# Regent Tankers



## Dickyboy

Anyone remember the Regent Tankers? I believe there were two. The Regent Royal was one. They were talked about quite a bit when I was a lad, though I don't recall ever coming across them.


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## tom roberts

sailed on regent lion j.o.s.1.1.1954 G.R,T 8217 n.t.4766 Ibelieve she was chartered from another company did 2 trips Trinidad Cardif .


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## TIM HUDSON

Regent Eagle Built 1959 12000GT Motorship
Regent Hawk 1945 8169GT Steam recip. engine
Regent Royal 1954 10024GT 1954 Motorship

also seem to remember a Regent Caribu, docked at wallsend Slipway, early 
60s undergoing repair after a Doxford top piston exited the engine and hit changing room deck above.
tim
ps also a Regent Leopard 1949 8439GRT
Regent Springbok 1951 12177GRT
Regent Panther 1937 9556 GRT Motorship
Most of the ships owned by Bowrings


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## R58484956

C T Bowring & Co; Ltd.
Regent Caribou 1951, 12073 tons
Regent Leopard 1949 8439 tons
Regent Jaguar 1941 8134 tons
Regent Lion 1945 8217 tons
Regent Panther 1937 9558 tons
Regent Springbok 1951 12117 tons
Regent Tiger 1946 9960 tons

also Cape Breton, Benidick.

Lobito Oilfields Ltd

El Aleto
El Gailo
El Mirio 

The fleet as of 1952/3


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## Ivor Lloyd

TIM HUDSON said:


> Regent Eagle Built 1959 12000GT Motorship
> Regent Hawk 1945 8169GT Steam recip. engine
> Regent Royal 1954 10024GT 1954 Motorship
> 
> also seem to remember a Regent Caribu, docked at wallsend Slipway, early
> 60s undergoing repair after a Doxford top piston exited the engine and hit changing room deck above.
> tim
> ps also a Regent Leopard 1949 8439GRT
> Regent Springbok 1951 12177GRT



I was in a Convoy ON153 Dec 1942 when the Regent Lion was damaged by torpedo
Ivor lloyd


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## R58484956

Sorry Tim while you entered I was still typing, hence the duplication.


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## graham

regent jane coaster in and out of swansea 60s regards graham


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## stathers

My first trip was on Regent Caribou. Sailed from Newcastle? Nov. 1959. Also sailed on the Regent Eagle for two trips. regards Keith


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## stan mayes

Hello Ivor -
Regent Lion was severely damaged by a torpedo again later.
She was hit by U 300 on 17th Feb 1945 in the Medi..towed to Tangier but abandoned as a total loss.
C.T.Bowring had some ships registered with Lobitos Oilfields and Trinidad Leaseholds..
Other ships not mentioned here were 
La Carriere -Regent Falcon -Capulet -Cordelia -El Ciervo -El Oso -El Grillo -El Gallo -El Lobo -Regent Liverpool -Regent Pembroke -Regent Westminster.
Regards
Stan


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## Don Matheson

Cant remember the dates as I have lost my discharge book but sailed on the Regent Falcon as 4E for a while. Doxford engine, steam auxiliaries steam turbine cargo pumps. I enjoyed my time there as she had a good engine room crew. If I remember correctly everything used to shut down around five in the evening for a mass viewing of the Magic Roundabout with the center seat reserved for the captain. 
I think she was about 18.000 tons and we sailed all over Europe with quite a few visits to Wales.

Don


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## Dickyboy

Thanks to you all.
I hope you keep this thread open. 
I might well have learned of the Regent Royal before I went to sea in 1964, but I can't think why I should. Unless......she was shown in an "Eye Spy" book, or perhaps as a cutaway drawing in the 'Eagle' comic, something like that. My first three years at sea were on passenger boats, and after that I joined BP, but I can't recall in depth conversations about the Regent Royal. Not enough for me to remember the name after all these years anyway.
Cheers!
Dickyboy


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## Ron Stringer

*Regent Petroleum Tankships*

I sailed on the 'Regent Pembroke' for 17 months in 1965/66. There were rather more 'Regent' tankers than you might think. They were eventually subsumed into the Texaco fleet. For photos etc., see http://www.tota.co.uk/index.php?page=6


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## albert.s.i

i joined the regent caribouat smiths docks north shields 11th may1960 she had just been fitted with heating coils did 2 trips to trinedad humber as pumpman my last tanker. albert.s.i


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## gordon112

See this web page for links to photos of Regent tankers:
www.tota.co.uk/index.php?page=6


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## TonyR

Did two trips to Trinidad via Granton and Canvey Island in 62 on Regent Eagle. good feeder, good crew.


