Hearts of Oak
Isles of
Scilly
The Penzance /
Isles of Scilly Mail Packets
SCILLONIAN
(II)
DESCRIPTION OF
THE VESSEL
Official
Number : 183944
Call
Sign : MWMQ
April
1953 – Pricing obtained.
Contract
Placed 18th March 1954
Built
Woolston Southampton J.I. Thorneycroft & Co Ltd.
Built
25th March 1955 at a cost of £250,000
Completed
and Launched 15th November 1955
Named
by HRH The Duchess of Gloucester.
Maiden
Voyage 23rd March 1956; Southampton to St Mary’s; Captain Daniels.
15.5
knots
Steel
twin screw
Powered
by two 6 cylinder 4 stroke Diesel Engines by Ruston & Hornsby
Each
670 shaft horse power
Patent
smoke dispersing funnel by Thorneycroft.
Length
208ft 6in.
Length
on water-line 200ft.
Length
B.P. 192ft. 7in.
Breadth
moulded 30ft 9in.
Depth
moulded to main deck 13ft. 9in,
Depth
moulded to promenade deck 21ft. 3in.
Tonnage
Gross 921
Tonnage
Net 504
B.H.P.
1,440
Corresponding
r.p.m 430
S.H.P. 1,340
Three-blade
manganese-bronze propellers,
Designed
and manufactured by Messrs. John I. Thornycroft & Co., Ltd.
Diameter
of each propeller 6ft. 6in.
Pitch
8ft. l0in.
Propeller
rpm 222
TANK
CAPACITIES
Water
ballast, aft Frames
2-13 14.8
tons
Fresh-water
Frames
13-18 11.2 tons
Diesel
oil, P. Frames
26-33 12.8
tons
Diesel
oil, S.. Frames
26-33 12.8 tons
Salt-water,
engine-room Frames 48-56 5.3 tons
Double-bottom,
water ballast, P Frames
56-81 22.1
tons
Double-bottom,
water ballast, S Frames
56-81 22.1
tons
Double-bottom,
water ballast. Frames
81-97 16.2
tons
Fore
peak Frames
97 to stern 21.3 tons
Lubricating
oil
2.4 tons
TOTALS
CAPACITIES
Water
Ballast 101.8 tons
Diesel
Oil 25.6 tons
Lubricating
Oil 2.4 tons
Fresh-water
11.2 tons
CAPACITIES
OF CARGO SPACES in cu ft ( Grain / Bale
)
Hold
Nr 1 5,275 / 4,699
Hold
Nr 2 13,950 / 12,959
Between
decks 9,613 / 8,783
Totals,
holds and between decks 28,838 / 26,441
Forward
promenade-deck hatchway 373 / 262
After
promenade-deck hatchway 428 / 316
Totals,
hatchways 801 / 578
Mail
room 538 / 538
Store,
aft 114 / 114
Lamp
and paint room 114 / 114
Totals,
stores 766 / 766
Grand
totals 30,405 / 27,785
AUXILIARY
MACHINERY.
2
Generators 35 Kw: Mawdsleys, Ltd.
1
Generator For Harbour Use 35 Kw: Mawdsleys, Ltd.
1
Emergency Generator 10Kw: Mawdsleys, Ltd.
2 Prime
Movers For 35-Kw Generators 54 BHP: Norris, Henty & Gardners, Ltd.
1 Prime
Mover For Emergency Generator 16 BHP: Norris, Henty & Gardners, Ltd
1
Diesel-Driven Air Compressor 9.5 BHP at 4,000 RPM: Norris, Henty &
Gardners, Ltd..
1 Prime
Mover For Harbour Generator 55 BHP: Ruston & Hornsby, Ltd.
2
Bilge/General Service Pumps 35 tons/hr Against a 60ft Head:Thorn, Lamont &
Co, Ltd.
1
Lubricating-Oil Stand-By Pump : Hamworthy Engineering, Ltd .
1
Fuel-Oil Transfer Pump : Hamworthy Engineering, Ltd.
1 Motor
For Lubricating-Oil Stand-By Pump
1 Motor
For Fuel-Oil Transfer Pump : Laurence, Scott & Electromotors, Ltd.
1
Lubricating-Oil Purifier 120 Gallons Per Hour : Alfa-Laval Co., Ltd.
1 Oil
Heater 8 Kw: Heatrae, Ltd,
2 Heat
Exchangers: Serck, Ltd.
1 Heating
And Hot-Water Boiler : Ideal Boilers And Radiators, Ltd.
1
Oil-Burner For Hot-Water Boiler : Premier Heating Systems, Ltd.
1 Pump
For Hot-Water System : Rhodes, Brydon & Youatt, Ltd.
