H.

[captain kong]

Hi Stanley, the Accra and the Apapa were sisters, built in 1947 for the West African trade. Passenger and cargo. They were scrapped in 1967 and 68

here is a photo of the ACCRA

The Reina Del Pacifico was not always a popular ship to sail on as a seaman.
There was a Captain Whitehouse and Bosun named Lah Murphy, whose favourite saying was "Get up and be logged", which meant after a night on the ale in Valparaiso, you would end up adrift or in gaol and so you had to go up on the bridge in front of the Captain and be logged a couple of days pay. At the end of the voyage you always got a bad discharge in your discharge book, but if you sailed again in her he would wipe it out and give you a good one.

A DISASTER The Reina del Pacifico, after a refit in Harlands, Belfast to fit her out for peacetime service.

The accident occurred approximately 7 miles north east of Copeland Island in the North Channel of the Irish Sea at 16:46 on 11 September 1947."

The Belfast Weekly Telegraph reported a week after the accident, on 19 September 1947:

"In an instant the engine room was a shambles, the lighting extinguished, ladders and access platforms destroyed and the atmosphere thick with smoke. When rescuers entered the engine room they found fires breaking out and bodies everywhere. The appalling result was that twenty-eight people died, either instantly or from their injuries, and a further twenty-three were hurt. "

"HEROIC SERVICE ... For three hours, Dr. Hamilton, in his first medical appointment, worked like a Trojan. He had himself lowered into the devastated engine room and with the assistance of the First Officer waded knee-deep in oil and other debris while striving to free those who were trapped. Then he organised a first aid service in the second class lounge, while stewards tore sheets and tablecloths into bandages. He is estimated to have bandaged nearly 60 men himself."

a photo of the ACCRA

[captain kong]

The Blue Riband started in 1838 for the fastest crossing of the Atlantic. the first ship was the Sirius, the Hales Trophy started in 1933
The winners of the HALES TROPHY FROM 1933
1933-1935 Rex Italia Line 28.92 knots
1935-1936 Normandie Compagnie G?n?rale Transatlantique 29.98 knots
1936-1937 Queen Mary Cunard White Star Line 30.14 knots
1937-1938 Normandie Compagnie G?n?rale Transatlantique 30.58 knots
1938-1952 Queen Mary Cunard White Star Line 30.99 knots
1952- United States United States Lines 34.51 knots

The Queen Elizabeth 2 never went for the Trophy, Cunard always believed that safety was more important than speed. BUT if she had gone for it I think she would have won it. After leaving Japan last March, 2008, we did over 35 knots bound for Honolulu, she was then approaching 40 years of age. A fantastic vessel. that should have been retired to Liverpool instead of being turned into a Frankenstein Monster by the Arabs.
That is why I have includued her here.

[captain kong]

I have just recieved this email from CUNARD, It should be interesting.

Cunard Features in BBC Documentary

Dear Captain Aspinall

As a valued Cunard guest we thought you may be interested to hear of an exciting BBC broadcast this weekend involving the world's most loved ship, QE2.

A BBC film crew joined our beloved QE2 on her Final Voyage last November and we are pleased to advise you that 'QE2 - The Final Voyage' will be broadcast on BBC TWO's Timewatch series on Saturday 28 February 2009 at 8pm. We hope you enjoy the programme and that it will bring back fond memories of QE2.

[brian daley]

The vessel shown is a barque and the men are taking in the lowest sail on the mizzenmast. This was called the crossjack ( pronounced crojack).
This is from a painting by Claude Muncaster, a marine artiost who knew his rigging.
BrianD

[brian daley]

This is a Nippon Yuson Kaisha liner ,the Chichibu Maru. She was built in 1930 for the Orient /California service. A motor passengerliner of 17,000 tons she was 560 feet in length and had a beam of 74 feet and a depth of 42 foot 6 inches. A nice solid looking vessel. I wonder if she was lost in the second world war, anyone out there know her fate?

[captain kong]

Here is me leaping aloft over the futtock shrouds, to furl sail on the ship Leuwin in the Indian Ocean off the coast of Australia,, I was 72 years old then, not bad for an old timer

[captain kong]

The NYK Chichibu Maru was built in 1930
In 1934 she was renamed Tsingtao Maru, In 1944 sunk by US air attack off Luzon in the Pilipines

[brian daley]

I knew I could rely on you guys,united we could write the book on International Maritime history. Thanks Cap'n,
BrianD

[captain kong]

Here is a painting of the `Lusitania` alongside the Liverpool Landing stage and the `Mauretania` out in the River.also a painting of the Mauretania

Also a painting of the `Queen Mary 2` sailing in tandem, past the Statue of Liberty, New York with the `QE2`

The last painting is the old `Queen Elizabeth` in the Clyde

These paintings are on board the `Queen Mary 2`.

[brian daley]

Wonderful pictures Cap'n,they underline the fact that great old ladies looked so much better in paint than in black and White.
P.S.,when is it you and Anne set out for Antartica?

[captain kong]

Hi Brian ,
We leave home next Tuesday, 3 March .
We fly to Paris and then to Buenos Aires, Stay in hotel, for two days , Have a romp with Cleopatra and then Fly to Ushuaia, Tierra del Fuego, join the Minerva and then sail around Cape Horn and down to Anarctica. Deception Island, Elephant Island, South Georgia , Grytvicken , Tristan da Cunha, Nightingale Island and then to Cape Town.
The ship has a free bar. all the wine , beer and spirits are all inclusive. Nowt wrong with that. Get Home 27 March.
Cheers.Brian.

[Trader]

Here is me leaping aloft over the futtock shrouds, to furl sail on the ship Leuwin in the Indian Ocean off the coast of Australia,, I was 72 years old then, not bad for an old timer

Hi Capt.Kong, Did you come across Iain Curphy when you were on the "Leuwin". He sails on her as Mate in between jobs on the Aussie coast and lives in Fremantle. He is the son of a mate of mine, Jack Curphy, who sailed on the Aussie coast for years and now has retired here to Dover.

Iain is now sailing as 2nd.Mate on a Scandinavian ship cruising the Caribean.

Alec.

[captain kong]

Hi Alec I did meet most of the crew on there but dont recall the name, I wass most o0f the time with the Bosun/Shanty man, a scots fella, I have his card some where.
Enjoyed every minute on that ship.
Cheers. Brian

[clancy]

Hi Brian ,
We leave home next Tuesday, 3 March .
We fly to Paris and then to Buenos Aires, Stay in hotel, for two days , Have a romp with Cleopatra and then Fly to Ushuaia, Tierra del Fuego, join the Minerva and then sail around Cape Horn and down to Anarctica. Deception Island, Elephant Island, South Georgia , Grytvicken , Tristan da Cunha, Nightingale Island and then to Cape Town.
The ship has a free bar. all the wine , beer and spirits are all inclusive. Nowt wrong with that. Get Home 27 March.
Cheers.Brian.

brian have a great time you will just be back in time for my birthday 28th you can get the round in cheers clancy

[captain kong]

Thanks for that Clancy,
I`ll email you a bottle of scotch for your birthday

[captain kong]

This is the Batillus, A French Shell Tanker , at the time the biggest ship in the world. 560,000-tons. on her maiden voyage, I flew out to her from CapeTown in July/August 1976 when I was flying with Court Helicopters in Cape Town. we circled her first and took photos then landed on the deck with stores. I walked aft with the papers and went on the bridge. I had been sailing on 250,000 tonners but they seemed like little coasters compared with this one. she was massive. I believe she was scrapped after a few years. they became dynosaurs.
Click on blank space below.

[captain kong]

Liner row in New York from Pier 90 down. taken in the 50s.
Front to back,
Parthia, Caronia,[ green godess] Queen Mary, Britannic Flandre, United States, Constitution.

A sight never to be seen again.

[liverbob]

too true cong,was there many times on the QE scythia and sylvania,also new jersey on the waiwera coming home fromnew zealand.

[captain kong]

Here is a photo of the Queen Mary 2 , we were off the Pope Pious 11th Glacier in Chileno Antarctica in 2006.
I got a chunk of ice, 10,000 years old off the Glacier I melted some and it tasted beautiful, I also put a chunk in my whisky and it made it fizz. I still have some in a bottle at home here. The photo was taken from the lifeboat, Commodore Ron Warwick signed it for me.

[brian daley]

The first picture is of the Royal Mail liner the "Asturias".Built in 1908 ,she is shown passing the Eddystone lighthouse and is illuminated by moonlight and a ships searchlight. She served as a hospital ship in WW1 and was torpedoed and severely damaged. She returned to service in 1923 and was scrapped in Japan in 1933.

The second picture shows the Booth liner "Hildebrand". Buiult in 1951 for the South American trade, the Three Graces in the background and the Alexandra tugs in the foregrouind make a very nostalgic scene ,she must be on the way home here.