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## sidsal

Ivor Lloyd
Looked up your details - you musy have been very young indeed to have been inthat convoy in 1942.
Seems Stan Mayes, you and me are among the oldest buggers around !!
Where did you train ?
Sid


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## Ivor Lloyd

*Sidsal*

Hello
Yes ! I had just turned 16 ..Was on the MV City of Lille at the time.
I trained at the S.Wales Wireless Training College.Caswell Bay. Swansea. 

Best regards
Ivor


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## stan mayes

Good evening Sid and Ivor,
Hoping you are both keeping well...
Must always inquire of the health of us old buggers!!
Another SN Vet is Bernard McIver - Bernard was a Radio Officer in the Dutch Shell tanker Clavella and I was in Cape Howe and both our ships were in convoy HX 235 April/May 1943.
Bernard lives in Perth Aussie and he paid me a surprise visit when he was in England on holiday last year.
Of all the oceans - what a small world?
Regards to you both
Stan


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## gordy

Regent Eagle became Texaco Gloucester, Regent Falcon became Texaco Durham, I sailed on both from 1973-76, as 5th, 4th & 3rd eng.
Excellent engine room crew then too, same core group stayed with them for a long time.
Eagle was built on the Clyde at Fairfield and had a David Rowan Doxford 750 LB, Falcon was built at Wallsend Slipway and was engined by them. Falcon was engineers favourite as the bottom piston was oil cooled, the Eagles water cooled. 
The Eagle featured in the excellent do***entary about Clyde shipbuilding called Seaward the Great ships, by John Grierson.
My wife sailed with me on these ships and had a wonderful time, many happy memories.


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## sidsal

Thanks for info Ivor and thanks Stan for message too. My word - 16 years of age at sea in 1942 !!
What a great site is this SN - and so competently run !
Cheers
Sid


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## tell

I sailed in the Regent Springbok the trip after she carried the Princess Royal to Trinidad , she was a well found ship and a good feeder with a good Captain, she had a swimming pool abaft the bridge and we deck hands had the use of it from noon to 4pm, I had no complaints apart from her doing a 16 hr turn around in Liverpool, not my style I'm afraid


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## MervynHutton

Regent was my first and last tanker company covering a large number of years at sea, eventually under the Texaco emblem. The Regent Falcon was my first as 3rd Mate in 1963 and the Regent Eagle next as 2nd Mate in 1964. I was Mate and Master of both as well and also sailed on the Regent Liverpool and Regent Pembroke. The old Regent Royal was a special ship as she had been built with the Spithead review in mind and was in that in 1952(?). The Princess Royal was the ships sponsor if I remember correctly. Good Company, good crews and for the most part, good runs, UK coast, Trinidad, Caribbean and US East coast. I have very fond memories of them all.


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## Ghost

Regent Springbok had a swimming pool? I was told the Falcon was the first tanker with a swimming pool.

oops, built 62, Falcon. 59


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## price

Esso's 36000 dwt. fleet were all built with swimming pools, some of this class pre-date the Falcon by at least a couple of years. It is quite likely there were other tankers built with swimming pools before the Esso 36000 dwt. class.
Bruce.


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## Don Matheson

If I remember correctly the Regent Falcons swimming pool had underwater lighting. Obviously built for the Caribbean runs, never seemed to need it running from UK to Scandinavia and Europe in the winter.
I bet it would have been wonderful on an evening in warmer climes.
Don


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## landoburns

I think it was in 1959 when I was doing my R/O course at the Watt School in Greenock, the newly built "Regent Eagle" berthed close by. Some of us were allowed on board to have a look round and I can still remember the radio room and even the ship's call-sign GCNA, so I was well impressed. Many years later I sailed with a Geordie Ch/Eng Jim Mann who I discovered had been Chief on her at one stage.

