# Visual Memories of RMS St. Helena - 1978 - 1990



## Shipbuilder

Here is a short slide show I made up a couple of days ago for U-Tube.
Bob
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GkDE6cEY5TY


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## DLongly

*Visual Memories of St Helena 1978 - 1990*

That is a great record of life aboard this iconic little ship, many thanks for posting the link to the Youtube video and well done on putting together such an interesting selection of pictures taken aboard her.


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## R58484956

Bob, Thanks for showing St Helena and the 12 models, from shipbuilder to film director


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## Shipbuilder

Thanks,
I think the music helped with the St. Helena images. It was one of the standard U Tube backgrounds called "abandoned" 
Bob


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## sidsal

Interesting pictures. I believe she doesn't now come to the UK.
What a shame. I had thought we might do the trip - is it still worth while do you think ?


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## Shipbuilder

The ship in the slide show no longer exists! She was 16 years old when St. Helena Lines fitted her out as a Class I passenger ship, and 27 years old when she was sold for further trading. In 1990, she became the _Avalon_, sailing out of Durban to the Seychelles, but it was not successful and she was sold again, and shortly after went to scrap. In 1990, we all transferred to the new ship of the same name that was twice the size and carried 132 passengers. That ship is still sailing today, but as you say, no longer comes to the UK. The current route is Ascension - St. Helena - Cape Town and I think they call at Walvis Bay as well. If you want to travel, it would necessitate flying to either Ascension or Cape Town. There are loads of videos on U-Tube about the new ship.
I joined the old ship in 1979 and left in early 1990 to go to the new one. I did not like the new one anywhere near as much, because being a bit of a dinosaur, the fancy electronics were well beyond my understanding and it was a continual battle to keep things working - took voluntary redundancy in late 1992 at the age of 48, and never looked back!(Jester) (I was R/O of 1960 qualification vintage).
The old ship, featured in my small slide show, was a pleasure to sail in - the very best of all my 19 ships from 1961 to 1992. That is saying a lot, because before that, I thought nothing could be superior to _Windsor Castle, Reina del Mar _etc in which I served for quite a number of happy years!
Bob


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## FILIPVS

Years ago, I remember see "new" St Helene calling in Vigo, berthed in passenger terminal... a singular ship; in fact the only cargo-passenger I ever seen here, if I remember well.


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## IMRCoSparks

Nice to see the Furuno FRS48 radar in the wheelhouse at 1.17 ( the small one) . I installed it in Vancouver 1975 when the vessel was called Northland Prince.


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## isaacoomber

*Hello,*

Thanks a lot for sharing interesting slide, it brings some good memories. I have really enjoyed to seeing this.


waterton alberta accommodation


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## andysk

Nice one Bob, a good selection of pics, but can you still name all those at 1:37 ?

Cheers

Andy


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## Shipbuilder

Thanks for replies. The little radar lasted quite a long time and its end came when its range went down to almost nothing the moment the ship got underway. But in port, it was perfect. A very peculiar fault that turned out to be that the scanner was half full of water! The vibration of moving must have sloshed it up into the waveguide. Goodness knows how it worked OK when ship was at anchor, but scanner going round. Problem solved by drilling a hole in bottom of scanner and it took about half an hour to empty. OK after that, but a new scanner was not available and because of corrosion worries, the whole lot was replaced.

Andy.
Yes, I can still name the entire crew although it was thirty years ago. We were all together for quite a number of years. Some of us first sailed together in 1965 aboard _Windsor Castle!_.
We transferred to the new ship in 1990.
Bob


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## Hawkeye63

*RMS Memories!*

Nice one Windjammer! Brought back a lot of memories, must admit, I preferred the "old RMS" to the "new one". Remember handing over to the new one in Cardiff, she looked so forlorn! We weren't allowed on the "new one", but got our "revenge" during the re-engining in Falmouth!


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## eldersuk

Andy.
_Yes, I can still name the entire crew although it was thirty years ago. We were all together for quite a number of years. Some of us first sailed together in 1965 aboard Windsor Castle!.
We transferred to the new ship in 1990.
Bob

_Bob, did you come across Jim Forsey and Ken Young on St. Helena?

Derek


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## ben27

good morning shipbuilder.jan,2013,21:65.re:visual memories of rms st,helena-1978-1990.i have read the posting,and everybody has great memories of there time on st helensa.i have watched your link.(my compliments of a fine production)and it was a pleasure,it was like being there.no wonder they have great memories,thank you for posting.have a good day.ben27


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## nauticalstyle

Thanks for the slideshow. Interesting to see the sextants being used!


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## Shipbuilder

Thanks for replies. I remember Jim Forsey well as he was on both ships for a number of years and we still exchange Christmas cards. Don't remember a Ken Young, so maybe he only did one voyage.
Bob


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## Old Se Dog

*avalan in durban 1991 and later*

i was lucky to have spent a day on this little beaut - when the qe 2 called in durban - she later went under the indianoceanique - banner if i recall - her newer counter part has of recent been sold then resold then resold and again resold - being the st helena - mng tahiti - ( as a gun ship) back to st helena - as a luxury yacht - did not happen and lastly as a extreme e racing paddock ship - !


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