On charter to Harrisons of Liverpool

Recalled by Reg Mercer

"In the early 70's I was 3rd Mate on the Clan MacGregor when we did a charter for the Scandinavian East Africa Line.

The funnel was repainted in SEAL colours and we carried a Norwegian Supercargo. I remember that he was always smoking a rather large cigar. We got to visit quite a few Scandinavian ports which was a bit different from the usual loading/discharge ports.

I joined in Wallsend with the ship just coming out of drydock. Within a couple of hours of sailing we had an engine room fire which was not a good start to the charter, but it improved after that. I have a photo of the funnel which unfortunately is in black and white but I seem to remember it was bright yellow with red, white and blue stripes!"

Clan MacGregor on The Clyde

A painting by John H Smith

Review  - December 1962

1982 Sold to Greece renamed Angelika R

Her sale marked the end of the Clan Line

The final arrival of a Clan liner, 15th October 1981 by Ken Lowe of the Manchester Ship Canal Facebook Group

Clan Line ships were a familiar sight in the Ship Canal and at Salford Docks from the first arrival of the 'Clan Cameron' in January 1897 until this final arrival of the 'Clan Macgregor', seen turning into 9 Dock on this sad occasion.

This ship was then the last remaining Clan liner in service and her arrival in 9 Dock from India marked the very end of Clan Line services after a period of 103 years since this once-great shipping line commenced operations. A week or so after this photo, the ship departed under her new name, 'Angelika R', for further service with a Greek company.

This was also the final arrival of a large cargo liner at Manchester. Other than the 'Carchester', no further vessels of this size arrived at the Docks after this date, although smaller ships continued to use the Docks until 1983.

The 'Clan Macgregor', completed in 1962, was one of three sisterships built by the Greenock Dockyard Co. around that period, her sisters being the Clans 'Macgillivray' amd 'Macgowan'. The 'Clan Alpine' was built five years later to a similar design.

Unfortunately the 'Angelika R' did not survive very long for her new owners. She caught fire south-east of Cyprus in November 1982 while on a voyage from Mersin to Bombay and, after being laid-up in Larnaca, she was towed to the breakers in Piraeus, arriving there on 8th March 1983.