A Smoky Old Tramp

 

Well, Tramp Steamer.  

Nicholson Transit Company assumed much of the operations of the Nicholson Universal Steamship Company as a result of changes in vessel technology and size. A fleet of nine vessels, including the Pioneer and the Charles Donnelly were maintained. These vessels were equipped with cranes and multiple decks to accommodate different cargo. Most handled cargo included automobiles, pig iron steel trade material, and grain. Nicholson Transit Company was an innovative user of unique decks including tank tops for grain and straight and multiple decks to carry automobiles. These efficiencies helped the company become a leader in the carrier business. Nicholson Transit Company discontinued operations after the 1960-61 shipping season primarily as a result of pressure from the eastern railroad companies. Price slashing and larger ocean bound vessels made using the Great Lakes seaway more expensive and less efficient. As a result of government subsidized railroad competition, the company was forced out of business.

Cruising on a Tuesday

 

This sad old Rust Bucket seems to be the "Queen of Bermuda".

Quite an interesting ship, but quite a tedious slide.

A Floating Dry-Dock?

 

Curious. This box had a series of Slide Mounts, each with a 35mm Black and White negative mounted in them. How rare. The seller claimed that they dated from 1937...and that might be reasonable.

This image had no description, but appears to be a floating dry-dock, so... COULD be the USS ARD-1. Or maybe something else.

Bonus :

"And they sailed off without us!"

 

I can imagine the front page story in the Esher and Surbiton Gazette.

"Our Holiday Hell.

Mr and Mrs Edwin Falconbridge told the Gazette of the disappointment when, on their annual holiday cruise round the Bahamas, they were callously left behind on the harbour quay when a foreign er pretending to be the Captain, sailed off from Jamaica, just because they were 75 minutes late from shore excursion."

This seems to be the "SS Queen of Bermuda",  She had an interesting life, including the ship having the distinction of being the only ocean liner to have sailed with one, two and three funnels.

Bonus - One way to fill a container with wheat

Ship-Shape and ....what?

 I've often looked at this slide, and wonder "What, who, where and when." And I have no answers.

It looks like some sort of converted ex-war ship, but converted to what?

The name could be "WESTERN LA...", but that's open to debate.

It's annoying.

Bonus - King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard - Interior People.

The Reserve Armada

 

No info on this one (Surprise) but the feeling I get is that these are Ships forming part of the US Navy's reserve fleet.

Also known as Mothballed, the ships are capable of being reactivated, in times of crisis. Or, being scrapped.

Bonus - Medieval Punishment  Harsh, but fair.

On the Cruise Ship Veracruz

 

A slightly unusual view from the S.S.Veracruz, with a lucky (?) couple being serenades by Trumpet, Trombone and Drums.  Lovely.

The S.S. Veracruz, was one of two ship of the Bahama Star Cruise Line.

Bonus - 

Paddleboat "The President"

 

Not every December blog post  is about Christmas. And not every post mentions Christmas.. such as this one...oh crap.

So, today we have the US paddleboat "President". Originally it was the Cincinatti, but, well, obviously that's a crappy name.

Bonus - Who needs digital sound effects?

Meanwhile, Just Off The Coast of Zanzibar...

A small flotilla (nice word) of tramp steamers, pleasure craft, dredgers and 60-man canoes assemble, awaiting the chance to invade.

A slightly unusual photo from HMNZS Achoo, but one that is no better than the traditional "view of the sea and sky, with a squint horizon" slide that we usually see.

Bonus - 

RMS Caronia

Yes, it's the Winter Solstice, so lets mark the day with a slides of...



... the RMS Caronia.   The pride of the Cunard Line.

(Info available on Wikipedia.)

Bonus - Continuing the theme - the rather odd story of the Liner -vs-Liner naval battle. with one liner sinking its doppelganger.

Bonus 2 - Vertigo sufferers.... No Don't.   2000ft up.

A Nice Day Out

Great day, seeing the weapons of mass destruction, and lots and lots of Seamen.

Bonus - "What concept fucks you up the most?" "The idea that blind people don’t just see black, they see nothing."

Bonus 2 - Cheese Saturday 4
An admission - This was the first Christmas Cheese I tried, but I saved the write up until the end.
Today - a Petit Gaugry.

The Ghost Ships

I dare say that there is someone, somewhere who could identify these mothballed ships.

They might not even need the enlargement section also attached ("US Navy E 775"?)

But they certainly look like creepy ghost ships, to me.

Bonus 1 - The Daily Mail knows the stories that interest their readers.

Bonus 2 - You can get Camouflaged Baby Coffins in the US....

I say. Is that a Liberty Ship?

They few enough items on interet in this slide - so I'm hoping that's a Liberty Ship.

For any youngsters out there, the Liberty Ship was a class of cargo ship built in the United States during World War II. Though British in conception, the design was adapted by the United States for its simple, low-cost construction. Mass-produced on an unprecedented scale, the now iconic Liberty ship came to symbolize U.S. wartime industrial output. Around 2,700 Liberty Ships were produced.

Bonus - Some pedestrians should not be messed with.

Two Happy Chaps

Perhaps they were at Teenage Fanclub's gig last night at Sheffield Leadmill.

Excellent night - marred (for me) by an idiotic portion of the audience who spent the whole night travelling back and forth between the two bars. I reckon the same cockwomble in a U2 t-shirt squeezed past me seven times. FFS.

Actually, these two chaps are probably in 1950's America, judging by the fashions, and the phalanx of demobbed Liberty Ships in the background.

The Extraordinary war record  of  Yang Kyoungjong

Ahoy Mates !

Nothing like spending a life on the ocean wave.

Or even just yachting for a weekend.

Actually, I've been reading about The HMS Wager Mutiny and when this slide cropped up, it seemed like serendipity.

Bonus - Kiss Me Now, Meet Me Later

TS Queen Mary

For a Tedious Tuesday, this slide is remarkably interesting.

From what I can read on the bow, this could be the "Queen Mary".   A little digging, and it seems to be a good call. It's actually the TS Queen Mary, rather than one of the bigger liners on that name.


Bonus - It's my blog, and ...

The Tall Ship

I'm guessing that they let George Junior take the photo of the rest of the family.

Shaky Hands !


Bonus - Belated Halloween Costume

Ship Ahoy !

Boring.



Bonus -

Death Dealing, but Dull

Tedious Tuesday is upon us, and more evidence that even the most exciting subject can make a tedious photograph.

If my research is right, this is the USS Ranger, which is currently awaiting scrapping.  wonder if it will fit my my garden?

Bonus -

RMS Caronia

RMS Caronia was a 34,183 gross register tons (GRT) passenger ship of the Cunard Line (then Cunard White Star Line). Launched on 30 October 1947, she served with Cunard until 1967. She was nicknamed the "Green Goddess" by the people of Liverpool because her livery resembled that of the local trams, also known as "Green Goddesses".[1] She is credited as one of the first "dual-purpose" built ships: suited to cruising, but also capable of transatlantic crossings. After leaving Cunard she briefly served as SS Caribia in 1969, after which she was laid up in New York until 1974 when she was sold for scrap.

This slide was dated as November 1958, and the background is rather industrial, so it's possible that this was taken while the Caronia was in dry dock for repairs.

Bonus - The building of the USS Macon.