Morar, She features in latest SeaBreezes

[Varley]

Title says it all. She was just before my time but I always fancied that I missed a fun trip or two.

[erimus]

This vessel was my biggest headache in the days as Ship Scheduling Controller with BISCOre/BSC.
We all knew the Gas Turbine concept could have been a good one, on her it wasn't.....first met her,as an agent on the Tees, and she had problems then, cannot remember who Master was at time but one of the 'old brigade'....possibly Alf Cromarty.
She was,of course, one of the Port Talbot sized fleet so small upriver ports, Ayresome Wharf Middlesbrough,Workington ,Barrow or Dagenham were often used. Fords got to point of refusing her as being so unreliable as to upset their furnace routine...she was reported, I seem to remember, passing Dover Pilots four of five times in one day!
One of the HQ accountants worked out that the best thing to use her for was long voyages(!) so we sent her to Vittoria,which in effect meant we didn't have to worry about her,other than fuelwise, for nearly two months!
geoff

[Varley]

In early leaves I used to drink with Cecil Kennaugh just retired Chief Super of the IoM Steam Packet (and the amazing sidecar driving Mabel, both sea swimming daily into their eighties). When I joined the office it was in the closing year of Eddie Bruce's reign in a similar capacity for DSM.

Suffice it to say that their memories of one another when Morar was lying disabled in Laxey bay did not entirely coincide. "Denholms seemed to think we had an entire free drydock facility in Fort Street". Another drinking friend whose name I can no longer remember (lived in Laxey) had been Master of Rembrandt.

I'll post the same on SH and return favour.

[erimus]

Because Smiths Dock Middlesbrough had more success with Rembrandt the Morar came in more than once to have her turbines looked at by them...
geoff

[Varley]

I should have added, following the apocrypha here (and heard often) that there is one unusual thing about her illustration in SeaBreezes. She is clearly underway!

[john Cassels]

Remember as 2nd.mate on the Clarkeden we passed the Morar just off Cape Wrath , they were over
the side in stages. We heard later that on that trip she became the only British ship to pass Cape Wrath
3 times in one day.

[Tim Gibbs]

Originally Posted by john Cassels

Remember as 2nd.mate on the Clarkeden we passed the Morar just off Cape Wrath , they were over
the side in stages. We heard later that on that trip she became the only British ship to pass Cape Wrath
3 times in one day.

I always thought the free piston gasifier was a flawed concept
Re-engining with a Lindholmens Pielstick was marginally better as they could have gone for a Ruston AO

[BillH]

Tim, When was the lindholmen / Pielstick fitted as i have not seen it recorded anywhere during my research?

MORAR (1959 – 1967)
6,990g. 3,115n. 9,549d 427’ .0” x 57’ 3” x 25’ 3½”
Gas turbine installation by the Free Piston Engine Company, installed by British Polar Engines Ltd., Glasgow and Rankin & Blackmore Greenock, consisting of three 1-cyl. 2 SCSA (340 x 550mm) free-piston gas generators, and one Pescara-type gas turbine geared to screw shaft
3.1961: Engines replaced as above but with an additional gas generator.
10.1967: Re-engined with 9-cyl. 2SCSA (450 x 700mm ) by Werkspoor N.V., Amsterdam. 4000bhp

23.4.1958: Launched by Lithgows Ltd Port Glasgow (Yard No. 1113) for Scottish Ore Carriers Ltd. (J. & J. Denholm (Management) Ltd., managers) Greenock.
1.1959: Completed.
28.1.1959: Registered at Greenock. (O.N. 300492).
4.1967: Sold to Barthold Richters, Hamburg and renamed CLARI.
1969: Sold to Seereederei "Arnis" H.P.Vith & Co. K.G., Flensburg and renamed ARNIS.
1972: Sold to Arnis Shipping Co. Ltd., Famagusta.
1973: Sold to Arnis Bulk Carriers Ltd., Famagusta
11.1973: Sold to P.T. Indonesian National Bulk Carriers, Djakarta.
1974: Renamed MAHONI.
26.9.1979: Suffered grounding damage at 23.33N - 119.42E off Taiwan Holed, E.R. flooded, and declared total loss.
6.1980: Refloated and sold for demolition.
17.10.1980: Work commenced at Kaohsiung