# Sigsilver



## Ian Menzies

Back in 1978 I sailed on a strange looking bulk carrier called the Iron Sirius. I would like to hear from anyone who sailed on this vesel in her previous life as Sigsilver/Chelsea Bridge, particularly on the Pepel (Freetown) ~ Japan voyages.


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## martin osborne

Hello,
I sailed in Sigsilver from December 1969 to August 1970 as Deck Cadet. During that time we were taking iron ore from Lourenco Marques (as it then was) to Japan - one month each way. Loading 60k tonnes alongside in L.M. and the remaining 30k outside at anchor by converted small bulker , Sigbarge.
this was done in two goes 15k at a time.
The ship was still quite new and relatively advanced, apart from the bridge wings being set well inside the ship's sides. Deballasting was always a major problem . I recall that there had been a nasty accident involving the deaths of 2 engineers in the duct keel. This would have been a year or so before I joined.
Unfortunately I don't have any photographs of the ship.
Regards,
Martin


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## exsailor

Ian and Martin,
Photo of 'Sigsilver' at http://www.shipsnostalgia.com/showthread.php?t=2582
Regards, Dennis


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## Hague

martin osborne said:


> Hello,
> I sailed in Sigsilver from December 1969 to August 1970 as Deck Cadet. During that time we were taking iron ore from Lourenco Marques (as it then was) to Japan - one month each way. Loading 60k tonnes alongside in L.M. and the remaining 30k outside at anchor by converted small bulker , Sigbarge.
> this was done in two goes 15k at a time.
> The ship was still quite new and relatively advanced, apart from the bridge wings being set well inside the ship's sides. Deballasting was always a major problem . I recall that there had been a nasty accident involving the deaths of 2 engineers in the duct keel. This would have been a year or so before I joined.
> Unfortunately I don't have any photographs of the ship.
> Regards,
> Martin


Can you remember the Second Mates name???


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## BEDDY

Here is another shot of "SIGSILVER"


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## mverrills

I have an old mate who was shipwright on the BHP Iron Sirius by the name of Ray Gasgoine - top bloke still working today on a fishing trawler out of Sydney - the Lisa Anne, at the age of 78.
Ray would call the Sirius the themolderhyde(spelling) ship


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## trotterdotpom

mverrills said:


> I have an old mate who was shipwright on the BHP Iron Sirius by the name of Ray Gasgoine - top bloke still working today on a fishing trawler out of Sydney - the Lisa Anne, at the age of 78.
> Ray would call the Sirius the themolderhyde(spelling) ship


Ray was on the Iron Thalidomide when I was there as RO in the mid '80s, during the reign of Tom Terrific. Good to hear he's still hard at it - is he still making the ships in bottles? He may not remember me as he was there that long I suppose he saw them all come and saw them all go, but pass my regards anyway when you can.

John Trotter.


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## martin osborne

Hague said:


> Can you remember the Second Mates name???


second mate was Tom Wright, I think and ch.Off. Duncan Cormack. Chief Engineer Matty Jack. Can't remember any more names at the the moment.


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## Hague

martin osborne said:


> second mate was Tom Wright, I think and ch.Off. Duncan Cormack. Chief Engineer Matty Jack. Can't remember any more names at the the moment.


Johnny Walker the Master????


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## mverrills

John,
Ray still does the most amazing ships in bottles,my young bloke was given one on his birth 13 years ago.
He also has quite a large scrimshaw collection.
Great bloke to have a beer and a rum with.
His always saying "If in doubt, call the chippy out"
I will be seeing him next week,so i will pass on your regards.
Mark.


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## martin osborne

Hague said:


> Johnny Walker the Master????


From my D.B. I see the Master was J.Whitelaw. Johnny Walker wasn't there at that time. I sailed with him in '73 on Silverdon .


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## Hague

I was mate with Johnny Walker on Cherrywood


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## Ian Menzies

Thanks for all of the above info. As a cadet on this ship, stuck on the Hedland iron ore shuttle, Pepel to Kawasaki sounded pretty exotic. Mark, please say hullo to Ray for me. He was a good bloke and I learnt a lot from him. Beddy, thanks for posting that photo. I still have at home an original 'Sigsilver' cup and saucer with the Bergesen logo on it. Fine porcelain, so I guess they thought she wouldn't roll!

Ian


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## andysk

martin osborne said:


> ....... Loading 60k tonnes alongside in L.M. and the remaining 30k outside at anchor by converted small bulker, Sigbarge, this was done in two goes 15k at a time..............