A
steel bulwark extended for about one-third of the length from the stem, and
large windows, provided by Messrs. Beckett, Laycock & Watkinson, Ltd., of
London, were set in the side shell, between midships and the-stern. For the
carriage of cargo there were two large holds and a 'tween-deck space situated
in the fore part of the vessel. Large cargo doors were fitted at each side of
the ship, to facilitate loading by hand.
A
double bottom extended from the fore-peak bulkhead to a few feet aft of
amidships, and was sub-divided to form tanks suitable for the carriage of water
ballast. Water ballast was also carried in the fore-peak tank and in a deep
tank aft. Two deep tanks, for the carriage of Diesel oil, were arranged
immediately aft of the machinery space, and a deep fresh-water tank was
arranged in the vicinity of the funnel. A Pneumercator standard 24ins
tank-gauge outfit was supplied by Messrs. Kelvin & Hughes (Marine), Ltd.,
of London, for the Diesel-oil tanks.
Accommodation
for about 500 passengers and 14 crew, was provided. The passenger
accommodation, at the after end of the main deck, included a large tearoom,
which was fitted out with upholstered settees, tables and tubular chairs, and
was serviced from the pantry, which was equipped with electrically-operated
milk, coffee and tea urns, provided by Messrs. James Stott & Co.
(Engineers), Ltd., of Oldham. Also installed in the pantry was a large-capacity
cooling cupboard for storing perishable foods. The Prestcold refrigeration
plant was supplied by the Pressed Steel Co., Ltd., of Cowley, Oxford, and a
Keith-Blackman fan supplied the cold air to the cooling cupboard. In all, five
fans, with capacities ranging from 400 cu. ft. per minute to 5,275 cu. ft. per
minute, were provided by Messrs. Keith Blackman, Ltd., of London.
A
wide stairway led down from the tearoom to. the lower-deck saloon, which was
furnished with upholstered settees arranged in bays. The entrance lounge was
arranged on the promenade deck, at the after end of the bridge house, fitted
with large windows and comfortably upholstered settees. From this lounge there
was access to the promenade deck, and a stairway led down to the main-deck
entrance vestibule. In the forward part of the bridge house there was an
observation saloon, entered from both the port and starboard sides. The saloon
had large windows, and was furnished with upholstered tubular chairs. Aft of
the observation saloon was the bar lounge, in which tables, upholstered settees
and tubular chairs were arranged. A bottle-cooling cabinet with ice-making
facilities was fitted in the bar. There were 50 tubular chair frames, and the
necessary woodwork for the armchairs, which were provided by Pel, Ltd., of
Birmingham, the final upholstery work having been carried out by the
shipbuilders.
The
house on the bridge deck contained the wheelhouse, the captain's rooms and the
wireless-telegraphy office. The chief and second engineers, first officer,
purser and steward were accommodated in separate cabins on the main deck.
Adjacent to the engine casing was the galley and the officers' mess. The galley
range was of the oil-fired type, supplied by the Carron Company, of Falkirk.
Accommodation
for the crew was on the lower deck aft and consisted of two two-berth cabins
and one three-berth cabin, together with a mess-room.
A
mechanical, trunked, supply system of ventilation was arranged to the tea-room,
lower-deck saloon, wheelhouse, W.T. office, and all officers' and crew's cabins
and mess-rooms, as well as to the galley and pantry. Mechanical, trunked,
exhaust ventilation was arranged for the observation saloon, and lounge on the
promenade deck, as well as to the toilets, galley and pantry. In addition to
the exhaust system, all toilets and WCs were provided with natural-supply
ventilators. Large natural-supply cowl vents were fitted to give ventilation to
the cargo holds.
STRUCTURAL
Above
the strength deck, the seams and butts of the shell plating were welded, while
below the strength deck, the seams were riveted and the butts welded. Riveting
was adopted for connecting the frames to the shell plating and the deck plating
to the beams, while welding was used for the seams and butts of the deck
plating and the bulkheads. The bulkhead boundary bars were riveted to the
shell. All the deck planking was of Oregon pine, the holding bolts being welded
to the deck. Jeffrey's marine glue was used for paying the deck seams. There
was considerable rise of floor and tumble-home. An 8ins by 0.5ins rubbing keel
was fitted in way of the flat plate keel, whilst a 9ins by 12ins wood fender,
with 4ins by 0.3ins flat bars top and bottom, and a 5ins by 0.25ins cope, was
fitted.
EQUIPMENT,
The outfit of anchors, cables, hawsers and warps was in
accordance with the requirements of Lloyd's Register of Shipping, and included
the following items:
Two bower anchors, each 19 cwt; one stream anchor, 6.25
cwt; 210 fathoms of 1.3125ins stud-link cable; 60 fathoms of 3.25ins stream
wire; 90 fathoms of 3-in. wire tow-line; 90 fathoms of 2.25ins wire hawser; and
90 fathoms of 1.75ins wire warp. The anchors and cables were provided by
Griffin-Woodhouse Chain Cables, Ltd., of Cradley Heath, Staffs., and the cable
was manufactured, under this firm's own patent, in high-tensile steel. In
handling the cables there was an electrically-driven windlass, provided by
Messrs, A. Barton (Engineers), Ltd., of St. Helens, Lanes,, who also supplied a
capstan, together with winches and slewing gear for cargo-handling purposes.
