[Further information on any of the ships shown below will be most gratefully received - ships_ns@yahoo.ca]
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JUNE, 2005: - rather poor quality photos taken at Barrow, winter 1960, of ships that hitherto I knew little about. My thanks to Mac MacKay of Halifax for providing information and leads.
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GUNDRUN (possibly SONJA?); I posted a photo in the May edition (see below) of Rederi AB Transmarin's INGA. Ships of this Swedish line were frequent visitors to Barrow with cargoes of pulp. Of the company's ships at that time, only two were steamers and the photo above is one of them. Which one, I'm not sure, although GUDRUN was the more commonly seen. Both GUDRUN and SONJA were steam turbine driven and built by Helsingborgs Varfs A/B, the former in 1946 and the latter in 1940. I should be grateful if anyone can provide a definitive identification.
MARGA ID number: 5221465 - was built in 1930 by R. Thompson & Sons Ltd., Southwick, Sunderland, as J. & C. Harrison's HARMATTAN, for whom she served until 1952. She was a steamer of 4,646 GT with a length (o.a.) of 408 ft and a beam of 54.6 ft. Her triple expansion engine was built by North East Marine Eng. Co. Ltd. In December 1942 she was damaged by a limpet mine attached to her hull by a frogman from the Italian submarine AMBRA while lying in the Bay of Algiers. She was sold in 1952 to Reederi Willy H. Schlieker (managed by Rob. M. Sloman), Hamburg, and renamed MARGA. 1960 sold to Cia.de Nav. Puerto Nueva S.A., Panamanian flag, managed by Purvis Shipping Co, London. 2.11.71 arrived at Split, Yugoslavia for scrapping. [British Tramps by I. G. Stewart].
NELLA ID number: 5248750 - was built as the SS TEVIOTBANK by J. Redhead & Sons Ltd., South Shields, for the Bank Line. Her principal dimensions were: 4,996 GT (5,087 GT according to some authorities), length (o.a.) 423.7 ft by 56.7 ft beam and a draught of 24.8 ft. She was sold in 1955 to Compania de Navegacion Nella, S.A. of Panama, and was scrapped at La Spezia in February, 1971.
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MAY, 2005: - ships engaged in the wood pulp trade. All photos were taken at Barrow, 1959 / 1960.
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INGA Ships of the Swedish, Rederi AB Transmarin (Erik Larsson) were frequently to be seen discharging small cargoes of wood pulp for Barrow Paper Mills or British Cellophane. INGA was built in 1958 for Transmarin by Helsinborg's Warf, Sweden. With a gross tonnage of 2,411 (3,750 DWT) her dimensions were 344 ft x 48 ft; motorship with a service speed of 12.75 knots. She was sold in 1972 to Rederi Hoganas (Transmarin), Helsingborg, and then to Transmarin Hamburg in 1976. After further sale to Axios Shipping SA, Greece, in 1982 with her name changed to AXIOS, she was scrapped in Greece in 1984. Other ships of this line visiting Barrow in the same time period included BECKY (1,868 GT/'45), BRITTA (2,297 GT/'48), GUDRUN (1,707 GT/'46), IRENE (1,820 GT/'56), NEVA (2,776 GT/'57), SONJA (1,570 GT/'40) and VERNA (1,484 GT/'32).
SHUNA ID number: 5326473 - was completed in March, 1937 by the Burntisland Shipbuilding Co. Ltd., for Glen and Co. (Scottish Navigation Co. Ltd), Glasgow. She was a steamer of 1,575 GT (2,850 DWT) and measured 274 ft x 40 ft x 18.7 ft draft. Her service speed was 9 knots. She is shown transiting the Walney Channel on her way to Barrow Docks. In 1973 she became the JULIE and then the PANTARALI in 1964, subsequently being wrecked at Skanes Beach, S. Sousse in December, 1969. Other Glen and Co. ships I saw at Barrow were RUNA (1,942 GT/'44) and ZENA (1,685 GT/'51).
TOLSTA IMO number: 5364011 - was one of a series of similar motor coasters built by Lamont at Port Glasgow for the Polar Whaling Co. Ltd. (Christian Salvesen & Co. Ltd. - managers), Leith. She was completed in 1960 with a gross tonnage of 1,323 (1,555 dwt) and dimensions of 230 ft x 35 ft x 15.1 ft; service speed 11.5 knots. Most of her fleetmates visited the port carrying various cargoes ranging from pig iron to wood pulp. Subsequent names after becoming the YEWGLEN in 1971: 1974 - TOWARD; 1976 - MARY; 1978 - CARIGULF EXPRESS; 1984, scrapped Brownsville. I frequently saw her sistership, SOUTRA as William Cooper and Sons' RAYNESTONE loading aggregate at Llandulas in the 1970s.
