# Orient Steam Navigation Company



## orcades

Is there anyone out there who sailed on the Orient Line in the 50s or any time for that matter, or have they all passed over the bar? I was an engineer myself but would be very interested to hear from anyone who sailed for the company in any capasity]


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## Eddie Wallace

Hi
I did 8 trips on Orcades 4 on Oronsay 2 on Spirit of London and 2 on Canberra
I was on deck so I don't think you would know me .My time was in the 70s till 74 I think.great times ,but I think Canberra was the best I came ashore when Canberra was scrapped.


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## Eric Bennett

*Ormonde*

Hi Orcades,
I sailed on the Ormonde from 27th June 1950 to 26th September 1950 as AB and from 7th August 1952 to 5th December 1952 as QM which was her final voyage and to the breakers yard on the Clyde. She would have been the worse ship on the planet to steer. She had a mind of her own. Afterwards was supposed to have joined the Orsova for her maiden voyage but joined the Mataroa instead.
Regards
Eric


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## mike N

Hi , Joined Orcades at Tilbury ,March 59 , and sailed away round the world, as first tripper, 5th R/O. Arrived back Soton July 59. and then went straight off again Medi cruising (now 4th R/O) until Sept 59, then back to Tilbury for another round the world trip as 3rd R/O. paid off her 21st Jan 60. Great times , loved that ship.


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## Plumber

Orontes, 1952,O/S;

Otranto 1955, AB;

Orion 1956-1957, Baggage Master


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## R396040

*Orcades*



orcades said:


> Is there anyone out there who sailed on the Orient Line in the 50s or any time for that matter, or have they all passed over the bar? I was an engineer myself but would be very interested to hear from anyone who sailed for the company in any capasity]


Hi there,
I sailed on Orcades of Orient Line from April till June 1954 as 1st class waiter on a Meddie cruise and am still alive and kicking,seventy nine next week in fact and hope to go a bit longer yet. We sailed from Tilbury I recall and did usual Spanish,French & Italian ports. In those days I usually did one trip one ship my main idea was to see the world and did that for ten years before joining cunard where I stayed for fifteen years (P/CS) .Another five years on various companies and ended on BR ferries in 78, thirty years at sea. Complete changeover then twenty years in Saudi & Libya till retirement at 65.
Cheers Stuart


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## Mimcoman

My father was on Orion 1947-1950 or so, in the laundry, ending as laundry manager or whatever it was called. He's still alive and kicking aged 91yrs. My uncle Tom Davie was an engineer on Oronsay/Orcades/Orsova/Orontes in the mid-fifties and is now retired and living it up in Queensland, Australia.


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## Geoffers.M

Hi Orcades,I sailed in Orion as Deck Boy and Ordinary seaman, from Sept.1944 to April 1946 and again,fromDec,1946 to May 1947,then as AB from april 1949 to July 1949. So you see there are still some of us about,a bit tottery perhaps but still here.

Regard,
Geoff Meredith.


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## notnila

Orcades May_Aug 1960
Oriana Maiden Voyage 60/61,although by then it was P&O/Orient Lines.
Regards
Arch.


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## chaspat

*takeover*

In what year did P&O and Orient Line come together and were there any redundacies?


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## notnila

I don't know the exact date,but I've always understood that"Oriana"was first to sail as P&O/Orient.Although Orient Line were allowed to keep their own hull colours for a few years.Probably Pompeyfan would know.


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## len mazza

Iwas twice on the Orion,''57 then'58.Did a 6 month trip on the Orsova,Dec' '60
until May'61.Was tourist saloon stwd,was well knackerd after that trip and 
couldn't get back on the tankers fast enough!.
Cheers,Len Mazza,R621945


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## Ian6

In answer to Chaspat's question of a few weeks ago. P&O had part owned Orient Line ever since 1919 but bought all the remaing shares in May 1960. There must have been some redundances in office and shore jobs, and amongst overseas agencies but there were none at sea as the ships continued but all painted in P&O colours. Obviously 1960 was the beginning of the end for passenger liners and general cargo ships so the following years were not good. I don't remember any redundances so much as a drop in recruitment and an almost standstill in promotion as old ships were scrapped and any new build was in tankers.
Ian


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## peter byers

Hi, I joined the P&O S.N.Co., in 1957 as junior engineer, left 1962, sailed on Ballarat, Perim, iIberia, sunda, Patonga, orontes and Empire Fowey.
Would like to make contact with any who sailed on these vessels during this period.