The derricks and masts were manufactured by Messrs Stewarts and Lloyds, Ltd.,
and the outfit of cargo derricks and guide blocks by Messrs. Taylor, Pallister
& Co., Ltd., of Dunston-on-Tyne. Steering was by means of a Hyland
hydraulic steering gear ( provided with alternative hand-hydraulic control from
the bridge ), manufactured by Messrs. Vickers-Armstrongs (Engineers), Ltd., at
their Hyland Works Wakefield.
EMERGENCY
EQUIPMENT.
The
life-saving appliances conformed to the contemporary requirements of the
Ministry of Transport, the main items being four 25-ft. lifeboats, one of which
was equipped with the well-known manual propelling gear developed by Captain I.
R. Fleming, of Liverpool. The boats were constructed by the Cardiff
Boat-building Co., Ltd., of Cardiff, and were carried at the sides of the
funnel in davits manufactured by Schat Davits, Ltd., of London Colney, Herts.
In addition to the lifeboats, there were eight sets of D type and three sets of
C type buoyant deck seats, manufactured by Messrs. Mashford Brothers, Ltd,, of
Cremyll, Plymouth. The seats, which would provide buoyancy for a total of 460
persons, were constructed selected Colombian pine and had yellow-metal internal
air tanks. Both patterns have the same end section, and could be positioned in
line when required. Considerations of access dictated the provision of an
opening in one of the watertight bulkheads, the necessary watertight door
having been manufactured by the Westmoor Engine Works Co., Ltd., of Pallion,
Sunderland.
Extensive
precautions were taken to safeguard the ship against the outbreak and spread of
fire. Above the bulkhead deck, there were fire-resisting bulkheads, in
conformity with the contemporary requirements of the Ministry of Transport. The
openings in these bulkheads were fitted with fireproof doors of the type
manufactured by Dreadnought Fireproof Doors (1930), Ltd., of London.
The
passenger and crew spaces were very adequately protected by an installation of
sprinklers on the well-known Grinnell system of Messrs. Mather & Platt,
Ltd., of Manchester. The system was supplied from a 600 gallon pressure tank,
half-filled with water, and in which the working pressure was maintained at 120
lb per sq. in. A Mather & Platt automatic, electrically-driven, centrifugal
fire pump was brought into action, by means of a Brookhirst automatic-starting
panel, on a fall of pressure in the sprinkler trunk main due to the operation
of one or more sprinklers. A fire-alarm system was provided by Messrs. Gent
& Co., Ltd., of Leicester. Foam fire-fighting apparatus was supplied by the
Pyrene Co., Ltd., of London, and installed by Messrs. John I. Thornycroft &
Co., Ltd.
NAVIGATING
EQUIPMENT.
The
navigating officers had at their disposal a comprehensive range of modern
apparatus and instruments. The outfit of magnetic compasses was supplied by
Messrs. Henry Browne & Son, Ltd., of Barking, Essex; while Loudaphone
equipment and the navigation lights indicators were provided by Messrs.
Clifford & Snell, Ltd., of Sutton, Surrey, and navigation lamps by Messrs.
G. Bocock and Co., Ltd., of Birmingham. The comprehensive wireless-telegraphy
installation, supplied and installed by the Marconi International Marine
Communication Co., Ltd., of London, incorporated Marconi Marine Gannet
radio-telephone equipment, to handle link telephone calls, while a Reliance
telegraphy transmitter, with an Atalanta receiver, was installed for radio
telegrams. An Autokey device enabled the Reliance transmitter to be keyed
automatically in case of emergency, and an Alert guard receiver was also
provided.
Marconi
Quo Vadis radar equipment ws installed in the wheelhouse. The engine-room
telegraphs was supplied by Messrs. A, Robinson & Co., Ltd., of Bootle,
Liverpool; while a rudder indicator, by Messrs. Siemen Brothers & Co.,
Ltd., of London, was also installed. An 11ins diameter incandescent-type
searchlight was provided by Messrs. T. Francis & Sons, of Bolton, Lanes.
This unit was fitted with wheelhouse control.
PROPELLING
AND AUXILIARY MACHINERY.
