# Caltex Plymouth



## tanker

CALTEX PLYMOUTH,owned by Overseas Tk.U.K.Hitachi Zosen build 1960,31109 g.t.(old pic collect.)


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## Jim Prophet

My first deep sea trip was on the Texaco(Caltex) Plymouth. I joined her in Bahrain and made three trips down to Australia, two to Botany Bay and one to Gladstone.Great memories


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## neil maclachlan

Hi Jim,
I sailed with "Standard Vacuum Transportation Company" out of Durban,South Africa,we were the Durban Refinery ship " Stanvac South Africa", also sailed on the "Stanvac India". Our trips were " Rastanura,Mena Alamadi" to Bombay,Durban,various ports on the African Coast, Japan and Australia.The India was a good ship,built by Cammell Lairds, the South Africa by Mitsubishi (when they did'nt know how to build ships) I wonder if photographs of any of those ships are available as I have a collection of all the ships I have sailed on in my family room and I would love one of those two to complete my collection of ships I have sailed on?
Neil Macl.


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## Q_4

Jim Prophet said:


> My first deep sea trip was on the Texaco(Caltex) Plymouth. I joined her in Bahrain and made three trips down to Australia, two to Botany Bay and one to Gladstone.Great memories


Hi Jim, my father Arthur Dick sailed on the Plymouth too. According to his log he sailed on her as the Extra 2nd Engineer twice in 1960: from El Segundo to Bahrain from 18 Jul to 8 Oct, and then Bahrain to Botany Bay from 4 to 24 Dec. 

Sadly he passed away in 1993 but he often shared stories with me as a child, and I remember him telling me that the Plymouth was, at the time, the biggest ship ever to sail into Sydney Harbour, and as such they held a VIP reception. Somewhere he had a picture of the Plymouth alongside the Harbour Bridge but not an Opera House in sight!

Just wanted to share that memory and see if it jogged any with yourself, Best Regards, Bob Dick


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## MervynHutton

I sailed on the Texaco Plymouth (ex Caltex Plymouth) as Chief Mate from August 1970 to Dec 1970 and have very fond memories of her and the people on board at the time. Wally McCullough was Master, he has since passed on. I relieved another SN member, John Campbell, on joining in Whitegate in Ireland. We subsequently went to Rotterdam, Yokohama, Indonesia, Australia, Bahrain, Singapore and eventually completed a round the world trip. She was a nice reliable tanker, (something Texaco did not have a lot of!) and was a pleasure to sail on.


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## John Campbell

MervynHutton said:


> I sailed on the Texaco Plymouth (ex Caltex Plymouth) as Chief Mate from August 1970 to Dec 1970 and have very fond memories of her and the people on board at the time. Wally McCullough was Master, he has since passed on. I relieved another SN member, John Campbell, on joining in Whitegate in Ireland. We subsequently went to Rotterdam, Yokohama, Indonesia, Australia, Bahrain, Singapore and eventually completed a round the world trip. She was a nice reliable tanker, (something Texaco did not have a lot of!) and was a pleasure to sail on.


Hi Mervyn - I remember the day well when you relieved me in Whitegate. What a trip with fuel-oil from Rotterdam to Yokohama - she was a splendid ship and well maintained - Wally was fun to be with. There was a great crowd of very sociable engineers and wives there when you joined. I remember getting one of the fastest discharge of cargo for that ship on the day you joined (I was going home) much to Wally McCullough's disgust as he had invited his wife and father down tom see the ship from Belfast and was hoping for at least twelve hours more.
Happy New Year Mervyn
jc


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## MervynHutton

John Campbell said:


> Hi Mervyn - I remember the day well when you relieved me in Whitegate. What a trip with fuel-oil from Rotterdam to Yokohama - she was a splendid ship and well maintained - Wally was fun to be with. There was a great crowd of very sociable engineers and wives there when you joined. I remember getting one of the fastest discharge of cargo for that ship on the day you joined (I was going home) much to Wally McCullough's disgust as he had invited his wife and father down tom see the ship from Belfast and was hoping for at least twelve hours more.
> Happy New Year Mervyn
> jc


Happy New Year John,

Yes, she was a happy ship indeed. Take care and keep in touch.


