Just Paid off and Homeward Bound.

[Captain Kong]

I paid off a ship in London and got a Liverpool bound train at Euston. This was around 1958.
It was a train that had a coach that was like a pub, better than the ones of today, just a serving hatch.
I went into the bar and ordered a large Rum and a splash of coke. Then a lad entered the bar on two crutches, he was obviously a Seaman, bronzy face, good pale blue sun bleached wrangler dungarees.
He struggled to the bar on his crutches, I noticed he had both legs covered in plaster from his feet to his crutch and the dungarees were cut all the way up to accommodate the plastered legs. I bought him a large Rum as he was struggling to get his money out and keep his balance. Cheers, we both said..
What happened? I asked. He told me that they were tieing up in the KGV dock and the backspring snapped, hit his legs and almost took him through the fairlead. Smashing both legs in several places. He had a few days in hospital in London but wanted to get home to Liverpool.
We sat down with both his legs stretched out before him. and as he was obviously in a lot of pain we had to have several extra LARGE Rums to ease it.We had one after another while we yarned and then more and more. It turned into total oblivion. I do not remember anything after that, I dont remember ever getting to Liverpool.
I awoke with one eye open, I thought I was in a prison cell and swiftly shut it. Kinnel, I thought, where the hell am I, how have I got here. I was still fully booted and spurred, I risked opening two eyes, and realised I was in the Sailors Home in Liverpool. With shaking hands I pulled myself up and looked around the cabin, there was no gear, no bag, I felt in my back pocket and found my wad from the pay off was still there and breathed a sigh of relief.
I got off the bed and with trembling legs staggered to the bathroom to have a shower, I felt a little more human after that. I went to the Reception and made enquiries of how I got there, I was told I was carried in by the Taxi driver and dumped there the Sailors Home had paid the Taxi Fare and it was on my bill. the night Porters had carried me up to a cabin and dumped me on the bunk. What nice people , I thought. They said I had no bags with me.
I checked out and got a taxi and went to Lime Street Station to see if they could help me find my gear.
I went into the Left Luggage Office and made enquiries. Yes my bag was there, great. Then the man said there were two of you carried off the train last night, the other fellow lost his crutches, do you know where he is ?, behind him was a pair of crutches on a shelf.
I didnt, and how the hell he got off the train and home without his crutches I will never know.
It just proves the healing power of Rum.

Cheers
Brian.

[Lou Barron]

hi brian after reading your story about your train j0urneyfrom london and getting on the rum i have a full bottle of rum in my grog cabinet i thought i should tip down the sink my grandson who was the nz navy gave it to me i am a gin drinker but then i hate to do that in case i need it for medical reasons

[len mazza]

Hi Brian,
Paid off the Horamya in Cardiff after ten month,got twenty quid cash,sent rest of my pay off home by money order. Afew of us took train to London,a fairly lengthy trip,by the time we arrived in the big city we had had a few.One of the lads an A/S,by the name of Bob Porter was well shellackd,he had all his payoff money in his pocket,I often wonder if he made to Aberdeen intact,my daughter can't understand why I even think about it after all these years.

Cheers

Len.

[Captain Kong]

hi brian after reading your story about your train j0urneyfrom london and getting on the rum i have a full bottle of rum in my grog cabinet i thought i should tip down the sink my grandson who was the nz navy gave it to me i am a gin drinker but then i hate to do that in case i need it for medical reasons

Hi Lou,
Or you could save it until I arrive in Dunedin in February. Only joking Lou. Save it, It may come in handy.
Cheers
Brian.

[leratty]

Off the thread a tad but apropos Capt.Kong & his rum story. We were anchored in the Gt Sandy Straits in Qld avoiding a blow homeward bound to Sydney from a superb month on the Barrier Reef diving, when a small, maybe 25'battered looking yacht sailed in & anchored adjacent to us. One guy came across & asked if they could use our shower, they seemed OK so we said yes. so three of them all quite portly had a shower. After they finished we started talking sitting around in our cockpit drinking Inner Circle Rum a truly top drop of rum. They were chiefs from Melbourne heading north to Cairns to open a restaurant. God knows what time it finished but I woke up feeling seriously poorly, my wife looking like the wreck of the Hesperus unable to open her delightful eyes. I looked out our port to see the chiefs little yacht on its side on a sand bar with one of them setting a fold away table c/w white table cloth up on the said sandbar. I went up into the cockpit yelled out "what's up, are you all OK?" He said, "get over here we will cook you breakfast." We had some mud crabs from last evenings pots so I woke the others up & we rubber duckiéd over there. Well they brought out this superb breakfast of steamed mud crabs we had supplied, fresh made damper, soft scrambled eggs & rum cocktails. What an evening, what a morning, what chance friends, what a site, what rum. Richard

[john middleton]

Nice to hear tales from the 50's.

[Mike R868356]

Worked the old BR Resaurant/Buffet cars, so I know what you mean loved your story thanks. Mike