Scrapbook Memories (Part 1)

[dennis_javelin]

Spardo:

ERF-NGC-European:

Spardo:
My main memory of the QE2 was from underneath. George Milner and I had a wander round when waiting to tip containers in Southampton. She was in dry dock and no-one seemed to notice as we both walked down the concrete steps and strolled around next to the keel.

Last time I saw QE2 was in Port Rashid in Dubai where she was retired to as a hotel ship I believe.

One of my old ships ended up like that, the Queen Mary, in San Diego I think. The outward bound trip to New York in her was the roughest I have ever experienced. Confined to the foc’sle head deep in the bowels in the old fashioned way (she was built mid '30s I think) it was akin to rising and falling in a tower block lift for several days and nights. Even some old Murmansk convoy hands were in the sick bay with ruptured stomachs. For me it was sufficient to spray little bits of carrot all over the walls that I was designated to wash, in between lying down for recovery in my bunk.

I visited her in San Diego when we docked there for a few weeks. Beautiful interior, like the film set off something like Downton Abbey. Surprised that she didn’t handle well in rough seas though given the size of her, must have been a helluva storm but I suppose that’s not unusual for the north Atlantic. You should have tried crossing it in a frigate

[spardo]

Dennis Javelin:

Spardo:

ERF-NGC-European:

Spardo:
My main memory of the QE2 was from underneath. George Milner and I had a wander round when waiting to tip containers in Southampton. She was in dry dock and no-one seemed to notice as we both walked down the concrete steps and strolled around next to the keel.

Last time I saw QE2 was in Port Rashid in Dubai where she was retired to as a hotel ship I believe.

One of my old ships ended up like that, the Queen Mary, in San Diego I think. The outward bound trip to New York in her was the roughest I have ever experienced. Confined to the foc’sle head deep in the bowels in the old fashioned way (she was built mid '30s I think) it was akin to rising and falling in a tower block lift for several days and nights. Even some old Murmansk convoy hands were in the sick bay with ruptured stomachs. For me it was sufficient to spray little bits of carrot all over the walls that I was designated to wash, in between lying down for recovery in my bunk.

I visited her in San Diego when we docked there for a few weeks. Beautiful interior, like the film set off something like Downton Abbey. Surprised that she didn’t handle well in rough seas though given the size of her, must have been a helluva storm but I suppose that’s not unusual for the north Atlantic. You should have tried crossing it in a frigate

I never got to see the pretty bits, hardly saw the light of day in fact. She must have been head on into a westerly, the bow, containing us poor buggers simply went all the way up and down again, without a pause. A bad crossing from Ireland to Fleetwood with a wagon was bad, but did not even come close to the Mary. Couldn’t get off her quick enough back in Southampton.

[parkroyal2100]

Dennis Javelin:

ParkRoyal2100:
Given your mention of a hill west of Glasgow and that the title of this thread is “Scrapbook Memories”, one of a handful of things I have after my Dad died is an album of b&w first prints of him piloting MoD Police launches back in the day.

This one is (as far as I can gather) somewhere up Gare Loch in 1967/ 68: Dad would’ve just got his coxswain’s ticket and promotion to Sergeant, the chap near the bow is probably Andy Strachan:

flickr.com/photos/56546711@N03/14743323631/

Thanks for those pics. The place is totally unrecognisable now that Rosyth has closed as an RN unit and Faslane is now the HQ of everything to do with Scotland and Northern Ireland. I used to go there when I was supplying the MOD with parts for their bus fleet and the level of security is quite scary.

Not at all. Dad was (obviously) based at Faslane but I remember him mentioning Rosyth and Greenock and so on; MoD launches had to ■■■■■■ everything from RFAs to nuclear subs (which he also did at Devonport). As well as the launch of QE2, the other distinct memory I have of that time is a whacking big hurricane (1967?) that tore up the Firth of Clyde washing up coasters and taking most of Roseneath with it.

[dennis_javelin]

ParkRoyal2100:

Dennis Javelin:

ParkRoyal2100:
Given your mention of a hill west of Glasgow and that the title of this thread is “Scrapbook Memories”, one of a handful of things I have after my Dad died is an album of b&w first prints of him piloting MoD Police launches back in the day.

