# Gardyloo



## Tom S (Jul 22, 2006)

Ruud
I see you have posted some very nice photos of vessels in Leith in the gallery. I was wondering if you had in your vast collection a photo of the "Gardyloo" the sludge vessel owned by Edinburgh City Council she was sold a few years ago and I wonder if anybody has any information onher whereabous now? I believe she went down to the Humber.
TomS


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## RayJordandpo (Feb 23, 2006)

Strange, I was only thinking about that ship yesterday. I remember her when she sailed out of Leith in the seventies. The vessel was absolutely spotless and she carried paying day trippers which seemed strange considering the 'cargo' she carried. I don't recall her coming down to the Humber though but she may well have done. One thing - I bet you never got any pilfering of cargo on that ship!
Ray Jordan


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## benjidog (Oct 27, 2005)

I met an Irishman who told me he was the turd Engineer on Gardyloo. 

Brian


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## Gulpers (Sep 8, 2005)

Tom,

Nice little ship GARDYLOO - I always liked her hull colour. Anyway, some details of her which may help. (Thumb) 

1999 - GARDYLOO - Sold to Whitaker Tankers
2001 - Renamed DELTA TANK - Delta Tank Shipping
2004 - Renamed SHOLLAR - Azerbaijan State Caspian
2006 - SHOLLAR - Meridian Shipping and Management - still Azerbaijanian flag.

http://www.shipphotos.co.uk/pages/gardyloo.htm

http://www.shipphotos.co.uk/pages/deltatank.htm

http://www.leithhistory.co.uk/gallery/70sLeith/gardyloo


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## ruud (Dec 6, 2004)

Ahoy Tom,
Sorry but can't help you with this one, have the same piccies as mentioned above at shipphotos,but will have a look around to see if more is available.


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## Tom S (Jul 22, 2006)

The passengers didnt have to pay. All ratepayers in Edinburgh were allowed one free trip per year and they were also given a free meal it was similar to the arrangement on the Clyde. Pensioners used to love it
Tom


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## Tom S (Jul 22, 2006)

When I worked for Forth Ports she contributed a large amount of revenue to the Port coffers she sailed about three times each week and paid Ships dues on each occassion so you can imagine it was quite substantial. And believe it or not she had to employ Dockers each time she loaded,they didnt do anything just stood bye and watched whilts the shipe crew loaded the vessel
Tom


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## Tom S (Jul 22, 2006)

Thanks for the Pics and iformation Ray I wondered what happened to her as you can imagine had a very good relationship with the vessel when I was based at Leith Ron Leask was the Captain excellent ship handler and his hobby was the Maritime History of the Forth he was really very interesting to talk to. One of his favouite subjects was the Surrender of the German fleet in the Forth after the First World War. What he didnt know about it wasnt worth knowing he used to entertain the passengers with his stories about it and they loved it. One of lifes really interesting people
Tom


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## Harry Nicholson (Oct 11, 2005)

Intriguing! How did they get her to the Caspian?



Gulpers said:


> Tom,
> 
> Nice little ship GARDYLOO - I always liked her hull colour. Anyway, some details of her which may help. (Thumb)
> 
> ...


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## Gulpers (Sep 8, 2005)

Harry Nicholson said:


> Intriguing! How did they get her to the Caspian?


Good question! (?HUH)

Gdynia may be able to help once he comes back on-line. In the meantime, I'll email him and see if he has any suggestions! (Thumb)


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## Gulpers (Sep 8, 2005)

*Answer from Gdynia*

Harry,

I've e-mailed Neville and had a suggestion from him - see below:

Hi Neville,

The following SN thread concerns GARDYLOO which was Edinburgh's sludge vessel and used to operate out of Leith.

As you will see, she is now Azarbaijanian Flag and Harry Nicholson has questioned how they would have got her into the Caspian Sea. She is 1876 Gross Tons.

Any ideas? 


Ray

+++++

*Ray

She probably went via the Mediterranean Sea, Black Sea then Sea of Asnov into Volga/Don Canal. If she was too high for locks, her bridge would of been chopped off then sponsons fitted onto her for tow into Caspian.