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## peter byers

Boy, I love that old badge...brings back happy memories


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## R58484956

Greetings *Peter* and welcome to *SN* from an ex* Iberia *engineer. Bon voyage.


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## peter byers

Thank-you for your greetings. July 62-Sept 63 was my time as Third Eng on Iberia,.When were you down in the engine room?

My active date is incorrect on my profile,...should be 1964 (dont know how to edit it!)


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## tom skinner

In this year of the Diamond Jubilee I recall my first trip on the Orient Lines RMS Oransay which I joined in Tilbury, right after coming out of sea school at Gravesend in August 1953. As a 16 year old commis waiter 1st class taking all the people back to OZ after the Queens Coronation. I served on her until may 1955 then on the Orcades until dec 1956 then the Orion until nov 1957


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## Charlie Hannah

Eric Bennett said:


> Hi Orcades,
> I sailed on the Ormonde from 27th June 1950 to 26th September 1950 as AB and from 7th August 1952 to 5th December 1952 as QM which was her final voyage and to the breakers yard on the Clyde. She would have been the worse ship on the planet to steer. She had a mind of her own. Afterwards was supposed to have joined the Orsova for her maiden voyage but joined the Mataroa instead.
> Regards
> Eric


I took the Mataroa to the breakers yard 27 Jan To 3 Feb. 1956


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## dwoc

orcades said:


> Is there anyone out there who sailed on the Orient Line in the 50s or any time for that matter, or have they all passed over the bar? I was an engineer myself but would be very interested to hear from anyone who sailed for the company in any capasity]


I joined Orient line as junior engineer in 1957 - sailed on ORCADES for many trips - only two on ORONSAY- retired in 1964 after getting chiefs ticket in 1963
Have lived in MELBOURNE since 1964

don o'connor


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## R58484956

Long time no post* DON*, glad you are back.


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## father john

I sailed as a deck cadet on the SS Garonne in 1960/61, she was the only oil talker built for the Orient Line. She was painted in Orient line colours complete with a black cap on the funnel. It was at a time when the P&O group decided to enter the oil tanker trade and all of the companies in the group were directed to build one or two tankers. The officers were a mixture of Orient Line P&O and B I. All the crew were British. Shortly after I left her in 1961 she was transfered to the newly formed Trident Tanker company with the other company group tankers and painted black. She was a fine ship.


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## barramore

*Orcades*

Have just had my first post. Hope you are still active.

I did my first trip to sea on the Otranto in September 1952.

Coincidentally spoke today to and old AB, Louis Henry , who

sailed on Orcades. Had just the one trips on passenger ships.

My next trip was acoal burning collier the "Dagenham"

sailing on the East Coastto the Thames coual discharge

ports.


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## Tingira

I first went onboard to visit the Orcades with the school prior to her maiden voyage from Tilbury. I joined the Orcades as a steward and spent a year onboard in 1956.


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## Sailtie

I always had a secret plan to join Orient Line when I had a Masters ticket. I believe this was essential for a deck officer of any rank in the 50's and before.
By the time I sat Masters it was all P&O Orient and those lovely ships had disappeared. Oriana was still around I think but the magic had gone.
I finished up in P&O Bulk Shipping (nee Trident Tankers) in the late seventies which was the closest I got.


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## Venetian

I sailed on Orcades/MABA in 1963 as 5th Radio Officer (first trip) on the around the world trip, subsequently as 4th on the next voyage. Wonderful time, Chief R/O was Crompton, 2nd was Cosgrove, 3rd Brian, and 4th Don Weston. Next ship was City of Leeds/GJGV just 3500T - also wonderful, but lacked that certain something - the young female passengers dancing the night away, and the parties... But at least there wasn't the 4 to 8 watch taking the Press in Morse code for the morning ship's paper!!


