COTOPAXI

[TEESMAN]

COTOPAXI in King George July 1971

Photo Michael Green

[teesships]

COTOPAXI (5081279), Royal Mail Lines Ltd., 8559gt,
completed Wm Denny & Bros., Dumbarton, 4-1954
1954 COTOPAXI - 1972 KAVO LONGOS
BU Shanghai 15.12.75

Albert Weller found a vantage point outside Middlesbrough Dock for this undated view:

Ron

[northeast]

Shows how close the main railway line was on its approach to M'bro Station .... my first ship-spotting must have been from the train, possibly en route Redcar to Darlington for train-spotting!

[Poyntonian]

possibly en route Redcar to Darlington for train-spotting!

Me too, but it would be from Saltburn.

[teesships]

.... and then when travelling by train to Newcastle you could also see some of the ships at Hartlepool, and at Sunderland.
.... and en route to Hull you might catch something at Beverley.

Those were the days. Full days out by train and "shank's pony"! (and maybe a Tyne river trip as a bonus).

Ron

[northeast]

..... do mean Selby not Beverley, Ron? If you used the old York - Market Weighton - Beverley - Hull line, which I did on first visit to Hull in 1964, I don't think you would see the shipyard?
And a very quick glimpse of anything fitting out in Hessle Haven if coming via Selby.

[teesships]

Memory playing tricks ..... again!

You are, of course, right. Checking back in my notebooks my first sighting of the new ORMESBY CROSS on 4 July 1967 was at ..... Hessle! (from the train)

I'd forgotten about changing trains at York (or Leeds???). I did the trip three times - 1966, 1967, and 1969. After that I had my own transport.

Ron

[Rivoldini]

COTOPAXI may have been owned by RML but as far as I recall it was always operated by Pacific S.N.Co. But memory is fading rapidly at this end!

[teesships]

Ron,

Everyone's keeping me on my toes today!

Yes, you are right! Pacific Steam Nav. (and I should have realised!)
However, I simply chose the wrong line from the Miramar entry which has her transferring to Royal Mail in 1970 (I've not checked either my own records nor LR to confirm this).

Ron