The
main propelling machinery, constructed by Messrs. Ruston & Hornsby, Ltd.,
of Lincoln, consisted of two Mark 6VGBXM, four-stroke cycle, six-cylinder,
vertical, pressure-charged, airless-injection, cold-starting, uni-directional
Diesel engines, arranged for outboard turning. Each engine was coupled to an
oil-operated reverse and reduction gear manufactured by Modern Wheel Drive,
Ltd., of Slough, Bucks. With a cylinder diameter of 12ins, and a stroke of
15ins, each engine was rated to develop 720 B.H.P. at 430 r.p.m. Ample
passageway was provided between the two main engines, and the ladder-ways were
free from obstructions. The tunnel-shaft bearings were supplied by Michell
Bearings, Ltd., of Newcastle-on-Tyne, and were of the self-lubricated pivoted
journal pad type. The tunnel-shaft bearings had pivoted pads in the casing
bottom, while the aftermost shaft bearings had pivoted pads in the cover, as
well as the base.
Electrical
Current was provided at 220/230 volts by two 35-kW Diesel-generating sets. The
prime movers for these units were manufactured by Messrs. Norris, Henty &
Gardners, Ltd., of Patricroft, Manchester, and were directly coupled to
Mawdsleys generators. In each case the engine and dynamo were mounted on a
single cast-iron baseplate, the engine being arranged for both compressed-air
and hand starting. For harbour work, there was a Mawdsleys 35-kW. generator, driven
by a. Ruston engine.
The
electrical installation was carried out by Messrs. John I. Thornycroft & Co., Ltd., who also designed and
manufactured the main and emergency switchboards.
For
emergency use, there was a Diesel-generating and pumping set. This unit
consisted of a Mawdsleys 10kW generator, directly coupled to a Gardner Diesel
engine. There was also a 220-volt emergency battery installation, which was
supplied by Messrs. Oldham & Son, Ltd., of Denton, near Manchester.
Polished
hardwood cased and ironclad distribution fuse-boards were provided by the Artic
Fuse & Electrical Manufacturing Co., Ltd., of Birtley. The boards were
fitted with self-aligning, pressure-contact, re-wireable fuses.
Cedervall
patent outside "ordinary special" oil-retaining /stern-tube glands,
together with the Cedervall patent inside "packing arrangement"
oil-retaining stern-tube glands for the inboard end of the shafts, were
provided by Aktiebolaget F. R. Cedervall
& Soner, of Gothenburg, through, their sole licensees, Messrs. Benjamin
Rogers, Sons and Partners, of London.
The
main engines were lubricated with Shell Talpa Oil 30, a solvent extracted oil
of SAE.30 classification, and which was also used for the propeller-shaft
bearings. The Modern Wheel Drive gears employed Shell Vitrea Oil 72, this grade
used, too, for the gears of the fuel-transfer, and bilge and general-service
pumps, as well as for the centrifugal purifier, windlass, capstan and winches.
For the auxiliary Diesel engines and air compressor, a detergent grade of oil,
Shell Rotella T Oil 30, was selected. For the lubrication of the dynamo and
electric-motor bearings, as well as for general use, Shell Alvania Grease 3 was
employed; a grease suitable for all applications on board, as it is water-resistant
at all temperatures. The Cedervall stern-tube glands were filled with Shell
Strombus Oil L.73, an emulsifying oil manufactured for this type of
application.
A
trunked mechanical supply system of ventilation was installed for the
engine-room, in conjunction with natural supply and exhaust ventilators.
WHY “SCILLONIAN (II)”?
The original SCILLONIAN ( 1926 ) was re-named PENNINIS,
allowing the new ship to be named SCILLONIAN;
The later ship was named SCILLONIAN III;
and the proposed ship is to be named SCILLONIAN IV;
It is therefore a convention to add “(II)” to the 1956
SCILLONIAN’s name.
HISTORY OF THE
VESSEL
1956 as SCILLONIAN
(II)
The
new vessel SCILLONIAN (II) was required to meet the increasing passenger
numbers; it needed to be introduced to compete with the plans for the
introduction of helicopter service due in January 1956 – a service which would
complement the existing air service. Other reasons for the need to have a new
vessel included the difficulty in finding firemen and stokers.
Captain
Daniels had presented himself and his crew of four to the Shipping Master at
Southampton, before setting off to St Mary’s with their new ship.
The
Shipping Master was concerned at the size of the crew and that they were not
union men. On production of their discharge books, the Shipping Master was
impressed at the breadth of service they had between them, stating that, having just before signed out the crew
for the Queen Mary, the crew of the Scillonian “had more experience than the
whole damn crew of the Queen Mary”.
As
it turned out, the helicopter service did not commence until 2nd May
1964.
Scillonian
II began service with her first voyage from Penzance on 28th March
1956, proving to be a reliable vessel for the waters which she had to sail.
Voyage
time reduced from over 3 hours ( on occasion 4 or 5 ) to 2.5 hours.
