# Your favourite TR?



## R651400

Non R/O members must puzzle at some of our jargon and abbreviations and the most common would be TR or traffic report sent on leaving and entering port or changing areas etc etc. 
No need to give a reason (unless you want to) just put down a favourite TR with coast and ship station's call signs.

JCK de SWBF... TR Eurylochus/SWBF nw QTP Kobe CL


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## Troppo

VIS DE VJEK QTP BOTANY.

(my home port)


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## WilliamH

I think the real meaning of TR is Triumph Roadster, my favorite was the TR4, alas I could not afford one but settled for a Triumph Spitfire.


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## R651400

WilliamH said:


> I think the real meaning of TR is Triumph Roadster, my favorite was the TR4, alas I could not afford one but settled for a Triumph Spitfire.


I'll allow this QSD digression but sorry to disagree the creme de la creme was the TR2 and anything that followed was mediocrity to total and utter TR7 crap...


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## R651400

Troppo said:


> VIS DE VJEK QTP BOTANY.
> 
> (my home port)


Sri om not really a proper TR with no QRA but no doubt VJEK was known to VIS...
Was it the Manly ferry?


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## Graham P Powell

JCS de GBWA QTO Yokohama bnd Fiji
JCS ?
JCS de GBWA QTO Yokohama bnd Fiji
JCS ?
I think they thought I meant Fuji.
rgds
Graham Powell


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## R651400

GBWA de JCS QRA?


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## Robert M Hughes

JOS de MQMF Stanvac S. Africa/MQMF QTO Nagasaki bnd Fawley.

(after 3 months in Nagasaki).

Bob


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## Moulder

WilliamH said:


> I think the real meaning of TR is Triumph Roadster, my favorite was the TR4, alas I could not afford one but settled for a Triumph Spitfire.


I always thought that the signal TR meant 'traffic route' ........

(Thumb)


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## R651400

Moulder said:


> I always thought that the signal TR meant 'traffic route' ........


You'll have to dig deeper into our GKL/GKA faction as I only quoted from memory.. TR???


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## Troppo

R651400 said:


> Sri om not really a proper TR with no QRA but no doubt VJEK was known to VIS...
> Was it the Manly ferry?



It was ex GYKD - Wiltshire, an LPG tanker, on the VIS-VIM run.

So, yes we were well known...but Aussie coast stations actually never asked for QRA on TRs...


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## R719220

JCS/JCK/JOS (whichever) de GHXU TR Scottish Trader/GHXU QTP Kobe/Moji/Wakayama/Kamaishi/Yokohama (wherever, all the same to me) expect QTO 7/10 days.


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## R651400

Troppo said:


> It was ex GYKD - Wiltshire, an LPG tanker, on the VIS-VIM run.
> So, yes we were well known...but Aussie coast stations actually never asked for QRA on TRs...


Thanks Trops much the same when at GND with the Leith/Shetland/Orkney cargo passenger boats. eg...

GND de GJBB QTO A bnd L.....

St Ninian left Aberdeen for Lerwick...


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## trotterdotpom

Graham P Powell said:


> JCS de GBWA QTO Yokohama bnd Fiji
> JCS ?
> JCS de GBWA QTO Yokohama bnd Fiji
> JCS ?
> I think they thought I meant Fuji.
> rgds
> Graham Powell


No Graham, "JCS?" is a Japanese abreviation for "whispering grass at Lautoka?"

I'm not big on remembering callsigns, but I do recall sending a few exciting QTPs in my go ashore gear.

John T


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## Graham P Powell

Sorry chaps cannot remember calls sign of Japanese MF coast station at Yokohama. All HF traffic went through Choshi Radio I seem to remember.
GBWA was the Swan River, owned by Houlder Brothers and a very nice ship.
We had sailed to Japan from Argentina, Japan to Fiji in ballast and then Fiji to UK with sugar.
Long time ago.....
rgds
Graham Powell


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## Graham P Powell

I think TR was "transit report" and they went on a special little pink form at GKA. They were kept in the rotary call sign files so that we could route traffic accordingly. Another thing GKA would do was broadcast to ships in port. One point was allocated for the purpose with a log sheet showing what times , frequencies etc. That information would come in on TR's.
rgds
Graham Powell


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## Ron Stringer

ZSD de GXPX Bretwalda QTO Durban bnd Liverpool. 