RUTHA DAN IMO number: 5302568 The arrival of the immaculately maintained ships belonging to J. Lauritzen, Esbjerg, Denmark, was always eagerly awaited whether they were the old steamers or the modern motorships, many of them resplendent in their red livery. I saw more than a dozen of them including the RUTHA DAN, completed in October, 1955 by Aalborg Vaerft, Aalborg, Denmark. Principal particulars: 3,325 gt (3,880 dwt); 303 ft x 47 ft; service speed 13 knots. She became the MASTER FOUAD K. in 1969 and then in 1978 the ACTIVITY. Fate: wrecked Faro Is. in December, 1978 and scrapped Ystad in April, 1979.
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APRIL, 2005: April's featured ships were all built in the United States during WWII.
Project Liberty Ship's John W Brown
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SCULPTOR ON: 1169852. Date photographed (on a very wet and wild day!): 1959, River Mersey. 7,244 GT; completed: 16/3/1944 (40 days from keel laying to delivery) by Bethlehem-Fairfield Shipyards Inc., Baltimore, Maryland, as the "Sam" EC2-S-C1 Liberty ship, SAMCOLNE, for lease lend to the MOWT, Britain, where she was placed under Anchor Line, Glasgow, management. Owners - as photographed: Charente Steam Ship Co., T. & J. Harrison Ltd., reg: Liverpool, whom she served from 1948 to 1962. She had previously spent a year (1947-48) as the MARY MOLLER (Moller Line Ltd., London) before being purchased by T. & J. Harrison. I saw her again when laid-up in Barrow (along with the SPECIALIST) awaiting sale in March, 1962. She then became the CAPE VENETICO, Galaro Cia. Nav., Panama - Greek Flag, managed by A. Lusi Ltd., London (J. C. Carras & Sons, London, from 1965). Scrapped Hong Kong - December, 1967.
Incidentally, Project Liberty Ship's JOHN W BROWN, (shown at the top of this page) was built by the same yard (completed 19/9/42). I have had the good fortune to see her in Halifax several times.
ANDROS STREAM ON: 2244097. Date photographed: 1959, Bidston Ore Terminal, Birkenhead. Now here is an interesting ship with a long history! She was built as the ET1-S-C3 Liberty ship (tanker version), DAVID HOLMES by the Delta Shipbuilding Co., New Orleans, Louisiana, completed 1943-10. She was then laid-up at Wilmington in 1943 for reasons unknown, eventually being purchased by Paco Tankers Inc. (Keystone Shipping Co., Philadelphia) in 1951, retaining her original name. In 1955 she was sold as the ALPHEUS to San Rafael Cia. Nav., Panama - Liberian flag, managed by Orion Shipping & Trading Co., New York, who had her converted to a bulk ore carrier of 8,479 GT, 511.5 ft length. At this time, she was renamed ANDROS STREAM. Subsequent history: 1960 PATRAIKOS, Commerce Marine Corp. - Greek flag; 1962 TILEMACHOS, Esperia Shipping Corp - Greek flag (Dracoulis Ltd., London); 1963 ARGOLIKOS, Pacific Transport Corp, Greek flag (Capeside SS Co, London); 1963 TILEMACHOS, same owner; 1964 ARGOLIKOS, same owner - Liberian flag; 1967 Scrapped Mukaijima, Japan.
AMERICAN HARVESTER ON: 2248143. Date photographed: 30th March, 1962, berthed at Barrow. She was built as the RATTLER by the North Carolina Shipbuilding Company, Wilmington NC, who built most, if not all, of her United States Line fleetmates. She was a C2-S-AJ1 standard, 5 hold, multi-purpose cargo ship of 8,287 gt (10,755 dwt), completed in July, 1945. This class of C2s were 459 feet long, 63 feet breadth by 25 feet draft, with one steam turbine driving a single screw for a speed of 15.5 knots. She became the MYSTIC MARINER in 1968 and ended her days at Kaohsiung in July, 1971. I have several photos of her fleetmates, which will be shown at a later date.
Several of the contemporary Lykes Bros ships including the CHARLES LYKES, DICK LYKES and KENDALL FISH (each of which I saw in Liverpool) were of the same basic design but with different cargo handling gear (C2-S-AJ1 designation) and were built by the same yard.