[captain kong]

good painting of the Hildebrand, she was wrecked on the Cascais outside of Lisbon, in fog, they didnt have radar then, in 1957. she was outward bound for Manaus 1000 miles up the Amazon.

[roccija]

:)
Great pictures, -all of them.,-brings back many memories !!.
Thanks fellas !!.

Bob F :handclap: :handclap:

[captain kong]

Here is a photo taken in the fifties of the QUEEN ELIZABETH approaching Pier 90 in New York.
By the gasometer, [not there now,] is the UNITED STATES and the other one is the INDEPENDENCE

Again the world will not see these ships again.

[captain kong]

Here is one with a differenc.
I made this one of the grandchildren

It is called.

"I SEE NO SHARKS, NAOMI"

[18stanley]

Fascinating pictures all, not to mention the accompanying info from time
to time. Apropos, has anyone got photos of a ship that intrigued me in the
30's and I've never forgotten since. During my frequent meanderings along
the Dock Road I often wondered whether I was going to see it - and
frequently did. Name El Uruguayo and always berthed close to the entrance
of Brocklebank/Canada if memory serves me right, so you could get a good
view of it through the gates. Apart from the romantic name I was always
impressed by rhe funnel with its Maltese Cross. Any info about it would also
be welcome, especially about what happened to it laterwhen I should imagine
it had to play its part in the war effort like so many others of its ilk that plied
their trade from Liverpool in those long ago days.
There was also I think a sister ship, El Parugayo. I looked and looked
for it to no avail.Was it also based in Liverpool but in another part of the
Docks? If so, does anyone also remember it? And know what happened to it?
Many thanks Stan H.
PS - hope you have a wonderful holiday, Cap'n!

[captain kong]

Here we are, the ships themselves. `El Paraguaya `and the `El Uruguaya `
They were owned by Houlder Brothers for the meat and grain trade with South America. I cannot find any information of these two ships, or their fate.
Photos courtesey of
www.photoship.co.uk/Ship List/index.html
Thank you

[Waterways]

`El Paraguaya`and the `El Uruguaya and in the ship list as `El Paraguayo`and the `El Uruguayo`. Sister ships built 1912 and scrapped 1937. Houlder Line disappeared in 1947.

http://www.theshipslist.com/ships/lines/houlder.htm

[captain kong]

OK so I get 8 out of 10 for spelling

[18stanley]

Thanks Waterways for that extra info. Their demise coincided with "my
leaving of Liverpool"! And the Houlder Line has also gone! Sic transit...
Stan H.

[brian daley]

I am not sure of which thread to put this post as it kind of crosses boundaries,however!. Last week I was invited to dinner with a lot of gentlemen from similar backgrounds ,but of varying ages, from sixty up into the eighties. By serendipity I found myself supping aperitfs with with a fellow emigre. He was in his eighties and had led a fairly colourful life. From Robey, he left college and became an engineering cadet with Houlder Bros. In 1936 he met one of the Houlder Brothers,John, who offered him some advice. Remember this was before World War Two,war was'nt in the offing and Britain was in a recession then. John Houlder told this young man to leave the Merchant Navy because British shipowners would have to start "Flagging Out",that is to say ,moving their ships out of Britain and registering in places like Panama. He told the young cadet that they would be employing people from third world countries to save money. Stan left the Merchant Navy upon John Houlders advice and got a position in the City Engineers Department,and this is where the crossover comes in. He rose rapidly through the the ranks and soon became a young "Blocker" I should say that the young mans full name was Stanley Butterworth, for those of you who like to ferret through the archives.
Stan and I spoke of the religious divide that used to be strong in our old home. He told me that some of the council depots where totally Orange whilst others where totally green. There was one Depot manager by the name of Duffy who had all his men in the same Orange Lodge as he was in.
If a protestant depot manager found a left wing trouble maker in his employ( and that person would have been a protestant to have got a job there) he would get Stan to transfer the individual to a catholic depot where he would last just a few days before asking for his cards.The catholics did vice versa manitaining a kind of balance. Stan left Liverpool after the war to settle for the City Engineers job in Birmingham.
John Houlders advice was precipitate,had not the war intervened we would have lost our fleet a lot earlier.

[Waterways]

One of the prime means of the city's decline was flags of convenience. The governments should never have gone along with it. To save money the shipowners would have modernised their fleets to the the most state-of-the-art and innovative around. Instead they used cheap labour and created unemployment at home. British ship design post war was old hat and never progressed much at all.

The shipping industry had far too much influence in government circles.

What is a "blocker".

[brian daley]

Have I been away from Liverpool "that long"?. A blocker was a name given to any one in a supervisory or managerial position. To emphasise their status,these people would wear Bowler hats ,or Homburgs, which were known as "Blockers". A hat was shaped by "blocking" and the term somehow was transferred to people who could afford to buy them i.e. the bosses.
I am sad to hear the sobriquet has been lost ,especially as I have got the "blockers" job at last!

[backsplice]

'Blocker' is still in use in Cammell Lairds, where a mate of mine is a foreman plater. Although the bowler hats went out of the window back in the sixties to be replaced with hard hats, currently colour coded to denote trade etc.
Backsplice

[brian daley]

For tonights delectation we have the Pacific Steam Navigation Co,'s "Panama" 0f 1902 ,she is shown here in her WW1 dazzle camouflage when she was acting as an Auxilliary Transport vessel,she then became a Hospital ship and after the war she was bought by the Admiralty and used in that capacity right up until 1948 when she was scrapped.
Then we have the fabulous Mauretania ,a product of Cammell Lairds in 1939 .She is shown here in that short period before the outbreak of WW11,during which she helped the war effort as a troopship. She became the Grand Old Lady of the Atlantic and gave sterling service until she was broken up in 1965.

[brian daley]

The turret steamship Mersario was built in 1906 by Doxfords of Sunderland. Maclay and McIntyre of glasgow owned her and she is shown here in the Grand Harbour of Valetta in a painting by the Maltese Artist Gaetano d'Esposito one of the foremost ship artists at that time

[brian daley]

The freighter Chinese Prince was built in 1926 by the Deutsche Werk A.G. of Hamburg for the Rio Cape line,a subsidiary of Furness Withy's Groups Prince Line,of which she was the third of what would eventually be four succesive ships to bear that name. Her end came at the hands of the Germans when she was torpedoed in the Mediterranean in June !941 by the U-552. A total of 45 people were slain out of a crew of 64.
This picture was painted by the Japanese artist H. Shimidzu showing Mount Fujiyama in the background

[brian daley]

Here for you ship lovers are two more classic pics. First we have an oil tanker ,the British Councillor ,built in 1922 for the British Tanker Co.
She met her end in 1940 when she was sank by a torpedo from an E-boat off Spurn Head.
The second picture shows the Cunard liners Aquitania and Queen Mary,camouflaged in their wartime grey ,in the Clyde Anchorage Emergency Port, getting ready to undertake troopship duties during WW11.

[Ken Berry]

Hi All You Guys,
Now I have got rid of the Mersey mist out of my eyes.What a great site to be able to read.Well first about being up the mast on a square rigger.They were mad those guys, when late March 1956 I was on a New Zealand Coaster M.V. Holmglen on delivery to NZ.We had been delayed for over 2 months,with being frozen in the Canal out of Hoogezand North Holland.Built in the Bodewes Shipyard.We manged 4 Miles backward off Finnisterre in 24 Hours in a real howler.The following night there had been this booming sound coming from For'ward.In the Engine room the MAN 8 cylinder engine I still reckon gave a small jump with each boom.I got the Short straw as she had more engineers tickets between the 3 of use than the QE2.So when the 2nd arrived down he asked what that Booming noise was,he actually thought he was dreaming it.But decided differently pretty quickly. I turned in pretty quickly and was just settling nicely when Chief comes in and tells me we have to get up for'ward as the hull is going one way and the for'ward mast the other way in the rolls.Anyway we managed to get to the lower turnbuckles and they couldn't be tightened any more as obviously the yard had saved their efforts rather than use the top turnbuckles.So Maurice and myself had to go up the ladder on the mast and tighten the top turnbuckles.
We made it OK but I will always rememberCaptain Keith the Super and Old man for the Home trip.saying "He would have sworn at times we were only hanging on by our arms at times".No way we told him our legs were wrapped round the mast that tight that it took longer for to get our legs loose than it did to tighten the turnbuckles.We matched the Old Clipper record of 63 days.Captain Kong did you know an Eric Watts with Cunard he was a First Officer.I used to visit him quite a lot 2 years ago.He had been crook for a fair while.Some one mentioned the Whale Back hull or Turret hull.My Maternal G/father was on the S.S.Sagamore,3rd, Engineer WW1 when she was torpedoed 3rd,March 1917.He was 1 of only 7 survivors picked up by the S.S.Deucalion 12th,March 1917.He ended up losing his lower limbs to just below his knees.have you any photos of her.I have a couple pre 1912,but she had passenger accomodation for 60 added.My Dad didn't know what he missed by not going to Sea.He is the only one out of a hell of a lot of the male rellies who did.Thanks guys for a great evenng reading,viewing and reminissing.Best Regards Ken B

[captain kong]

Hi Ken,
thanks for interesting letter.
Here is a photo of the SAGAMORE, I think it will be the one, it is from the pre first WW days.
PHOTO IS FROM THE "OLD SHIP PICTURE GALLERIES" with thanks to them.