Jack Plenderleith


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## howardws

Jim Mann - lovely bloke. I was 5th engineer on the Caltex Calcutta (LB Doxford) when he was Junior Second. She went to scrap in Japan and we both joined a geared turbine ship - Caltex Bahrein I think - in Singapore. Jim hadn't been on a steamer but didn't worry too much as he had two excellent Cadets to run the 4 - 8 watch for him. Unfortunately ten days later they were unexpectedly sent home from the the Gulf and Jim hadn't actually got round to learning much! We had many 'teach ins' when I came down for the 8 - 12!

He became a king pin in the railway preservation world on the Tyne but sadly died relatively young a few years ago.

I have many happy memories of Jim - always cheerful. He must have been a great Chief Engineer to work for.


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## howardws

Some photos here http://www.tota.co.uk/index.php?page=6


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## landoburns

howardws said:


> Jim Mann - lovely bloke. I was 5th engineer on the Caltex Calcutta (LB Doxford) when he was Junior Second. She went to scrap in Japan and we both joined a geared turbine ship - Caltex Bahrein I think - in Singapore. Jim hadn't been on a steamer but didn't worry too much as he had two excellent Cadets to run the 4 - 8 watch for him. Unfortunately ten days later they were unexpectedly sent home from the the Gulf and Jim hadn't actually got round to learning much! We had many 'teach ins' when I came down for the 8 - 12!
> 
> He became a king pin in the railway preservation world on the Tyne but sadly died relatively young a few years ago.
> 
> I have many happy memories of Jim - always cheerful. He must have been a great Chief Engineer to work for.


Really sad to read that Jim Mann has crossed the bar. When he was made redundant under British flag he joined AMPTC (Arab Maritime Petroleum Transport Co) of Kuwait and he then reckoned he should have made the move years before. I sailed with him in the 80's on an AMPTC ship, the Algerian flag S/T Wahran 392,000 dwt so he had obviously come to grips with steam turbines by then! We kept in touch for years but eventually lost contact through us both moving around. No email back then...RIP Jim..


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## defence1

*Me too*



tell said:


> I sailed in the Regent Springbok the trip after she carried the Princess Royal to Trinidad , she was a well found ship and a good feeder with a good Captain, she had a swimming pool abaft the bridge and we deck hands had the use of it from noon to 4pm, I had no complaints apart from her doing a 16 hr turn around in Liverpool, not my style I'm afraid


I was on that trip as well, also 4 trips before including the one when we carried the Princess Royal. I think we went into port of Spain that time just to let her off. Captain Fury was our Boss, but I can only remember the names of 2 other crew members. they were Creepy Crawley (Galley Boy) and Ted Betts (Catering Boy). I was just a Deck Boy of 16 years old and was PEGGY. That was all in 1952


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## defence1

*Regent Springbok*



Ghost said:


> Regent Springbok had a swimming pool? I was told the Falcon was the first tanker with a swimming pool.
> 
> oops, built 62, Falcon. 59


You are correct, Regent Springbok had a small swimming pool on the main deck beside the catwalk, wasnt very big and we didn't get much time to use it anyway. That was in 1952 when I was on board


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## defence1

*Regent Springbok*

You would have been on the Sprinbok the for at least one trip with me. I di 6 trips on her all to San Fernando Trinidad. I was on that trip with the princess Royal. Captain was Captain Fury OBE. I was only 16 YO and was Deckboy and Peggy for the Deck crew.
I remember one trip when we hit very bad weather somewhere near the Bay of Biscay, the concrete etc had broken out from around the anchor chain and all the chain and paint locker were flooded.Paint everywhere and that huge LLOyds Wire Rope had come off its reel and was thrahing around everywhere. I can't remember any of the other crews names but I do remember my cabin was the first one on the starboard side just behind the mess.
All that was a long time ago in 1952.

