# MV Derbyshire



## Jocko (Oct 31, 2011)

I am sure that we all have heard about the Derbyshire and her sister ship. I have just read some disturbing facts about those giant bulk carriers. The Derbyshire was 169,000 tons and she went down so fast they never got out a distress call. The modern system they had only needed the push of a button to send a S.O.S. There were 42 crew, amazing for a ship of that size, along with two wives. This happened on September 10th 1980 and they never found the wreckage until 1994.
It seems that there was structural faults in her hull and they found similar faults in another 4 or 5 bulk carriers.
In two years 1990 and 1991 an incredible 25 bulk carriers were lost at sea. There has been a total loss of 750 seamen lost at sea since 1988. It only strengthens my believe that the small ships of my time at sea were able to go with the flow in massive heavy seas.
Definately, being big is not strong.


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## R719220 (Oct 5, 2011)

Hi Jocko

Sure you have seen it, but if not there was a huge thread here about the Derbyshire:-

http://www.shipsnostalgia.com/showthread.php?t=8084

Regards


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## jmcg (Apr 20, 2008)

"The Derbyshire was 169,000 tons and she went down so fast they never got out a distress call"

Exactly my point voiced and penned over 3 decades. Makes a nonsense of the claim that her holds were engulfed one by one and of which the Master and crew were unaware of and were powerless to transmit details of their perilous situation.

As mentioned the subject is well aired here on S/N with very many contributions.

BW

J(Gleam)(Gleam)


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## Jocko (Oct 31, 2011)

I`m sorry lads. I didn`t know it was already in S/N.


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## R719220 (Oct 5, 2011)

That particular thread should keep you busy for a while Jocko. Goes back five years and 38 pages. Some interesting points of view.


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## Gnasha (Jan 28, 2021)

I left the Derbyshire only a few weeks before that fateful night. It still makes me very sad when I read and watch (youtube) information on this ship.


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## Peter Hewson (Mar 12, 2019)

I have not read it all, It`s now 55pages and growing. What I do know, is that the practice of over-welding a bunch of rods to speed up the process, is and was not confined to the 1980`s. I did a Machinery survey on a trawler in the 90`s in tandem with a Naval Architect Collegue. We witttnessed to fact that missing Bilge Strakes, had clear signs of that having been done, with the residue of the rods clearly visible. It was even alluded too by no less than Billy Connelly, allegedly to have been a practice on the Clyde. Were Welders where paid by the amount of weld laid down.

Pete


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