You mentioned Sailing ships, My brother sailed on one on the Australian and New Zealand coasts. it was the `WONGALA`, she was a `Powder Boat` carrying explosives around the coasts. She was reputed to have been more of a submarine than a sailing ship, she would go down off Sydney Heads and surface off New Zealand 12 days later.
She ended up on a reef off Thursday Island.

I dont know Eric Watts of Cunard, there was a Captain called Frederick Watts, he was Master of the Caronia.around 1960 ish.

[captain kong]

We had a meeting with `ar Bob from Ontario, Canada, at the Eldonian Club yesterday. A few bevies sunk and lamps swung.
Here are some photos.

me, Bob, Ernie, then Bob and his mate from Wallasey, then Bob and his mate again , then Bob meeting a fellow Russian Convoy Veteran.

[brian daley]

This is a picture of the S.S. Nagoya,a P&O liner built just before the First World war. She was on the Far East run to India ,China and Japan. She did a short spell as a hospital ship on the North Russian coast in 1918 ( was she treating the British who were wounded during the Russian Civil War ?)
She is shown here going to the breakers yard in Yokohama in 1932,a very sad end to an illustrious career.

[brian daley]

Here's a picture to evoke some memories;a Maggie Booth liner that was built on Merseyside in 1958.She ran a regular schedule from Liverpool to Lisbon,Barbados and the River Amazon ,all the way to Manaus. How many of you salt waterrmen sailed on her?

[brian daley]

This is a picture of the steamship Defender,one the Harrison Line that sailed out of Liverpool,She is shown heading into the Mersey passing New Brighton.
The little coaster in the foreground seems minute in comparison with the Defender; note the columns of smoke from the other vessels on the river, this was painted in the Merseys heydays.
BrianD

[brian daley]

Heres a graceful old timer;built by Denny Bros in Dumbarton she saw service with the Southern Railway from 1924 under the name of Dinard.She is shown here in her wartime colours as a hospital ship. She returned to ferrying in peacetime and worked the Dover /Boulogne route until 1968. The Finns bought her and renamed her Viking and did ferrying in the Gulf of Bothnia until 1970 when she was sold for scrap.46 years service,they built them to last back then!
BrianD

[captain kong]

Here are two old vessels of a bygone age that are still afloat.
`Balclutha` British built, preserved in San Francisco.
and the British built`Fals of Clyde` preserved in Honolulu, Hawaii. she was converted to an oil tanker and cargo ship. I have been onboard them a few times and are very interesting ships.
Why cant the British preserve ships???

[brian daley]

Here's a golden oldie,The Monarch of Bermuda of Furness Withy lines.Built at Newcastle on Tyne in 1931 she was one of the first luxury cruise liners,an all electric vessel she weighed 22424 tons and served on the New York /Caribbean run for very many years. An awful lot of Merseysiders crewed her in that time.

[ChrisGeorge]

Super thread here! Wonderful to explore Liverpool's maritime heritage in this way. Thanks, Brian and everyone! :handclap:

Chris :PDT_Aliboronz_24:

[brian daley]

Here is a seldom seen shot, none of you Vindi boys will recognise it;it is the old Gravesend sea training school. I spent a couple of very happy weeks there in 1958 .I was at the Vindi but spent two weeks at Gravesend training for the Armistice Parade. The boys who attended Gravesend were called 'peanuts' because they were not allowed to go about in more than groups of two. The thing I liked about Gravesend was the view of the river. Situated opposite Tilbury it afforded a view of the great liners that travelled up the Thames as well as the cargo boats and barges .The vessel on the river here is the 4 masted barque Olivebank, at 2795 tons she was part of the Erilson's grain fleet and was registered at Mariehamn.
BrianD

[brian daley]

This is a shot of the old passenger landing stage down you know where.
I remember it like this when we went on our shool trip to the Isle of Man.I also tied up here when I was with Cunard and Canadian Pacific. What a wonderful place it was then. It was bustling with porters and the vans from the chandling companies, mostly horse drawn then. I hope the new landing stage provides the same kind of "busyness". It would be great to see more of the modern liners plying their trade from there........
BrianD

[Paddy]

I remember in the early sixties this time of year going over to Belfast. On arrival at the Pier Head the cobblestone was criss crossed with tram lines. The excitement of boarding the Irish boat was immense and claiming the top bunk in the cabin was all important. We would get there about nine o clock at night the evening summery and light. We would go up on deck before she set sail. Liverpool to my young mind was an all important place and a great city to come from. I have never lossed that feeling about the place. Sailing up the river it would be dark and the nights journey was ahead of us as we retired to the cabins. All excitement and fun. In the morning at first light we would go out on to the top deck and look at the approaching coast line of Ireland sheer delight as we sailed into Belfast. We would count the forty shades of green from under the bridge, as the rural shades made themselves manifest. Our Kid always insisted that there was forty one a dispute that could not be settled. And then docking at Belfast and once again cobblestones criss crossed with tram lines and away in the van. Lisbon, Lurgan, Armagh, Omagh, Portadown, and into Donegal the sheer joy of being a boy in summer.

[brian daley]

This picture brings to mind the lines of John Masefields wonderful poem "Sea Fever" The coastal vessel pictured is the 'Cromarty Firth',built at Ardrossan in 1919 for the B
Border Shipping Company. Come on now ,all together "Dirty British coaster ,with a salt caked smokestack,ploughing through the Channel on a mad March day............................................... ........................."
BrianD

[Paddy]

I loved the narrative verse of Masefield as a lad Brian. Masefield was the first poet I mastered in English lit. The Everlasting Mercy, Reynard the Fox, Widow in the Bye Street, and of cause the great seafairing narrative The Dauber. I was in Dorchester Museum perusing the Hardy room when my eyes caught a model of a sailing ship it was very intricate and had been put together with great care. There was an inscription with the information that Masefield had put it together as a present for Hardy.I could not help feeling a slght envy or to be kinder to myself a frustration that such a great poet could be also such a fine craftsman. 'Tear your heart out' 'Don't give up your day job Jude' Still I came away with the knowledge that I know the works of the both writers who gave such a great contribution to English lit. And I did once build a Spitfire!

[brian daley]

You know Paddy,Captain Kong is a bit like what you essayed about Masefield.
Old Kong can write up a storm,compose narrative poetry and is quite a dab hand with artists brushes. He started out as a deck boy and worked his way up to being master on the big bulk carriers. He is a Thames pilot,ditto Mersey
and was an expert witness at the Marchioness inquiry. Being flippant,I wrote on another site that if he had been born in another age he might have been a master swordsman too. He replied that he had to use a sword when some pirates attempted to board a ship he was on. He is a polymath and I hate him, bleedin' $?&*+?**!!!
Was that an Airfix Spitfire that you built?, I constructed one for my son 33 years ago ;ended up with my fingers glued together

[Paddy]

Yeah it was Airfix but I did it quite well even if it was one I dismantled after Our Kid had made it. Thing is, I never had the instructions. Kong and others seem to have a knack at adapting. I am suprised he never became a pirate himself.

[brian daley]

This vessel was built in Garston ,on the Mersey in 1902. Originally named the British Monarch for her Liverpool owners,she was sold to the Ribble Shipping Company in 1909 and renamed the Ribblesdale.She is shown here in that conpanys' colours. I don't doubt that Captain Kong served on her ,perhaps he'll let us know!!
BrianD

[Ron Ham]

Hi Brian , I sailed on 3 duplicate vessels of that type & always in Winter ! The Wheatcrop ,Sprayville & Rockville , can I qualify as an ancient mariner too ! Good to see you on your feet again . :PDT_Piratz_26:Ron

[brian daley]

You Certainly can call yourself an old salt Ron, when you get a bit of time tell us about your experience; you'll find a great deal of people would like to know what it was like on those coal scuttles,
Cheers
BrianD

[captain kong]

Here is the Sprayville Ron.
I was on one just like it, The`BEECHFIELD` one of Savages.Zillah Steamship Company of Liverpool in 1952, I was O.S. then AB then the COOK then coal burning Fireman. It was a ten year voyage lasting four weeks. You can read the account of the trip in SHIPS and the Sea thread.

