# A Question of Experience.......



## makko (Jul 20, 2006)

I just posted regarding the famous Scotts'-Still engine and it set me thinking about my Dad's formation as an Eng. Off. and my own.....

My Dad did his time in Odyssey Works and basically did work on every Blue Flue Extant in the fifties including coal burners, diesel and steam turbine plants. This time also included stints in the drawing office and metallurgy lab as well as hands on fitting and turning and working by in Birkenhead and Liverpool docks. When he went to sea, it was in the new motor ships though, Dolius being his favourite as well as Demodocus and Menestheus (from memory).

I did a Cadetship although I was very skilled in fitting and turning (as a result of "foreigners" with my Dad!) and with a high level of technical training having attended a Technical Comprehensive (unique?.

I, like my Dad, preferred to be assigned to one particular ship without the stress of re-learning the foibles of a completely different ship.

Did anyone look particularly to serve in as many different ships as they could to broaden their knowledge and skills or would the majority have preferred to be "one ship" men?

Rgds.
"Die-sel fit-er!" Dave


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## Ian J. Huckin (Sep 27, 2008)

Interesting question. The first four years I spent on old mid 50s Doxford ore carriers then it was onto MAN bulkers, then Sulzer bulkers then B&W bulkers. I guess that accounted for the first 16 years. The next 10 years was reefers, chemi tankers, livestock carriers, tween deck bulkers and any different engine or trade I could get on. I sailed 27 different ships, many multiple times but for me variety was always the spice of life....


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## david freeman (Jan 26, 2006)

*Interting*



makko said:


> I just posted regarding the famous Scotts'-Still engine and it set me thinking about my Dad's formation as an Eng. Off. and my own.....
> 
> My Dad did his time in Odyssey Works and basically did work on every Blue Flue Extant in the fifties including coal burners, diesel and steam turbine plants. This time also included stints in the drawing office and metallurgy lab as well as hands on fitting and turning and working by in Birkenhead and Liverpool docks. When he went to sea, it was in the new motor ships though, Dolius being his favourite as well as Demodocus and Menestheus (from memory).
> 
> ...


Nothing to do with your questions Stop Still Engine: However My family connections in the 30's go back to Strerry Baines Freeman Engineer Superintendent- I think blue flue, and his involvement and I believe papers published by the I Mar Eng's on the Stop Still ( Scot Still Engine is that correc?). I am but a humble engineer cadet of the 60's with an honourable tanker company, and time mainly spent on steam plant. Regards[=P](Thumb)


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## surfaceblow (Jan 16, 2008)

I never waited for any particular ship type when I was shipping out of the hall. The only questions were did I have the required license and if the job got to my number. It was only after getting into Group 1 that you could get a steady job. I remember having an ex Main Propulsion instructor passing on a job since he did not have any experience on that type of vessel. I could not afford to pass on a job to wait for the perfect job. It was only after I started sailing has Chief Engineer that I spent any length of time on the same type of ship. The last 15 years I sailed on RO / RO ships with B & W engines.


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