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## stevenstavros

neil maclachlan said:


> Hi Jim,
> I sailed with "Standard Vacuum Transportation Company" out of Durban,South Africa,we were the Durban Refinery ship " Stanvac South Africa", also sailed on the "Stanvac India". Our trips were " Rastanura,Mena Alamadi" to Bombay,Durban,various ports on the African Coast, Japan and Australia.The India was a good ship,built by Cammell Lairds, the South Africa by Mitsubishi (when they did'nt know how to build ships) I wonder if photographs of any of those ships are available as I have a collection of all the ships I have sailed on in my family room and I would love one of those two to complete my collection of ships I have sailed on?
> Neil Macl.


Hi Neil,

I sailed on the Stanvac India after she was sold in 1966 and re-named The Golden Falcon, I boarded her at The Golden Eagle Refinery in 1967 and was on her untill 1972, you are so right, she was plain in regards to crews quarters, but she was solid, and dependable. I lost most of my pictures of her when I moved a few years back, the moving company lost some of my boxes and one of them had most of my pictures, I may have one or two, I will try and find them, and upload them.

Steven Z.


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## Geoff DC

I joined her on my first trip as deck cadet in September 1964, soon after she was built.

In the ten months of that trip we did two or three trips to Whangerai, one from the Gulf and two (I think) from Dumai (Sumatra). Did a Cape Town and two trips to Europort, one trip loading from the buoy off Sidon.

Not a well built ship, the port compass repeater complete with pedestal came off in my hands when rolling around in ballast.

Fortunately I went on to the older product carriers on the Far East run after that and became an expert in fixing tank bulkhead leaks - a peculiarly Caltex problem I believe.

Also have a better picture than in the header:-


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## Burntisland Ship Yard

Well the "Jap Class" were engineer's dreams, nothing fell apart..


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## Ghost

Nothing !except for Larry Franklins Mrs Beryl, (Aka The Duchess) who regulaly slipped off her bar stool after a night in the bar. Jas Butler, Harry Orr, Big Norman, and my school mate Jimmy Mann, happy days.


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## RO Vintage

any one on the Caltex Plymouth in Drydock Valletta Malta 1966
Regards.
George Savage Ex Marconi R/O


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## Captain Bill Hanrahan

tanker said:


> CALTEX PLYMOUTH,owned by Overseas Tk.U.K.Hitachi Zosen build 1960,31109 g.t.(old pic collect.)





Jim Prophet said:


> My first deep sea trip was on the Texaco(Caltex) Plymouth. I joined her in Bahrain and made three trips down to Australia, two to Botany Bay and one to Gladstone.Great memories


Hi Jim,
My father, who is 92 years was 1st Mate on the Caltex Plymouth in 1962. One of his trips included Singapore.
He Joined his first ship the Irish Cedar as a new Cadet on the 24th Aug 1944 in Cork, Ireland and returned there from St John New Brunswick, Canada on 1st October 1944, having collected grain. He had an interesting career becoming 1st mate on the M T Camillo in 1957. He retired from seafaring in 1967 to take up a position of Harbor Master in Drogheda, Ireland. His last ship was the Caltex Tanganyika (Texaco) 1965-1967.
He has some great memories and accompanying stories.
Des.


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## Jim Prophet

Captain Bill Hanrahan said:


> Hi Jim,
> My father, who is 92 years was 1st Mate on the Caltex Plymouth in 1962. One of his trips included Singapore.
> He Joined his first ship the Irish Cedar as a new Cadet on the 24th Aug 1944 in Cork, Ireland and returned there from St John New Brunswick, Canada on 1st October 1944, having collected grain. He had an interesting career becoming 1st mate on the M T Camillo in 1957. He retired from seafaring in 1967 to take up a position of Harbor Master in Drogheda, Ireland. His last ship was the Caltex Tanganyika (Texaco) 1965-1967.
> He has some great memories and accompanying stories.
> Des.


Hi Bill. 
Sounds like your dad had a long and interesting career. Do you know what other Texaco tankers he sailed on. My other one was the Texaco Europe.


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## Captain Bill Hanrahan

Jim Prophet said:


> Hi Bill.
> Sounds like your dad had a long and interesting career. Do you know what other Texaco tankers he sailed on. My other one was the Texaco Europe.


