Kevin sent me this photo of what he believes to be PORT FAIRY being put into dock at Wallsend. No date on photo, but if that is SOLEN in the background, it should be about May/June 1961. Photographer unknown.

If you look at the 4th photo on
http://www.tynebuiltships.co.uk/S-Ships/solen1961.html
you will see that PORT FAIRY was in drydock when SOLEN was launched.

Fortunately the "Fad" for Skinney Funnels did not last too long otherwise she is a nice looking Tanker

Thank you boss, obviously didn't notice that.

Designed I believe to cause an updraft to clear the Boiler Fumes from Deck Level especially the height of them when blowing tubes.

SOLEN and sister SERENIA were simply enormous tankers in 1961 at 71,000dwt!

Great photo of the little lads sitting on that old stone wall at the end of the terraces, many a ship sighted over that wall. By the time they grew up the sky would be blotted out by ESSO NORTHUMBRIA!

There has been some iconic photographs taken with the Esso Northumbria in the background dwarfing everything else out when she was in build, looking back at the "Solen" and wondering about the "Slim Jim" Funnels it struck me that of course the SS Rotterdam which was built around the same time has the same style and I wonder if (Dutch) Shell were influenced by this design of Funnel or to many glasses of Bols