This one is (as far as I can gather) somewhere up Gare Loch in 1967/ 68: Dad would’ve just got his coxswain’s ticket and promotion to Sergeant, the chap near the bow is probably Andy Strachan:

flickr.com/photos/56546711@N03/14743323631/

Thanks for those pics. The place is totally unrecognisable now that Rosyth has closed as an RN unit and Faslane is now the HQ of everything to do with Scotland and Northern Ireland. I used to go there when I was supplying the MOD with parts for their bus fleet and the level of security is quite scary.

Not at all. Dad was (obviously) based at Faslane but I remember him mentioning Rosyth and Greenock and so on; MoD launches had to ■■■■■■ everything from RFAs to nuclear subs (which he also did at Devonport). As well as the launch of QE2, the other distinct memory I have of that time is a whacking big hurricane (1967?) that tore up the Firth of Clyde washing up coasters and taking most of Roseneath with it.

There was a storm in Jan 67 but the big one was a year later when 20 people lost their lives. My school was also built on a high piece of ground and the whole roof and part of the upper floor was blown away - fortunately the storm happened overnight so no-one was there at the time. As your Dad was based at Faslane perhaps I can indulge you with a story about a storm that happened there in 1974. At the time I had joined the navy and was working in the Flag Officer Scotland and Northern Ireland’s HQ at Pitreavie nr Rosyth. A navy tender broke loose from its moorings and smashed into a boat further down the Gareloch. The boats owner claimed compensation from the MOD and the section I was working in was dealing with it. The MOD in Whitehall were being typically parsimonious and were hoping he would accept an opening offer of £400. They sent us a copy of the offer that had been sent to him but also informed us that we had the authority to go as high as £4000.00 if we had to. So far, so good.

Unfortunately whoever sent out the letter from London to the boat owner also included with it a copy of their letter to us. Naturally he ended up getting the whole £4k. I still have my suspicions that the copy of our letter was sent to him deliberately by someone working in London but we’ll never know I guess.

[dennis_javelin]

One of my old ships ended up like that, the Queen Mary, in San Diego I think. The outward bound trip to New York in her was the roughest I have ever experienced. Confined to the foc’sle head deep in the bowels in the old fashioned way (she was built mid '30s I think) it was akin to rising and falling in a tower block lift for several days and nights. Even some old Murmansk convoy hands were in the sick bay with ruptured stomachs. For me it was sufficient to spray little bits of carrot all over the walls that I was designated to wash, in between lying down for recovery in my bunk.
[/quote]
I visited her in San Diego when we docked there for a few weeks. Beautiful interior, like the film set off something like Downton Abbey. Surprised that she didn’t handle well in rough seas though given the size of her, must have been a helluva storm but I suppose that’s not unusual for the north Atlantic. You should have tried crossing it in a frigate
[/quote]
I never got to see the pretty bits, hardly saw the light of day in fact. She must have been head on into a westerly, the bow, containing us poor buggers simply went all the way up and down again, without a pause. A bad crossing from Ireland to Fleetwood with a wagon was bad, but did not even come close to the Mary. Couldn’t get off her quick enough back in Southampton.
[/quote]
The Atlantic can be a bit hairy at times. I crossed it once in an aircraft carrier (HMS Hermes) and the waves were coming over the flight deck.

[essexpete]

Spardo:

ERF-NGC-European:

Spardo:
My main memory of the QE2 was from underneath. George Milner and I had a wander round when waiting to tip containers in Southampton. She was in dry dock and no-one seemed to notice as we both walked down the concrete steps and strolled around next to the keel.

Last time I saw QE2 was in Port Rashid in Dubai where she was retired to as a hotel ship I believe.

One of my old ships ended up like that, the Queen Mary, in San Diego I think. The outward bound trip to New York in her was the roughest I have ever experienced. Confined to the foc’sle head deep in the bowels in the old fashioned way (she was built mid '30s I think) it was akin to rising and falling in a tower block lift for several days and nights. Even some old Murmansk convoy hands were in the sick bay with ruptured stomachs. For me it was sufficient to spray little bits of carrot all over the walls that I was designated to wash, in between lying down for recovery in my bunk.

Were you working for Cunard on the last voyage?
Would that be 1967?

[spardo]

Dennis Javelin:
The Atlantic can be a bit hairy at times. I crossed it once in an aircraft carrier (HMS Hermes) and the waves were coming over the flight deck.

Ditto with the Mary as far as I know, that was why we were battened down and could see nowt, apart from the water rushing past our porthole

essexpete:
Were you working for Cunard on the last voyage?
Would that be 1967?

