# Bank Line - Part 3



## linner

Discussion thread for Bank Line - Part 3. If you would like to add a comment, click the New Reply button


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## John Briggs

It quite surprises me that there is so much interest in Bank line as, after all, it was only a mediocre tramp outfit and not a patch on some of the fine liner companies of the time! (Jester)


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## Duncan112

Although it has gone now, it survived when BI, P&O GCD Blue Flue and a host of other companies that thought themselves better had vanished.

Perhaps there is a greater deal of pride amongst those that have served with The Bank Line than the others I have mentioned (with the possible exception of BF) and this engenders the interest - Discuss (without relegating this thread to Stormy Weather!!)


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## duquesa

*Bank Line -Part 3*

Nothing mediocre about Andrew Weir.


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## Winebuff

John Briggs said:


> It quite surprises me that there is so much interest in Bank line as, after all, it was only a mediocre tramp outfit and not a patch on some of the fine liner companies of the time! (Jester)


Can only assume (probably making an ass out out of u & me) the comment was made to get a raise out of those of us with different (read better) opinion of our time with Bank Line. 

Go back - never. Do it again - anytime.


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## Martin Peat

*Westbank-Ashbank*

Hello everyone. I sailed on westbank in late december'63--july '64 as a 19 y.o junior engineer and remember most of the people on board well. There was a 4th Engineer called Norman Alvey from Bill Quay near Gateshead and a 3rd Engineer called Dave Brook from Abergavenny. I was recently in Gateshead but could not find N.Alvey's wherabouts and wondered if anyone knows of his present position? 
I passed through Abergavenny last week and thought about Dave Brook- I do believe that he stayed with Bank Line for a while and eventually became a lecturer at Cardiff Marine College??? Has anyone any knowledge of what happened to him? Many thanks,Martin


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## Alistair Macnab

John....
Your description of Bank Line as a 'mediocre tramp outfit' is shared by many. That is why there has been a somewhat belated attempt within Ships Nostalgia to put the record straight by those who would know and who want the record to, at least, be accurate.
You will notice that not even diehard Bank Line correspondents would argue with you that their company engaged in tramping. Their arguement with your characterisation would be that it was far from 'mediocre'. 
Successful; Colourful; Aggressive; Worldwide. These are more appropriate descriptive words that come to mind.
From your own background (I have read your book!) I can see that you are merely trying to take a rise, just 'trailing your coat', just as you were programmed to do aboard a BI cadet ship. All jolly good sport and part of the oneupmanship game we all indulged in when very young.
But time passes and you'll have to forgive the Bank Line supporters/commentators in Ships Nostalgia (11 pages of comments at recent counting) for their remembrance of things past, fact or fiction. That's what nostalgia is all about!
Alistair.


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## jimthehat

Alistair Macnab said:


> John....
> Your description of Bank Line as a 'mediocre tramp outfit' is shared by many. That is why there has been a somewhat belated attempt within Ships Nostalgia to put the record straight by those who would know and who want the record to, at least, be accurate.
> You will notice that not even diehard Bank Line correspondents would argue with you that their company engaged in tramping. Their arguement with your characterisation would be that it was far from 'mediocre'.
> Successful; Colourful; Aggressive; Worldwide. These are more appropriate descriptive words that come to mind.
> From your own background (I have read your book!) I can see that you are merely trying to take a rise, just 'trailing your coat', just as you were programmed to do aboard a BI cadet ship. All jolly good sport and part of the oneupmanship game we all indulged in when very young.
> But time passes and you'll have to forgive the Bank Line supporters/commentators in Ships Nostalgia (11 pages of comments at recent counting) for their remembrance of things past, fact or fiction. That's what nostalgia is all about!
> Alistair.


BI anoble company by all accounts,I do remember one xmas in Chittagong leading the apps down the quay in the middle of the night carrying pots of bank line buff and painting "bank line is best" on the ships side, of course there was a hallabaloo the next but strangely no one owned up.

jim


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## John Briggs

Alistair Macnab said:


> John....
> Your description of Bank Line as a 'mediocre tramp outfit' is shared by many. That is why there has been a somewhat belated attempt within Ships Nostalgia to put the record straight by those who would know and who want the record to, at least, be accurate.
> You will notice that not even diehard Bank Line correspondents would argue with you that their company engaged in tramping. Their arguement with your characterisation would be that it was far from 'mediocre'.
> Successful; Colourful; Aggressive; Worldwide. These are more appropriate descriptive words that come to mind.
> From your own background (I have read your book!) I can see that you are merely trying to take a rise, just 'trailing your coat', just as you were programmed to do aboard a BI cadet ship. All jolly good sport and part of the oneupmanship game we all indulged in when very young.
> But time passes and you'll have to forgive the Bank Line supporters/commentators in Ships Nostalgia (11 pages of comments at recent counting) for their remembrance of things past, fact or fiction. That's what nostalgia is all about!
> Alistair.


Well said Alistair!


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## rcraig

John Briggs said:


> Well said Alistair!


See! Read his book and he's anybody's!


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## Donald McGhee

Aye, I see all is well with SN. I have been away for a while and likely to be so for some time to come, having only had one week off in the last eight.
I will catch up eventually with what is going on so, from a former member of the Bank Line mediocrity, farewell for now and keep up the banter. 
At least it's good natured and we can all, or most of us, laugh at ourselves.(Pint)


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## pete

I guess I am a a member of the "Mediocrity". My Great Uncle was Sailing Ship Master with the Company, My Father was with B/L from roughly 1923 until WW2 and I joined in 1965 and left in 1980. So Mediocre that they instilled intense loyality amongst people who enjoyed sailing with them. So mediocre that we were all addressed by name by the "Office Wallahs" when they arrived on board. Bl**dy good outfit and I would sign on again tomorrow if only age and health were not against me.

I have about 100 photo's from my late fathers album taken on board about 1935 and when I have them cropped and sorted I will post them..............pete


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## Martin Peat

Hello again all. There has been no replies to my quest to find my old shipmates-Dave Brook -Engineer Bank Line-Westbank '64---Norman Alvey, same ship,same time. Dave from Abergavenny-Norman from Gateshead. -ANY INFO' would be gratefully accepted,Thanks,Martin


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## mickrick

You know why Bank Line outlasted the others? It was because we were always twenty years behind everybody else! But what larks....


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