Oldest ships sailed on ?

Hi shipmates, I was talking to my mate Laurie 86yrs down the club? and he told me his late brother in law George Reed { donkeyman} was in the engine room on a greek ship on the larboard side,row number xv by the overseer with the big whip. but he did have a lot to drink that night {Rum}:D:D:D

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Originally Posted by Alex Macdonald

The oldest ship i sailed on was the Port Fairy the first and last time i sailed before the mast.This was in 1962
on the MANZ run.

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Afraid I cant match some of the oldies but the oldest I sailed on was the Rangitiki n.z. co. which was put into service in 1929 & was a two funnel job with her sister ship Rangitata, even the cockroaches seemed to love the ship!

Oldest ship I sailed on was the SS Firelight (North Thames Gasboard) you had to pump the water to the midships from the coal galley down aft, always covered in coal dust.

Ray;)

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Originally Posted by Stuart Henderson

What was the oldest ship forum members have sailed on ? I went to sea as galley boy in 1947 and in the early 50s sailed on several veteran ships built in the 1920s and plodding on round the oceans. There was the P&O liner Maloja, Union Castles Llanbibby Castle, Athel Lines Athelcrest & AthelViscount (happy ships these two), and also France fenwicks colliers Sherwood and Dalewood. Think most were scrapped in the same decade. All these were launched 1924-1929 so were OLDER than me..........
Stuart:)

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Hi Stuart.
Way back in 1953 I sailed as cabin boy on the Swansea owned ship,
the BOLBEC,built in Greenock in 1918 and finaly scrapped in
Holland in 1958.

Dave Williams
Llanelli

I think the oldest, and certainly the worst ship I was in was Metcalf's Peter M. A coastal tanker of 972 GRT, she was purgatory afloat. I did 3 weeks in her and staggered off half starved, unwashed and broke.
Here is her history courtesy of Wikipaedia

Empire Tigaven was a 972 GRT tanker which was built by Deutsche Werft, Hamburg. Completed in 1937 as Algol for Trelleborgs Angfabrik Nya A/B, Sweden. Hit a mine on 13 December 1939 and sank between Trelleborg and Falsterbo. Salvaged in 1940 in two parts, sold and rebuilt. Sold in 1941 to O Wallenius, Stockholm and renamed Soya VII. Sold in 1942 to J T Essberger, Hamburg and renamed Algol. Requisitioned in 1942 by the Kriegsmarine. Seized in May 1945 at Arendal, Norway. To MoWT and renamed Empire Tigaven. Sold in 1947 to Metcalfe Motor Coasters Ltd and renamed Peter M. Sold in 1964 to N E Vernicos Ltd, Greece and renamed Motol 5. Sold in 1969 to D & C Vernicos Ltd, Greece. Scrapped in March 1972 at Perama, Greece.

Regards,
cranesailor:)

I refer you to my brief post #39. Makes most of the others sound like new builds!:);)

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Originally Posted by corrientes

I refer you to my brief post #39. Makes most of the others sound like new builds!:);)

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Hi Corrientes

Guess we'll have to give you that one, thought mine was ancient at 1914, but 1896 beats that, well as long as you didn't join her as a new build!

All the best Ivan

Thanks for that one. Getting on a bit but that much of a bit. :D

my oldest ship was the ss Irwell british railways 1904 scrapped in the late 50s

My oldest was the ASCANIA, built in 1925 by Armstrong Whitworth & Co in Newcastle.

UK to Gibraltar, passenger circa 1946.