# Correspondence from Wellpark



## pentlandpirate

Discussion thread for Correspondence from Wellpark. If you would like to add a comment, click the New Reply button


----------



## agentroadrunner

Superb insight into ( and photos of ) the incident and into life aboard in general.

My father sailed with Hector Connell's father and I have always had an interest in the story of the ship which;

a/ bears the name of the park in my hometown where November Ceremonies are held each year.

b/ was the successor to the previous Wellpark on which my father sailed.

Great to hear ( read ) the story first hand...thanks for posting. (Thumb) 

A


----------



## Tynesider

Absolutely fascinating to read and brings back memories of the days when the main form of communication between sea staff and their relatives was the letter. None of the instant contact today by email 


If I remember correctly WELLPARK was a sister ship to Clarksons CLARKSPEY and Turnbull Scotts TRONGATE


----------



## randcmackenzie

Sorry, No.

The Wellpark in question was a Mitsubishi built bulker with modified accommodation to facilitate use as a cadetship.
After the cadets were 'phased out' she became Ga Chau, still under Denholm, and is probably still trading under other owners.

Clarkspey was a much earlier Lithgows cargo ship which spent most of her Denholm life chartered to Port Line and named Port Campbell. On expiry of the charter she was sold to Counties Ship Management(Mavroleon) and renamed Kings Reach.

She had a younger faster sister named Clarkforth.

All above believed correct but not guaranteed, I can't remember anything about Trongate.


----------



## tom e kelso

Apart from the fascinating account of the rescue of the Vietnamese "boat people" and their subsequent enforced stay aboard Wellpark, your correspondent proves himself to be a gifted letter-writer, all the more so considering his relative youth. Whether he is still employed at sea or not, I would imagine that he could well turn his hand to professional writing.

This correspondence is in itself an outstanding piece of Merchant Navy social history.


----------



## Tynesider

Re CLARKSPEY, I must have got my ships mixed up. However, TRONGATE was a Mitsubishi built geared bulk carrier aprox 29500 mts deadweight, built 1977. From memory, I thought she was a sister to WELL PARK but it was a long time ago 



randcmackenzie said:


> Sorry, No.
> 
> The Wellpark in question was a Mitsubishi built bulker with modified accommodation to facilitate use as a cadetship.
> After the cadets were 'phased out' she became Ga Chau, still under Denholm, and is probably still trading under other owners.
> 
> Clarkspey was a much earlier Lithgows cargo ship which spent most of her Denholm life chartered to Port Line and named Port Campbell. On expiry of the charter she was sold to Counties Ship Management(Mavroleon) and renamed Kings Reach.
> 
> She had a younger faster sister named Clarkforth.
> 
> All above believed correct but not guaranteed, I can't remember anything about Trongate.


----------



## John Campbell

pentlandpirate said:


> Discussion thread for Correspondence from Wellpark. If you would like to add a comment, click the New Reply button


I so enjoyed the letters and they remineded me of my time as a cadet writing to my Mum, also on a farm in Caithness. Mail was just about the most important thing to us all and how we enjoyed those letters from home. 

Thank you Pirate for giving us all such a vivid description of the rescue and it was so fortunate that the lifeboat was eventually released - onload release gear not being mandatory then.
JC


----------



## pentlandpirate

*A cadet's life*

Were your days as a cadet some of the best days of your life?


----------



## eric brown

old fogies


----------



## Diesel Dan

Tynesider is correct - I was there. Clarkspey was April 1977, Wellpark about 1 month later, then Trongate. All built at Mitsubishi yard in Hiroshima.


----------