Please reply if you can remember any of the crew, One was a Pole named paderwoski
Cheers
Frank


tell said:


> I sailed in the Regent Springbok the trip after she carried the Princess Royal to Trinidad , she was a well found ship and a good feeder with a good Captain, she had a swimming pool abaft the bridge and we deck hands had the use of it from noon to 4pm, I had no complaints apart from her doing a 16 hr turn around in Liverpool, not my style I'm afraid


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## defence1

*Springbok*



defence1 said:


> You are correct, Regent Springbok had a small swimming pool on the main deck beside the catwalk, wasnt very big and we didn't get much time to use it anyway. That was in 1952 when I was on board


I was on the Springbok in 1952, did 6 trips on her. She was my first ship as a young lad of 16. I was a Deckboy and had the job of Deck crew Peggy.
Did have a few swims in that little Pool as because I was Peggy used to have a 1 hour break in the afternoon same as the catering staff.
Would love to hear some of the other crews names if you can remember any.
Cheers
Frank


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## gordy

Don Matheson said:


> If I remember correctly the Regent Falcons swimming pool had underwater lighting. Obviously built for the Caribbean runs, never seemed to need it running from UK to Scandinavia and Europe in the winter.
> I bet it would have been wonderful on an evening in warmer climes.
> Don



It sure was Don, we used on the 'punishment' trip down to Port Harcourt.

We took a cargo to Freetown, went down to PH to load, could get fresh water due to the jetty having been knocked about a bit and all the pipework bust. We called in at Monrovia for water and the mate decided to use the pool for extra storage. At only 2" deep it was like pea soup. We headed for Bridgeport, Conneticut and a few days out the cook told me all he had left after the port authorities had 'borrowed' our stores, was flour and cheese, so it was cheese rolls all the way over. 
The stores loaded in NY were amazing, best food ever in the MN.
Then it was back to Pembroke. 
It was August, so on the way across the new 2/E got me on deck doing the winches and the flea bitten deck steam line. More Thistlebond than metal.
My wife thought the world of Jimmy Mann, a real gentleman.
Was he not related to Alex (Hairy) Andersens wife Isobel?

Very very happy times.


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## johno1732

*re regent tankers*



Dickyboy said:


> Anyone remember the Regent Tankers? I believe there were two. The Regent Royal was one. They were talked about quite a bit when I was a lad, though I don't recall ever coming across them.


the 2nd was regent falcon


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## Dickyboy

Thanks Johno, That's the name of the second Regent tanker that I remembered the name of.
It sounds like Regent was a pretty good company to to work for, at least before Big Brother took over. Not bad runs either. (Thumb)


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## johno1732

*regent tankers*



Dickyboy said:


> Thanks Johno, That's the name of the second Regent tanker that I remembered the name of.
> It sounds like Regent was a pretty good company to to work for, at least before Big Brother took over. Not bad runs either. (Thumb)


hi dickyboy if you look up tota.com you will get a list of all the tankers you are looking for plus photo and info i was sent it last year i forgot who gave me the details but i hope its a help to you regards johno(Thumb)


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## johno1732

*regent tankers*



johno1732 said:


> the 2nd was regent falcon


if you look up tota.co.uk you will get all the regent tankers names /photos/and info someone gave the info to me last year hope it helps regards johno(Thumb)


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## Dickyboy

All ready done that Johno


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## tell

Ghost said:


> Regent Springbok had a swimming pool? I was told the Falcon was the first tanker with a swimming pool.
> 
> oops, built 62, Falcon. 59


yes and she had a first class cabin, she took the Princess Royal to Trinidad the voyage before I joined her


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## ronn

I was on the Regent Panther in late 1946- as a 3 year old passenger, with my mother and younger brother. We were on our way to Venezuela to join my father who was drilling for oil there for Shell. It took us as far as New Orleans, where we had to change to the freighter Tiberius. I have only one memory of trip and that was before we boarded. Going out in a launch we passed the Queen ELizabeth and I can still recall looking up a black steel wall that seemed to reach the heavens.


