# Shell Mex & BP



## Jacktar1 (Jul 17, 2005)

Wonder if there is anyone around who sailed on any of the following coastal tankers around the mid 1950's. BP Refiner (Capt Hughes/Capt Paddy Lane), Shell Fitter (Capt Bambro), Shell Director (Capt Cain), Shell Driller (Capt Brown)
Also another one, not Shell Mex & Bp...the Vacuum Pioneer (Capt Jackson /Capt Blaney)

Cheers,
Glan(K)


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## kauvaka (Oct 11, 2009)

06/04/61 -10/05/61 BP Supervisor as donkey greaser, Capt P Brown
21/10/61 -21/12/61 Vacuum Pioneer as firemen greaser, Capt L? V jackson
according to my discharge Book.


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## price (Feb 2, 2006)

Hello Glan; I sailed with Captain Lane when he was mate/relieving master of the Shell Loader 1959/60. The permanent master at the time was Captain Smiley.
Bruce.


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## Joe Whelan (Nov 2, 2006)

Hi Glan,I sailed in the Shell Welder 25 Aug 1956 to 6 Nov 1956. Captain Skinner and P.Lane . Served in Shell Driller 4 Dec to 20 Dec 1956. Regards Joe.


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## Jacktar1 (Jul 17, 2005)

kauvaka, Bruce & Joe.........many thanks for your replies. I was 2nd mate on the BP Refiner in 1953 and Paddy Lane was the mate, a great chap to work with and a real character, dont know if he changed when he became master. At that time we did a lot of bunkering work in the Bristol Channel during the week and usually a trip to Cork on the week ends, Paddy Lane I believe originally came from Cork, anyway, I was in charge of the discharge and ballasting, Paddy would take off and come back to pick me up around 6pm Saturday and off to a grand old night out ! Sailing Sunday morning into the Irish Sea was not so good lol.
I was on Shell Driller in early 1956 with Capt Brown, I joined in Swansea, the officers were on clause A articles (leave in lieu of overtime), I said that I would only sign on clause B (overtime). Anyway, there was no one else around so they had no option ! I knew that I would only last until they found a relief for me. But during my 7 weeks aboard I did both loading and discharging (cause the mate got p****d off ), made more wages than Capt Brown, who wasn't mean about it, but had pleasure in telling me that they had a replacement for me on arrival at Grangemouth early one morning !
Vacuum Pioneer was fairly new when I was aboard in 1954, we ran from Coryton to some port in France (cannot remember the name).
Capt Jackson was okay, then relieved by the mate J. Blaney.
Ah well, those were happy days and I have a lot of good memories.
Cheers'
Glan

PS Last I heard of Paddy Lane, that he was ashore at Bantry Bay (long time ago ! )(K)


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