Transvaal Castle/ S.A.Vaal

Hi, was ship's photographer on board before and after name change. Gave up being ships photographer and trained as R/O and spent several years with Maersk on Danish Flag ships.

Hia Peter, i was on the Transvaal/Vaal from 25/08/1964 to 02/12/1968. was a very very good ship, i was messman/utility stwd and peak Stwd,.

Thanks for the posts guys, I sailed as extra 2nd & 2nd engineer on S.A.Vaal in 1971, she was a lovely ship and they were happy days. Now trying to put together an article comparing the pax vsls of 1960's/70's with the modern monsters, can anybody assist with engine room manning level for the Vaal, I think it was C/E, 1st, 2nd, extra 2nd, junr 2nd, 3rd, extra 3rd, junr 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th, Chief Elect, 2 x asst elec, Chief Refrig, 2 x asst refrig, 1 x D/man + 3 x oilers/watch plus daywork squad. Can anyone give me more definite listings. Also interested in any confirmation details for the main machinery specification (Turbines/Boilers/Evaporators/Demin plant/Turbo & diesel alternators) and any performance/consumtpion data. Any input will be gratefully received.

If you look on the b&c staff register site it has the ships lists
Home they go back several years so you can check the Manning of any of the ships
I had a funny feeling that there was he for 2nd 3rd and 4th electrician on the SA Vaal , and I thought that it was all scheme alternators as opposed to a choice of Steam and diesel but I'm sure that Vic has a much better memory of it than I have

The SA Vaal had four 1500kw alternators and three 250kw Petbow RR emergency diesels.
She carried 4 electricians.
I believe that the boilers (3) were of Foster Wheeler design
Her turbines were two hp,two intermediate and two LP
Vic
Ps voltage was 440v AC.

Out of all the variety of generators that I sailed with over the years the Rolls-Royce straight eight D-Type 1800 RPM 60 cycle generator which I think was supposed to be swapped over for a complete exchange unit every 25000 hours was the most unreliable troublesome unit that I ever came across

If memory serves m coorectly there were two companies using the RR engine, Pelafone (or similar name) and Petbow. Petbow had the more reliable controls.
Vic

the Woodward governors were very complicated , but because the swap out overhaul hours went from 25.000 to 32,000 the mechanical reliability was the pits

Other problems with them were:-

Weight of the alternator rotor was at the maximum distance separation for the bearing support.
The non-drive end of the exciter was unsupported (no bearing) and tend to rub on the exciter stator.
Vic

I wasn't aware of that problem Vic , the fact they used to throw con rods out of the side was scary enough for me