We're going home!


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## R651400

Direct reference to above in reverse.

GLV de GMBZ TR Melampus QTO Liverpool bnd Port Said.

My first deep sea voyage and TR via Seaforth Radio


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## hawkey01

I think Choshi Radio was - JCS. 

Ref not sending ships names. When St Patrick II - Irish ferry - was plying her trade from Cork to Rosslare etc etc. She would call us at GLD/GIL but never gave her name something like EIBK QTO Cork or similar nothing more. Same with many ferries just a quick call on 500. I have two callsigns in my memory bank EIBK and EIBL. St Patrick II and St Killian. Books out again please.

JOS de Blanchland/GHQT QTP Osaka CL. 

Many weeks on the Japanese coast. Luvverly stuff.

Hawkey01


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## david.hopcroft

GKZ de ???? QTO Hull bnd Rotterdam........Sorry but won't be reporting for duty on Monday. 

Sent by someone who realised that coast station starting rates of pay weren't good !!! (nor later either !)

David
+


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## holland25

GLV de GNVN QTP CL Home.


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## Steven Lamb

GLV de GTIA ("Ivybank") QTP LPOOL fm PANAMA & CL

"Ah the memories" !

73's
Lamby


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## Naytikos

I never understood the purpose of a TR and never sent one. 
Most coast stations around the world, whether HF or MF, having received a QTC over the land circuit would certainly include the ship in their traffic lists whether the staff had had any contact with it or not If the QTC wasn't picked up in four or so days they sent a svc back to the office of origin to that effect. 

From comments by members, I accept that british and australian station kept some kind of record of the whereabouts of ships they had had recent contact with, but how that helped I cannot fathom: surely, if they had traffic they had to include the relevant ship in the list. As for the rest of the world: I recall overhearing a G callsign telling WSC 'QTP Boston' and getting the reply, 'so what?'


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## holland25

Naytikos said:


> I never understood the purpose of a TR and never sent one.
> Most coast stations around the world, whether HF or MF, having received a QTC over the land circuit would certainly include the ship in their traffic lists whether the staff had had any contact with it or not If the QTC wasn't picked up in four or so days they sent a svc back to the office of origin to that effect.
> 
> From comments by members, I accept that british and australian station kept some kind of record of the whereabouts of ships they had had recent contact with, but how that helped I cannot fathom: surely, if they had traffic they had to include the relevant ship in the list. As for the rest of the world: I recall overhearing a G callsign telling WSC 'QTP Boston' and getting the reply, 'so what?'


From memory on British ships during the days of the area scheme it was mandatory so that you could be included in the relevant traffic list.


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## trotterdotpom

I sent TRs because I was told I had to at college. Assume they were for traffic routing and maybe a SOLAS application in the early days. Handy as a last minute check to see if there was any traffic before closing down.

They were certainly necessary for traffic routing when the UK Area Scheme was in use.

John T


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## Troppo

david.hopcroft said:


> GKZ de ???? QTO Hull bnd Rotterdam........Sorry but won't be reporting for duty on Monday.
> 
> Sent by someone who realised that coast station starting rates of pay weren't good !!! (nor later either !)
> 
> David
> +



Ha ha ha!

(Applause)


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## R651400

holland25 said:


> From memory on British ships during the days of the area scheme it was mandatory so that you could be included in the relevant traffic list.


Without mandatory TR's the area scheme would have collapsed. 
At GKA when I was there the TR desk went flat out all day and at UK coast stations TR's were forwarded via landline to GKA.


