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SOLEN (1961)

PostPosted: Thu Jul 12, 2012 1:30 pm
by teesships
Mention of the SOLEN in THE LONG REACH (viewtopic.php?f=11&t=3074) reminded me I had photographed her on 23 August 1961. Well, sort of ...
0129solen.jpg
0129solen.jpg (10.83 KiB) Viewed 7248 times
SOLEN (5333402), Shell Tankers Ltd, 42162gt, completed Swan, Hunter & W.Richardson, Wallsend, 11-1961 BU Kaohsiung 22.12.82 [Sie Yung Steel Wire Co]
As far as I can remember (not very far!) I never ever saw her again, although her sister SERENIA became a regular visitor to the Tees in her later days as a shuttle tanker, my first sighting of her being in 1979.
When I looked back in my notebook I was initially confused as my first sighting of the SOLEN said on stocks - Wallsend. How had I photographed her afloat .... then I checked my dates, my first sighting on the stocks was 26 May 1961 and the photo was from August!
But that raised another interesting question. Given that I then recorded every ship in sight (hard going on river trips down the Tyne back in those halcyon days!!) where was the SERENIA on 26 May 1961? She was launched at Vickers-Armstrongs on 18.10.1960 and completed 7-1961 ... so she should have there ... but somehow I never saw her!
Ron

Re: SOLEN (1961)

PostPosted: Thu Jul 12, 2012 3:58 pm
by northeast
SERENIA ... I had seen her alongside Vickers on 08/04/1961 Ron, viewed from the land though.
Must have been hiding somewhere!

Re: SOLEN (1961)

PostPosted: Thu Jul 12, 2012 6:02 pm
by magoonigal
Tyne and Wear Museum at Blandford Street has a very nice model of the SOLEN but I'm not sure if its on display.

Re: SOLEN (1961)

PostPosted: Thu Jul 12, 2012 9:23 pm
by tynebuoy
Solen (1).jpg

Solen (2).jpg

Re: SOLEN (1961)

PostPosted: Thu Jul 12, 2012 9:45 pm
by teesships
Launch day 30 June 1961 (presumably). And just look at all those ships in the top photo. Great to see these, many thanks.
Ron

Re: SOLEN (1961)

PostPosted: Thu Jul 12, 2012 10:27 pm
by magoonigal
A very interesting contrast between the two Port Line vessels in the Dry Docks..........

SOLEN was Yard Number 1867. Keel Laid 21st August 1959. Launch as above. Trials 21st October 1961.

Re: SOLEN (1961)

PostPosted: Tue Jul 17, 2012 3:40 pm
by northeast
LINKMOOR (1961) fitting out at Hawthorn's?

Re: SOLEN (1961)

PostPosted: Wed Jul 18, 2012 8:17 pm
by magoonigal
I was more interested in the wee vessel downriver from her....but there is nothing small in the Hawthorn's list.

Re: SOLEN (1961)

PostPosted: Wed Jul 18, 2012 8:35 pm
by Whickham
Possibly BRITISH VENTURE (launched 08/12/1961) on the stocks next to LINKMOOR and OCEAN TRANSPORT (launched 25/09/1961), (in the grey) as the nearest in Leslie's yard. But what about that tanker (bulker?) without a funnel in Wallsend Dry Dock?

Re: SOLEN (1961)

PostPosted: Thu Jul 19, 2012 7:15 pm
by tynebuoy
The two Port vessels in D/D are Port Fairy and Port Launceston.