Decimation of the ABBOT STEEL PLANT Port Talbot

[thomas michael]

hi john sabourn #3
good evening, i did hear that richard burton was born there from another welsh actor anthony hopkins when being interviewed, i wasnt there during the strike i was in dry dock in barrow in furness, as for cindy living happy ever after one can hope, but in reality thats another matter,i believe trips to narvik may spoil such ideals, Sadly what future does a town have when theres no money, none.
tom

[thomas michael]

hi des #2
good evening,thats the saddest thought a town devoid of people, and as you say what would you do without money, its impossible for a town to survive, as for rwandans they wouldnt have to worry as they would be refugees everything would be found for the new welsh rwandan speaking residents of wales.
tom

[j.sabourn]

#11 Apart from trips on ore carriers into Barrow in Furness I used to have a time share at the bottom ( Not the Bottom ) of Lake Windermere so Barrow wasn’t too far away and knew it pretty well. I wasn’t a 100% sure about Richard Burton so thanks for confirming it. The ore carriers trading in Port Talbot were of the smaller type due mainly to the locking in and out process. The one you mention JC was she the cadet ship that those owners had ?
Cheers JS.

[Fouro]

Once upon a time the Welsh sent for some steelmakers from Ravenscraig and Motherwell to explain to them why Scottish steel was superior to their Welsh steel. They acused the Scots for not telling them the correct formula. They were quickly told the correct formula was given to them. But they were then told the difference was the water (the soft water) found in Scotland.

Fouro.

[happy daze john in oz]

From the last bit of info China is building some 40 new power stations all to run on coal.
Most are in the north of the country where solar and wind would be no good to them.
Thye may say they are concerned about emissions but that is just lip service, to them exports are of greater significance.

[John Cassels]

#11 Apart from trips on ore carriers into Barrow in Furness I used to have a time share at the bottom ( Not the Bottom ) of Lake Windermere so Barrow wasn’t too far away and knew it pretty well. I wasn’t a 100% sure about Richard Burton so thanks for confirming it. The ore carriers trading in Port Talbot were of the smaller type due mainly to the locking in and out process. The one you mention JC was she the cadet ship that those owners had ?
Cheers JS.

No , not the Arisaig. Cadetship was the Crinan where I started out in August 1963. Of all the Denholm ore carriers , I was on the Crinan , Craigallian , Arisaig , Ormsary and Clarkeden. Also was twice ( apprentice and 2nd.mate ) on the Dunkyle but she was too big for Port Talbot lock. Then in late '80 's paid a visit to the new outside terminal to survey one of our chartered bulk carriers.
Didn't recognise the place. Margam was gone , laybys deserted , couldn't find the walnut but the grand was still going strong.

[Fouro]

Ravenscraig was created in the 1950's, it stretched throughout an area of over eleven hundred acres from Motherwell to Wishaw in Lanarkshire. It was the grief of a nation when British Steel shut it down with the backing of the Maggie Thatcher Tory government. Including 13,000 being put out of work she also destroyed the Tory party in Scotland.

Fouro.

[Tony Taylor]

Ravenscraig was created in the 1950's, it stretched throughout an area of over eleven hundred acres from Motherwell to Wishaw in Lanarkshire. It was the grief of a nation when British Steel shut it down with the backing of the Maggie Thatcher Tory government. Including 13,000 being put out of work she also destroyed the Tory party in Scotland.

Fouro.

I was working ashore at that time and witnessed the whole destruction of several industries as well as British Steel, Consett ironworks was running profitably, as were several other BS companies that were not high profile but doing good business. I recall speaking to a guy at a BS wireworks in middlesbrough one day and agreed to meet him the next day to look at an issue he had, turned up on time only to be told he is not here, I said well he just asked me to come in today and he's not here? yes, hes been made redundant immediately, rest of the place is gone in couple of weeks. Similar scenario with a superintendent at Commons, spoke to him early in week and agreed to see him lunch time Friday, when I got there they said same, apparently he came to work at 08.30 and was told to clear his desk and be gone by 09.00.

[j.sabourn]

Re #16 . Was the Crinan also in Port Talbot during the strike ? I remember others on ship mentioning one of the ships was manned by Cadets and there was expectations that she would carry on sailing as they weren’t members of the NUS . However it never happened as far as I recollect. Maybe the manning scale at the time was not appropriate and insufficient seatime crew wise.? However today I think anyone today would think today’s manning scales are likewise, criminal in lots of cases. With today’s or not too far back bringing in 12 hours working days, no overtime , and other disallowed attractions at the time. Loss of sleep being the big one supposedly for safety reasons but used mainly to enhance payments of poor wages . To me conditions as far as pay was concerned went down the googler for seamen. Maybe that’s where Google got their title from. At the time of the strike was mate on the Ravensworh and previous to that had been mate on the Pennyworth and the general cargo ship the Warkworth since the end of 63. If I previously said the Cherrywood that was old age speaking as that was in the following decade. Either old age or dementia . JS

[James Curry]

Why are there 2 threads with the same heading , is it a cunning play to cause confusion?