I'll bet it was the Meccano set that sparked your interest in engineering. Santa brought me a pirate version of Meccano, called a "Constructional Steel Set" and I never looked back. Innocent days.

Hi ES
I think you could be on to something there - Santa brought that one for Christmas 1961 when I was 6 years old, then the 4a, 5a, 6a, 7a, 8a, over the next few years.

That would mean I have been in fulltime engineering for nearly 62 years :sweat:
Still going to work every day - we got 1 less stack than the Titanic, but even less sinkable (barring a tsunami coming up the Severn Estuary) - no plans for retirement (as in equity) for the foreseeable future.

My Parents also gave me the full Swallows & Amazon book series over several years - I never thought of it as career advise before, but was there a hidden agenda? - the book Missee Lee left me in good stead when I went into the first Chinese Restaurant that only had chopsticks (in Durban) I just picked them up and started eating. Maybe the Castle :pint: helped. I also managed to find my own "Missee Lee" in Taiwan, before I was given the "Short Goodbye" from UASC in 1983.

I still miss the "sahib 11:15" wakeup call from the Donkeyman and curry for breakfast.

I trust you were not on the 8-12!

Started reading Swallows and Amazons to improve my engineering and found in the first chapter that steam and diesel featured lightly. When the story started referring to a child of impressionable age as Titty I made my excuses and left.

I'm sticking with Meccano and Lego and might chance a home weather station.

Ihave a home weather station, it is now raining in Ballinamore, it also tells me that the gray egghead has gone for a haircut.

On the 8-12 it was usually the 4E who woke me up at 11:15 & 23-15 to do the ER log :big_tongue:

@ Engine Serang

Strangely my brother came round with my Cap and Blues Uniform which he had pried from that cupboard.

We were talking about the said girl, who apparently was my brothers wife's, sister in-law's, great aunt. (or some such distant relative)
The family was the inspiration for the book series back in the 1930s.

By the time of the book Missee Lee her younger brother, Roger had risen to the rank of Cabin Boy - so it wasn't Captain Pugwash, it was Captain Flint :wink:

And you need a machine to tell you if it's raining in Ballinamore!

Perhaps i'll chance another chapter.

Flint. A hard act to follow.

Some thought he was thick but he was a bright spark.

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to anybody who is still following this thread.:pint::pint:

And the same to you and yours.

As a kid my Grandad always gave me model lorries for Xmas / Birthdays
Dinky / Corgi / Spot on / Matchbox
Mybe thats why in later life ended up driving trucks ..

All the best wishes for Xmas and the New Year to all Shipmates .

Tony

Albie, Keep the Faith, we're in the background all the time.

And to you Albie. Still visit here and check FB page. Alan

Hello Albie,
all the best to you and anybody else who is still here. Memories last forever.

Regards,

Bob

My first trip
 

IBN Khallikan 6/1977 took her out of Hyundai ship yard was 20 years old

Greetings 2ndlecky and welcome to SH. Bon voyage.

Al Mansouriah 6/1977, 2/Eng, 27 years old but felt like 77!

Welcome 2ndLecky, Salaam Alikum.

Hmm a thought just crossed my mind "Pirate Meccano Set" "Hyundai Shipbuilding and Heavy Industries" Same Same?

Now it would appear that I have to thank one of the Captains that I sailed with, over 40 years late! I can't for sure remember who it was but was, possibly either Captain Griffiths, Captain Quigley or Captain Hunt.

What happened was that on either the Ibn Qutaibah Christmas 1978 or more likely Hijaz Christmas 1979 we were in the Far East - as part of the Christmas Day Celebrations there was a Lucky Dip Tub, which everyone put in something - I think I put in a new pair of long white socks (Don't think I ever wore tropical socks, always just sandals) When it came to my turn to dip, out came a box with a rather nice Satsuma Ware Ginger Jar in it. Not bad I thought (it was the star prize) and when I got home gave it to Mum.

Last year both parents had to go in to care and we started to clear the house a bit - I don't think they ever threw anything away! - and I repossessed the Ginger Jar.

I had always thought the jar was made in the 1970s - I think it was given to the Captain by the Dunnage Man, probably in Kobe, as a present, after a large order for dunnage.

A couple of days ago my wife suggested I try and find more info about it on the net - she is an avid watcher of Flogit, Dickinson et al. She looked at the Japanese kanji on the base and could read them as they were the same as Chinese characters, "That's Shui, same as my name and that's San, mountain" she said. After a quick Google search we came to the conclusion that the maker was Shuzan of the late Meiji period which ended in 1912, so it would appear that I am in possession of a Genwin Anteek which is possibly worth a lot more than I have thought for the last 40 years.

I also have to thank Captain Hunt for a piece of advise he gave me and the other J/E in the bar one night - I can't remember what the conversation was about but he said "Whatever you do don't try to marry a Taiwanese Girl - the marriage isn't legal and they can't leave the country" Of course I didn't take his advise a few years later, but it made me make sure we were doing exactly the right things before we got married.

Great story, Lao Pan!

Rgds.
Dave

And £55,000 in the bank, Tsingtao's all round.

Yes, great story.

If only! - ya never know!

But that would be a trip for 2 back to Taiwan and as much Taiwan National Breweries Beer as I could drink.

I have already raised a can of Wadworth's 6X (my other favourite beer - and easier to get hold of) to the Captain, whichever and wherever he may be now :pint: