Oldest ships sailed on ?

[Nils Dahl]

I don't know how old these ships were but they were steamships, coal burners with chain steering, counter sterns and travelled about 6 knots in good weather.
calle the meta and thelma, sailing out of glasgow to goteborg and back.
I think the company was glens of glasgow but can't remember- was early sixties I was on them.
starvation rations and poor wages.
Had to seek shelter from a gale in scapa flow one time, dropped two anchors and when retrieving them the flywheel on the forward winch snapped in two.
We had to rig wires from the cargo winches to shackles on the anchor chain, pull it in 4 feet at time, put the brake on , change the shackle and repeat the process time after time until both anchors were housed.
the mate then claimed safety of the ship so we wouldn't try to claim overtime.
Twelve hours in freezing cold weather and the b---------d tried to cheat us out of a few hours overtime!!!!!!!! to top it all, the arab firemen took to the lifeboats and we had to do watch on watch- off the bridge and down to the stokehold then just before we arrived in goteborg we had to shovel 500 tons of sand deck ballast over the side.
those were the days my friends

[Doc Vernon]

Hi Nils

Think this may be the one in Question!
Cheers



Single Ship Report for "1161932"IDNo: 1161932 Year: 1931
Name: META Keel: 18.4.30
Type: Cargo ship Launch Date: 29.7.30
Flag: GBR Date of completion: 31.3.31
-
Tons: 1575 Link: 1621
DWT: Yard No: 166
Length overall: Ship Design:
LPP: 76.9 Country of build: GBR
Beam: 12.2 Builder: Burntisland SB
Material of build: Location of yard: Burntisland
Number of
screws/Mchy/
Speed(kn): 1T-10 -
Naval or paramilitary marking :
A: *
End: 1962

Subsequent History:

Disposal Data:
made into a barge in Norway 2.62



Single Ship Report for "5358244"IDNo: 5358244 Year: 1935
Name: THELMA Keel: 14.12.34
Type: Cargo ship Launch Date: 4.4.35
Flag: GBR Date of completion: 28.6.35
-
Tons: 1593 Link: 1621
DWT: Yard No: 185
Length overall: Ship Design:
LPP: 80.8 Country of build: GBR
Beam: 12.3 Builder: Burntisland SB
Material of build: Location of yard: Burntisland
Number of
screws/Mchy/
Speed(kn): 1T-10
-
Naval or paramilitary marking :
A: *
End: 1972-
Subsequent History:
64 FAIRPORT - 65 AUGUST

Disposal Data:
BU Catania 11.72

[Colin McClelland]

S.S. TURKISTAN, Of STRICK LINE. Built in 1938.
A triple expansion steam engine with a low presure turbine assist when full away.
With wisper quiet sunderland forge generators. Old clarke chapman winches which I blame for my deafness.
And 3 scotch boilers.
Up the persian gulf with no air conditioning, only the chief eng. was allowed in the dinning saloon the rest of us enginers had our own mess room.

Regards Colin

[Doc Vernon]

Nice Pics there Colin.



Cheers



Single Ship Report for "1167156"IDNo: 1167156 Year: 1939
Name: TURKISTAN Keel:
Type: Cargo ship Launch Date: 24.10.38
Flag: GBR Date of completion: 1.39
-
Tons: 6935 Link: 1496
DWT: Yard No: 514
Length overall: Ship Design:
LPP: 138.4 Country of build: GBR
Beam: 17.8 Builder: Readhead
Material of build: Location of yard: South Shields
Number of
screws/Mchy/
Speed(kn): 1Tx-12.5
-
Naval or paramilitary marking :
A: *
End: 1962
-
Subsequent History:
61 DEMOS

Disposal Data:
wrecked 22.40N/121.25E 22.7.62 [Pyongyang-Bangkok, ballast]

[Louis the Amigo]

hi shipmates, hi Dr Vernon, A old ship I was on some time ago found this beauty????? in my old book "CLAREBROOK london old coal burner, on the london power station run a{ night mare} chain streering magnetic compass the crew were all a bit strange ?some were part owners'? the most mankey dirty and smallest ship 1593 tons that i was on, the food was worst than any other in the merchant, only curry ??? coal dust in every thing very bad, the old ropes were spliced together to save money, no paint, no paint brushes' no chipping hammers no gear !!! the best thing about this one was pay off day. The bosun would walk up and down the deck with a swagger stick ,singing hymns {Part owner}? so he said the rest the officers' were gin drinkers most of the time. This was one for the breakers yard.

[Doc Vernon]

Hi Louis
Sounds like it was a real pain in the rear haha!
Cheers



Single Ship Report for "6418168"IDNo: 6418168 Year: 1964
Name: CLAREBROOK Keel:
Type: Cargo ship Launch Date: 9.7.64
Flag: GBR Date of completion: 10.64
-
Tons: 1594 Link: 1500
DWT: 2623 Yard No: 276
Length overall: 80.9 Ship Design:
LPP: 76.2 Country of build: GBR
Beam: 12.0 Builder: Clelands
Material of build: Location of yard: Wallsend
Number of
screws/Mchy/
Speed(kn): 1D-
-
Naval or paramilitary marking :
A: *
End: 1984
-
Subsequent History:
76 JUPITER - 79 LEFKAS STAR

Disposal Data:
explosion & sank E Monemvasia 18.6.84

[Nils Dahl]

hi louis, I had a couple of weeks on that one.
I didn't find it so bad.
never knew any part owners though, or anyone inclined to hymn singing.
I remember after a mammoth drinking session with the chief engineer I took a carry-out and two twin girls from methil back.
I vaguely remember a night of passion but funnily enough neither of the recipients was from methil.
Instead I woke up with the ugliest old hag you could think of.
She was so bad the mate stopped me on deck and gave me an anti vd kit.
I thought I must be safe as not many would have been in my place

[Doc Vernon]

Hi Stuart
Would one of these be the Gascony you were on!
Cheers

http://www.photoship.co.uk/JAlbum%20...ascony-02.html

http://www.photoship.co.uk/JAlbum%20...ascony-03.html

http://www.photoship.co.uk/JAlbum%20...scount-06.html

[Gulliver]

I think you guys are having a belated April Fools joke?......
If that Clarebrook was built in 1964(in the picture),then I feel sure she wouldn't be a coalburner?-more like a diesel! Hymnsingers and part-owners in 1964!!!!
Louis my friend,rack your brains for another name?

Respeck Y'all,brothers!

Gull.

[Louis the Amigo]

Hi shipmates I may be a bit wrong on this one? The Hymn singing bosun with a swagger stick { part owner} may be the result of too much scumpy, and the name may be a bit wrong? But the funnel use to come down under the bridges of the thames river I think it may be the sister ship of the "Clarebrook" but i could be wrong it was a long time ago, I remember taking a case of gin to the old man on watch very nice captain, Dr Vernon that ship looks too new. The one i was on was a wreck Do you remember any coalburners? Gullivar they all had a coating of dust this one had chain steering, Magnetio compass no iron mike, unless you lassed the wheel with a hawers as I said strange ship strange crew. Never sail on the !st april !!!!