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## Moulder

GLD DE GJZD BT TR BENHOPE 350 MILES SSW GLD BND GLV AR K

Homeward bound from Port Swettenham - in Biscay just entering GLD service area. Coming to the end of first trip and well suffering from the 'Channels'.

(Thumb)


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## Tai Pan

QTO port said bnd Liverpool.


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## R651400

Jeez lads most of the TR's so far show most of you were homesick bairns!!

HSA de GDJV Glenbeg QTP Bangkok CL 

Yahooo!!!


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## trotterdotpom

R651400 said:


> Jeez lads most of the TR's so far show most of you were homesick bairns!!
> 
> HSA de GDJV Glenbeg QTP Bangkok CL
> 
> Yahooo!!!


My kinda guy ... that's why we were there R65.

John T


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## Tai Pan

Doc Wilsons office for you next visit to India Buildings.


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## R719220

Further to my post #12. 

VIP/VIA/VIM/VIH/VIS/VIB de GCJH TR Gladstone Star nw QTP Fremantle/Albany/Adelaide/Melbourne/Hobart/Sydney/Brisbane

Take your pick. Loved 'em all.


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## R651400

Tp you are obviously virginal in that area and never suffered the indignity of trying to pull on one of Doc Wilson's dunlop inner tube thick prophylactics and then rolled in pain all night from an almost bursting bladder with it's no pee follow thru the dreaded dreadnought!!!


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## Tai Pan

On Glengarry we had a lady Doc, so I got the job of handing them out, interesting .
Also in the 50's , India Building was affectionatley referred to as the "Kremlin" did this carry on ?.


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## R651400

Tai Pan said:


> On Glengarry we had a lady Doc, so I got the job of handing them out, interesting ..


Alors?? Never had the occasion to use?


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## R719220

R719220 said:


> Further to my post #12.
> 
> VIP/VIA/VIM/VIH/VIS/VIB de GCJH TR Gladstone Star nw QTP Fremantle/Albany/Adelaide/Melbourne/Hobart/Sydney/Brisbane
> 
> Take your pick. Loved 'em all.


Plus, a few years down the road..

VIB de GHXU TR Scottish Trader QTP Gladstone......

or....QTO Gladstone bnd Kobe/Moji/Wakayama/Kamaishi etc... This for a year. I used to think I'd died and gone to heaven.

And then, once only..

VIM de GHXU TR QTP Geelong. 

I mention this last because it was the first time that I'd been to Oz where you could get a drink in a pub after 6pm. The days of the dreaded "six 'o clock swill" were numbered. This would have been early '64.


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## mikeg

R651400 said:


> Tp you are obviously virginal in that area and never suffered the indignity of trying to pull on one of Doc Wilson's dunlop inner tube thick prophylactics and then rolled in pain all night from an almost bursting bladder with it's no pee follow thru the dreaded dreadnought!!!


I was lucky I guess, never caught anything during my many trips to Bangkok. Happy memories though wouldn't have that energy now... two in a bed bliss (@)


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## R651400

Believe me Doc Wilson's dreadnought kit gave you immunity for life!
Suffering once in its utilisation there was no way you'd repeat the performance!!


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## Tai Pan

R651400 said:


> Believe me Doc Wilson's dreadnought kit gave you immunity for life!
> Suffering once in its utilisation there was no way you'd repeat the performance!!


Funny thing, my first job ashore was with Michelin Tyres, must have been something to do with those Doc Wilson thingies.


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## R651400

Okay Tp no confession necessary but your knowledge of Doc Wilson's dreadnought kit must have surely opened doors at Michelin!
As you've probably noticed most of my tr's are based on trips ashore to enjoy the local architecture, culture and history of the indigenous people...

PPR de ELAF.... TR World Peace QTP Rio CL....

Copacabana here I come....


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## Tai Pan

R6 your a man after my own heart. pity we didnt sail together.


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## Ron Stringer

R651400 said:


> Jeez lads most of the TR's so far show most of you were homesick bairns!!
> 
> HSA de GDJV Glenbeg QTP Bangkok CL
> 
> Yahooo!!!


