Ships gallery

The Steam Tug Kerne Preservation Society Ltd web site www.tugkerne.co.uk
On their site are many steam ships to read about complete with photos and sometimes sound effects. Very interesting.

This is the North shields wooden paddle trawler Electric SN1394,she was built in 1883 as a tug but,like many of her kind was converted for fishing and was so employed until superceded by purpose built screw trawlers.clearly visible as she enters the Tyne, are the towing bow on her after decks and,amidships,the derrick and the samson post fitted for the handling of trawl nets.
The Electric reverted to towage in 1893 and is recorded as having ventured out 100 mile in the North sea on a rescue mission as late as 1912.
This study was by John Davison Liddell ,a painter of inshore and riverine subjects,mainly on Tyneside,
BrianD

And here we have a late arrival,the Massilia. She was built in 1884 by Caird & Co. of Greenock for the Australian and Far Esatern service of the Peninsular and Oriental Steam Navigation Co., her name reflecting the ancient Greek for Marseilles. This was an important port of call for the P.& O ships for it was where they made connection with French railway system and could pick up mail which had travelled overnight from the U.K.,conversely she could drop mail for England which would reach England a week before the ship..
The artist,J.W .Fellowes has shown her with the P & O houseflag on her main mast and the signal flags B.N.C.I.,which, in the Commercial Code of Signals then in force, proclaimed her destination as Sydney,
BrianD

Here is another work by Charles Dixon,this was commissioned by Holland America Line and shows the Vollendam sailing away from Holland,hope you like it,
BrianD

Great pictures Brian.

I took these shots back in the late eighties when we were doing a Greek Island cruise. The sail boat was timeless in its design,it could have been at sea any time in the last thousand years; the ferry,so sleek ,looks like a blade cutting through silk. These were the wine dark seas that Homer wrote of,intoxicating in their beauty, BrianD

Nice one Brian.

Looks like the Greek ferry could do with some paint...:)

This was the scene at the docks in Piraeus as we went to join our cruise,it was January and the sun was just rising in the east giving us a moody view of the harbour,wish I was there now,
BrianD

Nice photo Brian. I got some of photos of Piraeus Harbour, I'll root them out.

What was the cruise Ship Brian?

Hi Brian
The Aegean Glory, it was not an overnight job,just a trip for the day. It was lovely ,when we got back to Athens( we were stopping at the Hilton)we spent the night up the Little Acropolis and got a good look at the city. Only had a week there,I was on business,promised ourselves we would go back someday,never have,
BrianD

This is another of Charles Dixons paintings and it shows a beautiful old cargo /passenger liner ,the City Of Rome,outward bound from New York. She looks so gracious, almost like a royal yacht,
BrianD

Here is a photo of the Gas Loading port of Doha in Qatar, where the worlds largest gas field is. It just arrived in the shareholder magazine of Exxon. last time I was there it was just sand and one pipeline to load oil.
My step son in law is working there, four weeks on four weeks off.
There are a few very large Liquid Gas tankers, a couple of Maerk containor ships and two bulk carriers.

I bet there is not one British Seafarer on any of those ships.

Hi Brian
It looks extremely busy,would'nt like to work on them though,you'd never really see the world and they are not like those cargo boat that we started out on,
BrianD

Here are some ships that I saw when I was in Malta 16 years ago, the first is a Radisson sailing liner,cost an arm and a leg to cruise on her,she looked beautiful under full sail.
The second ship is the M.V. Doulos,built in 1910 and still sailing in the 21st,the 2007 Guinness book of records ranked her as the oldest working passenger liner in the world.
The ketch in the third picture was built for the Royal Navy in 1942 and now earns a living giving cruises around the island,very relaxing !
And then there is the Gozo ferry, a lovely old boat going to a beautiful island. Would recommend a holiday on Malta to anyone,the place is so rich in history,
BrianD

I will now post a series of fishing boats,some people would call the men who sailed in the "real" sailors because of the harsh conditions they endured. The first one up is a Buckie steam drifter Rochome BCK62,built in Middlesborough in 1910 and typical of hundres of such vessels from ports on Britains east coast which engaged in the North Sea herring fishery in the early part of the 20 th century.
This study was by Peter frederick Anson,a marine artist,author and sociologist of the fishing community and co-founder of the Apostleship of the Sea.
BrianD

The Steam Trawler `VIOLA` was built in Beverley on the Humber in 1906 for Hellyar and sailed for them until being sold to the Norwegians after WW1. She was renamed `KAPDUEN`and converted to a whale catcher. In 1927 she was sold to Argentina and renamed `DIAZ`and used as a Sealer out of Grytviken in South Georgia.
She lay in Grytviken for many years half sunk. she was recently pumped out and hauled up the beach alongside another sealer, the Albatros.
Efforts to salvage her and return her to the Humber have been going on a while now. I met the team last year when I was there.
The ship model is on show in the Museum in Grytviken.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Almost 100 years to the day that Viola sailed on her first
voyage from Hull, her bell was located on a farm near
Sandefjord. Robb Robinson, who is planning to bring Dias back
to Hull, has been able to buy the bell for Hull Maritime Museum.

