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[AndyR]

Looking through the ships built by Smiths Dock I came across HMS Rowan.


It was rebuilt as a motor cargo ship in 1947.


So if you have a spare Flower Class hull, here's something to do with it..

[westcoaster]

While looking similar, Rowan was a Tree class armed trawler not a Flower class corvette.
Interesting idea though

[AndyR]

Yes, I see it now, I thought it looked a bit small for a Flower.
[/size]Jumped to a conclusion because the Flowers were built to a Smiths Dock design.
[/size]Almost identical to the Isles class but built on the Tees rather than in Scotland.
[/size]
[/size]Back in the mid 70s I spent time aboard an Isles class.
[/size]Formerly the HMT Neave built [/size] [/color][/size]built by [/color][/size]Cook Welton & Gemmill of Beverley[/size][/color][/size]it was renamed as the Tulipbank and was fitted out to clean ship's fuel tanks.


[/size]Foster Wheeler converted her in the 50s along with two others Tulip Glen and Tulip Bud. They were very busy on the Mersey and Clyde, working on all Blue Funnel and Clan Line vessels. It moved to the Tees in the 70s.
[/size]
[/size]My dad was an engineer and at the time one of the few that still had a ticket for triple expansion engines and Scotch firetube boilers. Plus he used to work for Richard & Westgarth boiler makers in Hartlepool, they were part of Foster Wheeler.
[/size]He was contracted to overhaul and recommission the boiler after a rebuild. We spent the summer aboard with the Sea Cadets using it as a base for sailing
[/size]I also learned how to fire up and run a boiler plant and triple expansion engine, along with the ancillary plant such as turbo alternators, vertical auxiliary boilers, feed pumps and condensers.


 

[derekwarner]

AndyR......

When you say...."Tulipbank and was fitted out to clean ship's fuel tanks".......do you mean those large capacity cylindrical tanks port & stdb topside of Tulibankn were to collect pumped bunker sea oily sludge from other vessels?

If so, was this oily sludge then piped ashore for further refinement, or boiler feed for generation plants etc?

Derek 

[AndyR]

The two large tanks were part of the giant vacuum suction system, they were located on a 'flying deck' installed above the engine room skylight and ventilators. You can see the supports dropping to the bulwarks.
Sludge was actually stored in hull tanks fitted between the superstructure and forecastle in what as a warship was accommodation etc. Those that were converted to fishing had their fish hold there as you would expect.
In the two pictures she looks pretty well loaded, see how low the freeboard is forward?


It could be used as fuel for the boiler or discharged ashore.


Back in the 50s and 50s it was just discharged at sea if it couldn't be burned.

[tassie48]

Hi some went back to Whaling from there original design,  a couple were weather ships , a light ship , a freighter, a tug , one I was told was a hospital ship so a mixed bag of use great little ship the Germans had four that they caught on the building slips when they overran France and were Flak ships my model was PA 2 a flak ship under German control .tassie48