However,
she did not handle as well as the first Scillonian and had difficulties in
berthing
in bad weather; she had to be taken on to Falmouth or St. Ives on occasion.
After
much protest at the proposal to make Falmouth the permanent location for
berthing,
Penzance offered a position on the Albert Pier, which was easier to enter and
berth than the North Arm at the entrance to the Dry Dock.
Besides
her usual route between the Isles of Scilly and Penzance, she made sailings to
Newlyn, Falmouth and St Ives; with Plymouth being added in early 1961, due to
the blockage of the main railway line to Penzance.
During
the early 1970s, consideration was given to a new vessel, and an order was
placed with Ryton Marine, at a cost of £750,000, to be delivered 1974, However,
in March 1973 Ryton Marine went into liquidation, £75,000 having already been
paid by the Islands. SCILLONIAN (II) was to remain as their ship.
SCILLONIAN
(II) served a reliable and diligent service to the Islands, hardly ever
prevented from sailing ( as was also the case with the SCILLONIAN 1926 ), went
in for overhauls to Southampton, ending with an extended re-fit at Falmouth in
1974, which used much of the steelwork that had been partially pre-fabricated
by Ryton Marine of Wallsend; so that her bottom was fully re-plated.
She
was replaced by the Scillonian III ( Appledore built ) which arrived from
Bideford at St Mary’s Isle of Scilly on the 19th May 1977.
1977 as DEVONIA
Sold
to P & A Campbell of Bristol, for £150,000,
and
renamed DEVONIA for Bristol Channel work.
She
joined the BALMORAL; she sailed 21st June to 10th July
1977, deputising for the BALMORAL whilst that vessel was away at the Silver
Jubilee Naval review at Spithead until 30th June 1977. The DEVONIA (
ex SCILLONIAN (II) ) called at Minehead, Weston-Super-Mare and Pembroke Docks.
She
was also run on Thames Cruises. Campbell’s had also chartered the QUEEN OF THE
ISLES, also on the Thames in 1969. The plan was to encourage visitors, to the
Silver Jubilee of 1977, to take a river cruise. The DEVONIA was taken on a
daily tour from Tower pier to Southend, calling at Greenwich. Following her
Thames season in 1977, she was seen laid up in the River Dart on 1/10/77 and
again, with BALMORAL, on 1/11/77. The
success of this 1977 venture, resulted in a plan for the 1978 season, with
BAMORAL; DEVONIA was to have become the main all year round ship for the
Bristol Channel.
The
planned Lundy Island lifeline role, which Campbell’s had hoped for DEVONIA, did
not come to fruition. DEVONIA was chartered in December 1977, for oil-rig
ferrying work at Loch Kishorn, Scotland for Chevron Oil. By January 1978 she
had been in service based on Kyle of Lochalsh. Whilst there, DEVONIA had hit an
underwater obstruction, and was off service for three weeks, going into the
Clyde at Greenock on 28/1/78, for
repairs. The charter ended in April 1978, as contracted. She returned to
Bristol on the evening of 8/5/78 and was back in summer service on the Bristol
Channel that July, by then repainted in P&A Campbell style. Prior to
that she had retained her white hull from IoSSCo days but with a white funnel.
DEVONIA
became Swansea based, operating as part of the two ship Bristol Channel ferry
service. Again, the hoped for Lundy Passenger and cargo service with the
Landmark Trust and Lundy failed to come about. DEVONIA became a mobile
exhibition vessel, travelling from port to port around the United Kingdom, with
the odd visit to the continent; displaying yachting and boating equipment.
She
was laid up in Bristol late 1978. Transferred to Torquay briefly for work to
Channel Islands in 1979. DEVONIA was moved to Avonmouth August 1981. P&A
Campbell Ltd came to an end in 1980.
1982 as DEVONIUN
Purchased by Torbay Seaways Ltd and renamed MV DEVONIUN
in 1982 and seen as an excursion vessel for the South Devon Coast and work to
the Channel Islands. Maiden voyage as DEVONIUN 15th May 1982. Regular
Saturday and Thursday sailings to Guernsey, and another voyage weekly to
Alderney direct. Now certified for 300 passengers only. “their “lovely cruise
liner” operated with evening coastal cruises from Torquay, billed as the
“Showboat”. Sunday “Jazz cruises” to the River Dart were given in 1982. In
1983, through fares were offered to Jersey, in conjunction with Sealink. By
1984, the DEVONIUN had been sold in anticipation of the operation of the
CLANSMAN; however, Torquay council had not permitted the end-loading car ferry.
Torbay Seaways eventually were bought up by Huelin Renouf Group, of the Channel
Islands, and the Torquay operation was closed down.
1984 as SYLLINGAR
From
Marine News, Oct.1985 – DEVONIUN sold by
John
Graham & Maureen Marie Thompson to
Norse
Atlantic Ferries and renamed SYLLINGAR.