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## tigercub33

*regent boats*

who can forget the regent tankers,i jioned the Regent Leopard as a cabin boy and when i saw that they had a spud machine ,i though great so i went in the galley,machine will be fixed before we sail,WRONG, it was never fixed and we carried twelve passengers,to Trinidad,loaded crude then back to shellhaven,had good food and a tripboth ways Captain name P.O.Robertson tigercub33


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## bobbruce

*Regent Caribou*

Did anyone work on *Regent Caribou around 1956*. My uncle *Roy Baines* was a Donkeyman Greaser on this tanker and was awarded the George Medal for his part in saving an apprentice who had become overcome by gas when cleaning out the tanks. It would be great if anyone has any information about this.


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## stan mayes

Hi Bob,
My brother Les was Bosun of Regent Caribou at time of this tragic incident.
He lives in Stanford le Hope but is now having a few days with his son in Bromsgrove....I will let him know of your inquiry.
Regards,
Stan


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## bobbruce

*Thanks*



stan mayes said:


> Hi Bob,
> My brother Les was Bosun of Regent Caribou at time of this tragic incident.
> He lives in Stanford le Hope but is now having a few days with his son in Bromsgrove....I will let him know of your inquiry.
> Regards,
> Stan


Hi Stan

Many thanks for the quick response and follow up. I have attached an excerpt from the London Gazette which reported this incident.

Best Regards, Bob


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## rparsons

It must have been 1951 or 52 when my parents made Pointe-à-Pierre to the UK on the Springbok - I will see if I can find and post one of their photos - preferably not one of me age 3 in a duffle coat and reins!


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## len mazza

During my time with Shell,59\67 the tlk was all about how good Regent Tankers were,had taken over No.1 spot from Esso,don't know if that is true.


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## raybroad

I sailed on the Regent Hawk in the early fifties as 4/engineer. She was Steam Triple Expansion with oil fired boilers. I can remember expanding boiler tubes in Panama and a couple of engineers with back problems following this operation.


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## DBarryS

I remember as a very young boy travelling on Regent Royal between UK and Trinidad where my father had just joined Texaco and he subsequently became the Marine Superintendent. If anyone has pictures of the ship I would like to know

Thanks


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## A.D.FROST

DBarryS said:


> I remember as a very young boy travelling on Regent Royal between UK and Trinidad where my father had just joined Texaco and he subsequently became the Marine Superintendent. If anyone has pictures of the ship I would like to know
> 
> Thanks


Try this (work down the list)(Thumb)
http://www.photoship.co.uk/JAlbum Ships/Old Ships R/slides/


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## DBarryS

Thanks, much appreciated


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## cajef

I was R/O on the Regent Falcon/GDRU joined her in Immingham in Dec 64 , sailed to Trinidad with all the passenger cabins full with Texaco workers and their families, one passenger was in the pilots cabin behind the radio room.

Did several trips around the Caribbean and Central America and one across to Nigeria before returning to the UK to Dingle in July 65.


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## Anna**

bobbruce said:


> Did anyone work on *Regent Caribou around 1956*. My uncle *Roy Baines* was a Donkeyman Greaser on this tanker and was awarded the George Medal for his part in saving an apprentice who had become overcome by gas when cleaning out the tanks. It would be great if anyone has any information about this.


Hi bobbruce. I am Roy Baines' daughter and was quite excited to stumble across your posting while searching for info on my Dad's story. Dad sadly passed in 1993. He was a wonderful man and missed every single day. He fell on hard times after he retired and sold his George Medal. We knew nothing of this until after he passed. Dad was a proud man and it would have broken him to ask for help from his children. I would love to know where to look for his medal, I have no clue. On a lighter note ~ We must be cousins?! Who are your parents?


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## bobbruce

Hi Anna - I have sent you a private message regarding this.


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## DonCoates

stathers said:


> My first trip was on Regent Caribou. Sailed from Newcastle? Nov. 1959. Also sailed on the Regent Eagle for two trips. regards Keith


Don Coates;57800983. I joined the Regent Caribou in the Tyne on12th October 1951 -cannot remember whether I did one or two trips - she was a lovely ship . regards Don


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## badenoch

I am now retired and have found a great hobby, building large display models of ships I remember from my time at sea, just finished regent leopard, if you are interested in seeing it,e-mail me or contact back through here, my e-mail is [email protected].
BILL.


