[Further information on any of the ships shown below will be most gratefully received - ships_ns@yahoo.ca]
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SEPTEMBER, 2005:
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Left to right - CEDRIC and DELPHIC, OTI, SILVERSTONE and NIKOLA VAPTZAROV
CEDRIC IMO number: 5066827 (Photographed I think in August, 1959) CEDRIC (ON: 185253) was completed by Harland and Wolff, Belfast, in 1952-11 for Shaw Savill and Albion, registered Southampton. She was a refrigerated cargo vessel with a gross tonnage of 11,232 (11,771 dwt), measuring 512 feet long by 69.3 feet beam. Powered by twin, 6 cylinder, 2 stroke, single acting oil engines driving twin screws, she had a service speed of 17 knots. She was one of five sister-ships, the others being CANOPIC, CRETIC, CARNATIC and CYMRIC. She was sold in 1976 to a Liberian company and renamed SEA CONDOR, subsequently being scrapped at Kaohsiung, Taiwan in September, 1976.
DELPHIC IMO number: 5088265 (ahead of CEDRIC), sister-ship to DORIC, was built by Hawthorn Leslie & Co., Hebburn, Newcastle, in 1949. She was of similar dimensions to the CEDRIC being of 10,691 gt (11,150 dwt); 510 feet length by 66 feet beam and was also a twin screw motorship. She had a service speed of 16 knots. DELPHIC was scrapped at Kaohsiung in 1971.
OTI IMO number: 5266910 (Photographed 1960, heading towards a pall of smoke generated by tugs as she passes Liverpool's Anglican Cathedral). OTI was one of the later Elder Dempster "O-class" ships built in 1956 (Harland & Wolff, Belfast). Unlike earlier ships of this class she was completed, along with the ONDO, without passenger accommodation. She was a 12.5 knot, single screw motorship of 5,485 gt (8,009 dwt) , measuring 450 feet x 62 feet and served Elder Dempster until 1972 when sold into Cyprus ownership and renamed MIMI METHANTIS. In 1976 she became the GOLDBEACH and then the NICOLAS K. in 1978 being scrapped at Kaohsiung in 1979.
SILVERSTONE IMO number: 5328421 (Photographed 1960 in Birkenhead Docks, alongside Spiller's). Belonging to the Alva Steam Shipping Co. Ltd., (Navigation & Coal Trade Co. Ltd.), SILVERSTONE was built in 1958-03 by Taranto CN, Taranto, Italy. She was a 16 knot, single screw motorship of 8,826 gt (12656 dwt) and measured 478 feet by 62 feet beam. She became the AL ASSIRI in 1976 and was scrapped at Alang in June, 1983. Alva was part of the Vlasov (Sitmar) Empire with the yellow funnel with blue "V".
NIKOLA VAPTZAROV IMO number: 5251159 (Photographed - taken 26th August, 1959) This was the first and last Bulgarian ship seen and photographed by me - until recently!. She was a single screw motorship completed in 1949-07 by Boelwerf at Tamise (yard no: 1167). Gross tonnage was 1,779 gt (3,056 dwt); dimensions - loa: 92.0 m x 13.6 m breadth; speed: 12 knots. Owner: Navigation Maritime Bulgare, registered Varna. She subsequently became the BALTCHIK-76 for the Bulgarian Government, EAGLE-79 for Multiforma Sg & Trading, MARIA S.-79 for Licavitos Shipping Co., and then the BALTCHIK-81 again before being scrapped in 1981.
UPDATE: CLAN ALPINE (see August feature below)
Last month's feature on Clan Line ships at Barrow brought a welcome response from Stan Ure of Dundee, Scotland. I'll let Stan's words tell the story ....... "Ref the piece on the CLAN ALPINE. Some pics attached of her beached in a paddy field at Chittagong. Pics taken by my father Michael Ure then a Chief Officer with the Clan Line who was in Chittagong shortly after the cyclone." Many thanks, Stan, for permission to display the photos.