No, 1964, Barry Goldwater was running for President and, as young lefties at the time we were surprised that our new shore based friends who took us in their car to a party, had his stickers all over their bumpers. We naturally assumed that, a similar age to us, they would think the same way. No politics got in the way of a good time though after a really horrible time on the high seas.

[kempston]

I’ve seen this model of the KM before and have to say I still can’t believe the quality of it, if you didn’t know it was a model you’d swear it was real.

[eddie_heaton]

This post may quite rightly be regarded as being irrelevant to a truck oriented site , but since nautical reminiscences would currently appear to be the order of the day , and considering the fact that I have buggerall else to do to occupy myself , I thought I might just slide this one in…… on the blind side as it were.

Quite a number of years ago , I don’t recall the year precisely , but let’s say for argument’s sake 1995
That wouldn’t be far off but i can’t be exact unfortunately.

I’d dragged my fibreglass dinghy down to Saltash with a view to spending a couple of carefree days risking not only my own life , but the lives of my friends and those of the rescue services also , by pratting about on the river Tamar and its environs .

Having launched the vessel , “ The Moody Cow “ , ( named after my ex-wife incidentally ) , from a slipway in Saltash close to a pub that was gaudily painted with the Union Jack motif ,……( I’ve just had a look on street view actually and it appears the place is called the Union inn , and it still has the union flag plastered across its entirety )…….we set off on our mission to locate the source of the Nile . Myself , my missus , my border collie , my mate , and his missus .

One of the first points of interest on our voyage of discovery would turn out to be what appeared to be a submarine, moored in one of the docks off the Tamar .

Having never viewed a submarine at close range previously , naturally I decided to go and have a look-see ,………well, who wouldn’t ?

Being from Wigan and as thick as two short planks , I navigated right up to the hull of the submersible and began testing the gauge of the steel plate by tapping lightly on the hull of the vessel with a lump of rock that was kept stored for emergencies such as these .

Probably about thirty seconds later , I heard this siren going off and said to my mate , “ Looks like they’re knocking off for dinner eh ? “

Next thing , a Royal Navy RIB rocks up alongside , piloted by a bloke whose nose appeared to have been broken in several places , who courteously escorted us out of what turned out to be some kind of restricted royal naval maintenance facility .

It was only on the outward journey that I happened to notice the signs , painted in letters three foot high mounted on boards six foot high warning that deadly force was authorised to deter unauthorised intruders to the facility .

Just kidding ,…….but words to that effect .

Still, we enjoyed a nice weekend,….no one got drowned ….and most importantly , it kept off rain.

[dennis_javelin]

Eddie Heaton:
This post may quite rightly be regarded as being irrelevant to a truck oriented site , but since nautical reminiscences would currently appear to be the order of the day , and considering the fact that I have buggerall else to do to occupy myself , I thought I might just slide this one in…… on the blind side as it were.

Quite a number of years ago , I don’t recall the year precisely , but let’s say for argument’s sake 1995
That wouldn’t be far off but i can’t be exact unfortunately.

I’d dragged my fibreglass dinghy down to Saltash with a view to spending a couple of carefree days risking not only my own life , but the lives of my friends and those of the rescue services also , by pratting about on the river Tamar and its environs .

Having launched the vessel , “ The Moody Cow “ , ( named after my ex-wife incidentally ) , from a slipway in Saltash close to a pub that was gaudily painted with the Union Jack motif ,……( I’ve just had a look on street view actually and it appears the place is called the Union inn , and it still has the union flag plastered across its entirety )…….we set off on our mission to locate the source of the Nile . Myself , my missus , my border collie , my mate , and his missus .

One of the first points of interest on our voyage of discovery would turn out to be what appeared to be a submarine, moored in one of the docks off the Tamar .

Having never viewed a submarine at close range previously , naturally I decided to go and have a look-see ,………well, who wouldn’t ?

Being from Wigan and as thick as two short planks , I navigated right up to the hull of the submersible and began testing the gauge of the steel plate by tapping lightly on the hull of the vessel with a lump of rock that was kept stored for emergencies such as these .

Probably about thirty seconds later , I heard this siren going off and said to my mate , “ Looks like they’re knocking off for dinner eh ? “

Next thing , a Royal Navy RIB rocks up alongside , piloted by a bloke whose nose appeared to have been broken in several places , who courteously escorted us out of what turned out to be some kind of restricted royal naval maintenance facility .

