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

[happy daze john in oz]

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

G'day mike, yes two minutes is the time estimated it took for her to go down. Not time to do anything, it must have been horrific. God rest their souls.

[Gulliver]

hi! Tracey/John;thanks for the info on John Malpass During my time there I probably heard the name-but can't put a face to the name.Unfortunately lost my Bibby Gazettes during one of life's transitional moments.

Rather proud to have served my time with Bibby's.Great Company! For anyone else interested see Links at end of post-I can recommend The Download (pdf).They're certainly diversified now,which is the key to survival in the 21st century!


Tracey-I really should try to revisit Liverpool-my last was in 86,when I visited the impressive Albert Docks complex.Saw an exhibition about the Port and its connexions with the Slave Trade.
(Till then I'm keeping an eye on the Liverpool Webcam!)

www.bibbygroup.co.uk/index2.html
http://www.bibbygroup.co.uk/history.asp

Regards Davey

[Steve Goldswain]

i was on leave into the second week of 4 off the lincolnshire when i got a telegram to fly out to relive on the derbyshire i had a few bob and was half pissed (in the pub with some mates) so i flaged it the decisions we make i did a trip on the westminster bridge if i had known how dangerous they were(bulkers) i wouldnt have touched it with a barge pole, but young and bullet proof you just dont think

[Phil Jones]

G'day Dave

I sailed with Bibby Line 1951 to 1964 on migrant ships and troopers, Cheshire and Devonshire mainly. Standby and coastals on the majority of the Rangoon ships. Ref the Derbyshire I sailed with a few of the crew that went down on her,Bish Waller and Normie Marsh. I took over from Bish on the Cheshire, Shropshire and Yorkshire (Eastern Princess) during the 1960's. He was a great bloke.
For info, there is a good book "Return of the Coffin Ships" by Bernard Edwards which relates quite a bit to the enigma of the Derbyshire and other OBO carriers and their demise.
Rgds Phil

[Gulliver]

Hi Phil-Nice to hear from an ex-Bibby man.Would have loved to sail on those last troopers.Unfortunately the last one of all Oxfordshire was sold just before I started serving my time.I believe she became the 'Fairstar '(pass).My first trip was on the '66-built cargo ship Derbyshire,virtually all round the world on charters for Safmarine,BI etc. Great intro to sealife! Four years later I left the company for 'greener' oceans(as you do when you're younger)! I think 7 X 3 week round trips across the winter Atlantic on Dart America had something to do with that!

So,21 years at sea for me,then 18 years in the Transport(bus) industry(North Wales & London. Guess which one I liked best! Took early retirement last year-life's too short and sod the money!
-I look in the mirror and can't believe it was nearly 40 years ago I walked up that gangway(do you think there's just a few of us here who feel like that?(Ha Ha!)

AndI 'll try and read that book you suggest.

Take Care,mate-See You Later!

Davey

[David Williams]

Dear Gulliver.
Just read your article on the Dearbyshire.Thank you for that.I never think
about things like this,and without people like your good self,events like this
are soon forgotten.Please carry on the good work.

Dave Williams(R583900)

[John Petches]

John,
Just to let you know the Derbyshire was not called the Canadian Bridge she was called the Liverpool Bridge when she first sailed I think you must of got mixed up mate
Regards

[John Petches]

Dear Gulliver.
Just to ask do you know any way to confirm when the Liverpool Bridge maiden voyage, then after got renamed Derbyshire first sail out of the hock of Holland test trails the engine room exploded a 3th engineer name Bob Prescott from Hyton was killed I believe & an electrician was badly burned can’t think of his name we just called him Geordie but he came from New Castle way just wondering just two lads I had sailed with on the
Canadian-Bridge

[DeepSea]

The Liverpool Bridge was originally part of the Seabridge Consortium, Bibby Line being part of this group. The ship made her maiden voyage in 1976 after being launched from the River Tees. The Seabridge Consortium disolved in 1977 and Bibby Line took three ships with her including the Liverpool Bridge, which was renamed Derbyshire in 1978.

[Tommy Golling]

I remember the m.v.derbyshire, though i did not sail with bibby line i was on the shell tankers. And at the time we received a message telling us that the great ore carrier had tragically been sunk by typhoon orchid, south of japan on that ill fated day in 1980, how the sorrow was felt by all on board our ship the only link i had with the m.v.derbyshire was i lost agood friend who i was at school with john james greenland (steward) and peter lambert who was a neighbour many years ago, i am pleased that people still remember,let us not forget the gerat seaman all over who have lost there lives to the sea.