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Should anyone be interested in the full story, there is a fascinating first hand account of the circumstances surrounding the stranding and ultimate demise of the CLAN ALPINE by Capt Andy Logan, then the 2nd mate, in Sea Breezes, Vol. 72 (February, 1998), pages 99 - 109. He describes how the ship with full steam ahead was swept astern, dragging her anchor, by the storm surge associated with the cyclone at the amazing speed of 35 knots! Her final resting place was half a mile from the nearest water deep enough to float her.
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AUGUST, 2005:
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Left to right - CLAN ALPINE, CLAN ANGUS, CLAN FERGUSSON and GEMSBOK
CLAN ALPINE (Photographed 18th March, 1960, following arrival from Manchester to unload around 700 tons of wood pulp) - was launched as the 'B'-type tramp steamer, EMPIRE BARRIE, January, 1942, by J. L. Thompson & Sons Ltd., North Sands Shipyard, Sunderland, for the Ministry of War Transport. She was completed in April, 1942. Dimensions - 441 ft (o.a.) x 57 ft; gross tonnage - 7,168
Her subsequent history - with an unusual end! - is as follows: Sold to Clan Line Steamers Ltd., 1945, as CLAN ALPINE. Transferred to Bullard, King & Co Ltd. - another company within the British and Commonwealth Group - in 1957, renamed UMVOTI, until in 1959 she was returned to Clan Line Steamers as, once again, the CLAN ALPINE. Later in the same year she was sold to Japanese breakers for delivery in November, 1960. However she never made it to the breakers. Her moorings broke during a cyclone when at Chittagong on 31st October, 1960. She was driven ashore, being left high and dry in paddy fields 11 miles from the entrance to Chittagong. Declared a constructive total loss, she was scrapped in situ (February, 1961) after her cargo had been discharged into lorries.
CLAN ANGUS (Photographed 19th May, 1961, having arrived from Liverpool with a small cargo of wood pulp) - was another 'B'-type tramp steamer, built to a slightly different design by Caledon Shipbuilding and Engineering Co Ltd, Caledon Shipyard, Dundee. Note the rounded cruiser stern and the raised fo'csle compared with the CLAN ALPINE. She was launched in March, 1942 and completed two months later as the EMPIRE PRINCE. Dimensions: 446 ft (o.a.) x 56 ft; gross tonnage - 7,050. Like the previous ship, she was sold to Clan Line Steamers Ltd. in 1945, whom she served for 11 years before being transferred to Bullard King & Co Ltd. in 1956 and renamed UMKUZI. She was returned to Clan Line in 1959 under her previous name and lasted a further three years before being scrapped at Hirao, Japan in April, 1962.
CLAN FERGUSSON (Photographed 6th August, 1961) - was the first of the "CLAN FERGUSSON"- class of nine, machinery and superstructure three-quarters aft, general cargo ships built between 1960-62. She was launched by Swan Hunter, Wallsend, in November, 1960. Particulars: length - 507 ft, gross tonnage - 9,242 (10,650 dwt): main engine: 6 cyl Sulzer diesel for a speed of 16 knots. The five Swan Hunter-built ships of this class had very short careers with Clan Line. CLAN FERGUSSON was sold in 1965 to Scindia SN Co, Bombay, and renamed JALAPANKHI. She was scrapped at Bombay in 1985
CLAN MacNAIR (main picture - taken 21st August, 1964) - was another of the CLAN FERGUSSON-class, but differed in some respects. She was launched by John Brown, Clydebank, in October, 1961, and was fitted with a 6 cyl Doxford engine of 6,400 bhp which provided a speed of 15.5 knots. Dimensions: 506 ft x 62 ft x 26 ft draught; gross tonnage - 9,401 (10,657 dwt).
She continued in Clan Line service until 1980 when she was sold to Singapore interests as the LICHIANG. Scrapping began at Kaohsiung, Taiwan, 7th April, 1987.
GEMSBOK (Photographed 31st December, 1960, having arrived from Liverpool to discharge 1,000 tons of wood pulp). Although no longer operated by Clan Line at the time, GEMSBOK spent most of her career in the company's colours. Her history is as follows (from: Ron Mapplebeck's Springbok page)
O.N. 168986 9,221g 4,873n 10,145dw; 487.6 ft x 63.0 ft x 29.8 ft draught; Refrigerated twin screw vessel fitted with 2 x 3-cylinder triple expansion engines manufactured by J.G. Kincaid & Co. Ltd., Greenock.