The wooden steam drifter GIRL EVA YH346 is shown here entering Gorleston Harbour, was built at Oulton Broad in 1913 for Messrs. J. Pitcher Jnr.& Rogers of Yarmouth. In 1915 she was hired by the Admiralty for war purposes and on 2nd. of October the following year was destroyed by a mine off the Elbow Life Buoy. This study was by the Yarmouth artist Kenneth luck who produced many such paintingg of fishing boats of every description.
BrianD

For all those who sailed through the Suez Canal in the old days, here are a few photos of it now.
There is a giant bridge half way through, built by the Japanese, going right over the Canal. in the old days there was a swing bridge at El Firdan, that is still there on the photo. one shows the Farouk By Pass, its name has been changed since the revolution in the 50s.
and the WAR MEMORIAL is still there, two columns . I sailed through the Canal for the first time since the 1960s about four years ago on the Portugese ship, `FUNCHAL` on my way home from Freemantle with Joe Finnegan, a Liverpool lad I sailed with on the Empress of Scotland in 1955 and on the Franconia in 1956. The last photo is a suction dredger keeping the Canal deeper and wider.
The third photo is at Ismalia where in the old days we could see British Army ladies swimming on that point and lusty shouting at them. El Firdan Bridge is the fourth photo. Last time I saw that an Onassis `Olympic` Tanker was impaled upon it. The first photo is at the junction or the By Pass for south bound ships, we were north bound at the time.

That took us back a bit Brian,do you remember those gigantic American earth movers that "walked". Are they still there?. Good pictures mate
BrianD

Sailed through Suez many times but being an engineer I was always down below and didn't see that much of it.

The iron steam trawlerMorning Star SH61 ,built in Aberdeen in 1900 for the comprehensively named Scaboro, Hartlepool & North Sea Fishing Company of Scarborough.
The painting was by Alexander Harwood a fish porter,,or lumper ,on the fish dock at Aberdeen. He painted portraits of a great many fishing boats and ,as we can see, he was a very competent painter.
BrianD

Nice one Brian.

Hi Brian,
I looked for those Walking earth movers but didnt see any. It was amazing seeing those giant machines walking and that was 50 years ago.

Hello everyone,
I've just registered with the site and I must thank you for the photos and comments that you have put up for our entertainment and education. The photos are of a very high quality and the paintings enhance the moment with the imagination of the artist.
Really enjoyed it.

BTW! I sailed with a Brian Daley on the Media in 1958. Wouldn't be you would it Brian?

oddsocks

Hi Oddsocks, he could be one of my cousins.I've never met him but I met his dad who my Dads cousin and he kind of adopted me when I was on the Empress of Britain. He was chief engine room storekeeper and he heard that my name was mentioned in a bar in Tenerife. He came over and asked if I was put up to pulling a prank because Brian Daley was the name of his son. I showed him my I.D. and he was stunned ,I had the same three forenames as his lad ( good catholics ) Brian William Gerard Daley. He knew we had to be related and we swapped names of Grandparents and ,yes, I was of the same tribe. He introduced to the chef and the baker who were in the bar too and ,from that moment on I was served up passengers meals and the finest of TabNabs. One night the chef gave me a full tray of Lobster Thermidor which I shared out among the deck crowd. What a memory you triggered there mate,thanks.
BrianD

The Banff steam drifter Handy BF 1263,was built in Southtown, Great Yarmouth,in 1903,hauling in her heavy nets.
The painting was by Alexander Harwood,who was a "lumper" or porter on the fish dock in Aberdeen,he served in WW1 on a trawler which was converted for minesweeping./
BrianD

I was on the Media in the 50s, I will find my Book and find the date.

I am off to Fleetwood on Wednesday and get some good photos of a trawler, Jacinta, the best record breaking trawler Britain ever had £248,000 in one catch. she is a Museum ship now stopped by the EU while the EU trawlers fish outside of Fleetwood in the Irish Sea.