It was only on the outward journey that I happened to notice the signs , painted in letters three foot high mounted on boards six foot high warning that deadly force was authorised to deter unauthorised intruders to the facility .

Just kidding ,…….but words to that effect .

Still, we enjoyed a nice weekend,….no one got drowned ….and most importantly , it kept off rain.

Going off at a tangent is what makes this forum what it is - a talking shop for old fogies who have actually lived a life and enjoy sharing their experiences with others - and long may it continue. Word of caution though, if you ever decided to try this at Faslane they probably will shoot you

[spardo]

Totally agree Dennis Javelin, and how did we get onto this nautical streak? Why Concorde of course, obviously.
I blame Buzzer
And me of course too, for drifting an aero thread.

Err, sorry Buzzer, wrong thread drift.

Sorry again Buzzer, right thread wrong culprit. Plot well and truly lost, time for bed.

[star_down_under]

Well done David, now you’ve confused everyone.

[spardo]

Star down under.:
Well done David, now you’ve confused everyone.

But I feel better now, I think.

[parkroyal2100]

Dennis Javelin:

Eddie Heaton:
This post may quite rightly be regarded as being irrelevant to a truck oriented site , but since nautical reminiscences would currently appear to be the order of the day , and considering the fact that I have buggerall else to do to occupy myself , I thought I might just slide this one in…… on the blind side as it were.

…

Going off at a tangent is what makes this forum what it is - a talking shop for old fogies who have actually lived a life and enjoy sharing their experiences with others - and long may it continue. Word of caution though, if you ever decided to try this at Faslane they probably will shoot you

Going back a post or three, that was part of my old man’s job (keeping boaties and the idle curious away that is, not shooting them). Getting up close and personal with one on berth is a big no-no; if a sub was entering or leaving harbour and any goose tried to get too close, two Police launches, the Pilot and sundry RN vessels would intercept them in a very… direct manner. Mostly because the wash from a sub (nuclear or not) can kill you.

This b&w photo might give you an idea: flickr.com/photos/56546711@N03/14561086360/

(I think it was taken by an official MoD photographer with I presume a telephoto lens, cos there’s no way my old man would’ve steered his launch that close)

[parkroyal2100]

Spardo:
Totally agree Dennis Javelin, and how did we get onto this nautical streak? Why Concorde of course, obviously.
I blame Buzzer
And me of course too, for drifting an aero thread.

Err, sorry Buzzer, wrong thread drift.

Sorry again Buzzer, right thread wrong culprit. Plot well and truly lost, time for bed.

Well if you’ve been told to go and stand outside the Headmaster’s office, I should probably go too.

Sorry Spardo.

Sorry Buzzer.

If the thread has drifted offshore, the next tide will wash it back in… ■■■■, nautical references again, sorry

[buzzer]

Spardo:
Totally agree Dennis Javelin, and how did we get onto this nautical streak? Why Concorde of course, obviously.
I blame Buzzer
And me of course too, for drifting an aero thread.

Err, sorry Buzzer, wrong thread drift.

Sorry again Buzzer, right thread wrong culprit. Plot well and truly lost, time for bed.

Actually the post with Concord in it was to feature the truck in the foreground and subsequently the post on “son of Concord” generated little interest, Buzzer

[parkroyal2100]

Eddie Heaton:
What a contrast between Concord ( or Concorde if you prefer } to the Neanderthal FG in the foreground.

…

There’s thing - airside tankers. When you’re sat in the departure “lounge” or on the plane, there are always umpteen vehicles scurrying around and one of the most important has to be the tanker delivering avtur to the plane.

I presume they’re purpose-built. Or do old airside fuel tankers get a second life on the road?

[dennis_javelin]

Buzzer:

Spardo:
Totally agree Dennis Javelin, and how did we get onto this nautical streak? Why Concorde of course, obviously.
I blame Buzzer
And me of course too, for drifting an aero thread.

Err, sorry Buzzer, wrong thread drift.

Sorry again Buzzer, right thread wrong culprit. Plot well and truly lost, time for bed.

Actually the post with Concord in it was to feature the truck in the foreground and subsequently the post on “son of Concord” generated little interest, Buzzer

Planes are too modern for us old ■■■■■

[buzzer]

Buzzer

[parkroyal2100]

Dennis Javelin:
There was a storm in Jan 67 but the big one was a year later when 20 people lost their lives.

My memory deceived me: it was 1968.