First Trip
by Published on 25th July 2019 06:46 AM
Thirlby.jpg
I’m absolutely sure that we all remember our first trip.
This is my story.
1973, finished Engineering apprenticeship wrote off to different shipping companies (there was plenty to choose from) received an interview from Ropner Mangement in Darlington.
Turned up at the interview, the guy asked me a few rudimentary engineering questions, then offered me a position Junior Engineer and a ship MT Thirlby.
Absolutely gob smacked, flying out to the Persian Gulf in a matter of weeks.
Couple of weeks later (get this) a telegram arrives, “JOIN CREW MATES AT HEATROW I was only 20.. STOP. FLY TO KUWAIT . STOP. TRAVEL WARRANT TO FOLLOW STOP.
“Heathrow, Kuwait, (different planet)
Arrived in Abadan after travelling 24hrs. MT Thirlby registered in Hartlepool (bit of a rust bucket 30,000 tons) is ready to leave Abadan (where?) for somewhere else at dawn.
2nd Engineer had to drag me into the Engine Room, boy was it hot, ship had no proper cold tap!
The ships engine was the size of a semi-detched house, a Doxford.
Day two all stop, top piston nuts need tightening, so myself and Ernie (from Manchester, sat next to me on the flight out) stars to tighten the top nut, sledge hammer job, everything is roasting, can’t touch metal with bare hands.
Ernie keels over from heat stroke, despite everyone’s best efforts Ernie never regains consciousness.
Ernie was buried at sea at 4-00pm the same day, a sack cart carrying the body, chains around neck waist, knees and ankles.
I paid off in Falmouth five months later £3,300 richer, oh yes and a hell of a lot wiser.
Tim Parr