Chris Marrow writes ….
I purchased her from Torbay Seaways when she was the
DEVONIUN.
In recognition of her antecedents, I renamed her
SYLLINGAR which is the Norse for the Scilly Islands.
Under the company Norse Atlantic Ferries,
we reopened the long-closed route between Orkney and
Shetland with her.
For various reasons the company failed, not least because
we had no subsidy, whereas P&O, who took over the service,
had always been well recompensed by the Scottish Office.
When the company failed, she was sold to
Greece where she became the Remvi and was converted.
The
news broke towards the end of 1984 that Orkney interests were proposing to open
up a new ferry route between Orkney and Shetland. A long time had elapsed since
the old established "North Company" had operated regular passenger
sailings between Orkney and Shetland as the ST NINIAN (1950), the mainstay of
"indirect" sailings, was withdrawn in 1971 and not replaced by
passenger tonnage. Very limited passenger accommodation had been available on
the cargo vessel St Rognvald, and latterly the commercial vehicle ferry St
Magnus, but this vessel gave priority to commercial vehicle drivers, and did
not operate to a rigid timetable.
The
new venture promised to be rather more interesting to the coastal cruising
enthusiast as it was proposed to run the SYLLINGAR, between Kirkwall, Westray
and Scalloway in Shetland, the latter not served by the North Company with its
traditional "West Side service" since the outbreak of the Second
World War, although Scalloway is actually only six miles away from Lerwick.
By
late 1984 Norse Atlantic Ferries Ltd had been formed, which was closely
connected with Wide Firth Ferry, an established Orkney concern that ran the
small motor vessel GOLDEN MARIANA on excursions around the north isles of
Orkney. Announcing in strident tones that "We have found the missing
link", with publicity that depicted stylised Viking longboats,
"Viking Island Ferries" was also formed as the enterprise that
marketed both ships. The DEVONIUN had been purchased from Torbay Seaways for
£110,000 and the Highlands & Islands Development Board put up the majority
of the capital, with both Orkney and Shetland Island Councils taking a minority
interest in recognition of the tourist potential of the new venture. It was
proposed to link the islands twice-weekly in summer and also to offer
occasional cruises.
The
delivery voyage took place on 14th November from Torquay, and DEVONIUN left
with a full cargo of manure for Westray, as well as a mini-bus and a boat
engine, a promising start. Arriving at Westray on 17th November, she made her
first appearance at her new home port of Kirkwall on Sunday 18th November, and
was renamed SYLLINGAR shortly afterwards.
It
was suggested by the Shetland Tourist Officer that cruises to view Foula might
again be given, as these had not been made since 1955 when EARL OF ZETLAND went
there. There is certainly no shortage of scenic cruising destinations in these waters
and the new company announced that they also intended to offer occasional
excursions from Kirkwall and North Ronaldsay to Fair Isle, last regularly
served by the North Company from Orkney in 1950 by arrangement when a vessel on
passage between Kirkwall and Lerwick would call if necessary to lift passengers
by tender. This facility survived until the '60s on "direct"
Aberdeen-Lerwick sailings.
The
1985 season looked promising for SYLLINGAR and the intention was to run three
round trips per fortnight between Kirkwall and Scalloway, calling en route at
Westray in Orkney, and with layovers in Shetland of between two and four days.
The services of "Viking Island Ferries" were incorporated into the
scope of the well-established "Highlands and Islands Travelpass"
scheme, and more ports were visited by SYLLINGAR. She made a first call at Papa
Westray on 25th February to load hay for Shetland, a little like the operation
of a traditional tramp-steamer. Her overhaul took place at Aberdeen and the
return voyage to the north was arranged so that cargo was carried from
Invergordon, another first for SYLLINGAR. This led to further runs to
Invergordon being advertised from April. Trips to Fair Isle were advertised to
call at North Ronaldsay, normally the sole preserve of a weekly cargo run by
the motor vessel Islander operated at that time by the Orkney Islands Shipping
Company.
The
first cruise to Foula took place on Thursday 9th May, but ominous signs of
mechanical difficulties that were to plague the company began to emerge the
following day. A full diagnosis yielded the information that SYLLINGAR needed a
new crankshaft, which would cost an estimated £60,000. Although the repairs
were put in hand, and efforts were made to locate a second-hand one which could
reduce the bill to around £40,000, the financial effect of over a month's
missed sailings was to prove disastrous. Services could not resume until 12th
June, although when they did it was not immediately apparent to the outside
observer that irretrievable financial damage had been sustained.
