barber priam

My last ship as engineer cadet.

MV Barber Priam was one of 2 ships managed by ED for Barber Blue Sea. Sister ship was Barber Perseus. She was Gross - 21747t and net 11999 t. Japanese built Mitsubishi finished engineering at it's best (usually). They had a 9 x RNDM 900 engine and packed a punch. They had 5 x 8 cylinder Yanmar diesel genny engines which kept the 4th busy (as I later found out when I was promoted!) If I remember right we could do 25 knots which was the fastest I had experienced.

I should have joined the ship in New York but caught tonsillitis and was sent home from Birkenhead with a doctor's line. I will never forget how bad I felt walking down to Oddy works to see Daggy. Auntie Pat, daggy's secretary remarked how awful I looked and she made an appointment for me with the company doc at India Buildings where I had to go to get my tickets from larger than life Stan Jones and the lovely Madeline. The doc told me to go home for a few weeks and rest with some antibiotics! I returned to Oddy works a few weeks later. I got my tickets and queried not having a Visa. Stan told me that a letter of introduction from the Company was all I needed. Obviously no-one had told the immigration at Dubai, UAE cos I got kept under armed guard at the airport for over an hour. I remember joining her and thinking what a cracker she was. it was my first trip on a proper state of the art motor ship. I remember also that the 3rd and the 4th were none too happy about me having had tonsillitis as they had done a major on one of the genny's coming across the Atlantic and I hadn't been there to help. (There is a god!)

It was stinking as usual up the Gulf but I'd never been there before and I remember when we got to Kuwait City having to go into the crankcase to help Peter Moodie, the 3/E to change a bearing or something. It felt hotter than on top of Tantalus' boilers or the L boats bogs! I think Brian Stewart from Aberdeen was the chief, the 2nd was Rob ? from Belfast and the 4th Russell ? The RoRo's (the engineers in charge of the decks and forklift trucks) were mad Dave Mantle (an ex sub mariner, reformed alcoholic and Ken Brown, the dour Dundonian). What a double act. They were great. I don't think much happened on that trip. It was a case of putting in the time and finishing off my cadetship.

Nearly finished it in style, though . I was on watch with the 2/E when I nearly seized the main engine as we were approaching one of the ports on the East side of the USA just before I got off.. I said to Rob that I would shut down the fresh water generator, and at full speed to make the pilot; it was perhaps folly to shut down the 3 way valve directing the cooling water to the main engine the wrong way. As the high temp warning lights came on for the main engine and an automatic slow down light shone on the bridge, I had the presence of mind to realise the problem and before Rob could sus out I dashed to the valve and cracked it open. I can still remember the noise of the cooling water flowing into the main engine jackets and flashing off!! We slowed a little and with a lump in my throat checked the scavenge space peep holes expecting to see water, sparks or something. Not a sausage and I lived to tell another tale. What a prat!! Thankfully I still got a good report. I came home and exactly 4weeks later was flying out to Barber Memnon in Vancouver as a 5th engineer.