Not everyone fed like Glen Line. A UK destination gave you hope of salvation on some ships.


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## R651400

Ron Stringer said:


> Not everyone fed like Glen Line. A UK destination gave you hope of salvation on some ships.


Within the three major radio companies Mimco, Siemens and IMR?
Mimco was recognised as the worst Mama-San of the three.


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## Ron Stringer

R651400 said:


> Within the three major radio companies Mimco, Siemens and IMR?
> Mimco was recognised as the worst Mama-San of the three.


They all finished up the same way though. (Jester)


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## andysk

GLV de GSZC QTO Bhead bnd Mauritius

My first trip solo, Mauritius, Ceylon and India via the Cape, Suez was closed. Plenty of apprehension and hesitation before the key went down for the first time ....


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## andysk

Ron Stringer said:


> They all finished up the same way though. (Jester)


Who was the last to go ?


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## Ron Stringer

andysk said:


> Who was the last to go ?


Marconi still had some R/Os when I retired in 2002. AEI went in the 1960s. Can't tell you about IMR.


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## R651400

R719220 said:


> I mention this last because it was the first time that I'd been to Oz where you could get a drink in a pub after 6pm. The days of the dreaded "six 'o clock swill" were numbered. This would have been early '64.


Similar TR Malc circa 1961.

VIM de 5LVC... World Banner QTP Geelong CL

18 hours load Kharg Island then 18 days at sea. Went ashore to what I think was the Geelong Hotel and the jobsworth behind the bar refused to serve us because we didn't satisfy the requisite booze regs or maybe it was the gang of unshaven Greeks in my company?
Surprise surprise that same day methinks a Sunday the ship was visited by a horde of homesick Greeks and their families.
Old man Vasilis Karakandas opened the bond and a great party was had by all...
Opah..


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## Vital Sparks

Never sent a TR to a coast station but in BP there was the practice of exchanging "Company TRs" with othe BP ships which were encountered. These included previous port, port of destination, cargo and a list of the deck offiicers and R/O, (engineers were never included). When as a first trip cadet I asked why they were omitted I was told it just wasn't done.


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## sparks69

I used to send the Engineers if asked.


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## R651400

Vital Sparks said:


> Never sent a TR to a coast station..


That really surprises me if you were around the UK coast?
Without TR's to UK coast stations GKA would have no idea where to filter a lot of their traffic to! 
Much faster than having to wait and take via the Area 1a broadcast.


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## Ivor Lloyd

*Tr*

GCC de Sutherland/GBYG QTO Tyne to Key West fo (for orders)
(circa 1948.)
Havent seen Key West to this day !
Ivor


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## Troppo

Vital Sparks said:


> Never sent a TR to a coast station but in BP there was the practice of exchanging "Company TRs" with othe BP ships which were encountered. These included previous port, port of destination, cargo and a list of the deck offiicers and R/O, (engineers were never included). When as a first trip cadet I asked why they were omitted I was told it just wasn't done.


No TRs?

Eh?

When I was with E and A, we always sent the engineers as well as the mates and R/Os....


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## andysk

Vital Sparks said:


> Never sent a TR to a coast station but in BP there was the practice of exchanging "Company TRs" with othe BP ships which were encountered. These included previous port, port of destination, cargo and a list of the deck offiicers and R/O, (engineers were never included). When as a first trip cadet I asked why they were omitted I was told it just wasn't done.


Always sent the full squad inc the dings and the grocer (s) in B & C !


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## mikeg

Vital Sparks said:


> Never sent a TR to a coast station


I don't understand, the reason for TR's was not just radio traffic routeing but primarily for safety. Surely it was akin to filing a flight plan in aviation terms.


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## Moulder

mikeg said:


> I don't understand, the reason for TR's was not just radio traffic routeing but primarily for safety. Surely it was akin to filing a flight plan in aviation terms.


