Welcome to the Blue Funnel shipping forum.
 

I have looked at starting a thread here for a few days,but felt that with only three trips and once round the land as sum total of my time, I hoped someone else would pile in first.

Menestheus
Cyclops
Astyanax
Glenogle

I always felt I saw a good cross section of the classes, and every one beautiful ships. I wish I had sailed on a P boat, I did visit Super P Priam in Durban on her maiden trip.

I sailed in the first two of those ships FJ. Cyclops was a good solid 'A' boat, constructed for carrying pilgrims.
Menestheus however was one of the six 'M' class. They were built between 1957 and 1960, and were not nearly as handy on deck as the 'A' class. I sailed in all of the 'M' boats, and disliked every one of them.
The best Blueys in my opinion were the 4 'P' boats and the 4 'H' boats, all steam turbine powered ocean greyhounds, lovely ships.
Best regards,
Pat

Pat, was the M class a sort of transition? McGregor hatches, some Air-con, but not much that was radical. I wish I had spent enough time/done enough trips to be able to make a choice, they were all just amazing to a 17 year old lad, and an 18 year old one too. Coasting the Astyanax was a great experience too, we were always dirty, always moving, always on standby and it was exciting and hard work. I did quite a few night watches, and liked it, only person around but with someone to call out if you had to, it made me feel quite responsible, which of course, I was.

You got it shoved at you, and more if you could take it, and I liked that.

Yes the McGregor lids on the 'M' boats were a revelation and possibly the only good thing about them. The Air conditioning was rudimentary to say the least, and only installed, as far as the ratings were concerned, in the messroom and recreation room.
I also enjoyed coasting, as you say you were always on the move, always topping or dropping the derricks, hatch cleaning, and on stations. No chipping, painting or sugi. Plus getting ashore almost every night in some of Northern Europe's major ports
I first coasted on Peleus, two weeks in Glasgow then back to Birkenhead, the next one was Eumaeus. We joined her in Hull, and then went to Hamburg, Bremerhaven, Bremen, Amsterdam, Rotterdam, and Avonmouth before arriving back in Birkenhead after four weeks of hard but very enjoyable work.
Best Regards,
Pat

ahh the bluies .hiya pat jumped ship ,glad to find you again tony

Hello Tony, hope you are well.
I'm just recovering from cataract surgery which I had this morning in St Cath's hospital in B'head, and so far all appears to be ok.
At the moment I'm still continuing with Ship's Nostalgia as well as joining this new site. We will see how it all pans out.
Best regards,
Pat

I have just been signed off from having my cataracts done, both eyes. Brilliant! And that describes what I can see. Best luck to you, it changes your life.

I remember locking out of Avonmouth, someone put a big log fender out and we bumped it. It exploded into flames. Very impressive.

Thanks FJ. Already my vision in my right eye has improved substantially. A quick, painless procedure with minimal discomfort.
Avonmouth was one of my favourite ports. There were two good pubs close to the dock gates, The Miles Arms and The Royal. A short trip on the train took you to the Severn Beach Hotel which was awash with girls.
We sometimes drydocked in Mountstewart drydock after discharging cargo, and so we often got a week or two in Avonmouth, long enough to form lasting attachments. I was engaged to a local girl in Shirehampton for a couple of years, but the logistics of going down to Bristol whenever I was home on leave defeated us.
Regards,
Pat

I was talked into leaving blue funnel by my then girlfriend and get married big let down OK when I came home on leave but once ashore cracks appeared faster than the titanic
then down to mann island got a blue star ship the same day by midnight I was gone .when I got back gave her my payoff my house and just kept my suitcase ,then ex wife next stop

pat kennedy
 

hope all goes well with eyes pat but let it take its time .cheers

:)
Now now Pat- "dropping" derricks. Not Blue Funnel speak- one "lowered" derricks in the China.

You know who I am.

BW

J:)

I know who you are John.
Old Oilskin? that's a strange monicker, Ive got an old souwester to go with it!

When you spent a few months in the shore gang, as I did, the derricks were very definitely dropped. That band of brothers, anxious to get up the road into the Duke, could flatten an 'A' boat out in ten minutes!

