Lawrence Dunbar:
Another Car Transporter on the River Tyne Northshields, Regards Larry.0
city of rome , nissan car carrier , i deliver to this too , and it was berthed next to the Baltic Ace , which collided and sank last week [r.i.p]
anyone got a picture o the Darnia ,was always murder trying to play the puggies as she had a slight list. was on scotland --larne…
jimmy.
It’s not a great photo of the Canakkale Ferry leaving Gallipoli on the way to Izmir but it might remind you of how they sometimes packed them on. I am sure that Bestbooties has got a much better photo somewhere.
Regards Steve.
One of the worst ferries I went on was from Constanta in Romania to Hayda pasa Istanbul.It’s an overnight ferry but no cabins,you have to sleep in your truck and you’re packed in so tight you can’t open the cab door enough to get out,you have to use door window,which means you have to leave it open in order to get back in again.It was filthy, the toilets were absolutely the worst smelling things ever.There was only one working cold water tap for all the drivers to use,(who were naturally all Turkish)the food was so bad you wouldn’t give it to a pig.They said I was the first Englishman to use the ferry,I said that if I had my way I’d be the last.As we came into Hayda Pasa a television crew came on board,they were making a documentary for Turkish television about RO-RO ships.The Turks pushed me forward to speak with TV crew and so I told them exactly what I thought about the heap of scrap.Needless to say it was never broadcast.
Anybody out their got any pic tures of the old Truckline boats that used to run Poole /Cherbourg back in the late 60s early 70s ? This was back in the days when they used to fly you across from Bournmouth cos they didnt have enough accommendation on board, cant remember the names of the two ships, one had a portacabin chained on deck as drivers accommendation the other i remember we nicknamed the cocoa tin ( once spent 23 hrs on that trying to get to Cherbourg ) the last time i saw that it was running for Worms out of Ramsgate .
Hi,
Wasn’t one them purbeck? I remember going on that as a kid in the 70’s.
Regards Andrew.
norfolk:
Anybody out their got any pic tures of the old Truckline boats that used to run Poole /Cherbourg back in the late 60s early 70s ? This was back in the days when they used to fly you across from Bournmouth cos they didnt have enough accommendation on board, cant remember the names of the two ships, one had a portacabin chained on deck as drivers accommendation the other i remember we nicknamed the cocoa tin ( once spent 23 hrs on that trying to get to Cherbourg ) the last time i saw that it was running for Worms out of Ramsgate .
Oh many( happy)■■? hours on those craft!! We used them to ship Saviems to you Gentlemen in GB, so I got free travel!!! (I would have rather paid for something more “stable”). Was not Geoff Duval working for them at the time?
Tried to remember the name of the rumpy old boats that I sailed on out of Dover, 64ish, talk about basic…but I was so excited that I never realised how basic they were. But I loved reversing on, (cocky young b…r)! And spent most of each trip out on the deck! (the folly of youth).
Now the Lion and the Leopard, out of Southampton, much better class, early arrival at L`Harve, and in the office for 9am, a commute to die for. (if it was not rough,…but of course it was)!!
Cheerio for now.
pete 359:
Hi,
Wasn’t one them purbeck? I remember going on that as a kid in the 70’s.
Regards Andrew.
I think that it was the ferry to Barry island that you mean Andrew !! Cheers Dennis.
hi dennis fair play 
happy christmas to you all up north mate.
regards andrew.
pete 359:
hi dennis fair play
regards andrew.
Thanks Andrew and can I wish all you lads in South Wales an enjoyable Christmas and a very Happy and prosperous 2013 ! Cheers hic! hic! Dennis.
I remember the old Purbeck , the two im trying to remember i think one was called Coutans? (aka cocoa tin ) the other might have been Armorique? i know that they sailed whatever the weather. If you opted to fly they used to give you either 200 ■■■■ or a bottle of spirits and you waited for the ship at a hotel in Cherbourg. for some reason the Spaniards always opted to sail i never knew why? mind you the planes wernt that hot one was a push pull job(prop front and back)
norfolk:
I remember the old Purbeck , the two im trying to remember i think one was called Coutans? (aka cocoa tin ) the other might have been Armorique? i know that they sailed whatever the weather. If you opted to fly they used to give you either 200 ■■■■ or a bottle of spirits and you waited for the ship at a hotel in Cherbourg. for some reason the Spaniards always opted to sail i never knew why? mind you the planes wernt that hot one was a push pull job(prop front and back)
Coutances, and Purbeck…I always chose to sail!!. Cheerio for now.
anyone remember the Charles Shiaffino Ferries.They sailed from Shoreham to Dieppe.They were wonderful old ships,all wooden panelled inside,great food and they used to creak and groan like an old wooden sailing ship.It was a ten hour overnight crossing to get to Dieppe,so you got a good sleep and and were lot nearer to paris than if you went Dover Calais and you could always keep your permit clean.They sailed out of Dover for short time and then disappeared,anyone know what happened to them?
the first time i sailed out of poole regularly, were 2 boats called antelope and astor. they then went on to --cotentin :cocoa tin:-- coutance and purbeck. i was subbing for F C F at the time. many stories to be told there. maybe another day.the crew on the antelope were german and the stewards name was Horst what a character. duty free by the barrow load and all the cash into his pocket. good old days regards terry.
Tony Taylor:
anyone remember the Charles Shiaffino Ferries.They sailed from Shoreham to Dieppe.They were wonderful old ships,all wooden panelled inside,great food and they used to creak and groan like an old wooden sailing ship.It was a ten hour overnight crossing to get to Dieppe,so you got a good sleep and and were lot nearer to paris than if you went Dover Calais and you could always keep your permit clean.They sailed out of Dover for short time and then disappeared,anyone know what happened to them?
I.m sure when my dad was driving Tanks for B…E.T and had dangerous stuff on he went on the Shiaffino ,but I,m sure he sailed out of Ramsgate to where that i,m not sure
norfolk:
Anybody out their got any pic tures of the old Truckline boats that used to run Poole /Cherbourg back in the late 60s early 70s ? This was back in the days when they used to fly you across from Bournmouth cos they didnt have enough accommendation on board, cant remember the names of the two ships, one had a portacabin chained on deck as drivers accommendation the other i remember we nicknamed the cocoa tin ( once spent 23 hrs on that trying to get to Cherbourg ) the last time i saw that it was running for Worms out of Ramsgate .
First time I ever flew in a plane was the one used to fly you over from France to Bournemouth. What an experience!!! Put me off flying for years afterwards. I believe that in the early days they didn’t have the neccessary licence to carry more than 12 passengers being the reason for the plane. Not that they didn’t have enough accommodation.
The names of the two boats I recall were the “Coutance” and the “Purbeck”.
They were eventually extended in length.
Here’s a photo of one of them after they were extended
rondavies:
First time I ever flew in a plane was the one used to fly you over from France to Bournemouth. What an experience!!! Put me off flying for years afterwards. I believe that in the early days they didn’t have the neccessary licence to carry more than 12 passengers being the reason for the plane. Not that they didn’t have enough accommodation.
The names of the two boats I recall were the “Coutance” and the “Purbeck”.
They were eventually extended in length.
Here’s a photo of one of them after they were extended
Seem to remember that they were shallow draft to get into Poole harbour and they used to bounce about a bit on the open water. Still have some of the Palmolive/Truckline soap somewhere that I got before the Spanyards nicked it. Had a trip or two on the bridge when it was blowing a gale as I used to get a gippy tummy over force 8 gale.
