In Memoriam...m.v.Derbyshire 9-10 Sept.1980

[stevesherratt]

My sympathy goes to the families of those who lost their lives on the Derbyshire and we can only hope it was quick – poor beggars drowned in their bunks.
My wife hated heavy weather and rolling that left the door curtain at an alarming angle and you could look along the Flying Bridge and watch the hull flexing and bending. The US Society of Naval Architects and Marine Engineers (SNAME) reported that over the last 20 years, over 13 Risk Components have been studied in the Derbyshire. Most interestingly SNAME found when looking at her longitudinal structure “the computed safety measure is found to be quite marginal” This brings me to the point of how many modern ship designs have constructions with marginal safety features? How would some of the “Wedding Cake” High Rise Passenger ships fair in a Hurricane?

Regards Steve R770014 South Derbyshire

[mccoolcd2]

ref post #6

Regards
John C.[/QUOTE]Hiya John/Davey,
The loss of the Derbyshire also means a lot to me as my best mate was lost that night she went down, we were freinds from school and both went away to sea at the same time, his name was Jimmy Greenland an A/S and came from a seafaring family as I did, I still have two postcards he sent us from the time he was on the Derbyshire, he had done a double header and was looking forward to paying off and getting home, but ah not to be, I raise a glass every Sept 9th to him and all his shipmates, lest we forget,
Colin.

[Gulliver]

Hi Colin! How right I was then in posting the tribute to Derbyshire,when it elicits such personal memoirs-it helps to share such poignant stories and it reaffirms to me that seafarers for all their outward cockiness are a deeply sensitive and caring lot.
I will also raise a glass for Jimmy Greenland tonight and in future years for all on 'Derbyshire' on the anniversary.

Yours
Davey

[Gulliver]

Hii again John-thank you for reminding me in your posting that it was Capt.Pyle,who was lost on Ocean Bridge.

About 'Derbyshire' Her hatches certainly imploded,as you said.
There's a simulation of what happened on the net,if you didn't see it. On the Wikipedia link(given again below)
www.en.Wikipedia.org/wiki/M.v._Derbyshire

Scroll down to External links,then open 'How the Derbyshire sank'.
It should open a Youtube video showing the simulation.

I have a fairly low-spec Notebook,and it plays O.K on it.

Sobering that the whole process happened in 2 minutes.The only analogy I can think of is :We humans are like the pilot-fish who live on and guide a shark,which is then devoured by a giant whale

It isn't pleasant and I don't wish to dwell on it.

See you,mate.Davey

[Scully]

Hiya Davey/John Callon,
I know I asked you this another time Davey but did you remember Nigel Malpass, do you remember him John.
He was the Master of the Devonshire in 83 when my brother was on the ship. Nigel's younger brother also was a seafarer, I can't recall his name at the moment. Nigel was a nice man & very kindly sent me a book about the history of Bibby Line.
Kind regards,
Tracey R59268 HSOD

[happy daze john in oz]

Am of the opinion that most of todays so called ships, mainly used for cruises, would not withstand heavy seas. friend of mine in the travel buisiness told me that many of them only cruise certain seas at certain times when normaly they would not encounter bad weather. Whilst much of this is for the comfort of passengers it is also because they are built in such a way that they will not withstand heavy seas.

[Mike Hall]

as suggested,i have just watched how the ship sank.
i just can not believe how quick it must have been.
what the hell must have gone through the bridge peoples
minds when they saw this happening.

i am sorry i just can not say anymore i am speechless

[John Callon]

Hi Tracey,
Yes I knew Nigel Malpass from when he was a Deck Cadet in Bibbys to his present position. He is in charge of the Isle of Man Office that Bibby Line have there. In fact a couple of their ships are regiistered in The Isle of Man.
Regards,
John C.

[Scully]

HiJohn,
Thank you for the reply. Nigel left that position to start up his own business with his wife Gill in IOM. The company is Malmar Marine & he is now involved in politics over there. He was a witness in 2002 in the reopening of the investigation into the loss of MV Derbyshire after he spent 12 months working with the legal team.
Kind regards,
Tracey.R59268 HSOD

[mccoolcd2]

REF POST #13

Thanks Davey, good on you,
All the best,
Colin.