Hi again, Jim.
Apologies for delay in getting back to you. Dad is in hospital at present and so I'm not keeping up to date with emails etc.
The first ship with Caltex in the name on Dad's Certificate of Discharge is SS Caltex Saigon which he sailed from Avonmouth on 22 Feb 1962 as first officer. Before that his ship's names included the word regent as in Regent Royal. I'm not sure if these were Caltex ships or Bowerings . Perhaps you'd know? Anyway he left the C. Saigon in Bahrain and joined the C. Colombo, there on 18 March bound for Osaka where he then joined the C Plymouth and left her bound for Singapore on 20 Dec 1962. I guess he flew home for Christmas! The next ship mentioned is the C. Wellington engagement 3 Oct 1963 in Birmingham and returned there on the 24th of Oct. It sailed the next day 25th Oct discharge date 10th Feb 1964 in Cardiff. Left Cardiff on 11Feb 1964 and discharged in Liverpool 4 days later.
He then Joined the C. Rome on 26 May 1964 in what looks like "Doct St. and discharged in Visag (I presume this is Visagpatnam, India), on 3rd July 1965. Next was the C. Tanganyika on which he sailed as Chief officer from Newcastle. If memory serves me right he flew home from close to Australia as my mother was unwell. His last ship was the little Caltex Whitegate which he filled in as 1st mate while awaiting to take up a new career.
Hope this is useful.
Cheers,
Des.


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## Jim Prophet

Captain Bill Hanrahan said:


> Hi again, Jim.
> Apologies for delay in getting back to you. Dad is in hospital at present and so I'm not keeping up to date with emails etc.
> The first ship with Caltex in the name on Dad's Certificate of Discharge is SS Caltex Saigon which he sailed from Avonmouth on 22 Feb 1962 as first officer. Before that his ship's names included the word regent as in Regent Royal. I'm not sure if these were Caltex ships or Bowerings . Perhaps you'd know? Anyway he left the C. Saigon in Bahrain and joined the C. Colombo, there on 18 March bound for Osaka where he then joined the C Plymouth and left her bound for Singapore on 20 Dec 1962. I guess he flew home for Christmas! The next ship mentioned is the C. Wellington engagement 3 Oct 1963 in Birmingham and returned there on the 24th of Oct. It sailed the next day 25th Oct discharge date 10th Feb 1964 in Cardiff. Left Cardiff on 11Feb 1964 and discharged in Liverpool 4 days later.
> He then Joined the C. Rome on 26 May 1964 in what looks like "Doct St. and discharged in Visag (I presume this is Visagpatnam, India), on 3rd July 1965. Next was the C. Tanganyika on which he sailed as Chief officer from Newcastle. If memory serves me right he flew home from close to Australia as my mother was unwell. His last ship was the little Caltex Whitegate which he filled in as 1st mate while awaiting to take up a new career.
> Hope this is useful.
> Cheers,
> Des.


Thanks for your reply, Unfortunately it was all long before my time. I joined Texaco in 1972. Hope dad gets well soon
Regards
Jim


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## MervR

Good Morning Tankermen:

On the subject of Caltex/Texaco, I searching for information on an incident on* Texaco Southampton,* in Dec 1975 off the NSW coast. There was an engine room switchboard fire and the ship suffered a "power-out". This led to a salvage case claimed by the crew of the tugboat,* Kembla II. *I am trying to ascertain if there were any casualties in order to show some respect. 

I have read* Lloyd's Law Report *on the ensuing salvage claim but there is no mention of any casualties (as in many reports, the fate of the seafarer is omitted). This is an interesting case which I intend to publish on in *Sea Breezes* (or similar journal).

Can anyone assist, please?

With Thanks,

Merv 
Southampton


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## Burntisland Ship Yard

In addition I seem to recall one of the Jap class ended up towing one of its sisters?


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## Roy Igglesden

Burntisland Ship Yard said:


> In addition I seem to recall one of the Jap class ended up towing one of its sisters?



I joined the Caltex Brisbane in Milford Haven in early 1965 as a 3rd year Navigating Apprentice. The main turbine blades had been damaged while attempting to tow the Caltex Edinburgh sometime during 1964.

