Castle boats

[STEVE IRELAND]

Hi all
stumbled on this web site by accident and have been hit by a wave of nostalga ,
I joined the S.A. VAAL as a bell boy in 1971 stayed on their a year and was a winger on both the EDINBURGH and PENDENNIS doing the final voyage on both .
I well remember the Navigators , it had no alcohol licence then and you ordered a bottle of KWV at the bar and it arrived by taxi , you got your coke from the bar and then got hammered .I also remember when we used to stop in Port Elizabeth and all the wingers would pile into the hotel outside the dock think it was called the Hotel Camponile ran by a scots family and we would then get a logging for not going back to serve afternoon tea to the punters .

ah happy days

[donald w gillies]

Thank you Steve for taking us back to those carefree days,
regards
Donald W

[Doc Vernon]

Hi Steve
Would just like to give you a warm Welcome to this very good site!
Here you will find lots of info,a good Crew here and with luck also find a few old Shipmates!
So sit back grab a Tinny,relax and just enjoy the trip!
Hope we will have you here for a long time! Have a happy stay!

Cheers

Vernon (castleman)

There are quite a few here that were on the Castle Liners,some much earlier than you and some at your time!
I am sure there will be a few good replies !
For me i was on the Castle Liners in the late 1950's serving on ones such as the Dunnottar,Warwick,Sterling and Winchester!
Mail and Round Africa trips!
Some great times and many good ports of call!
Thanks for your post!
Cheers

[David Williams]

Hi Steve.
I was on the Edinburgh Castle way back in the 50's.I was
wondering if it was the same ship,or a newer one.

Dave Williams(R583900)
Llanelli

[happy daze john in oz]

Hi there Steve and welcome to the site. I was with UCl a bit befotre you, early 60's. In those days you could get a bottle by taxi but most of us went to the bottle shop. You had to sign a book in those days giving your name and address. As soon as you mention the ship very often the guy behind the jump would not worry about that bit. That process is now long gone.

[Jim Brady]

A guy got sent by the pool here in Liverpool to Southampton to join a Castle boat,he was back at the pool in Liverpool the next day.What happened to you I sent you to S'tn yesterday said the guy in the pool.You did'nt tell me it was a troopship said the guy.It's not a troopship said the man from the pool.Oh yes it is I got down there and seen the "Middle-Sex " regiment going aboard.
Regards.
Jim.B..