Hi Oddsocks here is a story of the Media I was on her in 556/56, There are many stries like this on the "SHIPS AND THE SEA" thread.
Cheers
Brian

MEDIA, CUNARD LINE


CUNARD`S MEDIA
built by John Brown Clydebank,
Yard No 629
Engines by shipbuilder

Last Name: LAVIA
Previous Names: 1947-61 MEDIA / 61-82 FLAVIA / 82-86 FLAVIAN / 86-89 LAVIA
Port of Registry: Liverpool
Propulsion: 4 team turbines dr geared to 2 sc shafts 15000shp 18 knots / 2 x Water Tube Boilers supplying steam at max pressure 450lbs (430lbs Superheated)
Launched: Thursday, 12 December 1946
Built: 1947
Ship Type: Passenger Vessel
Tonnage: 13345 grt now 15465 grt
Length: 531 feet now 556 feet 0
Breadth: 70 feet 4
Draught: 30 feet 2
Owner History:
1947-61 Cunard Steamship Co Ltd Liverpool
61-68 Cia Genovese Di Arm SPA Italy
68-82 Costa Line Italy
82-86 Flavian Shipping S.A PA
86-89 Lavia Shipping S.A PA
Status: Scrapped - 1989
Gutted by fire at Hong Kong 07/01/1989 while undergoing renovation. Towed to shallow water where she heeled over onto her side on a sandbank. She was righted and towed to Kaohsiung, Taiwan, arriving 17/06/1989 for demolition.




I sailed on Cunard`s `MEDIA` in December 1955 to January 1956. I didnt intend to, the Western Ocean in Winter is atrocious, but a crowd of us had just paid off the GEORGIC after taking her to the breakers and we were having a bevie in `Tom Halls` at the back of the Cunard building and someone came in and shouted `The MEDIA` wants a crowd signing on in the Cunard Building.`
So somehow I was swept along in the rush as someone else said she was a good job. When I sobered up I found I was signed on and due to sail the following day for New York. I also discovered that I had signed on as a Quartermaster, well that would keep me out of the weather on deck.
We sailed bound for New York and it was blowing a gale and sleet. on the way across I have never seen before or since seas as big as that trip. She was climbing verticle upwards and on top of the huge swells it was terrifying looking down the deep valleys then falling 70 or eighty feet and the next mountain of sea waiting to smash her under shaking like a dog out of water as seas cascaded off the fore deck. Very difficult to sleep when you float off the mattress weightless and then fall and the mattress wraps itself around you. By the time we got to New York we were knackered. We had Christmas at sea but we were getting smashed around so much it was a no no. All the big plate class windows on the Prom Deck for the lounges and restaraunts smashed due to the ship twisting like a cork screw, We had no passengers on board that trip and we were one of the few ships at that time to have Stabilizers fitted but we never used them, the Captain said it costs a lot more in fuel with the drag. There was a Pig on board but it didnt get used much, the ale was being spilled all over. I was glad when we got into the Market Diner in New York.
Up on Broadway at night time it was very glitzy, bright as a sunny day with all the lights, Santas, ringing bells everywhere collecting for charity. snow flakes falling, a whole technicolour world. No contest with Liverpool`s dull and gloomy atmosphere, pubs shut at 10pm and surrounded by all the bomb sites around town. New York was a good place to buy the winter gear, thick wool Tartan three quarter length jackets, shirts and hats with ear mufflers on, gloves and scarves, it was freezing and we needed to have this gear.
We had New Years Eve on Broadway and Times Square, fantastic, I have never ever been kissed by as many women in all my life, some pretty ones, Ugly ones, fat ones, thin ones and some of doubtful gendre, ugh, spit. but a great time was had by all until the early hours.
When the Long Shoremen were working cargo , they sometimes called us over, "Hey what size shoes you wear?" I would say tens, `OK here try these` and give us a pair of export shoes, It was so bad over the years that they started to export shoes by shipping all the left shoes on the Media and all the right shoes on the Parthia.
On the 2nd of January we were sailing and the Hudson was frozen over, the temperature had gone down to 28 degrees below freezing, The Captain tried always to get her off the pier, going ahead and astern , the ice was holding her fast. so Ice breakers were called for and they smashed their way through and got us out, jeez, it really was cold, and so we went to Norfolk Virginia to load a cargo of Tobacco, we did`nt go ashore there. A week before some Royal Navy ships had paid a visit there to the US Navy base and as always when the RN and US navy get together there is always a big battle, some men were killed and many injured so feelings ashore were a bit tense so we were advised not to go ashore.
We completed loading in a couple of days and made our way back across a wild Western Ocean to Liverpool. where I paid off and caught up with the leave I should have had off the GEORGIC.