[brian daley]

Here is a painting of one of the famous Yankee Black Ball clippers,the Montezuma. She was built in the days when "men of iron manned ships of wood". She could mange 16 knots on a good day but the regime was tough. Black Ball ships were noted for their tough Mates,Bully Baines being the most famous, Shantymen still sing of his brutality, a paradox......beautiful ships ,run by brutes.
BrianD

[brian daley]

This here is a picture of a Highland class ship belonging to the Nelson Line. The Nelson Line was a subsidiary of the Royal Mail Line and any more than that I do not know. Any of you old salts ever hear tell of the Nelson Line? I enlarged the picture to the maximum possible but could not make out her name. Nevertheless, I think it is a lovely picture,the scene could possibly be off Portugal judging by the rig on that vessek in the foreground. Ring a bell with anyone?
BrianD

[brian daley]

Herew is a painting of one of the most beautiful liners to ever sail the blue. It is the French liner Normandie;shown here in 1935 when she was about to leave Le Havre for the States. She came to a very sad end during WW11,a victim of sabotage in New York? Like the Atlantic greyhounds of that era,she combined style and opulence in a way that will never be seen again,
BrianD

[Trader]

This here is a picture of a Highland class ship belonging to the Nelson Line. The Nelson Line was a subsidiary of the Royal Mail Line and any more than that I do not know. Any of you old salts ever hear tell of the Nelson Line? I enlarged the picture to the maximum possible but could not make out her name. Nevertheless, I think it is a lovely picture,the scene could possibly be off Portugal judging by the rig on that vessek in the foreground. Ring a bell with anyone?
BrianD

Hi Brian,

Over the years I have heard of the Nelson Line and the Highland boats. They had five built at Harland and Wolffs, Belfast between 1928 and 1932. They were Highland Monarch 1928, Chieftain 1929, Brigade 1929, Princess 1930 and Patriot 1932. They were identical so your picture could be any one of them.

I read a good article on them at www.merchantnavyofficers.com if you scroll down the left hand side you will see Nelson Line History.


Alec.

[brian daley]

Hi Trader,
I had a look at the MN officers site, the Nelson liner that looks most likely to be the one I have shown is the Highland Princess. Thanks for that.
Here we have a great painting of the Chilean nitrate port of Iquique.The ship which is stern on to us is the Cambrian Chieftain of 1885. In 1894 she was carrying a cargo of coal and in a storm the cargo shifted. Some of her crew,including the Masters wife ,were taken off by the barque Dee. It was thought that she was lost and the insurance company was on the point of paying for her loss when news reached London that she had arrived safely in Taltal,Chile. This painting was done by the marine artist Mark Myers,
BrianD

[brian daley]

This is a wonderful view of the Three Graces. It was taken in 1930 and is clearly a shot taken from the boat deck of a liner, but which liner I do not know; the Titanic monument can be seen in the middle ground and seek how tidy the landing stage looks,
BrianD

[Paddy]

How do ships float?

[Samsette]

By maintaining their watertight integrity, through proper maintenance and avoiding rocks, shoals and colliding with other ships, as starters.:PDT11

[wsteve55]

By not sinking!

[George]

How do ships float?

<Archimedes mode on>
Buoyancy

[brian daley]

Or...................................whatever floats your boat!!!!!!

[wsteve55]

Or...........whatever boats you float:unibrow:

[wsteve55]

Next.....how do sea-gulls fly?

[brian daley]

I posted this picture on another site and thought that I would share it with you. It shows a 4 masted barque running before a gale, It was painted in 1910 by Thomas Somerscales and he has managed to capture the nature of that awful storm.

[pablo42]

I posted this picture on another site and thought that I would share it with you. It shows a 4 masted barque running before a gale, It was painted in 1910 by Thomas Somerscales and he has managed to capture the nature of that awful storm.

Nice picture Brian.

[kevin]

Are they serious?

[pablo42]

Ha, nice one Kev.

[Billy D]

LOL

[kevin]

Any suggestions about the type of spanner I'd need?

[captain kong]

This might be a bum steer but would a ba*ta*d spanner be right? but mind the `nuts`.

[captain kong]

Here is a photo of Liner Row in New York in the 50s. it can never ever happen again.
Bottom up.........
Media/Parthia, Caronia, [ Green Godess ], Queen Mary, Britannic, Liberte, America, Constitution.
Only Queen Mary survives as a hotel in Long Beach Cal. USA.

[brian daley]

Any suggestions about the type of spanner I'd need?

Hi Kevin,
how about a ring spanner?

[pablo42]

Guess you'd know more about that than me.

[kevin]

Hi Kevin,
how about a ring spanner?

Give that man a coconut - right answer!

[captain kong]

Here are four pictures of a famous White Star Liner, `M.V. GEORGIC,` the last to be built for the White Star Line in 1932 then in 1934 Cunard Steamship Company took over White Star to become the Cunard White Star Line.
First picture is when she was new on Maiden Voyage, 2nd is when she was bombed and set on fire in Suez Bay with 800 Italian POWs on board, a very large death toll in 1941, then the 3rd is after the fire and she is beached, the 4th is as she was when I sailed on her in 1955 taking emmigrants from Liverpool to Australia, Australian troops, 2RAR, to Malaya and the French Foreign Legion from the Meekong in what was French Indo China renamed Viet Nam, to Algiers and Mersailes, France.
Then we took her to the breakers on the Clyde on December 15 1955.
She was a good job sorry to see her go.

[captain kong]

Here is a good link to many famous ships.

www.shipgeek.com

[brian daley]

Hi BrianA, here's a picture that will bring back a few memories, walking under the El to get back to your berth.Teetering on the cobblestones after one beer too many in the Diner. Great days eh?

[Jeff Glasser]

Nice pic Brian,
I especially like the cars which I think are a couple of '59 Fords (cabs?) with centre stage a '57 Oldsmobile. That might even be a late '50's Dodge or Plymouth behind. I do love old Yank cars!

When was the photo' taken? around 1959-60.

Hope you're still well.

Jeff

[brian daley]

Hi Jeff,'59 was right,makes you feel ancient when you realise that was half a century ago. Anyway ,this picture here was from an earlier period; painted in 1910 by Thomas Somerscales,it shows a four masted barque running before the wind. Nothing romantic about that ships situation, if she pooped one she could founder and all would be lost,great picture though,
BrianD

[Waterways]

Here is a photo of Liner Row in New York in the 50s. it can never ever happen again.
Bottom up.........
Media/Parthia, Caronia, [ Green Godess ], Queen Mary, Britannic, Flandres, America, Constitution.
Only Queen Mary survives as a hotel in Long Beach Cal. USA.

Flandres? are you sure? :)

[captain kong]

Liberte, ex Europa. French Line from 1950 to 1961.
50 years since I last saw them.

[kevin]

Hi Jeff,'59 was right,makes you feel ancient when you realise that was half a century ago. Anyway ,this picture here was from an earlier period; painted in 1910 by Thomas Somerscales,it shows a four masted barque running before the wind. Nothing romantic about that ships situation, if she pooped one she could founder and all would be lost,great picture though,
BrianD

Hi Brian,
I was out your way yesterday - a wedding at Packington Moor Farm.
Kevin

[brian daley]

Hi Kevin ,we'll have to have a pint of Lumphammer sometime,I have'nt been over to the Black Country this year,
BrianD

[kevin]

Hi Kevin ,we'll have to have a pint of Lumphammer sometime,I have'nt been over to the Black Country this year,
BrianD

Anytime you'll be in the vicinity, let me know - only 5 minutes away from Mad O'Rorke's.

[captain kong]

ss Helenus off Fujiyama.
water colours on silk by H Shimidzu in 1925, famous Japanese artist.of Yokohama.

Helenus, 7,555 grt built in Greenock in 1913, for Ocean Steam Ship Co. of Alfred Holt of Liverpool
Helenus survived three U-boat attacks during WW1 but was sunk by U-69 in WW2 in South Atlantic on March 3, 1942

[brian daley]

Wonderful painting Brian, let's hope some of the crowd show us a few of their hidden gems,
BrianD

[bangorreg]

Hi An old photo taken by me g-father about 1914 I think the ship was the Ancon or Amcon?

[captain kong]

Hi Reg.
The Ship was the `ss Ancon`, first passage through the Panama Canal on August 15 1914, it was making the first official Ocean to Ocean passage.
She was owned by the Panama Railroad Company
Cheers
Brian

[bangorreg]

Hi Reg.
The Ship was the `ss Ancon`, first passage through the Panama Canal on August 15 1914, it was making the first official Ocean to Ocean passage.
She was owned by the Panama Railroad Company
Cheers
Brian
Thank's brian,
He was one of many legal solicitor's working on behalf of the NAPIER SHIPPING CO .
Reg.

[captain kong]

THE 256,000 TON TANKER, ESSO NORTHUMBRIA, heading south towards the Cape of Good Hope shipping a sea, I was Third Mate on watch when I took the photo in 1976, Second photo, ESSO NORTHUMBRIA`S bow towering over the houses on Tyneside when being built in 1969.