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## badenoch

Can anyone please tell me where "Regent Leopard" was registered ?
Bill.


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## alastairjs

London Bill.
Regards,
Alastair


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## badenoch

Many thanks Alastair,
I have almost given up,, The so -called maritime museum (current version) had never heard of her !
thanks again,
Bill.


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## alastairjs

My pleasure Bill and, I have to agree, that the Maritime Museum isn't what it once was.
Regards,
Alastair


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## P.Arnold

*Regent Royal*



Dickyboy said:


> Anyone remember the Regent Tankers? I believe there were two. The Regent Royal was one. They were talked about quite a bit when I was a lad, though I don't recall ever coming across them.


A little bit late on this thread, just trawling through on these cold and dark mornings. Oops! it's May 31st.

I was R/O on the 'Royal' in 1968, January to April. I was sailing with dispensation, having completed 3 months sea time. The 'Royal' had not long before run aground or been beached, and as a consequence was on 'home trade'. 

I remember the ornate Staterooms, with the saloon midships, galley aft. Watching the stewards bring the meals up along the flying bridge.

During this time we spent several trips from Pembroke Dock to Avonmouth, a cross channel ferry. (Bristol Channel)

On one occasion we left Liverpool bound Pembroke, when an SOS went up. An AER Lingus aircraft, in the sos, it was described as a "green and silver aircraft", reported missing and reported to be flying from Dublin in a direction of Strumble Head. Moments before we had sighted such an aircraft flying at very low altitude, and this was duly reported.

As a 'junior', and on the 'trips' we were doing I wasn't getting much comms experience. This was to change in the ensuing hours. We became the 'search' vessel. Newspapers were wanting to talk to the Captain, who graciously declined, 'no comment'.

The RN came to the scene at sometime and we were released to continue.

I joined a Maggie Booth ship in New York maybe two months later (June) when the aircraft was found just off Dublin.

The aircraft we had seen was a cargo Aer Lingus, following the same flight path, looking for his mate. Presumably the air traffic controllers knew about this, but obviously the guys on the water didn't.

Quite a steep learning curve, for me, anyway.

-----------------------------------------------------
no use getting older if you don't get wiser. That trip I did both.


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## Dickyboy

P.Arnold said:


> A little bit late on this thread, just trawling through on these cold and dark mornings. Oops! it's May 31st.
> 
> I was R/O on the 'Royal' in 1968, January to April. I was sailing with dispensation, having completed 3 months sea time. The 'Royal' had not long before run aground or been beached, and as a consequence was on 'home trade'.
> 
> I remember the ornate Staterooms, with the saloon midships, galley aft. Watching the stewards bring the meals up along the flying bridge.
> 
> During this time we spent several trips from Pembroke Dock to Avonmouth, a cross channel ferry. (Bristol Channel)
> 
> On one occasion we left Liverpool bound Pembroke, when an SOS went up. An AER Lingus aircraft, in the sos, it was described as a "green and silver aircraft", reported missing and reported to be flying from Dublin in a direction of Strumble Head. Moments before we had sighted such an aircraft flying at very low altitude, and this was duly reported.
> 
> As a 'junior', and on the 'trips' we were doing I wasn't getting much comms experience. This was to change in the ensuing hours. We became the 'search' vessel. Newspapers were wanting to talk to the Captain, who graciously declined, 'no comment'.
> 
> The RN came to the scene at sometime and we were released to continue.
> 
> I joined a Maggie Booth ship in New York maybe two months later (June) when the aircraft was found just off Dublin.
> 
> The aircraft we had seen was a cargo Aer Lingus, following the same flight path, looking for his mate. Presumably the air traffic controllers knew about this, but obviously the guys on the water didn't.
> 
> Quite a steep learning curve, for me, anyway.
> 
> -----------------------------------------------------
> no use getting older if you don't get wiser. That trip I did both.