1942: 17.4.1942 - launched by Greenock Dockyard Co. Ltd., Greenock (Yard no. 450) as EMPIRE MIGHT for Ministry of War Transport (Blue Star Line Ltd. - managers) - 8.42: Completed / 17.4.46: sold through the Ministry's Ship Disposal Scheme to The Clan Line Steamers Ltd. (Cayzer, Irvine & Co. Ltd. - managers) and renamed CLAN MACRAE. 1959: within British & Commonwealth Group, transferred to Bullard, King & Co. Ltd. and renamed UMGENI. 12.59: transferred to Springbok Line Ltd., London; name unchanged. 1.60: transferred to Springbok Shipping Co. Ltd., Cape Town, South Africa, and subsequently renamed GEMSBOK.
1961: 1.7.61 - company sold by British & Commonwealth Shipping Co. Ltd. to South African Marine Corporation Ltd., Cape Town, South Africa, vessel remained in ownership by Springbok Shipping Co. Ltd. (South African Marine Corporation Ltd. - managers); renamed SOUTH AFRICAN FINANCIER.
1962: 20.1.62 - arrived Antwerp and sold to Rederj Weis Muller, Baarn (Holland); renamed SANTA MARIA DE ORDAS for delivery voyage to Spanish shipbreakers at Valencia, arriving 10.2.62. 3.62: breaking up began.
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JULY, 2005: a selection of British and Dutch coasters photographed in and around Barrow Docks, 1959-1961. (I confess to knowing almost nothing about coasters - other than the little I can find in my treasured Ian Allan, ABC ship-spotting booklets of that era. I still have them!)
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Left to right: - Thanks to Ron Mapplebeck for providing some details
ALLEGHENY O.N. 145858 This venerable Esso coastal tanker frequently visited Barrow from the Mersey refineries. She was often seen fueling Vicker's new-builds prior to their trials. Built in 1921 by J. Crichton at Connah's Quay for Anglo-American Oil Co., her particulars were as follows: 828 GT, length - 213 ft, breadth - 32 ft, triple expansion steam engine, 8 knots. I last saw her in January, 1959 and thereafter the motor tankers, ESSO BRIXHAM (1957/758 GT) and ESSO POOLE (1955/754 GT) assumed her duties. She was broken up at Boom in June, 1962.
GEZIENA-HENDERIKA IMO number: 5130317 A typical Dutch motor coaster of 494 GT; name hyphenated on the ship, but not in Lloyd's Register! At the time she was owned by J. Damhof Jr. and was registered in Delfzijl, having been built by Bodewes Volharding at Foxhol in 1950 as the MAASSTROOM-51. She had arrived light from Londonderry in January, 1960, and sailed for Hamburg with a cargo of pig iron. Dimensions: loa: 47.7 m x 8.4 m breadth. Subsequently, she was sold in 1966 to Dutch owners as ANHOLT, then in 1970 as the COSTAS under the Greek flag and in 1984 was flagged in the Honduras. She was deleted from LR in 1998.
KEIZERSGRACHT I.D. number: 29070 A modern addition to the Spliethoff fleet of the time, built by Van Diepen at Waterhuizen (yard no: 963) in 1960 (500 GT) and photographed in March of 1961. She was registered in Amsterdam and was another of the numerous coasters on the pig iron run to continental ports.
TURQUOISE I.D. number: 3008845 "Gem Line" coasters, with the distinctive, short white line marked on the hull beneath the superstructure, were regular visitors, usually bringing cargoes of coal down from Ayr, Scotland. She was completed by Kalmar Varv at Kalmarin 1947 (yard no: 356) as KALMAR-47 and carried the names ARNE-50 and JARRIX-55 before being bought by William Robertson Shipowners Ltd., Glasgow, whom she served for 16 years. Subsequent names were 1966 HELLENIKOS VORRAS (Greece), 1979 GEORGIOS (Greece), 1980 PAOLA X (Panama); thereafter, track is lost of her. Particulars: 547 GT, length - 171 ft, breadth - 29 ft, speed - 10 knots.
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