Rgds Neville*


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## Gulpers (Sep 8, 2005)

*More from Gdynia*

Neville has forwarded another suggestion for Gardyloo's trip to the Caspian Sea. (Thumb) 

*"Ray

There's two other ways in also but not used as much they are thro the Baltic into St Petersburg then thro the Russian River System into Caspian or the North of Russia via Murmansk and into River system again.

Rgds Neville"*


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## Harry Nicholson (Oct 11, 2005)

Hello Gulpers.Thanks for that. I was in my workshop today and it popped into my head: 'ah! there is probably a canal'. Then I thought: 'the Caspian has been isolated for a long long time and has its own unique biology; so if there is a canal I wonder if creepy crawlies and other things from the Black Sea have invaded the Caspian yet'. Then I got on with a bit of sandpapering.
Thanks for taking the trouble to contact Gdynia to clear this up. You know, between us we could run this planet.


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## Gulpers (Sep 8, 2005)

*Glad to help*

Harry,

I'm sure Gdynia was only too glad to help - he is suffering *severe SN withdrawal symptoms.* (Thumb)


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## waffle-sproket (Jul 10, 2007)

Dear Tom,

I used to work for Whitaker Tankers in Hull and was the Tech Director when they bought the vessel. She was laid up in the Albert Dock in Hull long after I had departed. You can contact them at Crown Drydock Tower Street Hull

People who will be able to Help

Mike Fish, Harry Willaims, John Oaks or Mark Whitaker

Hope this helps 

waffle-sproket


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## sam2182sw (Jul 24, 2005)

Hi Lads i cannot belive this i only had photos of her out today of her she was laid in Albert dock for a long time and over nite she had lights on her and then sailed she was in very good nick and a very clean ship i slill cannot under stand why Whitkers never traded her some told me that cleaning her out had some think to do with it i also worked for them. also it is good to see some lads from the Forth and that seems funny i am looking for a ship that i was on up there in am writing a book and only last night i looked up her papers and here we are to day talking to people about her funny, she was called the FASGADAIR IN THE 1980 changed her name to the FORTH EXPLORER1988 and then on to the IOSL EXPLORER can any of you help sam


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## hamishb (Oct 23, 2008)

Tom S said:


> Ruud
> I see you have posted some very nice photos of vessels in Leith in the gallery. I was wondering if you had in your vast collection a photo of the "Gardyloo" the sludge vessel owned by Edinburgh City Council she was sold a few years ago and I wonder if anybody has any information onher whereabous now? I believe she went down to the Humber.
> TomS


Hi Tom There is a photo of Gardyloo on Clydebuilt Ships web site and also a brief history. The photo is in the graving dock at Greenock. I worked on her sterngland in Leith dry dock.
Hamish Benson


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## Navy Dave (Dec 14, 2005)

I was very fortunate to have sailed on the ship, many, many times, Ronnie leask even let me steer her for awhile.

Ronnie lived in Trinity Road but dont know if he is still there or if he is still around, very nice gent to have a conversation with.

He even wrote a letter to me with a poem to "stick in" when I joined up with the RN.

God bless Ronnie

PS Anyone got any more images of the old "Gardy" ?


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## The Loftsman (Dec 19, 2009)

*Leith Shipyards*

Hi Dave,
Although the Gary'loo was not built in Leith (could never work that one out) you may be interested in a lot of other ships built in the Leith Shipyards of Henry Robb, all at my website www.leithshipyards.com 

Cheers




Navy Dave said:


> I was very fortunate to have sailed on the ship, many, many times, Ronnie leask even let me steer her for awhile.
> 
> Ronnie lived in Trinity Road but dont know if he is still there or if he is still around, very nice gent to have a conversation with.
> 
> ...


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## kenwebb (Jun 6, 2010)

Used to run out of leith docks for 7 years on the fisheries protection vessel Sulisker saw the Gardy regular didnt she used to take pensioners on a trip down the forth I know she went to Hull used to see her in Albert dock when driving down clive sullyway


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