38mess
Well-known member
I watched the video until it cut off and unfortunately they went out of business a few months after filming, the skipper managed to get a mates position later on with a different company.
Any old Trampers on here?
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shortjohnsilver
Active member
That’s a crying shame! But so reflective of the situation around that period, as thousands of seaman were forced ashore looking for jobs to stay at sea over those years, many unable to do so - myself included.
Alex_Blackwood
Well-known member
Which ship in 82 ? I was Senior "L" in Ft Grange. Best part 40yrs. RFA!
shortjohnsilver
Active member
Early 82 ashore Plymouth concluding 2nd mates, after a short trip on an LSL. Upon making 3rd mate and the Falklands kicking off, posted to a Silver Line tanker taken up from trade and went down to the South Atlantic.
Bouba
Well-known member
Did you ever serve on the NZ Shipping Co Rangitane ? Taking immigrants, tourists and freight to and from NZ1960-1974 Out of Royal Docks, London initially. New Zealand Shipping Co/Federal Steam then
Blue Star, Port Line, Shaw Savill, Royal Mail,Union Castle, Cunard out of Southampton (Not passenger ships, was in the Arabia, general cargo) On the coast with various companies, and colliers out of Newcastle/ Blyth. Out of Liverpool with Canadian Pacific and Hull with Baltic Steamship and a few more companies I've forgotten..
Only 100% tramp I was in was with Hain Steamship (part of P&O) They told me in the Pool she was going for 3 months and I came home 11 months and 3 weeks later...Shanghaied well and truly..
I wasn't afterguard, I started Deckboy then Lampy and came ashore Ship's Bosun..no regrets.
Wansworth
Well-known member
Worked on small coasters for a few years in the late 70s. In the home trade was an interesting period which I was employed as mate.My general impression was there where only very few normal people in my limited experience most skippers and crews would have found it difficult to hold down a job ashore…..the best bit,the night watches on the bridge alone
Frank Holden
Well-known member
OK , I'm a decade late and more than a few dollars short.
However I must take issue with the idea that Andrews Weir's little outfit was a 'tramp company'.
The clue is in the name 'Bank LINE'.
Cross Traders - yes. Tramps -No.
A member of more 'conferences' than most UK companies this meant that while some ships stayed on the same run for years others tended to move around between services a bit. Some of the conference memberships were 'one way'.
My Uncle Len was with them from sometime in the 30's until he retired in the 60s. He spent the war on one of their two passenger ships that survived the war on the India / South and East Africa service. Not sure what he was up to in the early fifties but he turned up in Melbourne twice. First time they were loading bagged flour at Williamstown on one of the twin screw jobs - Comliebank or Clydebank - I scored a train set, a scooter, and a football ( he was single) . Next time was '56 on the Shielbank - I scored a Hallicrafters radio.
After that he was back on the regular Far East / South Africa service on Riverbank and Testbank until he retired.
Bank LINE was no more a tramp outfit than the Union Castle Mail Steamship Coy.. which happened to own King Line - which was.
And also - speaking of U-C - Clan Line used to run ships to and from Australia. They were only members of the homeward 'conference' and that only because they owned Scottish Shire Line which was the member. Clan Line ships outwards to Australia loaded on the Shaw Savill berth.
However I must take issue with the idea that Andrews Weir's little outfit was a 'tramp company'.
The clue is in the name 'Bank LINE'.
Cross Traders - yes. Tramps -No.
A member of more 'conferences' than most UK companies this meant that while some ships stayed on the same run for years others tended to move around between services a bit. Some of the conference memberships were 'one way'.
My Uncle Len was with them from sometime in the 30's until he retired in the 60s. He spent the war on one of their two passenger ships that survived the war on the India / South and East Africa service. Not sure what he was up to in the early fifties but he turned up in Melbourne twice. First time they were loading bagged flour at Williamstown on one of the twin screw jobs - Comliebank or Clydebank - I scored a train set, a scooter, and a football ( he was single) . Next time was '56 on the Shielbank - I scored a Hallicrafters radio.
After that he was back on the regular Far East / South Africa service on Riverbank and Testbank until he retired.
Bank LINE was no more a tramp outfit than the Union Castle Mail Steamship Coy.. which happened to own King Line - which was.
And also - speaking of U-C - Clan Line used to run ships to and from Australia. They were only members of the homeward 'conference' and that only because they owned Scottish Shire Line which was the member. Clan Line ships outwards to Australia loaded on the Shaw Savill berth.
Dutch01527
Well-known member
I was also with Bank Line 1977–1982 as a Navigation Cadet. Really pleased to have enjoyed the last few years of tramp boats in the British Merchant Navy. To give an idea my first trip was South Africa, South and Central America, California, Japan, New Zealand, Australia, and Far East. 8 months, about 20 countries and four continents. Great way for a 16 year old to grow up.
Some Bank Line boats had regular routes, the “Copra Boats”. to the South Pacific for example. Some were pure tramps, such as my first trip above.
Some Bank Line boats had regular routes, the “Copra Boats”. to the South Pacific for example. Some were pure tramps, such as my first trip above.
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Poignard
Well-known member
Apart from a brief spell as 3rd Engineer in a cruise liner, and an even briefer spell with a cross-channel ro-ro, my ten years in the Merchant Navy were tramping with Jebsens, Gomba Shipping (deep sea) and Coe-Metcalf (coasting).
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Biggles Wader
Well-known member
As Frank said above Bank Line was mostly liner trade but they were very good at supplementing their work with ad hoc cargos to either occupy their extra capacity or get ships to places they were needed. This was more and more the case in the 1970s as traditional cargos dried up or went to containers and it meant they could maintain a fleet significantly bigger than their liner routes required and they still used to claim they could provide a ship ready to load in any major world port in 48 hours. Never actually true of course! We once carried a cargo of Triumph sports cars from Cardiff to New Orleans to cover the "lightship" passage across the Atlantic on a copra boat. It probably paid for the fuel and wages but would never have been profitable unless we were going there anyway.
penfold
Well-known member
You've described most of my shipmates(and by extension probably me too).
Wansworth
Well-known member
One of the best as there were good ones who didn’t complain if called to the bridge in thick fog……..You've described most of my shipmates(and by extension probably me too).