The Old " M.V. Melrose Abbey "

[terence]

From Terence, I Adjusted a Compass or Compasses on around
1500 - 2000 Ships during my working life Ships of all types from
Yachts to Passenger Ships etc. Regrettably I did not keep a record
of any of them and I did not take any photographs. What I have
is all in my head. It sickens me - the thought of it . There is one Ship
however which hangs in there for some reason and I would love to
know something of it's life since I last saw it. That Ship is The
" Melrose Abbey " built in 1929 at Earle's Shipyard in Hull, England
and is a predecessor of the First North Sea Ferries. Melrose left Humber
Dock in Hull for the last time in the 60's for Greece purchased by
a Greek Millionaire , I think he was called Mr Papadopoulis. He was
going to convert it into his own private Yacht. The last I heard was that
it had been converted again into a Cruise Ship called "Takiti" . As
Melrose Abbey she carried in excess of 500 Passengers and cargo.She
had the cargo holds converted during the summer to carry more
passengers at tourist rate .It was said that the crew looked forward
to this because in bad weather they got second helpings when
passengers were sick. She was just under 2000 grt. Steam Turbine.
If anyone knows of it I would appreciate a comment.

Please forgive me if I lose my way a bit, I am the new boy at the moment

Thanks , Regards Terry .

[Tony Frost]

1958 r/nMELROSE ABBEY II,1959 r/n KRITI (Typaldos Bros.)b/u1980 Perama.
Click on;
Old Ships M (Melrose Abbey-06)
Old Ships K (Kriti-01)

[Bob McGahey]

Terry,
Melrose Abbey was sold to Typaldos Lines of Piraeus, She was converted into the 2,069 ton Kriti with cabins in her former holds, and a much enlarged and altered superstructure she was able to accomodate some 180 first class and 130 tourist, in addition to dormitory-class passengers. She was used on a variety of routes around the Aegean.. Typaldos activities ended soon after the Heraklion Disaster in Dec 1966 and the Kriti like the rest of the fleet was laid up at Piraeus. She was broken up Perama 1980.

Hope this answers your query. The Heraklion disaster is well gazetted on wikapeadia and really brought down the company.

Bob McGahey , Queensland Aus

[Ivan Cloherty]

1958 r/nMELROSE ABBEY II,1959 r/n KRITI (Typaldos Bros.)b/u1980 Perama.
Click on;
Old Ships M (Melrose Abbey-06)
Old Ships K (Kriti-01)

I think there was another "Melrose Abbey" built after the above, either by Goole Shipbuilding or Clelands Wallsend, all accommodation aft and pretty ships with bipod masts. Local name for them in Goole was "The Butter Boats" how we used to envy their apparent cleanliness when we were serving on colliers, late 50's early 60's

[Tony Morcom]

Melrose Abbey 1 @ Melrose Abbey

for Ivan, is this the one you are thinking of?

Melrose Abbey-05.jpg

[Ivan Cloherty]

That's the one Tony, thanks. Looks like she has had her mast and all derricks removed to act as a container feeder vessel. Still looks pretty though.
Thanks again

[Gulliver]

Just a bit more info for us all. She had an identical sister,BOLTON ABBEY.Both built 1958/9 by Brooke Marine,Lowestoft.


Here’s a picture before conversion,(Like her sister in 1967 she was lengthened by 16m).
BOLTON ABBEY before conversion 1958-1972.jpg
Both sold by Associated Humber Lines 1972 ,but Bolton Abbey was additionally converted to a Diving Support Ship. In 1973.Broken Up in 1983,whilst Melrose Abbey was scrapped in 1981.