7A
The MEDIA was a cargo passenger ship. she carried 250 first class passengers, six hatches and 20 derricks.
The ship was built for the Cunard as a cargo-passenger liner in 1947.
In 1961 traffic across the Western Ocean was getting a bit thin so she was sold to Codegar Line of Italy and rebuilt as the Europe-Australia emigrant ship Flavia. In 1968 she was chartered to Costa Line, who refitted her as a cruise ship. She operated Caribbean cruises from Miami, and was so successful, Costa bought her in 1969. Her engines became troublesome, so she was sold in 1982. She was sold to Hong Kong based C.Y. Tung Group. Her name was changed to Flavian and was to commence cruising locally. Instead, she was laid up for four years and was sold in 1986 to another Hong Kong shipping company, Virtue Shipping, who changed her name to Lavia. She remained laid up at anchor near Landau Island.
On January 7, 1989, but neglected Lavia caught fire. She was completely gutted and her hulk was sold to
Taiwanese shipbreakers.

Thanks for that Brian.

The Media was my first ship and with it being a terrible weather ship, I had to find my sea legs pretty quick.
The Media and Parthia trips to New York took 3 weeks: 2 week at sea, 1 week in New York (more often than not in Hoboken). Got know the city pretty well with travelling by bus.
During my period on it there were several incidents that stand out. One was a waiter named John Pascoe who got crushed in the watertight doors. Sadly he died. I remember with clarity watching Frank Dickens the Head Waiter holding him during his final minutes. On another occasion an American sub ' USS Swordfish' (I think) surfaced in front of us in mid Atlantic. Only the sharp reaction by the bridge with a violent swerve to Port saved us from another maritime disaster. Never saw Treasure-Jones move so fast.

A good ship and I have fond memories of it.

When the Long Shoremen were working cargo , they sometimes called us over, "Hey what size shoes you wear?" I would say tens, `OK here try these` and give us a pair of export shoes, It was so bad over the years that they started to export shoes by shipping all the left shoes on the Media and all the right shoes on the Parthia.

That sounds just like Liverpool Docks.

When I worked one summer at BAT, the shipping guys talked about a percentage added to all shipments (1 or 2% IIRC) that went through Liverpool Docks for "slippage".

I also had a summer job working for Securicor, and one assignment was watching three dockers unload boxes of canned pineapples. The boss said as long as I could see all three nothing was getting lifted...:)

The jobs were in the 66-67 era...

The New York dockers, [ Longshoremen ] were very similar to the Liverpool dockers, in fact there were quite a few Liverpool fellas working on the docks in New York. A lot of cargo did in fact disapear. The whisky was the most cargo that disapear. A case would be dropped heavily, smashing the bottles inside and then it was stood at an angle over a bucket until it drained through the cardboard case filtering the broken glass. then at the end of a shift they were all totally legless, we had to lower a cargo net down the Hold and stow the dockers in then lift them up and land them on the quay. One of the reasons for Containerisation.
Cheers
Brian

The wooden steam drifter Arimathea LT 1084; built Lowestoft in 1907. She is displaying both on her funnel and her mainmast the emblem of the Bethel, or Seamens Chapel, which might be worn only on vessels whose Skippers pledged not to fish on the Sabbath.
The painting was by Ernest George Tench, a "pier head " painter who did many portraits who chronicled many of the North Sea vessels in the early part of the 20th century,
BrianD

Hi Liverbob, You mention ships books.I am searching for a book "Fishermen in War Time, by Walter Wood. Mainly about Minesweepers and Drifters in WW1. About fortnight ago I found out my Paternal Grandad was in the R.N.R. Skipper Alfred Edward Berry and he had been awarded a D.S.C on a Hired Trawler "Frascati" in the Dardenelles. Then sailed on two other Hired Trawlers "Electra" and "Sestrosis" . Was promoted in the R.N.R. to Chief Skipper on an Admiralty Trawler "James Pond". Wondering if you have or know of this book or any photos of the Trawlers Best Regards Keen Berry

Hi Ken
I found this on the very interesting site, on Google.
R.N.R TRAWLER SERVICE - Great War Forum

Skipper Bennett ably assisted Chief Skipper Berry of H.M.A. Trawler James Pond in his efforts to save the vessel after she had been heaviy ...
1914-1918.invisionzone.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=104534 - Cached
Chief Skipper Alfred Edward Berry DSC and Bar‎ - 4 posts - 25 Mar 2010
hmht escallonia‎ - 16 posts - 28 Jul 2008
H.M. Trawler "Voilet May"‎ - 17 posts - 8 Jul 2007
More results from 1914-1918.invisionzone.com »

is this your Grandad???
the Admiralty Trawler James Pond was...................