I think the main reason for TRs was indeed for traffic routing, especially when sent to a UK M/F coast station when moving into different station service areas. I always thought that, on receipt of the TR, the M/F station would interrogate GKA and get any traffic on hand plus any subsequent traffic to the ship after a couple of calls on 500kHz and putting it on their traffic lists. This could have been quicker than the ship waiting for the GKA list every 2 hours. 

With regard to worldwide arrival/departure TRs - an opportunity to check for traffic just before closing or opening the ship station. 

I don't think they were a SOLAS requirement but more of a commercial tool. Of course, AMVER could be taken as the equivalent of a flight plan.

Steve.
(Thumb)


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## hawkey01

TR's were sent from the coast/stns to GKA. As Larry/Graham said previously these were added to the ships name file. All incoming messages passed through this area to have callsign attached and to check to see were the vessel was. If on the coast it would be routed to the designated coast station. The TR was a useful tool to us and also ensured that ships who worked us would get their traffic from the most convenient station. This included those that sent TR's to say they were QSO VIS/JOS etc or whichever station they designated. Without this info it was into our list at GKA.

Hawkey01


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## Graham P Powell

AMVER's. Taken a few of those. Some could run to hundreds of words with all the course changes etc. regards
Graham Powell


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## R651400

Moulder said:


> I always thought that, on receipt of the TR, the M/F station would interrogate GKA and get any traffic on hand plus any subsequent traffic to the ship after a couple of calls on 500kHz and putting it on their traffic lists.


MF Coast Stations interrogate GKA tfc lists? Now there's a novel idea!!


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## david.hopcroft

The safety aspect of a TR was that it might possibly have been the last contact. Like most Coast Station men, I would log any voyage info I was offerred - you never knew if it might be the last qso.

David
+


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## Graham P Powell

I seem to remember we had a dedicated teleprinter for coast station access.
Hawkeye, Larry or Dave Hopcroft might remember that.
Coast stations used to come up and ask for ship traffic but I think the ship had to ask them to get it from GKA. If it was a long message which would tie them up for some time they used to get the ship to QSO on 4mhz. They would ring our J Bell but we were told never to do the same with coast stations as it meant distress traffic.
Once or twice we were the last point of contact. This included the Berge Istra which disappeared but had worked Somerton on R/T. I think they found a couple of survivors but of the Berge Vanga I believe they found no trace.
regards
Graham Powell


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## Trevor Clements

TR GKL DE MADE HYRCANIA QTO Punta Cardon bnd Eastham QSX Area 1C QRU + 
Only surpassed in delight, by by;

TR GKL DE MADE QSP via GLV HYRCANIA QTP EASTHAM QRU +

I was taught by my first Chief R/O to send TRs like this to assist with the routing of messages. I dont recall ever being taught about TRs at Colwyn Bay. Despite sending a similar TR when changing from Area 1B to 1A, Portishead insisted on trying to route a message of UK origin via Lands End instead of via the GKA traffic list when we were still well out of range of GLD.


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## Larry Bennett

Graham P Powell said:


> I seem to remember we had a dedicated teleprinter for coast station access.
> Hawkeye, Larry or Dave Hopcroft might remember that.


We certainly did - telex 46125 BTGKA G (or POGKA G if you are of a certain vintage). Coast stations used to call us up to QSP to-ship traffic (although if was a long one they used to tell the ship to QSO direct on 4 MHz!). As Graham said we wouldn't use the J Bell in case it woke the coast station staff up........

In addition we had telexes 46441 (for telegrams) and 46116 (for radiotelex messages - connected to a 5-unit tape reperf machine).

Larry +


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## Moulder

R651400 said:


> MF Coast Stations interrogate GKA tfc lists? Now there's a novel idea!!


Quite so ..... but I didn't say that. [=P]


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## R651400

Circa 1965 all TR's received at coast stations both British and foreign flag excepting coastal vessels with w/t (colliers etc) were forwarded asap to GKA when landline was not busy with other tfc. 
Traffic routeing at GKA then took the responsibility of directing telegrams during the ship's UK coastal visit to the coast station in that ship's vicinity.


