Albert Weller caught the locally built VOLUTA at the Teesport Oil Berths.
She was 24406gt, completed at the Furness Shipyard, Haverton Hill, in July 1962 for the Shell tanker fleet. In 1970 she was sold and renamed ESTRELLA PATAGONICA -
89 ESTREL - BU Alang 6.89 [Haryana Steel Co Delhi]
50 years ago today (well, almost!) An event which changed history. Not quite, but one which had some significance to me.
On 27 July 1962 I was still using a very old camera of my dad's to take my ship photographs. Very much on spec I happened to be near the Transporter Bridge when the VOLUTA, presumably starting her delivery voyage, passed by. This was the result: I had known for the 15 months I had been using it that the camera had various shortcomings. However, there on the left was a little bit of the MALATYA in complete darkness; the lovely veteran Tees tug ACKLAM CROSS as the head tug was reasonably sharp (on the original 9x6 cm contact print), but in the middle some detail of the VOLUTA was, to say the least, fuzzy!
I had come upon the subject matter quite fortuitously; but the result was a disappointment. It was seeing this printed picture that determined me to "persuade" my parents that a new camera was essential! 16 years old, no job, only so-so "O" level results (when they were announced about a month later!). I don't know how I did it, but a week or so later I was the proud owner of a new camera. OK, it was just a Kodak box camera, but as I have shown you several times, the results were a vast improvement on the old ones! Real modernity, in the shape of a 35mm camera was not to come until I came of age at 21 years in 1966.
An event which changed history? No, but it helped shape the history of the development of my shipping interest.
(and, yes, I know you have already heard parts of this story previously!)
See also: http://www.teesbuiltships.co.uk/furness ... ta1962.htm
Ron