Hi!
Thanks for your reply about the Regent Royal. A bit of a coincidence, but a mate of mine was on one of the RN ships involved in the search for that Aer Lingus flight. If I recall correctly it was the Manxman. He was a rating of some sort, and later became a sparky, based for a long time at the old NATO Commcen in Malta. Anyway, I remember him telling me that he, among others, had the ghastly job of fishing the bodies out of the water, something that upset him deeply.
He hated going to sea, and always did his best to get shore postings. He did his time in the Navy, became a teacher, but has now unfortunately crossed the bar.
Cheers!
Dick(Thumb)


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## MervynHutton

Here's a picture of yours truly in the pool on the Regent Eagle taken long ago. The pool on the Falcon was very similar. The pools were popular with the passengers travelling from Trinidad to UK for vacation from the Texaco Refinery there. Very popular with the crews too.


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## Engine Serang

Did 6 months on Texaco Durham, Regent Falcon, in 1974, still in recovery.


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## david freeman

strange how memory plays tricks? As an e/cadet BP i spent my shore side 6 months in 1961-2 in Palmers Hebburn, and i seem to remember the funnel markings on the tankers Regent was one another was Caltex (among the many ships on the Tyne) and their T2'S.and later in the early 60's Regent and Caltx became Texaco, and their refinery in Milford Haven not far from the BP terminal at Angle Bay (For the refinery at Llandacy-Swansea).


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## Mike146

Greetings everyone, I was recently going through some of my late parents boxes and came across a fragment of a newspaper article about a person on the Regent Eagle who was trying to "blow it up" and had started a fire which "came within seconds of killing everyone. On October 21 (no year given) south of the Azores, an attempt was made to blow ..." Detectives were investigating.

There were 40 crew and passengers, two of them women. That is about all the article says. There is a little bit more to the article than I have written - but not much.

This has really sparked my interest and I would love to know the full story. I have only fragments of the original article and don't know where to look further. 

Regards


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## Wismajorvik

See this:-
http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C633110


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## Mike146

Hello Wismajorvik, thank you so much for that link. It seems to be just what I was looking for. I'm very grateful to you.

Regards


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## Wayne Hawley

My father sailed on the Regent Royal and I have a copy of the Christmas Day menu for Sunday Dec 25 1955. Dad is sadly no longer with us but his discharge book shows he did several trips on her and at the time he had joined at Avonmouth and left her at Newcastle on Tyne just after Christmas. Dads name is Mervyn Reginal Hawley.


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## MervynHutton

Mike146 said:


> Greetings everyone, I was recently going through some of my late parents boxes and came across a fragment of a newspaper article about a person on the Regent Eagle who was trying to "blow it up" and had started a fire which "came within seconds of killing everyone. On October 21 (no year given) south of the Azores, an attempt was made to blow ..." Detectives were investigating.
> 
> There were 40 crew and passengers, two of them women. That is about all the article says. There is a little bit more to the article than I have written - but not much.
> 
> This has really sparked my interest and I would love to know the full story. I have only fragments of the original article and don't know where to look further.
> 
> Regards


I remember this incident, I was sailing on the sister ship Regent Falcon at the time. No 5 centre hatch coaming was located underneath the deck between the swimming pool and the midships accommodation, there was a large hatch in this deck which had to be opened during loading to vent the gases as we vented the tanks in those days through the ullage port, a small hatch in the tank lid. A disgruntled crew member opened the whole tank lid and ignited the tank which was full with gasoline at the time. The fact that the fire was beneath this deck helped in extinguishing the fire as it created a partial 'lid' over the tank hatch and the crew closed in on either side of the hatch with water curtains from the fire hoses and snuffed out the fire.
The whole crew were paid off in Avonmouth after the ship arrived as it could not be proved which of them had started the fire.
Another little anecdote, the Second Mate was Peter Stead, known as 'Steady' , mainly because he never moved very fast, was seen to pass the saloon door during dinner that day at a run and everyone immediately knew that something was amiss!