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## david.hopcroft

I think we used the TAS machine for TR's. GKZ was YO781, but can't remember GKA's TAS number. YO was York

Remember these ??? This was one is at a Lincolnshire Show stand in the late 80's at which BT did old/new etc. It was a working example online so I got the lads to send me Wx and Nx's etc - even the odd TR. Getting the tape was becoming a problem though. I still have the finger thingy to tear off TAS tape and stick it on forms.

David
+

Tho looking at it again, think it might be a 7b telex with the cover off. GKZ was 56262 POGKZ G


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## Moulder

Another favourite of mine:-

9KK DE 9KCF BT AL MUBARAKIAH QTO 9KK BND JAPAN AR K

Anything that QTO'd the Gulf was a good 'un.

(Thumb)


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## Graham P Powell

I guy called Ken Smith started just before me at GKA and he was on 9KCF.
rgds
Graham Powell


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## Moulder

Graham P Powell said:


> I guy called Ken Smith started just before me at GKA and he was on 9KCF.
> rgds
> Graham Powell


Ah ....spent a lot of time on that one including the maiden/guarantee voyage - 74/75 - then 76. Sent quite a few TRs on her.

Rgds,

Steve.
(Thumb)


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## R651400

david.hopcroft said:


> Tho looking at it again, think it might be a 7b telex with the cover off. GKZ was 56262 POGKZ G


It is most certainly a Creed 7b ingeniously adapted to show TAS with it's gummed tape.
The "engagement ring" you talk about to tear off TAS gummed tape my GKA course-mate Des Kernaghan (GKZ) and my co-grand-quaffer of gallons of scrumpy at 1/1d pint called....

Our *Gummy Mummy 
*


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## Graham P Powell

I'd forgotten the little device that went on your finger for handling the gummed tape. I can see the experts on the 2020 edition of the Antiques Roadshow being stumped by what it was for. Somewhere here is a tuning fork using to test teleprinter timing.Another curiositiy. The landline lost all its charm without the thump of 20 or so teleprinters!.
rgds
Graham Powell


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## R651400

#62 Mentioned there was a dedicated coast station telex line to GKA though I'm sure I recall seeing TR's that had come into GKA by TAS. 
The pink coloured TR form slightly larger than match-box size had barely enough space to carry the TR details using TAS gummed tape.
TAS short for TASS Teleprinter Automatic Switching System. No page copy at the send end and receive copy on gummed tape. 
RO2 pass-out test at GKA thirty standard ship telegrams sent blind with no uncorrected errors! 
TAS was eventually phased out by the Inland Telex Service thru the sixties and seventies.


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## Graham P Powell

The TAS machines were being phased out as I arrived at GKA. I didn't get on very well with the very springy keys. Much preferred the teleprinters. When GKA shut there was skip full of teleprinters taken away for scrap.
rgds
Graham Powell


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## R651400

I personally found the TAS keyboard a joy to use similarly the coast station GPO morse keys by comparison with the Marconi 365 which had about as much feel as a Nun on a day out in Hamburg!


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## trotterdotpom

Did you try the Nuns in black suspender belts and fishnet stockings?

John T


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## R651400

trots... Can always depend on a follow up from you if there is something technically risque!! 
Now you're definitely guiding the ship away from favourite TR's.
Back on course....

Coasting Glen Line....

PCH de GMRS... Radnorshire QTO Rotterdam bnd Hamburg..

DAN de GMRS... Radnorshire QTP Hamburg CL..

Rest left to imagination or an old man's dreams!!


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## trotterdotpom

Sorry to be a deviant R65 ... didn't we always say stuff like QTO PCH bnd DAN? Or Rotterdam could be Rdam and Amsterdam, Adam ... hello, back to the Nuns.

One of my favourites was TR QTO Ming bnd Ldn+ then wake up off Southend!

John T


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## R651400

t.p... Here's another that will get you thinking? 

TR VIB de GFPQ... Orestes QTP Brisbane CL.

