Pride of calais.
- Brian Dixon
- Location: Dover
- Registered: 23 Sep 2008
- Posts: 23,940
25 January 2014 10:39258842a sad end to an old friend.
- 25 January 2014 11:14258844Yes it is sad to see ships ending in this way,but why they are still good ships and could have been put back into service some where.?
- 25 January 2014 11:27258846must be sad for long serving crew members.
- 25 January 2014 11:33258847It will not be easy to cut up,I done alot of welding on her over the years.
- 25 January 2014 12:39258848Was that the old Townsends FE III ?"My New Year's Resolution, is to try and emulate Marek's level of chilled out, thoughtfulness and humour towards other forumites and not lose my decorum"
- Brian Dixon
- Location: Dover
- Registered: 23 Sep 2008
- Posts: 23,940
25 January 2014 13:34258856not sure gary,but its a nice piece of parking though. - Alec Sheldon
- Location: Dover
- Registered: 18 Aug 2008
- Posts: 1,037
26 January 2014 01:52258938No Gary, she was built as the Pride of Calais for Townsends in 1987 but then came the P&O takeover in the same year.
The Pride of Dover was her sistership, - 26 January 2014 10:31258949Thank you Alec, I remember now.
I did work on her for a short while.
I started with one trip on the Auto Carrier, then worked on the FE1, FE111, IV and V and the Herald.
The FE1 was my favourite by far and I have some great memories from way back then.
The Calais off turns were un-forgettable.
"My New Year's Resolution, is to try and emulate Marek's level of chilled out, thoughtfulness and humour towards other forumites and not lose my decorum" - 26 January 2014 10:58258955Brian.
I know that was deliberate but I was on the Townsends FE1 when a similar incident took place in Calais.
On very strong spring tides, occasionally the boats would shoot the pier heads, i.e., if the QM got the angle wrong on entry, the Captain would abort the manoeuvre, circle round and have another go at it.
This day, as I was coming out of the restaurant, after setting up my station for the trip back, I noticed that we were in the harbour and going at great speed.
Captain Smith, in a very calm but persuasive manner, announced on the tannoy
"Everyone hold on tight"
Just as I sat down, we hit the Berth and technically we sank, although really, we just sat on the bottom at he berth.
The reason given for this incident, was communication failure.
The engine room crew thought we were still out at sea but the boat had been steered through the pier heads and the only way to stop it, was for the Captain to steer it straight into our Berth.
Good job it was empty and nothing else was in the way.
Only a few minor injuries, the worst being a broken ankle for a pregnant lady.
I remember our pearl diver, Arthur Guinness(nickname) threw a perfectly good watch in the sink(not waterproof) and said that he would claim a new one on the insurance but the incident was deemed an Act of God with no claims for the crew.
"My New Year's Resolution, is to try and emulate Marek's level of chilled out, thoughtfulness and humour towards other forumites and not lose my decorum" - Brian Dixon
- Location: Dover
- Registered: 23 Sep 2008
- Posts: 23,940
28 January 2014 21:30259181the first attempt at beaching the pride of calias..
- 28 January 2014 22:00259186Ha ha, and there me thinking I was the only person that done things like that.