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## slic88

tell said:


> I sailed in the Regent Springbok the trip after she carried the Princess Royal to Trinidad , she was a well found ship and a good feeder with a good Captain, she had a swimming pool abaft the bridge and we deck hands had the use of it from noon to 4pm, I had no complaints apart from her doing a 16 hr turn around in Liverpool, not my style I'm afraid


Hi, I just joined the forum as my Father was a merchant seaman, he is 86 and recently had a brain injury which has erased most of his memory. I was trying to have a conversation with him yesterday and I always ask him about his merchant sailor days and he remembered his first voyage and it was on the Regent Panther and he sailed from Bowling but is a bit confused as to where his first port of call was. It was spring or summer of 1952 I think he set sail, he said Panama a few times then yesterday he said Guadalcanal but I think possibly his brain is becoming confused. Does anybody remember this tanker.


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## bustler1951

price said:


> Esso's 36000 dwt. fleet were all built with swimming pools, some of this class pre-date the Falcon by at least a couple of years. It is quite likely there were other tankers built with swimming pools before the Esso 36000 dwt. class.
> Bruce.


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## bustler1951

tell said:


> yes and she had a first class cabin, she took the Princess Royal to Trinidad the voyage before I joined her


yes the Springbok had a swimming pool when I sailed on her 1952


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## bustler1951

slic88 said:


> Hi, I just joined the forum as my Father was a merchant seaman, he is 86 and recently had a brain injury which has erased most of his memory. I was trying to have a conversation with him yesterday and I always ask him about his merchant sailor days and he remembered his first voyage and it was on the Regent Panther and he sailed from Bowling but is a bit confused as to where his first port of call was. It was spring or summer of 1952 I think he set sail, he said Panama a few times then yesterday he said Guadalcanal but I think possibly his brain is becoming confused. Does anybody remember this tanker.


I also joined the Regent Springbok the trip after the Princess Royals trip (Jackie galley boy)


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## Kezzaxpk

slic88 said:


> Hi, I just joined the forum as my Father was a merchant seaman, he is 86 and recently had a brain injury which has erased most of his memory. I was trying to have a conversation with him yesterday and I always ask him about his merchant sailor days and he remembered his first voyage and it was on the Regent Panther and he sailed from Bowling but is a bit confused as to where his first port of call was. It was spring or summer of 1952 I think he set sail, he said Panama a few times then yesterday he said Guadalcanal but I think possibly his brain is becoming confused. Does anybody remember this tanker.


Hello, yes my Grandfather also served on the Regent Panther. He did two trips between 1948 and 49. The Regent Oil Co was involved with the Trinidad Oil Co so many of its movements where around the Caribbean. Trinidad, Aruba, Curacao and Caripito, Venezuela were his ports of call there. Also west coast Africa to Las Palmas and Dakar. Montreal, Canada and Rotterdam are the only other places they went to that I'm aware of during this time period. Regent Oil Co were also tied in with Caltex and were supplying Britain with fuel so it would make sense that do business in the Atlantic Ocean. Panama is highly probable and I wonder if your father ment 'Guadaluope' as opposed Guadalcanal. Did you get anymore information ?


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## bustler1951

tell said:


> I sailed in the Regent Springbok the trip after she carried the Princess Royal to Trinidad , she was a well found ship and a good feeder with a good Captain, she had a swimming pool abaft the bridge and we deck hands had the use of it from noon to 4pm, I had no complaints apart from her doing a 16 hr turn around in Liverpool, not my style I'm afraid


I also was on the 'Springbok' on the trip after she carried the Princess Royal, I was in the catering crew as a galley boy. The Princess was to sail back but flew home due to a death in the Royal household. But it was to Avonmouth that I sailed from, San Fernando was one of the places in Trinidad that I visited and still have a carved coconut from there,


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## bustler1951

defence1 said:


> *Springbok*
> 
> 
> 
> I was on the Springbok in 1952, did 6 trips on her. She was my first ship as a young lad of 16. I was a Deckboy and had the job of Deck crew Peggy.
> Did have a few swims in that little Pool as because I was Peggy used to have a 1 hour break in the afternoon same as the catering staff.
> Would love to hear some of the other crews names if you can remember any.
> Cheers
> Frank


I too was on the Springbok at that time and was very friendly wit the deck boy. I wonder if you are the same person, if you are then there was an incident with on of the young passengers you would know this?


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