Where was the only legal red light (that actually hung over the door) in entire Oz at this time???


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## trotterdotpom

R651400 said:


> t.p... Here's another that will get you thinking?
> 
> TR VIB de GFPQ... Orestes QTP Brisbane CL.
> 
> Where was the only legal red light (that actually hung over the door) in entire Oz at this time???


Dunno, was it outside your cabin?

John T


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## R719220

trotterdotpom said:


> Did you try the Nuns in black suspender belts and fishnet stockings?
> 
> John T


Sorry, I didn't think there was any alternative. In my experience they were all like that. Sure as hell beat the Reeperbahn hands down!


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## R719220

Before I bow out of this thread (the tone of which was lowered by tdp) I will add that, as a close second to the nuns but still ahead of the Reeperbahn (or anywhere else in St Pauli) are Salvation Army girls in their bonnets and boots only. So I'm told!


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## R651400

trotterdotpom said:


> Dunno, was it outside your cabin?
> John T


 Not quite! Queensland in my time was the only state in Oz that legally rpt legally had a red light district. This establishment was in Bulimba. Your home address?


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## trotterdotpom

R651400 said:


> Not quite! Queensland in my time was the only state in Oz that legally rpt legally had a red light district. This establishment which I hear is now your home address was in Bulimba.


Whoops, there goes the neighbourhood!

Sorry to lower the tone of the thread R719. It's true about the Salvation Army girls, I met one at the Grafton in Liverpool and she played a mean tambourine. Very nice girl and, yes, much more preferable than the Herbertstrasse - although that was OK too.

Another TR, just to keep on track: QTO Tyne bnd Hartlepool.One hour later: QTP Hartlepool CL. Don't think that actually got sent as I was on the train at the time, but let's not talk about that!

John T


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## R719220

trotterdotpom said:


> Another TR, just to keep on track: QTO Tyne bnd Hartlepool.One hour later: QTP Hartlepool CL. Don't think that actually got sent as I was on the train at the time, but let's not talk about that!
> 
> John T


Your mention of the North East triggered memories of all those years ago. To keep on track (this thread is about TRs, after all) this was after:-

GKZ de MTQW = Beechmore/MTQW now QTP Newcastle CL +

Must tell you one day (when time permits) about the girl I met in a fish and chip shop in South Shields (whilst QTP Newcastle) who invited me to her house just across the road where her parents were in bed (it being pretty late at night). How her father came charging down the stairs (to save his daughter's life) because of the choking noises she was making. He quickly realised that it was sod-all to do with fish and chips and the night ended disastrously with yours truly running hell for leather down the road being chased by this bloody maniac.

Gawd, the memories I have of the NE.


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## sparkie2182

"(the tone of which was lowered by tdp)"

Yeah......He'll do that.


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## R719220

I won't then, at this juncture (it is, after all, a serious thread) mention the lovely Gladys, who I happened to meet in the Ship Inn on Newcastle Quay.

This was before the days of tights! The only options were either

a) suspender belts and stockings or;

b) girdles and stockings......

My contribution ends here... I feel a heart attack coming on!!


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## trotterdotpom

R719220 said:


> I won't then, at this juncture (it is, after all, a serious thread) mention the lovely Gladys, who I happened to meet in the Ship Inn on Newcastle Quay.
> 
> This was before the days of tights! The only options were either
> 
> a) suspender belts and stockings or;
> 
> b) girdles and stockings......
> 
> My contribution ends here... I feel a heart attack coming on!!


What was Sister Gladys doing in the Ship inn? That's what I'd like to know.

John T


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## Graham P Powell

The GKA keys are going for over six hundred quid on eBay.......
Mind you, they were absolutely superb.
rgds
Graham Powell


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## R651400

R719220 said:


> I won't then, at this juncture (it is, after all, a serious thread).....


Serious thread? Never intended to be hence the title!


