Good Hope Castle (2)

GOOD HOPE CASTLE (2) was built in 1965 by Swan, Hunter & Wigham Richardson at Wallsend with a tonnage of 10538grt, a length of 592ft, a beam of 77ft 5in and a service speed of 22.5 knots.

The second 'Mini Mail' fast cargo ship, her delivery was delayed by 3.5 months during which time the Capetown Castle had to undertake her sailings but her eventual arrival meant that seven ships could handle the mail contract requirements instead of eight.

She was the first of the pair to have her accommodation altered to cater for the government requirements.

On 23rd June 1973 a severe engine room fire spread to the accommodation and she had to be abandoned.

Eighty two survivors were picked up by the Liberian tanker George F. Getty and were landed at Ascension.

Taken in tow by the German owned salvage tug Albatros she reached Antwerp on 18th August.

There, the contract for the extensive repairs was awarded to Astilleros Espanoles and, as a result, she was towed to Bilboa by the tug Heros.

Repairs were completed by May in the following year and she was back in service on 31st of that month.

Like her sister, she also had the distinction of appearing on an Ascension Island postage stamp in May 1976.

In February 1978 she was sold to Costa Armatori SpA of Genoa and renamed Paolo C.

Wheelhouse of Good Hope Castle

Painting the bridge front, pre health and safety issues! AB Phil Hayden

S/Stwd. Fred Wilkinson

Bob Tallach 3/O and probably Trevor Johns.

Officer’s lounge, Asst Purser, Think G Walter, ? , ?, Trevor Johns S/2/O, Stephen Wright.

Two four legged passengers Cape Town to East London, A B Bob Henshall, AB Phil Hayden and Bob Tallach 3/O

By invitation to the crew’s mess, an evening’s entertainment and pre Christmas Party in honour of Mrs. L’Estrange

Life at Sea - 1966

Master	From	To
D L’Estrange	1/1966	5/1968
D Sowden Relief Master	7/1967	8/1867
R Shattock Relief Master	8/1967	9/1967
A A Freer Relief Master	12/1967	4/1968
H Charnley	3/1969	3/1970
P St Q Beadon	5/1970	10/1970
I Bennet	10/1970	7/1971
C Hedges Relief Master	8/1971	9/1971
J Catterall Relief Master	11/1971	1/1972
H N Dryden	2/1972	6/1973
R J Miller Relief Master	6/1973	8/1973
Fire & Repairs	6/1973	5/1974
P J Rose Died on Board	5/1974	8/1974
P Eckford	8/1974	2/1975
A G Allson	3/1973	8/1975
M Ure	10/1975	8/1976
A G Allson	11/1975	12/1976
W J Howson	2/1977	11/1977
Laid up	11/1977	2/1978

Permanent Masters shown in bold

Launch - February 1965 & Maiden Voyage - January 1966

Review - April 1965

Good Hope Castle Left Southampton 14 January For South Africa
Master	D L’Estrange
Chief Officer	R S Olden
Second Officer	J H Butress
Extra Second Officer	T M Johns
Third Officer	P Nind
Cadets	L Goilot A King W Boreham R Lenthall
Carpenter	W Ross
Bosun	A Weaver
First Radio Officer	P Goddard
Chief Engineer	R Gemmell
First Engineer	P Marett
Second Engineer	J Miller
Jnr Second Engineer	G Skinner A Nimmo
Junior Engineer	D Ross J Collins D Robinson C Dawson
Engineer Cadets	R Whitten
Chief Frig Engineer	E Tulip
First Electrician	R Purssell
Second Electrician	T Falconer
ER Storekeeper	G Barfoot
Purser/Catering Officer	F McKiernan
Asst Pursers	C Gatehouse
Chef	D Pope

Taken in December 1966 of the officers aboard the Good Hope Castle

Front row. P Marret 1st Engineer, F McKiernan Chief Purser, Capt D L’Estrange Master,

R Gemmell Chief Engineer, A MacIntyre Chief Officer, R Hooker Snr 2nd Engineer

Middle Row. R Tallack 3rd Officer, Cadet, F Chatterton Jnr 2nd Engineer, F Hill Assistant Purser, Cadet, P Goddard Radio Officer, Cadet, ?, ?.

Back Row. ?, ?, A White Ex 2nd Officer, J Crutwell Jnr 2nd Engineer, T Johns 2nd Officer, ?, Cadet, ?, E Tulip Chief Fridge Engineer

Good Hope Castle Officers - 1966

Good Hope Castle Left Southampton 4 November For South Africa
Master	D L’Estrange
Chief Officer	A MacIntyre
Second Officer	T M Johns
Extra Second Officer	A White
Third Officer	R Tallack
Cadets	N Burgess-Webb G Walter S Waters B Wright
First Radio Officer	P Goddard
Chief Engineer	R Gemmell
First Engineer	P Marett
Second Engineer	R Hooker
Jnr Second Engineer	F Chatterton J Crutwell
Junior Engineer	R Rees J Collins R Wood
Engineer Cadets	D Hudson
Chief Frig Engineer	E Tulip
First Electrician	H Pringle
Second Electrician	P Wright
Purser/Catering Officer	F McKiernan
Second Purser Catering	H Hill

Good Hope Castle adrift in the South Atlantic after the fire

The pictures above were taken by Mike Line, then serving as a cadet on Southampton Castle