JAMES POND, Admiralty trawler, lost February 15, 1918, British Isles

Raid by Destroyers on vessels of Folkestone-Grisnez Patrol 14-15.02.18 DSC
Displayed the utmost courage and devotion to duty on this occasion.
Skipper Bennett ably assisted Chief Skipper Berry of H.M.A. Trawler James Pond in his efforts to save the vessel after she had been heaviy shelled and set on fire. Attempts were made to put out the fire, and to get the ammunition from below, but both efforts failed, and finally the ship was abandoned, the boat being successfully launched in spite of the fact that the falls had been destroyed by the shelling. The crew got away in her and succeeded in in effecting a landing on the French Coast where they received every attention form the French authorities.

Hi to All the Guys on the Forum who have helped me in the past.Especially with My maternal Grandad Lunty.Thomas Edward Lunt WW1
Torpedeod on the S.S.Sagamore.Have just found out where he is buried,Anfield Cemetry and not more than 1/2 a mile away from my Paternal Grandad. Master Alfred Edward Berry on rhe Alex.Towing Co.Tug "Waterloo" 1911 census. She went to Swansea as it was staring to become and important Port.Think Alexander Towing wanted some of the action there. So 1912 the "Waterloo" sailed to Swansea and was renamed the "Mumbles" after the rocks around the coast of Swansea. Have found some beaut photos of the "Waterloo" and the "Mumbles". One of the photos of the "Mumbles" she is lying in a Ship Breakers Yard propped up and looks like she is almost ready to fire up and resume her normal job. Believe it or not taken in 1956. I am trying to find out if A.E.B. delivered her to Swansea and stayed on her for a while.Then I remembered before WW2 he used to tell me how he enjoyed the Trawlers and on good weather days in the Irish Sea or the Channel and see the Sunsets and Sun Rises off the Irish and English Coast. For some reason one of the burnt out memory cells started to work and I remembered he had said something about Mine Sweepers. So I started to see what I could find. I got some great help from some of your cousins on another site as well. He was Skipper Alfred Edward Berry R.N.R. in the Dardenelles on a hired Trawler "Frascati" and was awarded a D.S.C for helping the evacuation of the Troops. Then found he was on 2 more hired Trawlers "Electra" and "Sestrosis" about 1916-17 he was promoted to Chief Skipper and boarded The Admiralty Trawler "James Pond". She was escorting 5 drifters trying to net a U-boat that was in the area. Several German Destroyers came out of Zeebruge and Sank the 5 drifters and the "James Pond" he was awarded a D.S.C again for Courage in saving most of his crew and recommended as a very Potential Officer Material. Hoping to find out more from N/A at Kew. He and I were the best of mates and recall from about 4-5 years old he used to give me a kiss. Before going to the "Bramley Moore" Tug. I used to laugh because his Walrus moustache used to tickle me. As I got older, always saw him off to his beloved Tug right up to the end of WW2 when he retired at 76.Still had another 10 years to go. He was happy I went deep sea even as an Engineer same as "Lunty".I have searched for the trawlers but no luck and also the S.S.British Transport" which rammed and sank the U-49 which had torpedoed the Sagamore. If any one can help would be most appreciated. The Thumbnail Pictures are great a lot of work,but am enjoying looking at them all again and again.Best Regards to One and All Ken B

Captain Kong, Don't know what to say "'A Big Thank You" is very much warranted. I just sent my email and had a look at it and then started to scroll up and have another look at pprevious emails and here's your email with everything, about "Pa" as I called him. Its amazing as he never ever mentioned any other thing except for the Sunrises and Sunsets. Mum and Dad were the same they never said a thing about his experiences. Pa had that South African newspaper cuttung about "Lunty" and how he had managed to keep the other 6 survivors going. And I was to always remember him as a good guy but because of losing his legs just below the knees it changed him.
Thanks again Captain Kong "they say big boys don't cry" there a bit of Mersey Mist around here at the moment God Bless and Best Regards Ken B

Thanks for that Ken,
You must be proud to have a Seafaring Hero in the family. A double DSC as well. brave lad. some of us only managed a double DR.
I was in Wellington two years ago and got stuck in the Thistle.
Cheers
Brian.

Hi Ken I found an old photo of SAGAMORE. IS THIS THE ONE??

Also a picture of a WW1 Trawler full of troops. is this the Flascati ??