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Article: First Trip

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    First Trip

    31 Comments by Tim Parr 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

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  3. #2
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    Default Re: First Trip

    Re # 1.

    I am absolutely sure that before I was allowed to apply to shipping companies for employment as an engineer, I had to obtain a Pre-Sea Grading Certificate. To get this, I had to attend an interview at the Leith Merchant Navy Establishment. I was introduced to this gent (usually a retired engineering superintendent) who started to peruse my apprenticeship papers. Whilst doing this he asked me if there were any turbines in the mill, I said there was a water turbine and I was asked to draw a rough sketch of such. Unfortunately for me, the office girl who had typed my papers had made a mistake, which resulted in me having to go back to see him in a fortnight. After perusing my corrected apprenticeship papers and asking me to sketch a steam slide valve, he issued me a 2nd Class Pre-Sea Grading Certificate, which meant I then could apply to any shipping company for employment as an engineer.

    Regards from,
    Fouro.

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    Default Re: First Trip

    Quote Originally Posted by Fouro View Post
    Re # 1.

    I am absolutely sure that before I was allowed to apply to shipping companies for employment as an engineer, I had to obtain a Pre-Sea Grading Certificate.

    Regards from,
    Fouro.
    they would also issue you with a requirement of how much sea time you had to do before you could sit your ticket.
    Last edited by Doc Vernon; 25th July 2019 at 10:14 PM.

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    Default Re: First Trip

    Just thought I would have a look at my Pre-Sea Grading Certificate which I aquired 63 years ago.
    I would mention a grade II (two) cert was the highest grade one could get without having a university degree.
    On the reverse side of the certificate it states that grade II applicants may be granted a remission of sea service not exceeding 3 months by virtue of his workshop service.
    I don't supose many of these certificates exist any more.

    Regards from,
    Fouro.

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    Default Re: First Trip

    Hi Tim.
    After spending quite a few years to and from the Gulf I can sympathize with you, at least I got used to it sailing down the Red Sea before going up the Gulf. On one trip we where in Kuwait when about 8 seamen including a captain of various ships there died of heat exhaustion.
    Des

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    Default Re: First Trip

    Quote Originally Posted by Des Taff Jenkins View Post
    Hi Tim.
    After spending quite a few years to and from the Gulf I can sympathize with you, at least I got used to it sailing down the Red Sea before going up the Gulf. On one trip we where in Kuwait when about 8 seamen including a captain of various ships there died of heat exhaustion.
    Des

    Des we had similar situation on the Paparoa going across the Indian ocean.
    No deaths but many of the crew very sick due to heat exhaustion and only two pints of freshwater per day.
    As we know shipping companies had one objective, profit at any cost, even human life it would appear.
    Happy daze John in Oz.

    Life is too short to blend in.

    John Strange R737787
    World Traveller

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    Default Re: First Trip

    Clan line ship left the UK with a new first trip of junior engineer , south of Las Palmas he started the glow red I and become very ill whatever it was was beyond the old man and the chief steward so they kept him in his bunk wet towels couple of fans and the other two others did his watches it turned out that he had some problems effectively having no sweat glands and his body was unable to control it temperature. Fine in Manchester where it came from but not good in the tropics. Kept him alive still keep down and pay them off and send him home on a mail boat that was air conditioned
    Rob Page R855150 - British & Commonwealth Shipping ( 1965 - 1973 ) Gulf Oil -( 1973 - 1975 ) Sealink ( 1975 - 1986 )

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    Default Re: First Trip

    On The `GEORGIC,` we had 3,000 immigrants from Liverpool to Australia, in 1955.
    In the Red Sea in June, five little children died of the heat and we had to sew them up and bury them, very sad, Parents taking them for a new life in OZ,
    No A/C in those days.
    Next Voyage we went to OZ Via the Cape as it was cooler.

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    The Normandie built in 1936 have air conditioning. I believe they were rotary compressors.
    Rob Page R855150 - British & Commonwealth Shipping ( 1965 - 1973 ) Gulf Oil -( 1973 - 1975 ) Sealink ( 1975 - 1986 )

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    Default Re: First Trip

    Hi Tim, joined the NZ Shipping Company in1965, my local doctor did the medical, no exam oral or written and no knowledge for the job at hand. Never packed a valve or kept a watch and, as a junior engineer , was a handicap to the rest of my fellow engineers. Most of them were supportive but there was one, 3rd, who always had a criticism of everything I did right up until I left the ship 7 moths later.
    Pleased I never bumped into him again
    Regards
    Jim

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