We limped at 4 knots from Pembroke to Bahrain then Yokohama a voyage of 4 months then on to the Hitachi Shipyard in Inoshima where the ship was built to have a new Main Turbine shaft fitted. Those were the days!


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## Dale Elliott No 3 Son.

*Forwarded from "Ex-Texaco Overseas Tankships" chat.
Point of interest : Texaco/Caltex Plymouth.*

[IMG alt="Dale Elliott No 3 Son."]https://www.shipsnostalgia.com/d1/avatars/m/239/239626.jpg?1613415767[/IMG]
* Dale Elliott No 3 Son.
Registered*
Joined 3 h ago
1 Posts
#10 • 2 h ago

Hello Mike and anybody else still viewing from the Texaco Corp.
My name is Dale Elliott (no.3 Son) of Cpt James Lynn Elliott. My dad passed away nearly 20 years ago but I'm pretty sure some of you fella's or maybe even you Mike would of had the pleasure of his company aboard. Dad (Jim) had a fairly long career starting out as a cadet up on the River Tyne with the R.Chapman & Son in 1949. All thru' Caltex and on to the VLCC ,finally achieving his Master ticket with Texaco in 1971. I believe Texaco Plymouth was often a conversation starter with him. Call sign 'GDYU' ? Will need to fact check that with No.1. Son, my brother Kevin, also of Texaco Overseas Tankships.
A bad attack of angina while offshore Indonesia had him hospitalized in Manila. I recall him often saying he thought his days were numbered lying in that steaming hot tropical ward and not knowing his survival chances. The Texaco London office eventually got him transported back home to N.Yorkshire. Early retirement ? not my 'Old Man' a new career path in Marine Surveying and leading figure in the early days of the Sea Safety Group / Coast Watch kept him just as active as he was all those years spent at sea.
I have recently contacted :
Brian Watson @
Benjidog Historical Research Resources:
The Allen Collection .
as I have a collection of my dad's many photo's from his service at sea. I haven't had time to pass them over as yet to Brian but I have read past posts on here/ facebook / merchant navy associates etc . So would like to post some pic's & notes from his book "Star of the Red Ensign" before handing them over to Brian. If somebody would like to suggest which web site to display them on ?

On another note I believe Terry Nunn knew my dad fairly well, would anybody know if Terry is still with us or for that matter anybody from the Fellowship of The Nautical Institute would like to leave a note of interest.

Great respect to all you ex-Texaco guy's and hope your all living a healthy retirement.
As my dad would say TTFN.
Kind Regards No.3 Son. Dale.


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## david.hopcroft

Ref #3

Neil

It was a long time ago when you posted this. There is probably one in this gallery, but would take you nearly the same time to fiond it. Search on the name Stanvac South Africa, and look for the Auk Visser site. Some really good pictures there. 

Also anyone else looking for tankers, the Auk Visser site is brilliant.

David

+


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## stuartcooper35

Dale Elliott No 3 Son. said:


> *Forwarded from "Ex-Texaco Overseas Tankships" chat.
> Point of interest : Texaco/Caltex Plymouth.*
> 
> [IMG alt="Dale Elliott No 3 Son."]https://www.shipsnostalgia.com/d1/avatars/m/239/239626.jpg?1613415767[/IMG]
> * Dale Elliott No 3 Son.
> Registered*
> Joined 3 h ago
> 1 Posts
> #10 • 2 h ago
> 
> Hello Mike and anybody else still viewing from the Texaco Corp.
> My name is Dale Elliott (no.3 Son) of Cpt James Lynn Elliott. My dad passed away nearly 20 years ago but I'm pretty sure some of you fella's or maybe even you Mike would of had the pleasure of his company aboard. Dad (Jim) had a fairly long career starting out as a cadet up on the River Tyne with the R.Chapman & Son in 1949. All thru' Caltex and on to the VLCC ,finally achieving his Master ticket with Texaco in 1971. I believe Texaco Plymouth was often a conversation starter with him. Call sign 'GDYU' ? Will need to fact check that with No.1. Son, my brother Kevin, also of Texaco Overseas Tankships.
> A bad attack of angina while offshore Indonesia had him hospitalized in Manila. I recall him often saying he thought his days were numbered lying in that steaming hot tropical ward and not knowing his survival chances. The Texaco London office eventually got him transported back home to N.Yorkshire. Early retirement ? not my 'Old Man' a new career path in Marine Surveying and leading figure in the early days of the Sea Safety Group / Coast Watch kept him just as active as he was all those years spent at sea.
> I have recently contacted :
> Brian Watson @
> Benjidog Historical Research Resources:
> The Allen Collection .
> as I have a collection of my dad's many photo's from his service at sea. I haven't had time to pass them over as yet to Brian but I have read past posts on here/ facebook / merchant navy associates etc . So would like to post some pic's & notes from his book "Star of the Red Ensign" before handing them over to Brian. If somebody would like to suggest which web site to display them on ?
> 
> On another note I believe Terry Nunn knew my dad fairly well, would anybody know if Terry is still with us or for that matter anybody from the Fellowship of The Nautical Institute would like to leave a note of interest.
> 
> Great respect to all you ex-Texaco guy's and hope your all living a healthy retirement.
> As my dad would say TTFN.
> Kind Regards No.3 Son. Dale.