[brian daley]

Here is a wonderful painting of Cunards Blue Riband champion, the Mauretania. Built in 1904 she served succesfully on the Trans Atlantic run for very many years.tThis picture was painted by Montague Dawson.

[brian daley]

Here is a painting of Brunel's Great Western arriving in New York April 1848. She commenced a very succesful stemship service Between Britain and America. The painting was executed by Mark Myers.
BrianD

[captain kong]

As it is the anniversary of the attack on the Twin Trade Towers, in New York, here is a view of Ground Zero I took a few months ago. showing the progress.

[wsteve55]

What is it they're building,in it's place?

[captain kong]

An old photo of Sir Ernest Shackleton leaving his men at Point Wild on Elephant Island to sail in that open boat 800 miles across the Weddell Sea and the Scotia Sea to South Georgia to get help after Endurance was lost after being crushed in the ice, it took him 22 months to return to the rescue.

2nd Photo, Me at Point Wild on Elephant Island an evil and desolate place . There is a plaque screwed into the that rock face commemerating the event.

3rd Photo, Ernest Shackleton`s grave at Grytviken, South Georgia, he died in January 1922, When I was there in March we had a service at the graveside and then a toast of Rum, a final tot of Rum was poured on his grave, an old tradition.

[Billy D]

Remembered this thread when i was in a solicitors,,,LOL

THIS WAS HANGING ON THE WALL,,,,,,,,,,,

The Soren Larson,,,,,Passing the Fort Perch Rock,,,,,,,,,,,

http://i677.photobucket.com/albums/vv138/Ronin2009/TheSorenLarson.jpg

[brian daley]

Great picture Billy, some kind person out there may be able to fill in the details.
Er, ey Cap'n Kong, who took the picture of the big red penguin?
BrianD

[captain kong]

Tall Ship Soren Larsen Sailing adventure for all ages
2 Jun 2009 ... Tall Ship Soren Larsen - New Zealand and South Pacific island sailing adventure. Sail training for people of all ages in Auckland, ...
www.sorenlarsen.co.nz/
ALL ABOUT IT, CREW WANTED AS WELL. WHEN I HAVE HAD MY OPERATION ON 8 OCTOBER I MAY APPLY FOR IT,

[captain kong]

Here is an old painting of the troop ship, HMS Birkenhead, on the Rock off the Cape of Good Hope. This is when the famous saying, Women and Children first, or the Birkenhead drill came into being.

[pablo42]

Brave men indeed. Finest traditions of the Army.

[brian daley]

Here is a painting of that awful sinking when445 lives were lost. Yes Popeye,it was British military discipline that helped save lives ,a fact we can feel proud of. The painting is unattributed,
BrianD

[captain kong]

Here is a piece of the original teak deck of the old QUEEN MARY.
On Saturday, 26 September it is the 75th Anniversary of her launching.
26 September 1934.
There are only four of these pieces of inscribed teak from her deck commemorating the 70th Anniversary. There are others but not inscribed as this one.
There is one in the Glasgow Museum, one in the John Brown Shipbuilders Museum, Commodore Ron Warwick has one, his father Commodore W.E, Warwick was Master of her, and I have the other one.
It was presented to me by Lovetta Kramer, Executive Director of The RMS Queen Mary Foundation, of Long Beach, California, USA.when I was onboard in 2004.

[brian daley]

Here is another golden oldie,you'll recognise this one right away Cap'n Kong,the old Empress of Britain. It is a lovely poster but was she a lovely ship?
BrianD

[wsteve55]

Anyone here familiar with the magazine,"Sea Breezes"? Someone I know,picked up a copy from 1957,at a flea market in Lark lane!Some interesting nautical stuff in it,and I wondered if it's still going?

[captain kong]

I have every Sea Breeze since January 1950 to 2002 ,I had to stop it I have thousands of them including SHIPS annd many others.

I am going into hospital in 8 hours for an operation. due to my encounter with that Bull Elephant Seal in the ANTARCTIC in March this year. see you all later.

[Waterways]

I hope the op goes well. :)

[pablo42]

I have every Sea Breeze since January 1950 to 2002 ,I had to stop it I have thousands of them including SHIPS annd many others.

I am going into hospital in 8 hours for an operation. due to my encounter with that Bull Elephant Seal in the ANTARCTIC in March this year. see you all later.

I tried to sleep with one of those Bull Elephant seals once. Know how you feel...

[captain kong]

Thanks for that WW.


Pablo, the Bull thought I was after his Cows, but if you smell them they are awful, just like some young ladies I once knew in Sydney. like `Port Boat Mary.`

Here is the Bull with his cows below just before the attack. These fellows can move faster than a man can run but only for short spells and can weigh up to five tons.

[pablo42]

Thanks for that WW.


Pablo, the Bull thought I was after his Cows, but if you smell them they are awful, just like some young ladies I once knew in Sydney. like `Port Boat Mary.`

Here is the Bull with his cows below just before the attack. These fellows can move faster than a man can run but only for short spells and can weigh up to five tons.

Thanks Captain. Also better looking than some of women I've been with. Get well soon.

[brian daley]

All the best Brian, we'll be thinking of you mate.

My ops beenm cancelled,specialist my ticker is'nt strong enough for sedation.
Anyway get back soon ,we want to hear more your yarns !
BrianD

[santos]

Good luck Brian, look forward to your return to us.

Kind regards

Chris.

[ItsaZappathing]

Good luck Capt:PDT11

[wsteve55]

Probably,Captain,you've been in and out,by now, so I hope all's fine!:nod:

[bangorreg]

Hi Capiain Kong.

Captain Kong was driven off course by a storm?His vessel smashed into
a small island. The next morning, he awoke on the beach.

The sand and sky were reddish. Walking around in a daze, the

CaptaIn saw red birds, red grass, red trees and red bananas.

He was shocked to find that even his skin was reddish.

He could not work it out, but remembered he had been all night with a few Red Indian female companion's at the local gin joint?

Get better soon.
Reg

[wsteve55]

Maybe Cap' would like to tell us about that one,when he comes back?!:unibrow:

[ItsaZappathing]

I have every Sea Breeze since January 1950 to 2002 ,I had to stop it I have thousands of them including SHIPS annd many others.

I am going into hospital in 8 hours for an operation. due to my encounter with that Bull Elephant Seal in the ANTARCTIC in March this year. see you all later.

Hope all went well Capt.:PDT_Piratz_26:

[Tom"O"]

[QUOTE=wsteve55;,"Sea Breezes"? and I wondered if it's still going]

Still going Steve though a bit pricey.

[wsteve55]

[QUOTE=wsteve55;,"Sea Breezes"? and I wondered if it's still going]

Still going Steve though a bit pricey.

Hi Tom"o",
I'm surprised really,with our U.K.merchant navy,apparently disappearing,I wouldn't have thought there would be much of a market? The copy I was looking at cost 1/6p! :nod:

P.S. I notice your avatar is a pic' of the Pooley gates,have you heard what's happening to them?

[bangorreg]

[QUOTE=Tom"O";193596]

Hi Tom"o",
I'm surprised really,with our U.K.merchant navy,apparently disappearing,I wouldn't have thought there would be much of a market? The copy I was looking at cost 1/6p! :nod:

P.S. I notice your avatar is a pic' of the Pooley gates,have you heard what's happening to them?
Hi RE Tom'O Avatar ( This is a bit off topic) but
I think the following site may help.
http://www.liverpoolmonuments.co.uk/gates/pooley12.html

Reg.

[wsteve55]

Thanks for that Bangorreg,some interesting articles!:nod:

[brian daley]

A good friend of mine,Richie Bradshaw,tells me that the HMS Illustious is due to visit Liverpool very soon, well here's a pic of her ancestor ,and in the background you can that other merseyside marvel,the HMS Ark Royal . The picture was in an old War Illustrated so it is a bit poor compared to modern pics.
BrianD

[pablo42]

Don't make ships like that no more Brian. I was in Norfolk Virginia a while back and got some tours of the American fleet. Had a great day on the Nimitz and had a tour around the Missouri. I seen her in action in Lebanon. Mighty impressive. Love them old warships. Seen the results of her in Bekkaa Valley, jeez, glad I was on her side.

[captain kong]

Hi Pablo I did a tour of the Missouri 18 months ago, she was moored astern of the wreck memorial Arizona in Pearl Harbour. A big, big ship. As you say, you would not have enjoyed being on the recieving end of those big guns.
I will be going to Norfolk Virginia next summer to visit some friends there, they live right on the river with views of the US Navy berths.

She is now having a $18,000,000 `make over` in dry dock.

off Google..............


'Mighty Mo' undergoing $18M preservation
By JAYMES SONG (AP) ? 3 days ago

HONOLULU ? Mike Weidenbach has walked across the historic teakwood decks and through the metal hallways of the USS Missouri countless times in the past decade. But he recently realized how massive the aging battleship is from a new perspective ? underneath.