“I took a few until I ran out of film, all on Kodak slides. The press wanted the pictures and offered a good price, but Head office refused to let me sell them. I think they were used in the subsequent enquires”

The next sequence of pictures was taken by someone then serving aboard Clan Malcolm

They show her after the effects of the second fire and the burnt out accommodation and deck cargo

The German Bugsier Tug Albatros that towed Good Hope Castle from the South Atlantic to Antwerp

The German Bugsier tug Heros that towed Good Hope Castle from the Antwerp to Bilbao

Clansman - August 1973

Fire at Sea - 1973

Taken in January 1970 of the officers aboard the Good Hope Castle

Front row. Eddie Bremner 2nd Officer, Peter Lovell 1st Engineer, R. Kenyon Chief Officer, H. Charnley Master,

John Forbes Chief Engineer, Bill Parr, Purser. John Davies 2nd Engineer.

Back Row, C. Tingley Chief Electrician. second left, M. Thomas Chief Fridge Engineer, last in the row

I cannot put names to the rest but I have a list of all on the Photo, so I expect they will be soon recognised.

S. Ivey Extra 2/O, M. Savage 3rd Officer, Cadets: N .Middlehurst, D. Daley, A. Lukes, G. Thomson. D. Withers Chief Radio Officer.

J. Robertson Jnr 2nd Engineer, B. Cook Jnr 2nd Engineer, Junior Engineers: W. Saberton, G. Liddle, R. Hutton, Engineer Cadet:, J. Thomlinson, R. Hutton.

A. May 2nd Electrician

Ships Officers - 1970

Good Hope Castle Left Southampton 26 December For South Africa
Master	H Charnley
Chief Officer	R Kenyon
Second Officer	E Bremner
Extra Second Officer	S Ivey
Third Officer	M Savage
Cadets	N Middlehurst D Daley A Lukes G Thomson
First Radio Officer	D Withers
Chief Engineer	J Forbes
First Engineer	P Lovell
Second Engineer	J Davies
Jnr Second Engineer	J Robertson B Cook
Junior Engineer	D Brown G Liddell W Saberton
Engineer Cadets	J Thomlinson R Hutton
Chief Frig Engineer	M Thomas
First Electrician	C Tingley
Second Electrician	A May
Purser/Catering Officer	W Parr
Second Purser Catering	K Hanson

Life at Sea - 1972

Good Hope Castle Left Southampton 31 December For South Africa
Master	J Catterall
Chief Officer	W Sutherland
Second Officer	M Newlands
Extra Second Officer	C Bagwell
Third Officer	G Paxton
Cadets	M Madelin D Renson-Smith D Mercer R Lewis
Bosun	D Collins
First Radio Officer	D Withers
Chief Engineer	J Forbes
First Engineer	K Talbot
Second Engineer	J Field
Jnr Second Engineer	W Croston W Atkinson
Junior Engineer	J Phelps D Craig A Wight C Samuel
Engineer Cadets	W Lang J Powell
Chief Frig Engineer	J Harrison
First Electrician	C Tingley
Second Electrician	P Bennett
Senior Mechanic	D Clarke
ER Storekeeper	K Le Gallais
Purser/Catering Officer	R Rex
Second Purser Catering	R Kennedy
Chef	T Hughes

Back in Service - May 1974

Good Hope Castle Left Southampton 31 May For South Africa
Master	P J Rose
Chief Officer	W Sutherland
Second Officer	M Brown
Third Officer	A Gorringe
Cadets	N Purdon E Swale A Gale D Thomson
Bosun	E Petty
First Radio Officer	R Wilson
Chief Engineer	J Bunney
First Engineer	K Talbot
Second Engineer	E Pailthorpe
Jnr Second Engineer	W Croston D Andrews
Junior Engineer	R Ashley G Newns C Buckingham W Rae
Chief Frig Engineer	W Patterson
First Electrician	A Moir
Second Electrician	P Lake
Senior Mechanic	K Richards D Bristow J Drummond
ER Storekeeper	K Le Gallais
Purser/Catering Officer	R Rex
Second Purser Catering	W Black

Clansman - June 1974

Life after Union-Castle Line

As Paolo C

Deck cranes fitted

Not as much care taken over her appearance

Accommodation Fire - July 1970

Clansman - October 1970

Good Hope Castle Left Southampton 10 July For South Africa
Master	P St Q Beadon
Chief Officer	P Flatau
Second Officer	E Bremner
Extra Second Officer	A Blackburn
Third Officer	M Williamson
Cadets	I Ward C Tyacke A Wright A Theunissen
Bosun	D Stanley
First Radio Officer	D Withers
Chief Engineer	K Talbot
First Engineer	J Davies
Second Engineer	W Newton
Jnr Second Engineer	A Young J Whitehead
Junior Engineer	C Cardwell M Jennings C Smith
Engineer Cadets	M Wiggins R Hatton
Chief Frig Engineer	M Thomas
First Electrician	C Tingley
Second Electrician	R Butt
ER Storekeeper	K le Gallais
Purser/Catering Officer	W Parr
Second Purser Catering	T Watkins
Chef	A Dawson

Bosun Arthur Weaver

Good Hope Castle before conversion

Good Hope Castle after conversion

Addition of Passenger Accommodation - 1967

Good Hope Castle - Art Gallery

Good Hope Castle

By David J Bray

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