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## stuartcooper35

Dale Elliott No 3 Son. said:


> *Forwarded from "Ex-Texaco Overseas Tankships" chat.
> Point of interest : Texaco/Caltex Plymouth.*
> 
> [IMG alt="Dale Elliott No 3 Son."]https://www.shipsnostalgia.com/d1/avatars/m/239/239626.jpg?1613415767[/IMG]
> * Dale Elliott No 3 Son.
> Registered*
> Joined 3 h ago
> 1 Posts
> #10 • 2 h ago
> 
> Hello Mike and anybody else still viewing from the Texaco Corp.
> My name is Dale Elliott (no.3 Son) of Cpt James Lynn Elliott. My dad passed away nearly 20 years ago but I'm pretty sure some of you fella's or maybe even you Mike would of had the pleasure of his company aboard. Dad (Jim) had a fairly long career starting out as a cadet up on the River Tyne with the R.Chapman & Son in 1949. All thru' Caltex and on to the VLCC ,finally achieving his Master ticket with Texaco in 1971. I believe Texaco Plymouth was often a conversation starter with him. Call sign 'GDYU' ? Will need to fact check that with No.1. Son, my brother Kevin, also of Texaco Overseas Tankships.
> A bad attack of angina while offshore Indonesia had him hospitalized in Manila. I recall him often saying he thought his days were numbered lying in that steaming hot tropical ward and not knowing his survival chances. The Texaco London office eventually got him transported back home to N.Yorkshire. Early retirement ? not my 'Old Man' a new career path in Marine Surveying and leading figure in the early days of the Sea Safety Group / Coast Watch kept him just as active as he was all those years spent at sea.
> I have recently contacted :
> Brian Watson @
> Benjidog Historical Research Resources:
> The Allen Collection .
> as I have a collection of my dad's many photo's from his service at sea. I haven't had time to pass them over as yet to Brian but I have read past posts on here/ facebook / merchant navy associates etc . So would like to post some pic's & notes from his book "Star of the Red Ensign" before handing them over to Brian. If somebody would like to suggest which web site to display them on ?
> 
> On another note I believe Terry Nunn knew my dad fairly well, would anybody know if Terry is still with us or for that matter anybody from the Fellowship of The Nautical Institute would like to leave a note of interest.
> 
> Great respect to all you ex-Texaco guy's and hope your all living a healthy retirement.
> As my dad would say TTFN.
> Kind Regards No.3 Son. Dale.











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## stuartcooper35

stuartcooper35 said:


> see facebook TEXACO TANKERS











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## stuartcooper35

MervynHutton said:


> I sailed on the Texaco Plymouth (ex Caltex Plymouth) as Chief Mate from August 1970 to Dec 1970 and have very fond memories of her and the people on board at the time. Wally McCullough was Master, he has since passed on. I relieved another SN member, John Campbell, on joining in Whitegate in Ireland. We subsequently went to Rotterdam, Yokohama, Indonesia, Australia, Bahrain, Singapore and eventually completed a round the world trip. She was a nice reliable tanker, (something Texaco did not have a lot of!) and was a pleasure to sail on.











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