"I touched the bottom of the ship," gushed Weidenbach, curator of the iconic World War II vessel that now serves as a memorial and museum.

The "Mighty Mo" ? the last battleship built by the United States ? is spending three months in dry dock at Pearl Harbor undergoing $18 million in maintenance and preservation.

"I want it to be here forever," Weidenbach said Thursday. "I want to die knowing we took care of the ship the best we were able.

"For me as curator, this is our primary artifact, so it's not like a normal Navy ship that has a life span of decades," he said. "This is supposed to be like the U.S. Constitution. It's supposed to be hundreds of years."

Weidenbach visited the ship at Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard and said it was challenging to capture the size and scope of the 887-foot vessel in a photograph.

"It was overwhelming," he said. "It's bigger than you can see. I've seen it above the waterline for 10 years, and I knew it was massive. But when you see the other half of it ... gosh."

The 65-year-old warship, now called the Battleship Missouri Memorial, is best known for hosting the formal surrender of Japan in 1945.

Four tugboats guided the Missouri two miles from its historic spot on Battleship Row in Pearl Harbor to dry dock on Wednesday. It has been moored for the past 11 years in Pearl Harbor, where a Japanese attack on Dec. 7, 1941, plunged the United States into World War II.

The 54,889-ton vessel now sits on 310 wooden blocks. The hull will be sandblasted and painted, besides preservation work on top. The ship is scheduled to return to Battleship Row on Jan. 7.

BAE Systems Ship Repair has been contracted for the work. Roger Kubischta, the company's president and general manager, said there's a tremendous amount of marine growth stuck to the hull that will need to be removed before it can be sandblasted and painted.

"There's corrosion in spots of the hull, but for the most part, the hull is mostly intact," Kubischta said.

In all, eight square miles of the boat's surface need to be preserved.

Kubischta said a major challenge will be to tent the entire 1,050-foot dock to prevent dust from leaving the area. The enclosure will need to be airtight with ventilation and air blowers.

Three hundred to 400 people will be working on the project almost around the clock. Ninety percent of the work force is from Hawaii, Kubischta said.

The Missouri was last in dry dock in 1992, just after it was decommissioned for the second and last time. It's been moored at Pearl Harbor for the past decade after local supporters beat out groups in Washington state, San Francisco and Long Beach, Calif., for the right to host the memorial.

The USS Missouri Memorial Association now operates the ship. More than 400,000 visitors tour the vessel each year and interest seems to be growing. The ship had a record 49,856 visitors in July.

The "Mighty Mo" was launched in 1944 and fought in the battles of Iwo Jima and Okinawa. It was decommissioned in 1955 but revived in the 1980s, after which it fired some of the first shots of the Gulf War in 1991.

Its home now is just a few hundred yards from the USS Arizona, a battleship that was sunk by the Japanese with more than 1,100 sailors and Marines on board during the Pearl Harbor attack.

Japan surrendered on Sept. 2, 1945, during a ceremony in Tokyo Bay. Gen. Douglas MacArthur signed for the Allied powers, while Pacific Fleet Commander Adm. Chester Nimitz, signed for the U.S.

Foreign Minister Mamoru Shigemitsu and Gen. Yoshijiro Umezu, Chief of the Army General Staff, signed for Japan.

Copies of the surrender documents are on display today on the deck where they were signed.

Weidenbach said the Arizona and Missouri are connected in history.

"The war started and it was a great tragedy with the Arizona, and it ended in peace on the Missouri," he said.

[pablo42]

Thanks for that Captain. Hated the thought of her being broken up. When I was in Lebanon we were coordinating her firing. Never seen her then, but seen the damage she done. Her shells used to fly over and take the breath out of your lungs. Mighty impressive.

[captain kong]

I did a gunnery course at Whale Island, HMS Excellent, in 1950 when I was a Sea Cadet.
Those fifteen inch guns can throw a two ton shell over 22 miles.some power.
I did a couple of weeks on HMS Duke of York, in Portsmouth ,she sank the Scharhorst, she had ten 14 inch guns.

[Norm NZ]

A good friend of mine,Richie Bradshaw,tells me that the HMS Illustious is due to visit Liverpool very soon, well here's a pic of her ancestor ,and in the background you can that other merseyside marvel,the HMS Ark Royal . The picture was in an old War Illustrated so it is a bit poor compared to modern pics.
BrianD

That brings back some memories Brian, The Illustrious 'trooped' us out to the Middle Easy (Cyprus) in 1951, prior to our deployment to the Suez Canal Zone. All the aircraft were taken off her, and the attached photo shows some of the deck cargo, and also how we were accomodated in the Hanger Deck.:PDT11

[wsteve55]

That brings back some memories Brian, The Illustrious 'trooped' us out to the Middle Easy (Cyprus) in 1951, prior to our deployment to the Suez Canal Zone. All the aircraft were taken off her, and the attached photo shows some of the deck cargo, and also how we were accomodated in the Hanger Deck.:PDT11

hi Norm,
That looks a bit draughty!:cha (41):

[pablo42]

I did a gunnery course at Whale Island, HMS Excellent, in 1950 when I was a Sea Cadet.
Those fifteen inch guns can throw a two ton shell over 22 miles.some power.
I did a couple of weeks on HMS Duke of York, in Portsmouth ,she sank the Scharhorst, she had ten 14 inch guns.

I never knew you were ex RN. Tell me more about them old ships. I love 'em.

[pablo42]

That brings back some memories Brian, The Illustrious 'trooped' us out to the Middle Easy (Cyprus) in 1951, prior to our deployment to the Suez Canal Zone. All the aircraft were taken off her, and the attached photo shows some of the deck cargo, and also how we were accomodated in the Hanger Deck.:PDT11

Looks quite comfy Norm. Reckon they were spoiling you.

[captain kong]

Hi Pablo,
No I am not Ex RN
When I was age 13 I joined the SEA CADETS, there used to be AIR CADETS, ARMY CADETS and so on. I stayed in there until I was 16 then joined the Merchant Navy. but it was good training, kept us off the streets two nights a week and some weekends, and learned discipline. every summer we went on traing courses to various RN ships, and shore establishments. A lot of my mates wouldnt join, but I enjoyed it. To be on battle ships, Carriers , submarines, and learning to fire the old Lee Enfield 303 rifles on the ranges, and in the Dome at HMS Excellent , Whale Island was fantastic, firing the Oerlikons, Pom Poms. at attacking German planes by film on the inside of the Dome, for a lad the Cadets was a fantastic experience. We learned to sail 32 FT CUTTERS AND 27 FT WHALERS, It was financed by the RN in those days, A good supply of Sailors for the RN, but today they have to subsidise themselves.
It made us better sailors when we went to sea, we could splice, rig blocks and tackle, do all the bends and hitches etc.
It would do a lot of kids today a lot of good if they joined a Cadet force.

Here is HMS Vanguard, HMS Prince of Wales, sunk in 1942 on th coast of Malaya by Japanese bombers, her sister HMS Duke of York I did training on and HMS Dido another I did training on in Portsmouth Harbour.
Me under the 14 Inch Guns of HMS DUKE OFYORK, the same guns that sank the Scharnhorst

[pablo42]

Great pictures Captain. They don't make ships like them anymore. It must have been a great adventure in the Sea Cadets. I was in the Sea Scouts, this was for younger lads, similar to the Scouts. We used to go and visit the Warships when they came into Liverpool. It was a great experience, but we never did the things you done because of our age. Both my lads joined the cadets, one the Royal Marine cadets and one the Army cadets. They really do help to build character. Pity more lads don't go into them. Spose it's not acceptable these days for lads to use guns and learn a bit of discipline. It's a shame.
Any idea if any of them old ships are on show anywhere. The only one I know of is The Belfast in London.

[captain kong]

All those battle ships were scrapped around 1958, they were built around the 1939 - 1941.
The King George V class, Anson, Howe, Prince of Wales sunk, Duke of York and KGV The Vanguard was completed after the war and lasted a bit longer then scrapped. Dido and all her class were scrapped. we only have the Belfast left from WW2.

[pablo42]

All those battle ships were scrapped around 1958, they were built around the 1939 - 1941.
The King George V class, Anson, Howe, Prince of Wales sunk, Duke of York and KGV The Vanguard was completed after the war and lasted a bit longer then scrapped. Dido and all her class were scrapped. we only have the Belfast left from WW2.

The biggest Navy in the World and we saved one ship. Pitiful really. Shoulda had one in each of the major ports.

[wsteve55]

Wasn't the"Vanguard" the last battleship we built? You can see,what I'd think,was the American influence,in it's design! Though not around at the time,of course,I always think of the loss of the "Prince of Wales" and the "Repulse" being a particularly sad waste of life,they didn't stand a chance against those dive-bombers,and with no air cover of their own!