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## NoMoss

Graham P Powell said:


> The GKA keys are going for over six hundred quid on eBay.......
> Mind you, they were absolutely superb.
> rgds
> Graham Powell


That is interesting - I have just lent the key I 'aquired' from the old GNI, before we moved, to a friend who is giving some school children a talk about the Titanic and wanted to show them what it was about. I also lent him my copy of QRT 500 kcs which has a picture of the key on the cover. I think my key would be unusual because it still has the black cover that no one ever used.

I think my favourite TRs were when I came up channel and sent my TR to Niton and if my friend was on watch he would reply 'OK Ted will let your Dad know'. Very embarrasing to a teenager!


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## david.hopcroft

This is something else I rescued. They made golod shopping lists !!

The funniest thing I remember about the TAS was an incoming message to a ship from the Bradford office who had taken a phoned message frfom an Agent in reply to an ETA from the ship. It said 'BERTH NO1 JETTY SALTEND AT NORWICH' It took me a few minutes to figure 'ACKNOWLEDGE' !!

David
+


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## R651400

NoMoss said:


> I think my key would be unusual because it still has the black cover that no one ever used.


Ted, any chance of a photo for the gallery? 
I actually gave away a Marconi 365b to a local amateur and see they now fetch a fair old price on ebay though I definitely can't see me ever paying £600 for any morse key unless solid gold!
Nice to see the TR forms above managed an extended life into shopping lists!


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## 5TT

Wow David, 

If I'd known that TRs were copied down on nice dedicated forms like that I would have made them more detailed. I always thought they went in one ear and out the other but served me as a way to get any last minute traffic.

= Adrian +


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## Troppo

On the subject of TRs.

Aussie coast stations stopped taking TRs in about 1989, from memory.

You were expected to take the VIS or the VIP HF tfc list.

My regular ship by this stage had Inmarsat A, and all the incoming traffic came via that. All the outgoing traffic went via telex over radio via VIS. We were on a regular run (VIS-VIM), and the company and agents were well organised, traffic wise.


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## NoMoss

R651400 said:


> Ted, any chance of a photo for the gallery?
> I actually gave away a Marconi 365b to a local amateur and see they now fetch a fair old price on ebay though I definitely can't see me ever paying £600 for any morse key unless solid gold!
> Nice to see the TR forms above managed an extended life into shopping lists!


When I get it back I will take a photo and put it on.

The TR forms would have been too small for our shopping lists!


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## Moulder

VIM DE GOOZ TR ARMADALE QTP VIM CL AR II II TELL THE NURSES PARTY 2NITE HW K

(Thumb)


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## Newcastle Star

*Esso Africa*



Robert M Hughes said:


> JOS de MQMF Stanvac S. Africa/MQMF QTO Nagasaki bnd Fawley.
> 
> (after 3 months in Nagasaki).
> 
> Bob


Hi Bob

Saw the MQMF call sign. I took over from you when it was renamed ESSO AFRICA at Swan Hunters yard in the Tyne after a refit. 
Problem ship regarding engine, took us nearly 2 months to get from Swan Hunters to Ras Tanura in the Persian Gulf via Southampton, Aden, Karachi, again Aden for repairs. Finished up 10 months later in Kure Japan where we sat for 2 months before being flown home.
Ah Memories.

Regards

Vernon


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## Robert M Hughes

Hi Vernon,

I was on the build of MQMF for 3 months at Nagasaki - Mitsubishi were trying to prevent the major problems with the Stanvac Japan (engines blew up on maiden in Singapore) the first in the series from happening again. Obviously they didn't succeed. Excellent IMR gear/radio room and accommodation though.

Cheers,
Bob


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## NoMoss

R651400 said:


> Ted, any chance of a photo for the gallery?
> I actually gave away a Marconi 365b to a local amateur and see they now fetch a fair old price on ebay though I definitely can't see me ever paying £600 for any morse key unless solid gold!
> Nice to see the TR forms above managed an extended life into shopping lists!


I got my key back today and as promised have put three photos in the Gallery: one with cover on, one with cover off and one showing the intrument number.
Hope they are of interest, I don't know what type they are commonly know as.


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