Marine Engineers

[Stanley]

Not for me Robert.... I am virtually TT now, a bottle of single malt lasts me for two years! Not policy, it has just happened, I still enjoy a nip when the mood takes me but it doesn't happen very often.......

[Invernahaille]

Rememberence Sunday 2015.

To those who go down to the sea in ships........

Here's to absent friends.....

A privilege to have served with you.......

God Bless them all

[Stanley]

Robert, did you see that the Merchant Sailors were refused permission to march with the other vets at the Cenotaph? Have a look at THIS.. One can't believe such petty minded behaviour.....

[Tizer]

Sorry to diverge but I was surprised to see in report that the national chairman of the Merchant Navy Association is called Captain John Sail.

[Invernahaille]

Stanley, I am pretty annoyed at the report.
They wer'nt prevented from marching at the cenotaph, they were prevented from parading at the festival of rememberence. Usually at the Albert Hall. Still shows poor form from the powers that be who are in charge of the British Legion.
Over the coming days it will be interesting to see what the real reason was for it. In the meantime they are saying members where not capable of navigating the steps of the hall. Seems strange they navigated the seas and oceans of the world.

[PanBiker]

With regard to the steps at the Albert Hall, there could be some truth in the claim. I noticed this year that the standards were not carried down the steps as has been the norm in previous years. My dad was standard bearer for Barnoldswick branch Royal British Legion and attended the festival of remembrance twice on behalf of the branch during his tenure of the roll. He said that coming down the steps with the standard and at the pace set was one of the most unnerving things he had ever done. They are deep tread and extremely steep, he said that ascending to the height's at the rear of the tiered seating is even steeper so all in all it is quite a precarious venture. More suited for younger, active and current serving personnel.

[Invernahaille]

I understand the complication Ian. The point I was making is that it was not neccesary to stop the attendees parading. Like you say there are enough younger Merchant Navy pesonnnel to carry out the more technical monouvres.

[Stanley]

Whatever the truth the organisers have managed to piss of the Merchant Sailors!

[Invernahaille]

Stanley,
I think what you say is an Understatement to say the least

[Stanley]

To my mind Robert, that's the only thing that matters. Never mind Elfin Safety! They should be able to choose for themselves what role they play, they have earned it. Yes, I am angry about this....

[Tizer]

Found this today on the BBC News web site:
BBC, 7th Feb 2016
North Sea could lose 150 platforms within 10 years
which linked to this older news article:
BBC, 29th May 2015
Gearing up for the big lift in the North Sea

[Stanley]

How things have changed! At one time we just dropped anything surplus to requirements into the Beaufort's Dyke..... (LINK

[Invernahaille]

Interesting report. It says that they do not consider anyone responsible.
As an ex chief engineer, I see the responsibility lies squarely at the Chief Engineers, Master, and First Mates feet.
The ship was obviously not fit to go underway.
A lot of people do not realize that a chief engineer can log an unfit to sail entry into the ships log. The Master then must take responsibility if an event occurs.

[Stanley]

They had got idle hadn't they Robert, couldn't be bothered to actually calculate the weight, I'll bet they use an average figure and multiply it by the number of vehicles. The other thing that strikes me is that if a piece of machinery falling over could break through the side it must have been made from old sardine tins.....

[Invernahaille]

Stanley,
They don't have to gauge weight just look at the plimsoll line. They didn't even bother to check centre of balance for which they could have compensated with water ballast.
Poor form all round I say.
The probability is that the first mate asked the chief engineer to trim the vessel by ballast and or bumkers, that's an absolute no no.
Truth is no one will ever know because of the investigation whitewash. I have said it before, the ships officers of today don't have consolidated experience. Once they have their ticket they are given commands far too early, sometimes as young as 21-22 years old.

[Stanley]

My idea of a stable ship is a tanker that when loaded is almost submerged.... I look at these modern floating skyscrapers where everything has been sacrificed to the most cabin balconies and I wouldn't go on a trip down the canal in one of them.



Not a lot of danger from instability here!

[Tizer]

A couple of photos I took at the newly renovated Telegraph Museum in Porthcurno, Cornwall, last week.

[Stanley]

Lovely! The ship models made by the builders were some of the most complicated and beautiful examples of miniature engineering. I love it.

[Invernahaille]

To those who go down to the sea in ships......................
At the setting of the Sun and in the morning.......... We will remember them.

Rememberence Day 2016.

[Stanley]

A good reminder Robert. I always used to go to look at the Merchant Seaman's Memorial in Liverpool when I was there. Terribly neglected in those days on what looked like a piece of waste ground. I hope it's looked after better these days. Funny thing is I have looked on the Web and the memorial shown there is nothing like the one I found which was a steel lattice structure..... Have I been on the wrong horse all these years?

[Thomo]

A good reminder indeed, we have two in the family. GG Grandfather, Richard who was lost at sea in 1825 in the Atlantic after being at Trafalgar in 1805, and my ten year old cousin Gordon who was lost after the refugee ship "City of Benares" was torpedoed whilst on his way to safety in Canada in September 1940.

[Tizer]

Do you mean the Liverpool Naval Memorial on the Pier Head, Stanley, as shown below? The one that looks like an oblong block of stone with a plaque is the Merchant Navy Memorial put up in 1998.

[Stanley]

No, that's what is puzzling me. The one I saw was a steel lattice construction and wasn't far from Littlewood's HQ. Perhaps I have been mistaken all these years.....

[Tizer]

This wikipedia page lists the war memorials and public art in Liverpool and there is a set of small images at the bottom but nothing seems to fit your description. LINK

[Stanley]

I looked all over but couldn't find it... A mystery!