[captain kong]

Yes she was the last, there was going to be a Lion Class of battleship, bigger than the KGV Class45,000 ton. but only the Vanguard was completed too late for WW2 but I `think`she may have made an appearance in the Korean war shelling the land. She didnt last too long before being scrapped.
I have an idea that Doolittle? proved that battleships had no chance against airiel attack. Obviously this was proved right with the Repulse and the Prince of Wales.
The atatchments are the badges of HMS Repulse and of HMS Prince of Wales, these are kept n Saint Andrews Church in Singapore

[brian daley]

A Swordfish bi-plane is shown landing on the Illustrious,which was the first of the armoured carriers. Still in the battle mode ,we have a painting of the Japanese battleship Yamato. Theoretically she was the most potent battleship to be built up to that time. An awesome sight,she was sunk by boms in the Battle of Leyte Gulf. The Royal Navy Dreadnought ,the ship that maintained Britains mastery of the Seas in the early part of the last century,was shown at her most belligerent in this painting by William Lionel Wyllie.
I think I've got enough paintings and photo's of battle wagons to maintain a thread. Anyone interested,
BrianD

[wsteve55]

The "Yamoto", and her sister ship,the "Musashi" were some ships,at over 72,000 tons,but sunk just as easily as the "Repulse",etc, under plane attack! And yes Brian,I'd be interested in seeing your paintings,etc!

[Norm NZ]

hi Norm,
That looks a bit draughty!:cha (41):

Sure Was! Steve, You would'nd believe the antics of all the 'squaddies' when it was time to get into the hammocks, last men in did'nt stand a chance!!!:PDT_Aliboronz_11:

[wsteve55]

Sure Was! Steve, You would'nd believe the antics of all the 'squaddies' when it was time to get into the hammocks, last men in did'nt stand a chance!!!:PDT_Aliboronz_11:

Ha,Ha, pity you didn't film it! Bet the snoring didn't half echo,as well!:unibrow:

[pablo42]

A Swordfish bi-plane is shown landing on the Illustrious,which was the first of the armoured carriers. Still in the battle mode ,we have a painting of the Japanese battleship Yamato. Theoretically she was the most potent battleship to be built up to that time. An awesome sight,she was sunk by boms in the Battle of Leyte Gulf. The Royal Navy Dreadnought ,the ship that maintained Britains mastery of the Seas in the early part of the last century,was shown at her most belligerent in this painting by William Lionel Wyllie.
I think I've got enough paintings and photo's of battle wagons to maintain a thread. Anyone interested,
BrianD

Yep, start a new thread then Brian. I love those old warships. I seen a program on the Yamoto. Boy, was that a ship. Seeing pictures of her really gets your pulse racing. Pity she was on the other side. Beautiful ship all the same.

[pablo42]

Yes she was the last, there was going to be a Lion Class of battleship, bigger than the KGV Class45,000 ton. but only the Vanguard was completed too late for WW2 but I `think`she may have made an appearance in the Korean war shelling the land. She didnt last too long before being scrapped.
I have an idea that Doolittle? proved that battleships had no chance against airiel attack. Obviously this was proved right with the Repulse and the Prince of Wales.
The atatchments are the badges of HMS Repulse and of HMS Prince of Wales, these are kept n Saint Andrews Church in Singapore

True that Captain, Doolittle proved the effectiveness of air power. The powers that be though still doubted this. Hence the Replulse and Prince of Wales. What a tragedy.

[pablo42]

The "Yamoto", and her sister ship,the "Musashi" were some ships,at over 72,000 tons,but sunk just as easily as the "Repulse",etc, under plane attack! And yes Brian,I'd be interested in seeing your paintings,etc!

Steve, I've not heard of the Musashi. I thought the Yamoto was the only one of her class. Thanks, I shall find out more.

[Waterways]

Wasn't the"Vanguard" the last battleship we built? You can see,what I'd think,was the American influence,in it's design! Though not around at the time,of course,I always think of the loss of the "Prince of Wales" and the "Repulse" being a particularly sad waste of life,they didn't stand a chance against those dive-bombers,and with no air cover of their own!

They were within range of land based RAF planes. The Capt was told to go to Australia but never.

[Waterways]

True that Captain, Doolittle proved the effectiveness of air power. The powers that be though still doubted this. Hence the Replulse and Prince of Wales. What a tragedy.

It wasn't Doolittle. The British sunk Italian ships at Tarranto. The Japanese took notice. The British sunk the Bismark using planes to disable her. They may have sunk her but the Home fleet fired on the Med fleet's planes flying to see her off. They said get away the ship is ours. The Japanese took notice.

The British told the captain of the PoW and the Repulse to sail to Australia, as they knew battleships were obsolete. He never. They were sunk. The Japanese learnt fro Tarranto and attacked Pearl Harbour with planes. The attacked Ceylon with planes as well.

The British pre war idea was that carriers would be reconnaissance and to guide the battleships to the target. The US and Japan thought so as well, but a section of their navy and the IJN thought that attack aircraft on carriers was the way and designed planes for that purpose. The UK had to use US planes to make their carriers attack capable.

[Waterways]

Steve, I've not heard of the Musashi. I thought the Yamoto was the only one of her class. Thanks, I shall find out more.

She was sunk by carrier planes as well.

[pablo42]

Thanks for the info guys. What a wonderful pair of ships. To see them together must have been awe inspiring.

[captain kong]

FROM THE

DEPARTMENT OF THE NAVY -- NAVAL HISTORY AND HERITAGE COMMAND
805 KIDDER BREESE SE -- WASHINGTON NAVY YARD
WASHINGTON DC 20374-5060
Online Library of Selected Images:
-- JAPANESE NAVY SHIPS --

Yamato (Battleship, 1941-1945)
Yamato, lead ship of a class of two 65,000-ton (over 72,800-tons at full load) battleships, was built at Kure, Japan. She and her sister, Musashi were by far the largest battleships ever built, even exceeding in size and gun caliber (though not in weight of broadside) the U.S. Navy's abortive Montana class. Their nine 460mm (18.1-inch) main battery guns, which fired 1460kg (3200 pound) armor piercing shells, were the largest battleship guns ever to go to sea, and the two ships' scale of armor protection was also unsurpassed.

Commissioned in December 1941, just over a week after the start of the Pacific war, Yamato served as flagship of Combined Fleet commander Isoroku Yamamoto during the critical battles of 1942. During the following year, she spent most of her time at Truk, as part of a mobile naval force defending Japan's Centeral Pacific bases. Torpedoed by USS Skate (SS-305) in December 1943, Yamato was under repair until April 1944, during which time her anti-aircraft battery was considerably increased. She then took part in the Battle of the Philippine Sea in June and the Battle of Leyte Gulf in October. During the latter action, she was attacked several times by U.S. Navy aircraft, and fired her big guns in an engagement with U.S. escort carriers and destroyers off the island of Samar.

Yamato received comparatively light damage during the Leyte Gulf battle, and was sent home in November 1944. Fitted with additional anti-aircraft machine guns, she was based in Japan during the winter of 1944-45. Attacked by U.S. Navy carrier planes in March 1945, during raids on the Japanese home islands, she was again only lightly damaged. The following month, she was assigned to take part in the suicidal "Ten-Go" Operation, a combined air and sea effort to destroy American naval forces supporting the invasion of Okinawa. On 7 April 1945, while still some 200 miles north of Okinawa, Yamato was attacked by a massive force of U.S. carrier planes and sunk.

After the war, the great battleship became an object of intense fascination in Japan, as well as in foreign countries. Yamato's remains were located and examined in 1985 and again examined, more precisely, in 1999. She lies in two main parts in some 1000 feet of water. Her bow portion, severed from the rest of the ship in the vicinity of the second main battery turret, is upright. The midships and stern section is upside down nearby, with a large hole in the lower starboard side close to the after magazines.

[captain kong]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ljGE2HekBAg
GO ON FULL SCREEN AND SOUND

Some good films of the Musashi and Yamoto in action on UTUBE

[pablo42]

Great that Captain. What a shame to see her under attack like that. Beautiful ship.

[brian daley]

Here is a grand old lady,the Anchor Lines Columbia. Built by Hendersons of Glasgow in 1902 she served on the North Atlantic run. She was converted to an Armed Merchant Cruiser in WW1 and re-named Columbella to avoid confusion with the U.S. Navy's U.S.S. Columbia. In 1919 she reverted to her original name and carried on in the North Atlantic run until sold to Greek owners in 1926. She was renamed Morea and was broken up in Venice in 1929.
This study was was painted by the artist Douglas Napier Anderson,
BrianD

[bangorreg]

Great that Captain. What a shame to see her under attack like that. Beautiful ship.

Hi Pablo.
Quite agree with you, but thats the way of war, things will never change!
Reg.