Chris
Marrow writes …. In the end the crankshaft proved capable of regrinding. The
first advice was indeed that we needed to replace it, and we did indeed search
for a second-hand one. However, better advice followed. We could regrind the
existing crankshaft in situ and replace the bearing with an under-sized one. A
Norwegian company specialises in this, and they flew a team in and undertook
the work. Nonetheless, the cost of the breakdown was considerable, and the
uncertainty created by the temporary cessation of the service in the height of
the season had a knock-on effect for the rest of the summer.
Nevertheless,
another first was scored when, on Thursday, 15th August. SYLLINGAR was present
at Inverness when the Queen Mother opened a new berth at the port. The ship
returned overnight to Kirkwall (carrying passengers and cargo via Westray and
Shapinsay), and on Sunday. 18th August she performed what turned out to be her
penultimate public sailing in Britain, a day-cruise around Foula. The
announcement that Norse Atlantic Ferries Ltd would cease trading was made two
days later, due to accumulated losses of around £200,000 and the consequent
appointment of a liquidator.
Laid
up in Kirkwall as people argued over the debt that would eventually have to be
written off. the SYLLINGAR made her final voyage from Orkney on 27th November
1985, to lay up at Greenock.
Chris
Marrow writes …. As soon as the company ceased to trade, all the original grant
aid to purchase the vessel and get the service up and running became due for
refunding, so that the Highlands & Islands Development Board, Orkney Island
Council and Shetland Islands Council became preferential creditors. The
difficulties arose when the bank, in their wisdom, reduced the company's
overdraft overnight, which was in effect the working capital wiped out. In the
end, the company failed for want of a derisory sum - I seem to remember an
amount of £15,000. The irony of this is that vastly more public money than
£200,000 was then spent to keep the service going. The following season, by
public demand, the Orcadia was chartered to continue the Scalloway service by
running up there at weekends until P&O could arrange to start with the
St.Sunniva, (which had originally been the Lion on the Southampton/Cherbourg
run, if I recall). Of course, the St Sunniva service was then subsidised by the
Scottish Office, whereas, had the Syllingar been allowed to continue, she could
almost undoubtedly have run profitably on the route without a subsidy. Anyway,
the Orkney/Shetland link is now accepted as a vital part of the transport scene
in the Northern Isles, and it could never again be allowed to cease. Knowledgeable
observers readily acknowledge that this is due to that year when we ran the
Syllingar, and the ship is fondly remembered by many as a result. It would be
entirely fair to claim that the old girl revolutionised the shipping scene in
the far north of Scotland, and is just one of a great many remarkable features
of her action-packed life.
She
departed from the Clyde on 17th May 1986.
With
Grateful Thanks to Mike Tedstone and Chris Marrow.
1986 as REMVI
From
Marine News. Nov.1986 - Syllingar sold to
Hellenic
Cruising Holidays, Greece renamed REMVI.
Built in 1956 the ship - a
little ferry that could welcome on board 150 passengers and some 20 cars -
served the Greek Islands without any particular problem until 1989.
In line with
standard Greek practice, the REMVI was christened in English Characters, on the
bow, and on the stern she was PEMBH ( Greek Characters, Remvi, which means
“daydreaming” ). The name is normally of letters welded into place, but
cheapskate owners don't bother to grind off the old name, and merely paint over
it. The port of registration is Piraeus, also in Greek letters. Painted very
roughly over the top is clearly seen the latter port of registry of San
Lorenzo, which is the Honduran port at which she was finally registered. “Olga
J” can be made out, higher up. There seems to be no sign of her African names,
but in light of the fact that the Remvi details were still welded on, it is
clear that all future names were just painted over the top and therefore easily
painted over.
In
1988 she was operating between Brindisi ( Italy ) and Kerkyra ( Corfu ),
as
well as Igoumenitsa on the Greek mainland.
She
was laid up in Kerkyra after summer operations that year.
Sold
off in 1989.
1989 as AFRICA QUEEN
Marine
News : sold to J.A.R. Atlantic Ocean Ltd, Belize
renamed
AFRICA QUEEN
Under contract
to UNHCR,
she undertook
the transfer of refugees between
war-torn
Liberia and neighbouring Guinea.
Her name at
the time made one want to laugh as much as cry.
She was called
the "Africa Queen".
The Civil war in Liberia ran from Dec 1989;
eased in April 1996 and
ended in 1997 with elections;
it was at this time that AFRICA QUEEN was renamed.
There was another ship of that name, built 1962, 377gt,
originally EMBLA.
1970 SINE BOYE; 1976 POSEIDON; 1987 EMBLA; 1989 REBECCA
ROUSING and, in 1997 sold to Navifret SA, Gabon renamed AFRICA QUEEN. The
following, therefore cannot refer to this ship. but the length of 47 metres is
too short to be the ex-SCILLONIAN.
From a personal holiday report by Stefano Dighera
Period:
December 26, 1995 - January 8th, 1996
so the boat's pilot arranged a transhipment on the "AFRICA
QUEEN", a little cruise ship run by French people. We became acquainted
with the ship's captain, a friendly French man who looked as a typical sea-dog.
