ASCANIUS outwards from Middlesbrough Dock passing Tees Dock 10.75

Mick and I must have been together again as she sailed that day!

Ron

Teesships comments that it was a rare sight to see Blue Flue ships on the Tees although Glen Line were familiar. As containerisation in the Far East trades gathered pace, Ocean Fleets and Ben Line joined forces in marketing the residual breakbulk service using the name Ben Ocean. From memory they came together in 1974, and fleet deployment potentially became more varied. Previous to this joining of forces, I believe Blue Funnel were restricted to West Coast loading with Glen Line having East Coast loading rights as members of the Far East Freight Conference.

That was certainly the general situation within the Far East conference, but there were 'strays' from time to time, ATREUS, AUTOMEDON and LAOMEDON being visitors in 1959/1960 in my diary.

AUTOMEDON was also here in 1977.

I piloted her to Eston Jetty on 27th Jan 1977, she was
waiting for a berth in Tees Dock.

Only time I was ever aboard a "Bluey".

Tony

With my own interest in ships starting in November 1960 I seem to have completely missed any occasional Blue Flue ships in 1959/60 as mentioned by others, and shown in my postings of Albert Weller photos. In my mind, the ASCANIUS continues to be the only true blue flue vessel I saw on the Tees, without undertaking a comprehensive check of my records.

Correct we did start to get some of them appearing (again) in the mid-1970s but, for instance, I've already shown the STENTOR which was in Glen Line colours. I can't find my negatives of the AUTOMEDON in Tees Dock in late January 1977 to confirm (maybe Mick will?) but my recollection is that she, along with several others around that same time, was by then in Elder Dempster colours.

I do remember that afternoon quite well as having recorded the AUTOMEDON I moved on to the next ship in sight, a most interesting one! She was the ISVANIA which I knew had previously been the Tees regular FRYKEN and now back under that original name preserved in Gothenburg. As I attempted to photograph her my trusty camera chose that exact moment to fail after 10 years of hard use .... so I never did photograph her myself. Fortunately, Mick was also around the Dock while she was in and did get her. Must admit I thought he'd already put her on NEM but, no, not yet!

Oh, yes, the camera was repairable, and continued in use for many more years thereafter!

Ron

Later edit:
STENTOR - see: viewtopic.php?f=43&t=7639
AUTOMEDON - see: viewtopic.php?f=43&t=11278

See also under MASTURA at: viewtopic.php?f=9&t=567

Apart from Mick and myself being on hand when she sailed on 5 October 1975, Albert Weller also recorded virtually identical views (so I'm not going to reproduce them here). Can't recall if he was with us on the Tees Dock roundhead, or maybe on the other side of Tees Dock against the end of the Potash Terminal. Albert had, however, also recorded her in Middlesbrough Dock earlier: Ron

50 YEARS AGO TODAY!

ASCANIUS (5026607), Ocean SS Co Ltd., Liveerpool, 5515gt, completed Harland & Wolff., Belfast, 11-1950
1950 ASCANIUS - 1972 AKOSOMBO - 1973 ASCANIUS - 1976 MASTURA - BU Blyth 8.4.78 [Hughes Bolckow Ltd]

Swansea - 4 August 1970: Ron M

50 YEARS AGO TODAY!

6 days later!
Glasgow - 10 August 1970: Ron M

Ron you mentioned the FRYKEN in a previous post,the ship being once a regular visitor to the Tees. The views of her were taken at Gothenburg 10.08.02. The tug is the HERKULES and the Lightship FLADEN.