Bankline

[James Curry]

Was this ship Anvil Point 1.jpg not manned by Bankline when she came into service 19 years ago? She was chartered by the MOD and is now manned by Foreland shipping.

[Jim R Christie]

Was this ship Anvil Point 1.jpg not manned by Bankline when she came into service 19 years ago? She was chartered by the MOD and is now manned by Foreland shipping.

James,
She was (and is) operated by Foreland Shipping.
That company was specially setup to operate these 6 ships on behalf of the MOD and was made up of four equal partners: Andrew Weir Shipping (parent of Bank Line), Bibby Line, Hadley Steamship Co and James Fishers. It was initially known as AWSR (Andrew Weir Strategic Ro-Ro) but the name was changed after a few years to reflect the actual ownership of the ships.
Andrew Weir's undertook the technical management of the ships whilst Bibby Line managed the crewing side, the other two companies were silent partners.
Circa 2013 Bibby Line and James Fishers sold their shares to Hadley Steamship.
Andrew Weirs continued to manage the ships with Bibby supplied crews. A couple of years later AWS was dissolved and reborn as AW Shipmanagement after a management buyout which was financially supported by Hadleys.
Hadley Steamship now own Foreland Shipping outright. AW Shipmanagement now manage the ships and the crews themselves.

These ships appeared around the same time that Bank Line, UBC and MacAndrews were being slimmed down with ships being sold off, therefore a number of Weirs staff transferred across to these ships as they were built.
At the same time Cable & Wireless, P&O Containers, Maersk and Mobil also laid off large numbers of seamen, many of whom joined the new Foreland operation (all crew are British). A number of ex RFA people came across too who were either fed up with all things Grey Funnel or they sought quicker promotion than was available with RFA.
The original funnel colours for these ships was basically a Bank Line funnel with a green band and a logo imposed upon it.

I sailed in all six of this class of ship in their earlier years. Interesting work with some very sociable crowds, albeit they were dreadful seaboats.
Four ships were built in Germany, whilst the final two were built in Belfast and were the last ships ever built by Harland and Wolff - this being a political sop.

[John Palmer]

Very touching, Des.

I’ve carried this one with me for very many years…

OUTWARD BOUND.

Outward bound, across the sea, leaving behind a memory
of blonde hair, blue eyes and smiling lips…….
Which became more to me
than a thousand ships. (Anon).

[Des Taff Jenkins]

Hi John P.
There is some poetry in all of us f we care to look.
Cheers Des

[H McKnight]

Dear Doug,

I wonder if you knew my Dad Harry McKnight who worked on the Banks Line as ship's mechanic during the 1960's? I have a photo of a "2nd lecky crossing the line" and also a certificate (see below).

I can upload the photo if it rings any bells. My Dad loved his seafaring days and had lots of interesting tales. Did you know my Dad or his twin brother Graham at all? Both were born in 1946 and ran away to sea when they were 16 and worked on the banks lines until the early 1970's.
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[H McKnight]

Dear Doug,

I wonder if you knew my Dad Harry McKnight who worked on the Banks Line as ship's mechanic during the 1960's? I have a photo of a "2nd lecky crossing the line" and also a certificate (see below).

I can upload the photo if it rings any bells. My Dad loved his seafaring days and had lots of interesting tales. Did you know my Dad or his twin brother Graham at all? Both were born in 1946 and ran away to sea when they were 16 and worked on the banks lines until the early 1970's.

[j.sabourn]

Better known as Andrew Weirs and had the reputation of the longest trips for tramp ships . 2 year Articles often lived up to its promises of 2 years trips, Knew a few who sailed on such, but not your Dad. Did he sail in any other companies ? JS

[H McKnight]

Thanks for the speedy reply JS.

As far as I know, Harry worked on the Banks Line ships. Beaversbank and Lossiebank are written on the back of some of his photos which I inherited after he passed away in 2016.

[H McKnight]

Dear ex Bankliners,

My Dad - Harry McKnight - did his apprenticeship to become ship's mechanic around 1960 and sailed around the world a few times with the merchant navy. I think he would have sailed on several of the Banksline boats.

Maybe some of you remember him or sailed with him during the 1960's and 1970's. Typical cargo included bananas or cars.

He'd enthrall me with all sorts of tales about his seafaring days when I was little and stick on his sixties records and get nostalgic and misty-eyed when he talked about "the boats."

Harry gave up the sea to get married and set up a family in the early 1970's and often got wistful when remembering those days and joked about selling the house and running back to sea!

His landlubber days were spent working as a forester planting trees in the Hamilton area or working as a driving instructor in Glasgow and later as a bus driver for those of you who might have been pals with him and lost touch. He passed away a few years ago and I scattered his ashes at sea in Bonny Scotland where he was born and bred just in case you are wondering why I am writing here instead of him.

I also thought you might appreciate a sneak peek at his photos. If you recognise yourself in the piccies, please get in touch. Or if anything else in the photos rings a bell, let me know.

I would love to find out more about my Dad's heydays if you remember him or sailed on the same ships as him, so feel free to send me a private message if you like.

Oh yes, his twin brother Graham went to sea as well. I think both of them ran away to sea the minute they turned 16 to start their apprenticeships though I am not sure if they were always on the same ships. Maybe you remember Graham as well?

Heather :-)

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[H McKnight]

More of Harry McKnight's piccies from the 1960's whilst working on the Banksline ships...Attachment 37136

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And even more of Harry McKnight's piccies from the 1960's whilst working on the Banksline ships...20240617_104912.jpg

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And... even more 20240617_104923.jpgof Harry McKnight's piccies from the 1960's whilst working on the Banksline ships...

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And a certificate Harry McKnight received during the 1960's whilst "crossing the line" with one of the Banksline ships...

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