The "AFRICA QUEEN" is a wonderful old ship, which during winter makes
cruises in the Bijiagos, while during the summer in the Cape Verde archipelago.
We were shown al over the ship by the captain's executive officer. The ship is
47 metres long and has a staff of 14 people. It has a big white hull, perfectly
equipped for the high seas and slim enough to glide through the channels which
separate the archipelago's lands. There are 17 lovely cabins on the ship, all
panelled with wood and furnished in old navy style.
However, the following could refer to either the 1962
built ship
or the ex-SCILLONIAN….
Sierra Leone News Archives 12 June 1997
Hundreds of Sierra Leonean professionals crowded onto the Queen Elizabeth
II Pier Thursday, hoping to flee Freetown on a Gambian-chartered boat.
Scuffles broke out as the crowed tried to board the AFRICA QUEEN
coaster, chartered by the Gambian government to evacuate 400 of its citizens.
Soldiers attempted to control the crowd, which included doctors,
lawyers, teachers, university professors, and senior officials of the state
telephone network.
At one point, the boat moved away from the quay after scuffles
broke out.
1997 as PRINCESS ELIANA
With the return of relative peace, she
was renamed PRINCESS ELIANA
with
the same owners. J.A.R. Atlantic Ocean Ltd, Belize
Operating
Coastal Tours and Ferry service, between Ghana and Liberia,
Sold in 1998.
1998 as OLGA J
The fate of
the OLGA J and her crew is brought to
world
attention by Olivier Aubert.
In 1998 she was purchased by a
Cypriot Greek ship-owner, a certain John Christodoulo, director of
"Asterias Maritime", a company registered in Belize. The ship-owner
asked the seamen to deliver the ship to a repair yard. They all accepted. The
ferry became the "Olga J" under Honduran flag, registered at San
Lorenzo. Leaving Dakar, the Olga J headed towards Greece where ship
repairs were supposed to be cheaper. However, at the last moment they were
diverted to Haifa for stores. In Haifa a stop notice was placed on the vessel
as she was in a very poor state and the captain was refusing to cooperate. She
escaped from Haifa illegally by dead of night and went to Bourgas where the
crew went on strike, and she came in due course to be abandoned.
25 April 2001: Ghana Review
Accra (Greater Accra)
Ghanaians repatriated from
Bulgaria
Seven Ghanaian seafarers who
were stranded for three years in Bulgaria have been repatriated back home by
the International Transport Workers Federation (ITF) based in France. The seven
are Emmanuel Ansah Duodu, Chief Engineer, Francis Koomson, Ato Blankson and
Ransford Eshun. The rest are Felix Dwamena, Ernest Amoabeng and Barnabas
Atcherkum. The seven men who worked on board a Greek vessel, Olga-J, were
abandoned by the ship owner when it docked in Bulgaria for re-fuelling.
Narrating their story at the airport, Mr Duodu said they boarded the vessel,
which was originally called M. V. Remvi in Dakar, Senegal, where it was sold to
a Greek who changed the name to Olga-J.
He said the new owner decided to maintain the crew made up of 13
Ghanaians and other African nationals and set sail for Greece and then to
Bulgaria. According to Mr Duodu, berthing in Bulgaria was expensive so the
captain decided to move to Israel for fuel and logistics. They sailed back to
Bulgaria where they demanded their salary and the captain gave them a cheque,
which bounced. Later, the Greek captain agreed to pay them off and send them
home in batches. Mr Duodu said the first batch of Ghanaians out of the 13 was
fully paid and sent home leaving behind the seven of them. However, in
September 1998, the Captain abandoned them without paying their accrued
salaries. "Life became very difficult for us in Bulgaria and we had to beg
for our daily bread from other seafarers before the ITF came to our
rescue," Mr Doudo said. There is at least one account of the seamen being
roused at night, and beaten by the
Bulgarian police. The General Secretary of the Ghana Merchant Navy Officers
Association, Mr Sigis Buckman, appealed to the government and parliament to
speed up the passage of the Ghana Maritime Authority and the Ghana Shipping
Bills to help regulate and check the abuse of Ghanaian seafarers.
The
Captain of the OLGA J was previously Captain of the infamous SALEM ….
Read the
details of this Maritime Fraud …..
2004 The
ex-SCILLONIAN (II) finally sinks
An aerial photograph
is released, which shows the remains of the OLGA J, at the quayside at Bourgas,
Bulgaria.
My
Thanks for
The
kind help of the Captain and Crew of the webship, Mariners-L;
Thanks
too for material and help from
Chris
Marrow ( of the Syllingar )
and
Mike Tedstone
for
his kind permission to use his article
“The
Ship with Five Lives”
Raymond
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