There were no deck crew on board in Liverpool or Birkenhead until sailing day, we were all on leave.
So, Holts had two large shore gangs, one based at Vittoria Dock and the other at Gladstone Dock.
The shore gang boarded inbound vessels in the locks and by the time the ship was alongside the berth, they had everything ready for the dockers to start working cargo.
Similarly when a ship was preparing for sea, the shore gang covered the hatches and battened everything down. a few stayed on board until the locks if necessary.
When I was in the Birkenhead shore gang, there were over fifty men in it and the shore bosun was Sid Bainbridge.
Other duties were shifting ship from one dock to another, which happened fairly often, and to man the quayside and locks to handle the moorings, a miserable job at midnight in a gale on Gladstone Lock bullnose.
We also renewed mooring ropes and rigging, loaded stores, rigged heavy lift gear for the dockers when necessary, and performed any other tasks as required.
Regards
Pat

Pat

Was there a Blue Funnel shore gang in Glasgow?

Never shared a broom or shovel with them down the hatches or gathered/stowed dunnage with them, however seem to recall some assistance on mooring stations/dry docking.

R651400 - no this will remain a BD free site.

BW

J:):):)

there was a catering shore gang at oddessey .there always seemed to 3 ships in victoria docks at the same time .one ready for sea. one from gladstone and one from coasting.after leave we reported to mr sparrow.jobs were soogying the alleyways after the chinease catering had left the ship.changing mattresses..that to get called in after he had looked at you reports from the last trip re the chefs and chief stewards also to see who had been at sea at christmas and give you one that would be back or vice versa.once you had been assigned a ship the days before sailing .it was store loading .the the shore gang would load it on deck in slings if poss .but spuds were always on ya back.small kegs of beer which we never saw again ,was always for the upper bar ,bond was loaded under the eye of the black gang and first mate and chief steward .no chance of a swiped one.when i was told to sign on the first day before sailing was to go thru the food and fridge lockers to check the stores lists with the chef .always had a good meal tho.while on the gang .and see mates that were also signing on.never remember sailing in daylight was always in the dark .got my head down soon as aboard knowing it was a 6am call the first day and get back into a sea going routine...do it all again great gangs of lads
5 years got my education on blue funnel..cheers

Yes John, there was a small shore gang in Glasgow. There were only about a dozen or so, and their leader was a Teuchter named Hector. They basically handled moorings but also provided on board labour if there was a ship whose deck crowd had paid off, as happened from time to time.
regards,
Pat

Tony,
I recall the catering shore gang in Birkenhead, and Mr Sparrow, bowler hat and glasses. They were always nagging the dockers to hoist stores aboard at No 4 hatch rather than handball up the gangway, and I dont blame them for that,
Do you remember the major inspection of the accommodation carried out by all the shoreside functionaries on sailing day. Sparrow was part of that crew, plus the woman who designed all the cabin furnishings and matching bedding/bunk curtains. She also chose the handful of 45rpm gramophone records which were placed in the crew rec room, usually the current top ten and a couple of highbrow classical ones which generally ended up in Vittoria Dock before we even set sail.
my abiding memory of sailing day on a Bluey was the pervasive smell of French polish in all the accommodation, and the stench of gas oil out on deck.
As you say Tony, they always seemed to sail at night, and usually in foul weather.
Best regards Pat.
PS the clarity of vision in my right eye only 5 days since the cataract was removed is nothing short of astonishing. I can drive and watch tv without specs for the first time in years.:cool:

Your sight will change for some time, if my experience is typical. You start to notice sharpness and better colours within an hour of it being done. I found it a lot better experience than going to the dentist. Anyone thinking about it, just have it done. I had stopped driving and could not read a book by the time I had mine done, and that came on in about 9 months.

The massive organisation that was Blue Funnel worked so well, but I suppose it was like a swan, there was a lot of paddling going on under the gliding exterior.

pat kennedy so good to hear that pat .now you can see the new breed of ladies at the new new brighton .that might bring a spring in your step,don't get over there now my son and family live with me .did like my sunday pub lunch by the prom .yeah this sailing days everyone was up the wall until they buggered off .cheers tony

Very true Tony, I was down at New Brighton yesterday and had a carvery lunch in the Queens, very nice it was too.
Another thing on sailing day, they gave the ship's whistle a good workout as part of that inspection.
The sound of that two tone horn blasting out six or seven times echoed all over Birkenhead and Wallasey. little kids in school would nod wisely and say, 'Another bluey sailing'.:D

Thanks FJ,
It really is amazing what such a simple procedure can do. Its like a new lease of life, and the glasses have been stowed in a drawer in the kitchen.
Blue Funnel was indeed a smooth and well run operation. I don't think they left anything to chance, everything was a belt and braces job, they hired the best people, and they hung on to them.
Best Regards,
Pat

