A recent visit - birkenhead docks 20-9-08 mv stolt avocet entering through locks 01.jpg (1/1)
 

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A recent visit - birkenhead docks 20-9-08 mv stolt avocet entering through locks 01.jpg (1/1)
 

A very good photo, Bill. The right half contains the Liverpool landmarks.

The 'Three Graces' at the pier head:

1. The Liver Building (behind that old brick tower).

2. The Cunard Building (former HQ of the Cunard Line).

3. Port of Liverpool Building (former home of the Mersey Docks & Harbour
Board).

Behind the dome of the Port of Liverpool Building can be seen the top of the
Metropolitan Cathedral (aka Paddy's Wigwam).

Did you know that whenever a virgin or honest man passes by the Liver
Building, the Liver Birds will flap their great wings? That is the photo
you really should be striving for!.

Regards,

Tuppence

A recent visit - birkenhead docks 20-9-08 mv stolt avocet entering through locks 01.jpg (1/1) - River Mersey 20-9-08 mv Keewhit going down river from St. Mary's Tower 02.jpg (0/4)
 

On Wed, 8 Oct 2008 19:36:09 +0100, "Tuppence"
wrote:


A very good photo, Bill. The right half contains the Liverpool landmarks.

The 'Three Graces' at the pier head:

1. The Liver Building (behind that old brick tower).

2. The Cunard Building (former HQ of the Cunard Line).

3. Port of Liverpool Building (former home of the Mersey Docks & Harbour
Board).

Behind the dome of the Port of Liverpool Building can be seen the top of the
Metropolitan Cathedral (aka Paddy's Wigwam).

Did you know that whenever a virgin or honest man passes by the Liver
Building, the Liver Birds will flap their great wings? That is the photo
you really should be striving for!.

Regards,

Tuppence


I actually originally come from there, as my amerseyferry.co.uk
website mentions.

Mind I have been living down south for over 27years now, 120miles from
the sea.

I used to visit all those buildings, except the Dock Board, not
forgetting the brick building which can often be seen just behind on
the south side of the Dock Board Building. That was originally the
White Star Building and by my time the HQ of Pacific Steam Navigation.

Behind the Liver Building was one with the Offices of US Lines and
further up were offices for Palm Line, Blue Funnel (Alfie Holt) -
India Buildings, Ellermans and so on.

Great days, my visits were hunting up postcards, of which I ended up
with books full. Disposed of by my family when I was at sea...........

I have posted many pictures up and down the Mersey over the years,
those without boats in them usually go to a.b.pictures.scenic as I try
and be fairly accurate into what I post where.

I even posted a video of the ferries here once.

The attached one shows the Pier Head quite nicely, I think, from the
top of the old St. Mary's Church tower, near Woodside. Sorry that
there is not a cml sized one ready yet, it was part of a set for a
future posting.

That site itself has a historical maritime connection with the river
as the Priory (now ruins) on the site was the home of the Monks who
ran the first Ferry service.

Keith

A recent visit - birkenhead docks 20-9-08 mv stolt avocet entering through locks 01.jpg (1/1) - River Mersey 20-9-08 mv Keewhit going down river from St. Mary's Tower 02.jpg (0/4)
 

Hi Ralph,


Was away for a couple of days so unable to see your reply until now.

I have perused your web sites and I see, that like myself, you are a former
ship's engineer and hospital engineer. Unlike yourself my apprenticeship was
land based in a non marine related industry.


You are, of course, correct about all the shipping companies who had their
head offices in Liverpool. I add to your list Elder Dempster (same building
as Blue Funnel?) with whom I had an aquaintance in the 1960s having been for
short time a junior engineer on the Kohima, Egori, and Bhamo.

I also worked for Athel Line (MV Athelduchess) and Charlton Steam Shipping
Co of London (by then a subsidary of Chandris). The bulk of my sea going
time being with the latter company including 3 trips on MV Charlton Mira (10
months, 12 months, & 14 months). I also worked on other Chandris vessels
under various flags including delivery of Chandris acquisitions to Piraeus
in Greece, amongst these being the British India vessel Daressa.

Worked also in the drawing offices of John Thompson (Watertube Boilers) Ltd
until merged with Clarke Chapman when their Belfast drawing Office closed.

I retired in December 2000 after 25 years in the Health Service, the final
20 years as an engineer at the Royal Group of Hospitals with the title of
'Units Engineer', 'Senior Engineer', and finally 'Estates Officer III' (same
job but the title kept morphing at each reorganisation). The old title of
'Hospital Engineer' died many years ago in one the various reorganisations
to which governments see fit to subject the Health Service.

Regards,

Tuppence



P.s.

As an Engineer Surveyor you might be interested to know that the boilers at
'The Royal' are 3 Thompson Coalmaster twin furnace common combustion chamber
boilers each rated at 30,000 lbs/hour F&A and 2 Robey Lincoln oil fired
single furnace boilers each rated at 35,000 lbs/hour F&A. The Thompson
boilers were converted to oil firing (retaining the same rating) in the mid
1990s and in 1999 all boilers were further converted to natural gas firing.
Statutary inspections, during my time, were carried out by Royal Insurance,
later Royal & Sun Alliance.

A recent visit - birkenhead docks 20-9-08 mv stolt avocet entering through locks 01.jpg (1/1) - River Mersey 20-9-08 mv Keewhit going down river from St. Mary's Tower 02.jpg (0/4)
 

On Sun, 12 Oct 2008 22:20:18 +0100, "Tuppence"
wrote:


Hi Ralph,


Was away for a couple of days so unable to see your reply until now.

I have perused your web sites and I see, that like myself, you are a former
ship's engineer and hospital engineer. Unlike yourself my apprenticeship was
land based in a non marine related industry.


You are, of course, correct about all the shipping companies who had their
head offices in Liverpool. I add to your list Elder Dempster (same building
as Blue Funnel?) with whom I had an aquaintance in the 1960s having been for
short time a junior engineer on the Kohima, Egori, and Bhamo.

I also worked for Athel Line (MV Athelduchess) and Charlton Steam Shipping
Co of London (by then a subsidary of Chandris). The bulk of my sea going
time being with the latter company including 3 trips on MV Charlton Mira (10
months, 12 months, & 14 months). I also worked on other Chandris vessels
under various flags including delivery of Chandris acquisitions to Piraeus
in Greece, amongst these being the British India vessel Daressa.

Worked also in the drawing offices of John Thompson (Watertube Boilers) Ltd
until merged with Clarke Chapman when their Belfast drawing Office closed.

I retired in December 2000 after 25 years in the Health Service, the final
20 years as an engineer at the Royal Group of Hospitals with the title of
'Units Engineer', 'Senior Engineer', and finally 'Estates Officer III' (same
job but the title kept morphing at each reorganisation). The old title of
'Hospital Engineer' died many years ago in one the various reorganisations
to which governments see fit to subject the Health Service.

Regards,

Tuppence



P.s.

As an Engineer Surveyor you might be interested to know that the boilers at
'The Royal' are 3 Thompson Coalmaster twin furnace common combustion chamber
boilers each rated at 30,000 lbs/hour F&A and 2 Robey Lincoln oil fired
single furnace boilers each rated at 35,000 lbs/hour F&A. The Thompson
boilers were converted to oil firing (retaining the same rating) in the mid
1990s and in 1999 all boilers were further converted to natural gas firing.
Statutary inspections, during my time, were carried out by Royal Insurance,
later Royal & Sun Alliance.

I started surveying in the old National Vulcan which was Sun Alliance
so ended up in the RSA post merger.

Do not start me on the way that company went!!!

Hence early retirement.................

Keith