Dorcasia

[David Barrott]

Anyone old enough to remember the original Dorcasia? Launched I believe circa 1935, Bermiester and Wain Engine (a cheap copy of a Vorkspoor). Design speed 12 knots, ran during the war continually at 12 knots (Convoy speed) then laid up in Falmouth until the Suez crisis of 1957. Hastily brought back in service and limped around the world for a while. A floating disaster. I remember cutting up 1 1/4 inch handrails to make shear pins for the fuel oil purifier as we had no spares. Filing down a full set of 3' diameter piston rings from 12mm thick to 11mm thick as we had burned out a piston and all the spares we carried were for re-conditioned pistons. '4 on 8' off--forget it, 4 on and stay on. tightening the main tie bolts with a 28lb sledge and a flogging hammer whilst standing on the rocking arms with the engine running at 60 Rpm (we were in the Channel and could not stop). Happy Daze.

[Tony Taylor]

Anyone old enough to remember the original Dorcasia? I remember cutting up 1 1/4 inch handrails to make shear pins for the fuel oil purifier as we had no spares. Filing down a full set of 3' diameter piston rings from 12mm thick to 11mm thick as we had burned out a piston and all the spares we carried were for re-conditioned pistons. '4 on 8' off--forget it, 4 on and stay on. tightening the main tie bolts with a 28lb sledge and a flogging hammer whilst standing on the rocking arms with the engine running at 60 Rpm (we were in the Channel and could not stop). Happy Daze.

Not old enough Dave but have had to do similar on newer jobs for same company, utilising hand rails and scaffold poles for replacing low pressure pipe work. The handrail I cut out was from a safe place and no one noticed or mentioned it; however, the scaffold pole I nicked out of the centre castle was noticed and the mate was scouring the ship for it, he never noticed it in use in the pump room ha ha!

[Ivan Cloherty]

Dave if resurrected for Suez in 1957, alas she was a year too late

[David Barrott]

Dave if resurrected for Suez in 1957, alas she was a year too late

We were in one of the first northbound convoys through the canal when it reopened, having been to Willemstadt (Curacao), Ponta Cardon (Venezuela) Port Elizabeth, Calcutta, Madra, Bombayi(as it then was) for a 6 week dry dock, Djibouti, Massawa, Port Sudan, Al Ahmadi (Kuwait), Abadan, Suez and through the canal with a major breakdown in the canal North of the Bitter Lakes (we were not popular). As you can see, we were tramping.The whole trip took nearly two years.

[Doc Vernon]

Is this her ??

DORCASIA (1) | Helderline.com

[Ivan Cloherty]

David I made the comment in#3, because I was in the Suez invasion in '56, so in 57 she would be too late.

I also did tramping, longest trip 22 months on one of Ropners, enjoyed it, details are elswhere

[David Barrott]

Sorry, 56 it was. My memory is not what it was.

[David Barrott]

My apologies, my memory is not what it was (and it never was good)

[j.sabourn]

#8 Was she one of Anchor Line ? I was on the Circassia for dinner in Bombay in 1954. She was a passenger ship . Memory alright on that one as had to borrow a pair of trousers to go and sit with the toffs. JS

[j.sabourn]

#3 Could have been 1957. Believe there was a shortage of tankers after the Suez crisis. Have just read this post from the beginning like a normal person instead of last post first. 1957 I was ashore for 12 weeks for the first cert. and remember the shortage of petrol for cars at the time. A friend of mine his father died and left him an old Ford Prefect and we used to drive around with about 6 of us in it , nobody had a full licence so they must have changed the driving laws to suit the shortage apart from the Rex in Whitley Bay, the Plaza in Tynemouth suited at times , then half the populance of the Ford Prefect which I am almost sure it was. Were females. The owner of the banger was ex Shell tankers and he was the good looking one with the car and was always the draw card for the girls after the last Waltz. You would of enjoyed the dancing Ivan. When drunk enough I even used to get up and do the Limbo. Maybe why I suffer a lot of back pains now.? Cheers JS