The company did look after me, I became ill after the first trip on the Menestheus, they let things roll till could go back, did a trip on Cyclops, illness carried on, more time off, did round the land with Astyanax, sorted for a trip on Agapenor till BR lost my luggage, fixed me a trip on Glenogle, they let things ride,after a long break they put me on MAR to hold things, then I had to quit, still not right, and they worked with me and my parents to find ships and trips. I was out with best wishes and a nice good bye letter. Remember the company and the time with great fondness.

thats the one pat could not remember the name very good carvery and they don't rush you out the door when done let you finished your drink also has a nice little bar in the corner cheers

Tony,
Another good pub for Sunday lunch is The Egremont Ferry. Get a table by the window and you have a panoramic view of the Mersey from Seaforth Dock right down to The Pier Head and beyond. The grub is delicious and so are the waitresses!
Get your family to take you there Tony, you wont regret it.
Best regards,
Pat:)

trying to get in the wheelchair .just get a little carsick now so short trips only .but need to get further afield to see my step G/daughter and new baby over there
just how nice it would be to see a couple of blues tied up in victoria dock .now that would spur me on ..cheers

Tony

Sadly, you won't see a Bluie over the water- all gone now - we only have the memories and the pleasures of serving that splendid outfit.

Pat

Sorry to hear of your eye problems but pleased to learn of your progress. Take a look at the THFC New stadium website (inside the bowl) where you might catch a fleeting glimpse of yt during the day.

Had a birthday today and concluded that I'm getting old!!!

BW

J:):)

on my first trip on the elpenor 1955 ..when we had left the red sea in the real ocean after a day or two the sea was as flat as a pancake and on my afternoon break instead of getting my head down I decided that I wanted to see the porpoise/dolphins up close as they race ahead over our bow waves .so i walked down the foredeck on to the focastle head and looked over the bow 10 minutes later the bosun was there saying you alright lad ..why are you up here ?I said well is always been a dream of mine to see the things I read about in cooks voyages round the world .have i done something wrong ,no son he said thats what going to sea is all about but you don.t work the deck so you have to have permission.so come back with me .when we got back midships I was told that i had to see the captain in the saloon with the chief steward and the bosun.to be honest by now I was as nervous asa kitten
the bosun told the captain what I had said .looked at the chief steward and said did you not tell the catering staff that they were not allowed on the focastle. head chief just shook his head the captain was A K Hole a big man.he said then type it out and give to all the catering staff.I said sorry captain I just wanted to get closer .I understand that lad he said but the rules of the sea must be obeyed .but as you did not know them we will draw a line this time ok.yes sir as said .and that was it .it was later the bosun told me that the mate had seen me up there and called the captain .they had the feeling I was going to jump over the bow .so as not to frighten me they sent the bosun who was a soft spoken welshman to have a chat.so every day for a week the chief steward called me into his little office next to the saloon in the afternoon when I worked alone to shared cup of tea .I relised they were still worried about weather I had a problem until I assured them that I was fine .I sailed with A K HOLE 3 times on the 2nd trip at the first galley inspection he looked at me gave smile and shook his head.as if to say silly boy and as he walked past gave me a light tap on my shoulder.rules noted

Unadulterated nostalgia Tony - thanks for sharing it with us.

BW
J

I was with Capt Hole in the Peleus, Tony. He was popular with the crew although seemed a bit of a tartar with the middies.
regards,
Pat

will have to check my book in the loft with all my other bits and bobs while the house is being refurbished .I did 2 trips on the peleus ,elpenor had a great crowd thr'out but the P boats were the kings for me . did a real lifeboat drill in the middle of the indian ocean .that an other story cheers

We probably needed it.

Tony,
We did lifeboat drill in the Indian Ocean outward bound on most Blueys. Usually lowered at least one boat into the 'oggin and let go.
On one ship, the Memnon, the captain was a radar enthusiast, Radar Robb, and after we set of in the boat he had the Memnon sail off into the far distance until we lost sight of her.
A while later, it seemed like hours, she appeared from an unexpected direction.
I heard later that he had his head buried in the radar hood the whole time and wanted to see how far he could travel before losing contact with us.
Well, it was a pleasant lazy afternoon for us boat's crew, better than chipping the mast house paintwork which is what the rest of the crowd were doing.