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## sparkie2182

I wonder if any former R/O on MABA recalls John Holmes or Don Bee?


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## Hobnails

I sailed on Orion in June '57 as a first trip deck boy, did a second trip and then went on to Orcades as JOS in April '58 and did a second trip as EDH. happy Days- although they didn't seem like it at the time.


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## DURANGO

Hobnails said:


> I sailed on Orion in June '57 as a first trip deck boy, did a second trip and then went on to Orcades as JOS in April '58 and did a second trip as EDH. happy Days- although they didn't seem like it at the time.


 I did my first trip to sea in the Orcades in April 1958 in fact I did two in her as you say happy days I think she went in for a refit after my second trip in her .


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## narra

HI I aprox/ done a year in Orcades/eighteen months Oronsay/four year's Orion.53/60. Tourist/Top-Side B-R-S: Plus G.S.N.Com/ F.T.Everard/ B.T.C/Cheam Shipping/R.F.A/ : Finish up on [email protected] Chusan.I left the Orion one day/joined Chusan/oprox the day after,and the newspaper's anounced the amal/of the two company's. so really I never left the O-Boats. all the other company's were before Orcades. Cheer's Narra


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## Jim S

A friend's first ship as Junior Engineer was Orient Lines' Empire Orwell the former German Liner and war prize Pretoria. Among his recollections is that the bilge valves were hydraulically operated with five start threads - one turn to fully open. Vibration would open the valves making bilge pumping a nightmare. Strum box covers were about 15 inch by 12 inch and 1.25 inches thick - not the easiest to remove with a vacuum behind them.Cleaning the tank tops was also a Junior Engineers job. - The food was excellent although the job was lousy. Apparently a J/E was not allowed on deck before noon and had to be off deck by 20.00hrs 
Permission had to be sought and granted to go ashore and if foolish enough to seek this permission dressed for going ashore it would be denied and be given a job to do. He spent the remainder of his time at sea in the friendlier regime of T&J Brocklebank. Empire Orwell became Blue Funnel's pilgrim ship Gunung Djati.

Philthechill will recognize who I am writing about.


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## narra

I can't remember which ,Igot a job as crew messman on the Orontes/Otranto,walked into messroom it was so hot I thought we were in the red sea.I turned round and walked off her Narra


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## narra

*Wrong ship*



narra said:


> HI I aprox/ done a year in Orcades/eighteen months Oronsay/four year's Orion.53/60. Tourist/Top-Side B-R-S: Plus G.S.N.Com/ F.T.Everard/ B.T.C/Cheam Shipping/R.F.A/ : Finish up on [email protected] Chusan.I left the Orion one day/joined Chusan/oprox the day after,and the newspaper's anounced the amal/of the two company's. so really I never left the O-Boats. all the other company's were before Orcades. Cheer's Narra


 :::::::::::

Sorry I was never on Chusan getting senile. It was the the Canton sorry lad's Narra.


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## narra

Hi I was on o/boat's 54/60 approx/ 1 year orcades 18 mounth's oronsay 4year's orion /catering .narra


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## OriginalHobnails

*Orion*



Geoffers.M said:


> Hi Orcades,I sailed in Orion as Deck Boy and Ordinary seaman, from Sept.1944 to April 1946 and again,fromDec,1946 to May 1947,then as AB from april 1949 to July 1949. So you see there are still some of us about,a bit tottery perhaps but still here.
> 
> Regard,
> Geoff Meredith.


Hi Geoff,
You would be on Orion when Sammy Jamieson(QM) was there. He was still there working as a Deckman when I joined her as Deck Boy for my first trip in '57. Sammy jined the ship on her maiden trip and had only missed one up until I left her in '58.
Best Wishes


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## endure

I sailed on the Orontes in 1959 as a 10 year old passenger to Australia on the 10 pound Pom scheme. Does that count? B\)


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## paulbarrington

I spent 5/6 years sailing on ORION ORSOVA ORIANA

great people to have worked for
Paul Barrington


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