UCL Fleet and more!

[Doc Vernon]

To all ex Union Castle Line Employers!
Just thought that this bit of info on their Fleet may be of interest!
There are also a few other Links at bottom of page!
These too are interesting,i must say there are about 6 Ships (one in particular being the Polglass Castle) on the list that i had not heard of! What about others! Did you know of them all!?
Cheers

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Union-Castle_Line

[happy daze john in oz]

There are a number of UCL sites out there Vernon often from where I get my information and yes tere are a number of ships that many have not heard of. One site gives senior crew names and dates of sailings.

[Doc Vernon]

Hi John
Yes i have been trawling the Net a bit today,and came across some good ones! aMAZING JUST HOW MANY THERE ARE!
That one of the Sailings and Crew came up too!
Thanks for the reply!
Cheers

[Graham Payne]

Not sure but I think "Union Castle Line" owned the "St Thomas" an old South American Saint line ship, the reason I think this, I saw the Bosun of the St Thomas in a Cape Town bar ( Del Monicoes ? ) he was then the Bosun of a NEW cargo ship "CAPETOWN CASTLE" ?? which sunk shortly afterwards, circa '60's ?
Any info on how good my memory is ? ( would be much appreciated as it's not as good as it was )

[happy daze john in oz]

Graham mate having heard it in Delmonicos means it may just be a 'glass story'. There have been a number fo ships with Castle in the name that did not belong to UCL. The only Capetwon Castle I ever saw was the liner that had the engine explosion off Las palmas.

[Doc Vernon]

Hello Graham
Must agree with John on this,as i have never haerd of a ship belonging to the UCL called St Thomas!
But i could be incorrect on this!
The Cape Town Castle was as said a Passenger Ship,and also never heard of one that was an actual Cargo one?? Again i stand corrected!
But as John says and so true there were so many Yarns told in that Del Monico,who the H--- would believe any of it haha!
But bleedin good times had there i must say!
Even if we did at times get chucked out by the scruff of our Necks ! LOL
Cheers

The only Ships bythat name details as follows!

GSN Number Result:20080386
GSNNameYear BuiltTonnageTypeBuilt atFate YearFateLR/IMO
NumberOfficial NumberRemarks20080386ST THOMAS19486855 cargolinerSunderland1978Scrapped-162154
Later Identities:
Change YearNameTonnageTypeRemarks1965YOCHOW6861 1965/ex St Thomas1971LUCKY FOUR6861 1971/ex St Thomas


GSN Number Result:20033406
GSNNameYear BuiltTonnageTypeBuilt atFate YearFateLR/IMO
NumberOfficial NumberRemarks20033406GARONNE195924513 tankerNewcastle1976Scrapped5126380301034
Later Identities:
Change YearNameTonnageTypeRemarks1973ST THOMAS24097 1973/ex Garonne

[Michael Rossouw]

The only two new cargo ships in the Union Castle fleet vere the Southampton Castle & the Goodhope Castle both looked alike and both were great ships ,I did three trips on the Goodhope Castle

[Chris Isaac]

Ref Memory!! By Castleman

In 1962 British & Commonwealth (of which UC was part) took over the Management of South American Saint Line in much the same way as they managed Bowater ships.
The four ships were St John, St Essylt, St Thomas and St Rosario.
My first ship was St John as a cadet and I spent two great years on her.
All interest in SASL was removed when the ships were sold in 1965.

There was only one Capetown Castle and she did not sink but finally went to the breakers in 1967. I sailed as Jnr 4th Officer on her in 66 when she was the last UC ship to arrive in Southampton for the strike.
She suffered a very bad engine room explosion in Las Palmas and several engineers were killed.

[vic mcclymont]

In 1962 British & Commonwealth (of which UC was part) took over the Management of South American Saint Line in much the same way as they managed Bowater ships.
.

I think you will find that B&C did not manage any ships and neither did it own any, B&C was a holding company for the multitude of companies within the group.
Cayzer Irvine managed the Bowater ships and King Line managed the remains of the South American Saint Line
until all of their ships had been disposed of, management period was from 1962 until 1965.
Not long after the merger with Clan & U-C, King line was appointed the shipping group company charterers and disposal company for the various group shipping companies.

[Chris Isaac]

You win the annual Pedant of The Year Award