[captain kong]

Here is a good name for a ship.
Imagine being the Lady who is launching and naming the ship.
"I name this ship, `TIGHTEN YOUR ANUS`.

I wonder who thought of that.

[pablo42]

Here is a good name for a ship.
Imagine being the Lady who is launching and naming the ship.
"I name this ship, `TIGHTEN YOUR ANUS`.

I wonder who thought of that.

Ha,probably sounded great in the naming meeting.

[bangorreg]

Here is a good name for a ship.
Imagine being the Lady who is launching and naming the ship.
"I name this ship, `TIGHTEN YOUR ANUS`.

I wonder who thought of that.

Hi My Captain
What is the first thing you do after we pee?
Answer- Titan Uranus :handclap:

Reg:)

[captain kong]

Quote:
Originally Posted by captain kong
Yesterday I saw a four hour film on Shackleton`s voyage on Endurance, from 1914 to 1917, to the Antarctic, the wreck of the ship and the long journey to get help and rescue, one of the greatest feats of survival. In March I went on a trip to the Antarctic and followed some of the trip that Shackleton did from the Weddel Sea to Elephant Island and on to South Georgia. He died there in Grytviken, 5 January 1922, on his last expedition with a heart attack before he could set off.
The photos are of Endurance being crushed by the ice, Ice bergs in the Weddel sea this year and me at Point Wild, named after one of his men, where there waited 4 months 20 days for rescue, an old photo of Grytviken in the museum there, and the grave of Shackleton in Grytviken, the small cemetery there has around twenty graves of whalers and sailors, one grave is the one man killed, an Argentino Sailor, by the Marines in the Falklands war. Interesting place.
Whenever people visit Shackleton`s grave, they have a little service ending with a tot of Rum and then the final tot is poured onto his grave. I am sure he would appreciate it.

[brian daley]

A good painting by commercial artist H. Stanley Philpott who worked for several shipping companies.
In this studyhe shows the Federal Steamship liner ,Norfolk of 1947,passing under Sydney Harbour Bridge. Also shown is the Circular Quay to Manley ferry, a real touch of nostalgia for you Ozzie coast men.
BrianD

[brian daley]

This is a study by a truly gifted artist,Colin Verity of Darwen in Lancs.
It shows the Shaw Savill and Albion lines Mataroa. She was built in 1922 by Harland & Wolff for the Aberdeen White Star Line ,when she was named Diogenes. Shaw Savill took her on longterm charter in 1926 and they subsequently bought her in 1932 when they renamed her Mataroa.She was employed as a troopsgip during the war and served Shaw Savill after the war until 1957 when she was broken up at Faslane. Now for those of you who want to know a bit more about what is what aboard ship, let's take a look at the picture. The sharp bit at the front is called the Bow, the whitework above the bow is the Foc'sle,and the deck above is the foc'sle head. The main structure in the middle of the ship is called the centre castle ,or midships. The six windows you can see in front of the funnel are the bridge windows and the little box on the wing of the bridge is the docking bridge. You can see the crows nest on the foremast,it was open and would have freezing in the North Atlantic,.
BrianD

[pablo42]

Was that for the ladies Brian? You forgot to tell them about the little boats around the edge of the ship.

[bangorreg]

Was that for the ladies Brian? You forgot to tell them about the little boats around the edge of the ship.

Pablo.
You are not thinking straight.. She was built in 1922 by Harland & Wolff for the Aberdeen White Star line,"the little boats around the edge of the ship" where put there by the Belfast lads for the "wee folke".:)
Reg.

[liverbob]

done a three and a half month trip on the old mataroa,sailed out of liverpool on the5-7-56 to aukland and back on the23-10-56,most all scouse crew,agood trip on the old tub.

[brian daley]

This is the tanker Laristan,built by Short Bros. of Sunderland in 1927 for the Hindustan Steam Shipping Co. of Common Brothers of Newcastle. In 1942 she was stranded off Tiree and was declared a total constuctive loss ,but due to the pressing need for tank shipping she was taken over by the Minisrty of War and repaired and returned to service as the Empire Gulf. She was repurchased by Common Bros.in 1945 and given her old name back. She subsequently changed hands a further three times and was broken up in Turkey in 1960.
This study was by a little known artist E.Archer,
BrianD

[pablo42]

Nice one.

[brian daley]

Here are two shots of one of my favourite liners. I never got the chance to sail on her ,I first saw her from the boat deck at Gravesend Sea School. She was being manouevred into Tilbury and the sun was full on her ,she looked beautiful,as exotic those fabled enchanted castles of yore. I saw her again in the British film comedy "The Captains Table" with John Gregson, she was the star. I saw her again in Australia ,many times and the spell was never broken. She was British ship building at its best. She came out of the Vickers Armstrong yard at Barrow in Furnessin 1954. Her vital statistic were ,28.790 gross tons, 723 foot length 90 foot beam,and her speed was 22 knots , She carried 694 first class passengers and 809 tourist class. P&O Orient lines operated her until 1973 and she was sold for scrap in 1974 .
BrianD

[captain kong]

Here are some of my paintings that I do in my spare time, they may not be as good as the real Marine Artists but they are mine.
cheers.

[brian daley]

2 VG's there Cap'n.
BrianD

[brian daley]

This painting is by the artist Charles Dixon ,who was Britains greatest marine artist. It was commisioned by the Empire Marketting Board and was called The River Mersey,the Western Gate of the Empire. It is a pity it does not hang in the Walker Art Gallery or the Maritime Museum,instead it lays somewhere in the National Archives at Kew.
BrianD

[brian daley]

Here is another study by Charles Dixon. This one is entitled The Pool Of London, Viewed from Cherry Garden Pier. You can see why London was called the Smoke,
BrianD

[pablo42]

Nice pictures Captain. You're a man of many talents.

[pablo42]

Nice one Brian, pity the Liverpool picture aint in the Maritime Museum.

[bangorreg]

Hi Brian,
You never cease to amase and overwhelm me with wonder with your ability.
Great pictures.:)
Reg.

[captain kong]

Thank you for those kind comments gentlemen.


Two Statues of famous explorers and navigators.
First one is Captain Robert Falcon Scott, famous for not returning from the South Pole, the Statue is in the gardens in Christchurch, New Zealand.

The second one is Mathew Flinders, RN. Navigator He surveyed the Australian coast. The Statue is in the garden of the Cathedral, opposite the Young and Jacksons pub and across from Flinders Street Station on Flinders Street in Melbourne. Named after him.
I took the Photos in 2007

[brian daley]

Here is another Charles Dixion painting to set the pulse racing. This a study of those two famous tea clippers ,the Cutty Sark and her great rival ,the Thermopylae. They have every sail set in their endeavour to be the first home with that seasons pick of the tea crop. I bought this picture for my Mum forty odd years ago,it was on a china plate which she treasured. Wish I had it now,
BrianD

[pablo42]

Here is another Charles Dixion painting to set the pulse racing. This a study of those two famous tea clippers ,the Cutty Sark and her great rival ,the Thermopylae. They have every sail set in their endeavour to be the first home with that seasons pick of the tea crop. I bought this picture for my Mum forty odd years ago,it was on a china plate which she treasured. Wish I had it now,
BrianD

Was it that close Brian? Was it like the wine run today.

[brian daley]

1870-1878: The China Tea Years
Hi Pablo, a lot of myths surround the rivalry between the two great China tea clippers , below is an account the tea "races" ,you will see how the reality differs from the sailors yarns ..................................................

On 16th February 1870, Cutty Sark left London bound for Shanghai, via the Cape of Good Hope, on her first voyage. Commanded by Captain George Moodie, she carried "large amounts of wine, spirits and beer? (Captain?s abstract log). The arrival of the ship at Shanghai, with ?manufactured goods?, is listed in The North China Herald of 2nd June 1870. Departing with around 1,450 tons of tea on 25th June, she arrived back in London on 13th October 1870.

This is the first of 8 voyages the ship successfully made to China in pursuit of tea. However, Cutty Sark never became the fastest ship on the tea trade. Dogged by bad winds and misfortune, she never lived up to the high expectations of her owner during these years. The closest the ship came to winning the tea race was in 1872, when she had the opportunity to race the Thermopylae head-to-head for the first time.

After arriving at Shanghai in late May 1872, she met the Thermopylae when loading her tea cargo. With both sailing from Woosung on 17th June 1872, the two ships closely matched each other through the China Sea and into the Indian Ocean. By 7th August, and with a good tail wind, Cutty Sark found herself a good 400 miles ahead of the Thermopylae. On 15th August, disaster struck when Cutty Sark?s rudder gives way. After reconstructing the rudder twice in heavy seas, the ship arrived back at London on 19th October, around 7 days after her rival. The courage and determination of Captain Moodie and his crew won Cutty Sark great credit, but Moodie retired from his command of the ship due to stress and the ship was never to get this close to winning the tea race again.
I hope this gives you the full picture,
BrianD