Best regards.
Pat;)

lifeboat
 

mine was a disaster from the minute we were let go .and one the horizon she went i had my lifejacket on but only a chain breaker under so arms and neck exposed to the sun .forth mate 3 chinamen one middy peggy 2 abs 2 edhs.and what a palaver .toget the sail up took at lease a hour getting the oars and setting them up oh dear needless to say it was the very end of the day when we finally got back to her .I was burned to hell all were hungry so our was a cold meat platter and salad .but the the galley was still full of pots and pans to be done the 2ncook and ass cook had just left it all.you know what it was like when pans are left dry before washed .2 hours to finish and I was knackered .it was the next morning at wake up when the ab shook me look at my face and said bloody hell that I felt the burn . as you know they carried a doc on board the p boat wit 32 passengers but I had huge blisters on my shoulders and neck.arms was in agony so he slathered me all over with cream and put me in the spare cabin that was for the sick bay if needed it was at the end of the catering alleyway by the mess lounge normally it was locked so I had a day to myself just lying on the bunk in fruit of the looms on but felt i was on fire .the chef raised hell with the chief steward over it .so it was sweet that the 2nd an ass cook had to do all the pots and pans and get the galley ready for inspection .but it was back to work the next day but I never stepped outside for the next 2 weeks might have been captain wilkes??

In my time, the only time we lowered boats was in port for a Lloyds survey. There had been too many accidents swinging a boat out when underway, the last being a very nasty incident in a Bay boat.

For us, it was the jeep that we carried on the Barber Priam, many a time up the road for hamburgers until we were sussed in Miami and sent back to the ship.

On one survey in Balboa, I couldn't get the lifeboat engine to start (Barber Memnon). I had Big Tony, who had been goalkeeper for the Sierra Leone national football team cranking her over. Finally dawned on me to drain the fuel system and prime. She started first time!

Best Regards,
Dave

Interesting to see comments taking about old haunts, I Remember when joining the Laomedon seeing Vittoria dock full of Blue funnels. I served as Blue Funnel Engineer 1972 to 1982. Served on Hector, Kowloon Bay, Glenogle,Cardigan Bay, Laomedon, Obuasi, Degama, Centaur, Ajax and Anchises. Started as engineer cadet at Aulis and finished as 3rd Engineer. Settled in Perth Australia, and still working as a project director building hospitals.

Hello John,
I'm sure I sailed with you, but can't remember what ship. Laomedon or Centaur.
Richard (R/O)

It was no different twenty or so years previous March 1956 walking from Hamilton Square station and seeing wall to wall Blue Funnels rising above the Vittoria dock sheds.. What a marvelous sight for a GTZB sixteen-year old fresh from college.

after my first trip on an ore carrier then beening sent to odyssey to be part of the catering shore gang in1955.there were 4 in the dock ,they looked so clean and then I saw the accommodation I thought wow .told my dad (docker) he said china boats ?.don't blot your book and you'll be on them for years he was right 5 years until made my first big mistake and got married .oh dear wrong wrong wrong

I used to cycle past Vittoria Dock on my way to school in Birkenhead. Along with some of my school mates, we would loiter round the locks watching them sail, or dock, and we all wanted to be part of that.
I think there were actually six of us in my year who did join Blueys. I only ever saw one of them again, Mike Elliott who was AB with me on a few ships some years later, (his mother was manager in The Pacific in Price St just up the road from the docks). As to the rest, I have no idea if they lasted long, it was a hard life for the first year or so, and many fell by the wayside.

I have just joined this site. My first company was Blue Funnel Line. My first ship as Deck Boy was the Agapenor(just coasting. The bosun was Ralph Ball.
I spent the following 2 years aboard the Rhexenor until May 1956, followed by a couple of "A" Boats.

Here are some of the personel that I remember from the Rhexenor: Capts. Singleton and Anderson, Ch/offs. Ferguson and Evans, 2/ Off. Hopper. Carpenter Dennis Whitaker, Bosuns, Tommy Hogan and Joe O'Neil, (the best). Lampey Alex McGillivary. ABs. Trefor Roberts Hughie Roberts, Alan Owens, Bill Sumner, Hughie McDonald, Eric Leeds, Jimmy Dolman, Jimmy Dodds, Gerald Kelly, Kevin Roberts, Tommy Moreland and my watchmate Eddie Fargher ( who i believe went on to be Commodore Master of I.O.M. Steampacket). Might be some familiar names to some long term Blue Funnel Crews. Bruce.