New Member

[Michael Mahon]

Hi' My name is Mike Mahon I have just joined this forum. I am ex merchant navy and have been with several companies. Esso Silver Line and Shell where the main ones. My first ship was the Esso Northumbria 20th July 1972, and my last ship was the Venassa (Shell) June 1989. Several of my relatives went away to sea in the Merchant and Royal Navies. and my Brother is still at sea on supply boats.

[Chris Allman]

A warm welcome to the site Michael. I know we have members that sailed with both Esso and Shell and the Silver Line. Have a look through the Esso and Shell and Silver Line Forums you may well find someone whom you sailed with and the Gallery has many photographs of ships from those lines.

[Tony Taylor]

Welcome Michael, am sure you will turn up some old mates, and make some new ones. I watched the launch of the Northumbria from the opposite bank, it was a rare treat, as well a real retreat; I was a bit higher up on the bank side while others were virtually on the bank side. When she went down the slip it looked like it was going to crash into the opposite bank and was preceded by a huge wave. At first realisation people started to back pedal quicker and quicker till they turned tail and ran for it, hilarious.

[Captain Kong]

Hi Michael
I was on the ESSO NORTHUMBRIA in 1976 when we had three months alongside in Cape Town , a fantastic trip.
Cheers
Brian

[Doc Vernon]

Can just imagine what you got up to in those Months there Capt! Woooha!!
Must have had a Ball mate!

[j.sabourn]

Think my father in law cut the gears for the turbines on her if they were done at Parsons. Seem to recollect something about her and him talking about it. When Parsons shut up shop all the machinery appertaining to gear cutting was shifted to Holland and he had to go with it to see it assembled properly. He was made redundant at 62/63. Fortuanetly or Unfortuanetley he got out on a sick pension , and died at 66. A lot of marine engineers used to visit him as had served their time under him at the yard. I think the trip to Holland was his only time ever abroad. JS.

#1. Which neck of the woods is your bro. On supply boats at ?, also welcome to the site . JS.

[Michael Mahon]

Hi Brian
The Esso Northumbria was my first ship at sea, I joined her July 1972 at Fawley, I had left Gravesend Sea School after training to work on deck,upon joining I was commandeered by the chief stwd and put in the galley as they needed extra hands as they had a lot of shore gang workers on-board as prior to joining, the Northumbia had had a fire in the engine room when she was in Rotterdam. We departed Fawley and went to anchor off Cowes for about two weeks while the repairs were done. I didn't get on deck until about six or seven weeks later. I was on the Northumbria twice, the second time was late 1973 after I
was on the Esso Cardiff, I was also on the Esso Ulidia 1974 and my last Esso tanker was the Esso Scotia, I then left Esso and went to Silver Line. Regards.

[Michael Mahon]

Hi' J, My brother is on the Highland Guardian 2nd mate, he is currently anchored off Aberdeen but I have just heard from him and he has told me they are going down to Leith to lay up.

[j.sabourn]

That would be one of the stand by boats of North Star is it not. .? Just mentioned in another post that. One of the blokes looking after those laid up was a friend of mine. Don’t know if he is still doing it, as was a couple of years ago. Was handy for him as lives near Edinburgh. Cheers JS.

[Captain Kong]

Thanks for that Michael.

We had another ER fire alongside in Cape Town., I was overcome by smoke, and had to go to hospital. The BA sets had had all the air tubes stolen by the shore workers, we had three months of repairs there.
She was falling to pieces, Very badly built on the Tyne, The ESSO HIBERNIA was the same, Tyne built and falling to pieces,
I also sailed on the Ulidia, same class built with the Caledonia built in Belfast and far superior.

I stayed until 1987, then given a free Pension for life, and Shares in the Company, EXXONMOBIL, which made a lot of lads Millionaires, and a big golden handshake., I was only there 12 years.
Cheers
Brian.