This brings back some memories, somewhere I have a poor slide of SIGBARGE at LM, and I have often wondered about it. For her details take a look at the Miramar index, ID 5272347.

She was built as DOVREFJELL in 1943 and scrapped at Gadani Beach in Dec 1983.

Cheers

Andy


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## Hague

Anyone know if Johnny Walker is still around?


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## Paul J Burke

Iron Sirius must have been a Pilots nightmare alright, esp when coming alongside, how on earth would he line the berth up??? what happened to the accomodation block, and what was the accomodation like??? looks like the original owners "skimped"on accomodation??? the last time i saw Iron Sirius was when she layed alongside Iron Somersby at Geelong in the early 80s,both were eventually sold or went back to the original owners.


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## BEDDY

Here is a pic of the sister Sigwaldo


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## Ian Menzies

Thanks Beddy!

The accommodation was quite stylish for a ship of that age. During berthing, the Mate would come down from the bridge and advise the Master and Pilot the distance from the wharf.
cheers,
ian


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## keithnelly9

my brother Tom Wright was 3 mate on the Sigsilver & 2 mate


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## keithnelly9

Hague said:


> Can you remember the Second Mates name???


my brother tom wright was 2 mate on sigsilver 
from 22/12/69 to 4/6/70


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## martin osborne

I joined sigsilver with Tom along with Ch/stwd and jun. eng in December '69. Sailed with him again Silvercove 74/75' ish.


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## irvingwood

I was cadet on her in 1967-8. Very strange ship. Vibration so bad couldn’t fill in the log book on the bridge. Yard put 400 tons into the engine room plus a different prop. Not much improvement. We were still tramping. Long walk to the forecastle. Mate was Charlie Forth, who was great. Spent 6 weeks in Kure guarantee drydocking. Did a load from the Sigbarge outside LM. Trips l remember...Dampier to Rotterdam,34 day’s. LM to Japan, Port Etienne, Mauritania to ?! Fellow cadet Paul Rose. 2 deaths were before l joined. 4/E Albert Beaver went down DB to work on a valve. Probably wheat gas(oxygen absorbed by grain cargo from Vancouver to Madras) got him. C/E saw him collapse, gave the alarm, then FOLLOWED HIM INTO TANK, collapsed too. Master forbade anyone from entering the tank, gas freed, and then crew got them out. Very sad affair. It was an OK ship, a bit boring. After Silver Line’s other ships the air-con was nice. We called them “ashtray” wings. Cadets gave distances off at ship’s side. Swimming pool was nice too. Will add more as l remember it.


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## trotterdotpom

Pretty sure she was the world's first 100,000 ton ship. If they'd added bridge wings she would have been the first 100,050 ton ship.

John T.


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## irvingwood

martin osborne said:


> Hello,
> I sailed in Sigsilver from December 1969 to August 1970 as Deck Cadet. During that time we were taking iron ore from Lourenco Marques (as it then was) to Japan - one month each way. Loading 60k tonnes alongside in L.M. and the remaining 30k outside at anchor by converted small bulker , Sigbarge.
> this was done in two goes 15k at a time.
> The ship was still quite new and relatively advanced, apart from the bridge wings being set well inside the ship's sides. Deballasting was always a major problem . I recall that there had been a nasty accident involving the deaths of 2 engineers in the duct keel. This would have been a year or so before I joined.
> Unfortunately I don't have any photographs of the ship.
> Regards,
> Martin


Hi. I was a deck cadet on Sigsilver in 1968’ish. Did a warranty drydocking on her in Kure which due to a strike lasted 6 weeks. Great memories of living ashore in Kure and commuting to work every morning. Some names...other cadet was Paul Rose. 2nd Mate was Dick Whittington, l think 3/0 was Tom Wright, but not sure. Mate was Charley Forth. What a great guy. For the moment can’t remember the Master, he was about 60 and a decent guy. We did the usual mega bulk trips..l recall Port Dampier, LM + Sigbarge, Rotterdam, Muroran, Brazil, etc. Interesting ship. Ash-tray wings not a problem. Had a cadet at the ships side giving distances. Vibration so bad the makers changed the propellor, put 400 tons of stiffening in the engine room, and l hear a lot more. Remember a very eccentric New Zealand Sparky that used to go ashore dressed as a city gent complete with bowler hat. I have pics. I’ll see if l can add them.


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