The A boat run to B A

[Eamonn McCarthy]

Hi Eddy, really great to see on screen somebody that sailed on the ship I sailed on ,yes Eddy I was on stand by in Belfast same time as your self following my leave from " Escalante". then on to London .sailed from Tilbury 21/1/ 1960, my dept catering

[Ted Temple]

I did two trips on the Amazon and one on the Drina very hungry ships !
Amazon 11/1/61 to 10/3/60 then the next trip 23/03/61 to 8/5/61 then to
the Paproa NZSC 1/6/61 to 22/11/61 then the Drina 21/12/61 to 17/2/62.
The Captain on the Amazon was Harry Sang Commodore. West Indian cooks
on both the Royal Mail ships.
Previous Royal Mail ship was the Loch Avon noted for all the soot smuts after
blowing tubes poor food came off there weighing barely 10 stone looked a
skeleton!!

[Eddy Brockman]

Hi Eddy, really great to see on screen somebody that sailed on the ship I sailed on ,yes Eddy I was on stand by in Belfast same time as your self following my leave from " Escalante". then on to London .sailed from Tilbury 21/1/ 1960, my dept catering

I was a P O it was my first trip, love it so much I stayed for 5 years, do you rember May Sullivens Bar 25 de Mayo, and the rest of them

[Potaro]

Hello shipmates. I've recently joined and have been reading your posts. Was with RML from 1959 to 1968.
Deep sea - POTARO,EBRO,LOCH GOWAN,ARAGON,ANDES- coastals Home Trade LOCH AVON,
PIZARRO.

During my time in the Royal Mail Association I was instrumental in getting a superb 17 ft Bassett-Lowke
model of ALCANTARA moved from the basement in Birmingham Museum of Science and Industry where is was standing in 3 inches water and was in danger of being smashed up by the demolition contractors
as the site was being re-developed.

It is now in Southampton Civic Centre - in the Foyer of the Coroner's Court. Anyone interested in looking at it may need to go to the front desk to ask to gain access as the Coroner's Court only meets from time to time.

I so agree with the many other comments - we were lucky to have been in the MN in the 1950s,60s
and when I came ashore I could not believe how petty people were. What a load of w--k--s!
I was quite depressed and missed the camaraderie of the sea. Took me several years to finally settle down.

Was in Recife,Rio,Monte & BA in 2008 on a five week cruise to Antarctica via the Falklands. Flew home via
Ushaia & BA again. South America is still great to visit - such rekindled memories from RML days on the BA run.

Happy 2011 shipmates. Keep swinging the lamp!.

[Ted Temple]

I did two trips on the Amazon quite a good run some Spaniards from Vigo were in the crew. The captain was Harry Sang who was the Commodore skipper.

[Jim Brady]

I did two trips down that coast 1958,Millais L&H Eastbury Houlders.I'm surprised nobody has mentioned the Fair Ground in B.A.(Was it Retero Park or was that a d ifferent place)Back to the Fairground, once I found it with my mates we did'nt want to go anywhere else.The girls on all the stalls were very obliging and all free gratis.All you needed was the taxi fare and the hotel money and you'd cracked it.I think we used to be there nearly a month,I stayed with the same girl,finish in the galley 6PM.have a couple of hours kip go ashore about 9-30 go in the first and last or some other cheap place have a few beers go to the fairground meet the girl and off you went,a great experience for a young kid.
Regards.
Jim.B.

[Eddy Brockman]

Sangs nick name was Dongo, Spanish deck crew were two Brothers, Bosons mate was Bert Hills.

[Noel Kelly]

Was never on an 'A' boat but was certainly on the 'meat run' to BA on a 'D' boat. Joined the Deseado as 4th.engineer and would spend 2 years on her from March 1955 to May 1957 as 4th.Eng., 2nd. Fridge Eng, & Jun.3rd.Eng. First voyage was up the West Coast to Vancouver and then the Deseado was converted to a fully refrigerated ship and started on the 'meat runs' to BA. Usually left London empty stopping only at Las Palmas outward bound. I considered the Deseado a great ship, a happy ship, with lots of shipboard activities & competitions. I ran a football team and arranged games in San Vicente, La Boca, & Berisso. Only ever made one visit to Rosario and had a match there too.

[tony lee]

i was plateman for two trips in 65.second steward douggie,topsider dennis come to mind.

[David Williams]

Best run I ever did, very educational
Anyone else do it?

Hi There.
Did just the one trip on the ALCANTARA,way back
in 1957.We seemed to be in port more than we were
at sea.

Dave Williams(R583900)