Zealandic

[nick sivertsen]

What a superb looking ship very reminiscent of the vessels in those days.Sleek lines full of character and I would have been really proud to have sailed on it.I was an ex T S Arethusa boy and sailed as an apprentice with Turnbull Scot in the early 60s on the M V Sungate and whenever we went alongside I used to marvel at the different styles of merchant ships berthed with us.The ship designers in those days had great foresight on style and lines for these vessels until containerisation reared it’s ugly head.When I was an Arie boy one of our instructors was an ex master mariner by the name of Wily Weightman.He used to spend a lot of time going around the continental ports photographing the companies logo on the funnels and then had them published in the ‘Topper’ a children’s comic in those days.Also we had the Ian Allen books which had the British Shipping Companies list of ships which when we hung around the docks we were able to tick them off when seeing them.Good old days the kids today don’t know what they missed.Sorry about the rant.Just to say how lucky I was to have sailed in those days.��

[Kenneth Thorpe]

Joined Zealandic Rotterdam as 2/Off , loaded apples in Bahia Blanca for Bergen,Trondheim and Alesund before pay-off in Newcastle. Ship was Sold soon afterwards.
On the South bound run to Bahia Blanca met sister ship Laurentic Heading North, also with apples for Oslo? Believe this was the last Shaw Savill Ships to Pass at sea. Only the Dunedin was left and she was out in Kiwi.Laurentic.jpg

[Adrian Featherstonhaugh]

I laid Zealandic up in Swansea in the mid 70s as 2/E before she was sold.

I was at home in Surrey on leave in late '76 or early '77 and got a call from Wally Watson asking if I'd pop up to the Zealandic to provide cover as there was a Firemens' strike and the insurance wouldn't cover a dead-ship. She was laid up in Albert Dock or KG V and he was desperate to try and get some engineers onboard that afternoon. I rode my Norton Commando up there and the watchman let me onboard. I had never been on her before so didn't have a clue what to do to get her running again but another J/E (Tim Heales) and a Ch/Eng soon showed up and together we got the Emergy Genr and then a main set running. I did the first night watch and then we went to the wharfie's canteen for breakfast.
I recall there were no sheets or blankets and it was winter so bloody cold. Someone went to the nearest supermarket to grab some tea, coffee and milk because there was absolutely nothing onboard.
I was allowed home the next day as Wally had managed to rustle up enough engineers to keep the lights on until the strike was over.

[Bill Morrison]

Post #13.Hi Adrian. A bit late, have just seen your post. Wally Watson was the 4th Eng. on the Zealandic in 1968 when I sailed with him. I still can see him with his Falcon pipe and pocket watch.
One memory that I have is we were having dinner when the " panic alarm " went off, big rush down below to find Wally with said pipe staring at a unit with water cascading out of it. He said to the Chief there's something not right here. First time we experienced a cracked liner. It was a real work-up to replace but you lean.
Wally had something to do with the Shaw Savill Society site. I think he has retained files etc. from the company as I get emails through an other SS&A member that came from Wally.
I have no photos of him on the Zealandic but found one on the web while researching.
Bill

[Adrian Featherstonhaugh]

Hello Bill, thanks very much for the reply and also your email. Am much obliged old chap. I remember Wally Watson with great fondness and respect - he seemed to understand us Engineers and I always found him to be as helpful as he could whenever one had a "request". Mind you, these things work both ways so whenever he asked me to go back early or whatever I always tried to help him out as well. When you called the office he would always ask you to hang on a moment while he found your file (can hear the cabinet drawers being rifled even now) so he knew what ships you'd been on last and so on. A very good bloke to have in the office!