BEECHER ISLAND ON: 2247013. Date photographed: 9th October, 1959, shortly after she arrived Barrow from Falmouth for scrapping at Thos. Ward's berths. She was built by the Alabama Dry Dock & Shipbuilding Company, Mobile AL, (84 days from keel laying to delivery date - 22nd December, 1944) as a standard T2-SE-A1 tanker and carried the name with which she was christened until demolition. Of 10,688 GT, she had a length of 524 feet by 68 feet breadth and was steam turbine powered with electric drive for a speed of 14.5 knots. BP Tankers Co. Ltd. owned 7 (perhaps more?) T2s, purchased in 1948, of which this was one. Of all the many T2s I saw, she is the only one I captured on film!
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MARCH, 2005:
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NAVIDAD IMO number: 524806. Date photographed: 1/1/60. 4,913 GT; built: 1925, Workman, Clark and Co. Ltd., Belfast, as Court Line's ERRINGTON COURT. Owners - as photographed: Cia. de Nav San Rocco S.A., reg: Monrovia. She was a regular and had arrived in Barrow on this occasion with 7,400 tons of iron ore from Spezia. History: 1947 - THARROS, Tharros Shipping Ltd., London, (Livanos, London, management); 1950 - ATHENS, Panama flag, London management; 1954 - NAVIDAD - as photographed, (with Aldgate Shipping Co. Ltd., London, as managers); 1960 - management transferred to Purvis Shipping Co. Ltd., London. She ran aground 14/12/64 on the Frisian Island of Ameland, bound for Emden from Takoradi. Refloated four days later, she was declared a CTL. Sold to Rotterdam breakers 2/65. (Thank you Ron for these details).
AVISVALE Date photographed: summer 1960, Liverpool, River Mersey. Mentioning Purvis Shipping above reminded me of the AVISVALE, a ship belonging to Aviation and Shipping under Purvis management, which I had previously seen in Barrow Docks. But is it the same AVISVALE? Aviation and Shipping owned two WWII-built tramps of that name in quick succession. I believe the one photographed was built in 1942 - ON: 169022 - (7,167 GT) as the EMPIRE TRISTRAM by J. L. Thompson & Sons Ltd., North Sands Shipyard, Sunderland. (The slope to the top of the funnel is confusing, and is more reminiscent of a Canadian or US, Fort / Park / Ocean class ship. Perhaps this was the result of repair after sustaining bomb damage in Surrey Commercial Docks, June / July, 1944). History: 1946 - HOLLYPARK, Denholm Line Steamers Ltd., Glagow; 1955 - GOGOVALE, Buchanan Shipping Co. Ltd, Glasgow; 1957 - AVISVALE, Aviation and Shipping Co. Ltd. (Purvis Shipping Co. Ltd., London); 1961 - ST. NICOLAS, Cia. Nav, Marcasa S.A. (S. Catsell & Co. Ltd., London). She arrived Split 28/1/67 for breaking up. (Source: Empire Ships by W. H. Mitchell and L. A. Sawyer, 1990).
CLAN MACKINNON ON: 180086. Date photographed: 26/6/60 entering the Walney Channel heading for Barrow Docks from Belfast with wood pulp. She was built as the "D"-type tramp EMPIRE DUNNET of 7,373 GT by William Gray and Co. Ltd., West Hartlepool - completed in 1945. History: 1946 - as in photograph, Clan Line Steamers Ltd., Glasgow; 1961 - ARDROSS, Mullion & Co. Ltd., Hong Kong; 1963 - LABUAN BAY, Kinabatangan Shipping S.A. (United China Shipping Co. Ltd., Hong Kong. She ran aground, North Borneo, during March 1967, was refloated but fire damaged and returned to Manila where there was further fire damage to the cargo. She left for Hong Kong in July and was sold for scrap (commencing Kaohsiung, November, 1967). (Source: Empire Ships by W. H. Mitchell and L. A. Sawyer, 1990). More Clan Line ships will be featured in the near future.
ARGENTARIO ID number: 1148556. Date photographed: 20/6/59, Barrow Docks from Avonmouth light. 1,743 gt. Owners: Commercial Industrial Shipping Co. (V. Tortora), reg: Panama. Ron Mapplebeck supplied the following history: "ARGENTARIO 1956-1960, ex AFRICAN QUEEN 1949-56 for Colonial Development Corp, ex BADGER 1939-49 for the Royal Navy, ex WESTWARD 1925-39 for M. A. Robinson, ex DANEFOLK 1920-25 for Suenson & Jespersen. Completed 1920-09 by Rodbyhavns Jernsk., Rodbyhavn. Twin screw motorship, engines aft. Converted fish factory 1957, converted yacht -". Interesting! ... when photographed she was carrying a deck cargo of railway sleepers, which doesn't fit with her fish factory role at the time - or perhaps she had been reconverted to a freighter? She became the PALOMA in 1960 for L. Monta, set on fire in July, 1963, and was scrapped at Port Sudan in August of that year.
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