# Mechanically Operated Telegraphs



## raybnz (Sep 10, 2005)

On the MV Waipawa the telegraphs were operated by wire between the bridge and engine room. 

Meaning that to move one position meant moving the indicator arm about half way round then back onto the position required. 

Now if some over zealous person at one end got carried away swinging the the telegraph to far or too quick the wire would jump a pulley somewhere between the ER and Bridge. 

This meant movements were relayed via the telephone and a engineer was dispatched armed with a screw driver to find the jammed wire.

From memory most of the time the jammed pulley was in a trunking above the second engineers bunk. If he was having a Stand By Off and asleep in his bunk one engineer had to enter at his peril.


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## howardws (Aug 15, 2009)

raybnz said:


> On the MV Waipawa the telegraphs were operated by wire between the bridge and engine room.
> 
> Meaning that to move one position meant moving the indicator arm about half way round then back onto the position required.
> 
> ...


On the Caltex Calcutta in Hong Kong on New Year’s Eve (probably 1966) the idiot Third Mate (and he was an idiot) rang the telegraph so violently that he broke the chain. As the ship was a tanker with midships bridge it took some time to find the break. In the meantime we sailed using telephone orders. This wasn’t too successful as it was a sound powered telephone without any sound proof booth and a very noisy engine room. I seem to remember a lot of shouting. When the chain was repaired the telegraph in the engine room didn’t replicate the one on the bridge although we eventually got the hang of what it should have shown. We were only going to Manila to tank clean and then to Japan for scrap so no further attempt was made to adjust the chain.


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## P.Arnold (Apr 11, 2013)

I remember (I think) that the telegraph linkage was similar to bicycle chain from the telegraphs. Where there was a change in the run, this too was bike chain. Straight runs were solid drawn wire.
On one particular vessel the trade route was through large temperature changes. Consequently when, say, ringing half ahead the ‘repeater’ could show something in between dead slow and half ahead.
I recall there being a turnbuckle arrangement to slacken-tighten the linkage to compensate for the temperature.

Somebody is going to shoot me down!!


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## robpage (Oct 28, 2006)

P.Arnold said:


> I remember (I think) that the telegraph linkage was similar to bicycle chain from the telegraphs. Where there was a change in the run, this too was bike chain. Straight runs were solid drawn wire.
> On one particular vessel the trade route was through large temperature changes. Consequently when, say, ringing half ahead the ‘repeater’ could show something in between dead slow and half ahead.
> I recall there being a turnbuckle arrangement to slacken-tighten the linkage to compensate for the temperature.
> 
> Somebody is going to shoot me down!!


that is exactly as remember the old Chadburns telegraphs


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## majoco (Oct 15, 2008)

Just to show willing, I would often 'volunteer' to either take the helm or run the telegraph while entering or leaving port, with the permission of the old man of course - as a Sparkie I had nothing to do. On the Esso Exeter one short coastal trip, we had a Supernumerary deck cadet who was instructed to run the telegraph but unfortunately his uptake of instruction was not too good. Whilst on "Dead slow astern" coming alongside, the order was given "Stop engines", the cadet just moved the handle one notch to "Stop" but nothing happened - the one little "ting" down below was not enough to attract the attention of the engineer. The Pilot was a little concerned as we started to move astern despite the efforts of a tug and got rather close to the vessel moored behind our 'space' - the mate rushed in and rang for half ahead and fortunately avoided disaster as we stopped just in time. The cadet was given a 'refresher course' in no uncertain terms - move the telegraph handle through the full range to make the bells ring down below, then stop on the required movement and make sure the engine room replies!


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## DonaldW (Oct 23, 2009)

I remember when I was Cadet on the Iron Master the chain broke in number 3 tween deck and we (2 cadets) had to climb over the steel cargo to find and repair the break before sailing from Newcastle. unfortunately we made it too tight and you could not move the telegraph handle, which meant another trip down to slacken it. DonaldW


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## Apolloman (Mar 13, 2013)

Harrison Line were very wary of anything 'modern' including radar and telegraphs they only introduced the electric telegraphs into new builds in the early 1960s. I sailed on four ships with chain driven telegraphs. With radar it was often turned off by the captain to ensure proper look out and not relying on the 'machine' in case over use would wear it out!


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## ambey (Jul 20, 2010)

It was traditional to ' ring noon ' at sea with the telegraph so the engine room could syncronize the clock. This was achieved by moving to ' full astern ' from ' full ahead ' a couple of timrs. I was Electrical Officer on the ' Resolution Bay ' on its maiden voyage ( large reefer container ship ). The 2nd mate, first day at sea, enthusiastically rang noon. Unfortunately he had not realised that this was the first OCL ship with bridge control! The control system threw a wobbly and shut the main engines down! I'll leave it to your imagination the air on the bridge afterwards, especially when the Chief got their!!!


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## charlie smith (Jul 1, 2009)

In the late 50s I sailed on an old USA Standard Oil tanker, the ‘W H Berg’, that had mechanical telegraph and difference of hog and warp of the ship between loaded and empty caused a difference of one bell on the receiving telegraph. So for true indication it would have needed to be adjusted every trip. But everyone was used to it so knew the reality of what bell was intended and did not ever bother to adjust it.


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