Oldest ships sailed on ?

[Stuart Henderson]

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

UK to Gibraltar, passenger circa 1946.

This was the "famous" ASHCAN" of Cunard.
Thanks to all who have replied to my thread,they qall make interesting reading
Stuart H

[lennon]

re the old ship,s like David Howden i did a trip on the old Ascania in march /1955 not to sure if she was the oldest one i was on i was also on the old Tamaora 1953 till 1954 the last trip was her last, also the Empress of France ,but theoldest may have been the no 1 pilot boat WALTER J Chambers she was a coal burner engine room & galley my first trip galley boy at 15 not sure what year she was built may be one of our shipmates out there may know thanks for the memories guys lennon

[Gulliver]

re the old ship,s like David Howden i did a trip on the old Ascania in march /1955 not to sure if she was the oldest one i was on i was also on the old Tamaora 1953 till 1954 the last trip was her last, also the Empress of France ,but theoldest may have been the no 1 pilot boat WALTER J Chambers she was a coal burner engine room & galley my first trip galley boy at 15 not sure what year she was built may be one of our shipmates out there may know thanks for the memories guys lennon

You certainly have a vintage crop of oldies that you sailed in there , and constructed by some famous shipyards too.
　
s.s.ASCANIA (O.N. 147307 ) Completed 5/1925 by Armstrong Whitworth,,High Walker,Newcastle-upon-Tyne. End: Broken Up Newport 1/1/1957
　
s.s.TAMAROA (O.N. 144805) Completed 2/1922 by Harland & Wolff,Belfast. End: Broken Up Blyth 5/3/57
s.s.EMPRESS OF FRANCE (O.N. 160482) Completed 1/1928 by John Brown’s,Clydebank. End: Broken Up Newport 22.12.60
　
Pilot Vessel WALTER J. CHAMBERS (470 grt)(O.N, 140542)-owned by Mersey Docks & Harbour Board .Completed 10/1917 by Murdoch & Murray.Port Glasgow. History: Sold 1954 to Dunkirk(France) Pilots Assoc’n. Renamed CORVETTE NO.4. End: Broken Up at Boom, 16.11.62


Best Regards

Gulliver

[Ron Hamilton]

O.K. I dont want to trump everyone , but I sailed as deck-boy on the 'Nellie Bywater' aux. schooner , off.no. 69715 Newry , 114.62 tons , built 1873 , & yes she did leak a bit especially when loaded & after sitting down in the mud her seams opened up . After a rough trip & consequential straining ,when it rained I had to put an oil-skin over my bunk to keep the rain off me ! I am dead serious . Ron

[Gulliver]

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

S.S.IRWELL (O.N.122954 ) 1,092 grt cargo ship ,registered Goole,.completed 5/1906 by Swan Hunter.Richards,Low Walker,Tyneside for Lancashire & Yorkshire Rly Co,,later LN.W.R Co.1922. later L.M.S.Rly.Co.1923, ,later British Transport Commission 1948.
Service Goole- Continent.
Broken Up by J.J.King & Co, Gateshead (she went home !) 3/4/1954
　
I can only find postcard type pics of her and her sister. s.s.MERSEY.
(Mersey sank after hitting a mine off Ramsgate on 20th April 1940 whilst on passage from Antwerp to Goole with iron,steel and general.cargo.14 lives were lost.)

What I find interesting is the fact that her owners,the Lancashire & Yorkshire Rlwy,like all the enterprising railway companies until grouping in 1923,advertised their railway connections from Goole on the east coast & (therefore from the Continent ,)to the west coast resorts of Britain and the Lake District,and indeed to all over Britain.
Smart funnel colours too.
Regards
Gulliver

[Capt Bill Davies]

A little digression. Sailed in many a old tanker where the main engine was 10/15 years older than the ship itself.

[Colin Pook]

Hi Guys. The oldest ship I ever worked on was a 'bucket dredger' either owned, or chartered by Westminster Dredging. Her name was the Sir Edward Greenwood and she was sent to Milford Haven to replace our 'hopper' the W.D.tyne when she got damaged. We were on the 'Greenwood' for two weeks .Practically all hands slept under the fo'csle and had our meals in a tin shed on deck. The toilets defy description, and to get hot water for a wash/shave etc. we had to open one of the bleed valves on one of the winches and use that for hot water. It was winter when we were on her, and, down in our 'dungeon' was a bloody great coal fired 'bogey' that leaked smoke and fumes all over the place. Boy, were we glad when our hopper came back!! I've tried over the years to get info, and a photo of her, but no such luck. Can anyone help?
Regards to all.
Colin

[Gulliver]

SHD Edward Greenwood..

EDWARD GREENWOOD (O.N. 138886) Suction Hopper Dredger) completed as Yard No.794 in 4/1915 by Lobnitz of Renfrew for Preston Corporation.

St.turbine
Tonnage 1,142
Length BP 61.0 m
Beam 11.0m
History
Sold to Westminster Dredging Co Ltd;London in 1952.
　
Broken Up Barrow 11.9.66 atT.W.Ward [ -51 years old)
Search No more,Colin-- she’s here on CLYDEBUILT site

Best Regards
Gulliver

　
　
　

[Pete Leonard (Bruno)]

I know this is an old thread but I have just picked up on it. T he oldect ship I sailed on was the P&O ss Ranchi. I sailed on her in 1950 when we were full of £10 Poms. She was built in 1925 in Newcastle and had a distinguished career as a prestigious liner pre-war and an armed merchant cruiser and troopship during the war. She was a bit utilitarian but I did 4 trips to Oz in her and although there was not much money we always had a great crew. On my last trip we went to Djakarta to pick up Dutch military families and transport them to Amsterdam. I can't remember how many babies were born, but we were in competition with other ships on the same project. I think the Otranto won with 36 born on board.

[Terry Wilcox]

HI ALL. THE OLDEST SHIP THAT I SAILED ON MUST BE THE PORT MACQURIE, IT HAD OIL COOKING RANGE WHERE THE CHEF HAD TO GET UP EARLY TO FIRE UP THE RANGE. THOSE WERE THE GOOD OLD DAYS, AND VERY HAPPY SHIPS. ( AND I HAVE NOT YET RETIRED ). TAKE CARE...... TERRY.