Bibby Line ---Message

I was 2/eng. on the OCEAN BRIDGE when No. 9 tank exploded . We were 60 mile off Cape Finisterre at the time and were standing by the BRITISH COMET, she had sent distress call. She was adrift with no power due to flooding in the boiler room.
We had stopped tank cleaning a couple of hours before the explosion which happened at about 1830 Hrs.

After the explosion we were on fire and sinking by the stern due to the engine room being holed and flooding fast.
The captain Harry Pyle could not be found amongst the rubble.
We took to a lifeboat and proceeded to the British Comet.
By the next morning she had partial power and at reduced speed headed for La Corunna,Spain.

After repatriation myself , 3/Eng. John Edgington and Elect. Ian Young, returned to Spain to assist in the salvage, which took about 6 months to make her safe to tow to Scot Lithgows at Greenock for rebuild.
The rebuild took one year.
I then did the new maiden voyage, In all I spent about 1 year & 10 months on the ship.

Sadly Captain Harry Pyle was the only crew member killed in this sorry saga.
The Captain of the German salvage tug Pacific was killed during the salvage, then three of
Scot Lithgows workers were killed in the engine room while in drydock.
Space is running short so I will continue this tale latter. See photos below.

regards to all
Colin

Colin,thank you for relating that sorry episode in both yours,CaptainPyles, and we other ex-Bibby men's lives,who were around at the time.
It may help other future seamen and families to know what happened and it will hopefully stay in the Bibby forum archive on this site.

Regards
Davey

Here are a few photos of the wreck.
As you can see that only the strength of the double bottoms held the ship together.
Note the wheelhouse , thats a 2ton heating coil on top from No.9 tank.
No.8 tank lids were also blown off, and both slop tanks were ruptured.

regards to all
Colin

Hi Colin,

A bad one you are lucky to walk away. I have an interest in this type of explosion. I do not wish to ask you for information without you having details of my full background. I am an engineer.

Email james.smith327@ntlworld.com

I will ask for details on the thread.

regards
jimmy

Hi Colin, Also did the maiden Voyage on Berkshire after hanging around the builders yard in Sunderland while they were on strike.Was'nt little Reg Willoughby the Chief on her then? Have just seen the photo of her you are right what a mess, but I note the Car Deck Pontoons are missing so it was shortly before Bibbys got rid of her. Oh I was the Purser. Nice to chat more another day. John

HI John Its good to hear from someone from the good old days , when Bibbys was in its prime.
That was a good trip for a maiden voyage, every thing went quite well ,with just a few very minor problems.
Sorry for the delay in replying to your message.

I hope you are keeping well
Regards Colin

HI,
I joined Bibby's in 1974 as a Jnr R/O and progressed to the dizzy height of R/O with my first trip alone on
the old Derbyshire in 1975 when we had an altercation with MV Rarau just off Gibralter.

Have vivid memories of legging it up stairs from my cabin and someone shouting up after me " any chance of sending some flowers sparky?"

I remember the trip well but would love to hear from anyone else who was there or who sailed with me on Derbyshire,Hampshire,Devonshire,Liverpool Bridge,Ocean Bridge,Dart Atlantic

Roy

Hi Roy,just to welcome another Bibby man to this site!
I had left Bibby's by the time you joined.But the 'old'Derbyshire(cargo ship) was my first ship too,in 1970. Really nice ship,and a happy ship ,and I wrote about that trip somewhere on this site!
What happened regarding the 'Rarau' then?.........Nothing like leaving us all in suspense(Heh Heh!)
I do know about the 'Rarau 'though(A Rumanian factory trawler),because two years later,in 76, she ran full speed onto rocks in fog, on the Seven Stones reef and was wrecked.Her large crew of 84 were rescued fortunately and put ashore in Falmouth!
If you put the dates you were on your ships,maybe someone will recognise you.
Anyway,welcome again and enjoy being part of the crew on this great site.
Cheers!
Davey(Gulliver)

Hello Roy
I was not on the ship with you, but here is a couple of photos of the ship after the collision.

Regards Colin

Colin

great pics and i remember it well, interesting problem with the maize in the hold when the seawater mixed with it and expanded pushing out the bulkheads between holds and engineroom.

Cheers
Roy