Trivia Investigation Team

[mickthemaverick]

It reminded me of a sketch from long ago where someone had a typewriter with a failed 'e' key. The protagonist used this typewriter to write a letter of complaint to the manufacturer trying to not use the letter e - with hilarious results.

Would love to see the letter again. Or was I imagining it?

Not the one you were thinking of I'm sure but it surfaced in my research:

[bobins]

Meanwhile while today was about the sailing into the Tyne of the Galleon Andalucia there was a departure and arrival in Tyne of 2 of this type of Vessel. Small bit of curiosity about what type of trade they are engaged in...



Neil

It was a ship similar to that that 'fell over' in The Solent about 8 years ago

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-h ... e-35823182

There was a memorable quote from one of the RNLI crew called out to the rescue on the night it happened. As the stranded ship emerged out of the darkness, one of the lifeboat men on their little lifeboat was heard to say "......We're gonna need a bigger boat"

[NewcastleFalcon]

I have a sneaking suspicion that you already know the answer to the use of the ship Neil, but for the benefit of others all is revealed if you click here!!

Thanks for that Mick, being a complete novice at those touch screen smart phone things the Marine traffic thing was a bit difficult to navigate, while out and about, so I was leaving it until we got back to the ranch and hadn't got round to it.

It was a ship similar to that that 'fell over' in The Solent about 8 years ago

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-h ... e-35823182

There was a memorable quote from one of the RNLI crew called out to the rescue on the night it happened. As the stranded ship emerged out of the darkness, one of the lifeboat men on their little lifeboat was heard to say "......We're gonna need a bigger boat"

Thanks for the Extra's Bobins.

The desination port for the outbound ship was Santander., wonder what vehicles were in the "big boat chuggin back with a belly full of cars" (Song for Sharon verse 1-Joni Mitchell) Could be Nissans going out of course. Have to find out what the inbound "twin" was called.

Neil

[NewcastleFalcon]

The Departure
Mermaid Ace departed from Tyne Car Terminal 1, Tyne Dock South Shields....likely as not to be Nissan Cars outbound. 13.09 24/06/2024

The Arrival
Aquarius Ace arrived at Tyne Car Terminal 1, Tyne Dock South Shields from Laurium (Lavrion) Greece (One of the Ports of Athens) 14.06 24/05/2024

Does Greece have a vehicle manufacturing industry?

Neil

[NewcastleFalcon]

This gives some nice charts on the previous ports visited, Mermaid Ace certainly gets about a bit

Where is the UK Port referred to in the list as Portbury?

https://www.myshiptracking.com/vessels/ ... mo-9561289

Click to enlarge

Aquarius Ace is no less well-travelled, and the Greece call in probably more of a stop off on the way from the far east (Autoport China) to the Tyne.

https://www.myshiptracking.com/vessels/ ... mo-9150339

Neil

[NewcastleFalcon]

A dalliance into moving pictures

This one doesn't take long. The Aquarius Ace goes to all sorts of exotic places around the world with its cargo of vehicles, but lets keep it local and this little film from a cadet at the South Shields Marine College.

Now ships do move pretty slowly, particularly entering port so difficult to provide adrenaline fuelled entertainment



Neil

[mickthemaverick]

This gives some nice charts on the previous ports visited, Mermaid Ace certainly gets about a bit

Where is the UK Port referred to in the list as Portbury?

https://www.myshiptracking.com/vessels/ ... mo-9561289


Aquarius Ace is no less well-travelled, and the Greece call in probably more of a stop off on the way from the far east (Autoport China) to the Tyne.

https://www.myshiptracking.com/vessels/ ... mo-9150339

Neil

I believe that is the one, famous for being full of Volvos and Saabs in days gone by, on the River Avon known better as Avonmouth reached up the Severn estuary in Somerset.

[NewcastleFalcon]

I believe that is the one, famous for being full of Volvos and Saabs in days gone by, on the River Avon known better as Avonmouth reached up the Severn estuary in Somerset.

That's the one Mick, had to look it up myself. Didn't know about the SAAB and Volvo thing! On a much more difficult challenge currently I haven't a clue in spite of some googling of Steve's little puzzler here. You may be able to solve it! viewtopic.php?p=803636#p803636

On another note Marine Traffic was a touch inaccurate for the projected movements of the Galleon Andalucia yesterday. It had its destination port as Newcastle Australia, and was to get there today 25th June after starting its vogage on the morning of 24th June. Maybe it isn't that good at tracking Galleons!

Neil

[mickthemaverick]

I'm concentrating on Horizon inquiry now but I'll have a look later if you still haven't cracked it Neil!

[NewcastleFalcon]

Jim asked the question "What's the story of the railway (at North Blyth harbour) " here....

viewtopic.php?p=803986#p803986

My tangental starter for 10 pending research

too small

Sotherby's Auction Item

that's better


Neil

[CitroJim]

That's a good start Neil

[NewcastleFalcon]

There are two elements to the Rail Infrastructure At North Blyth.

1. The former Coal Staithes, where railways were developed to transport coal from the SE Northumberland Coalfield to the Port of Blyth to be loaded onto ships alongside. Lowry's little engine and trucks puffing along at the top of his painting pay homage to this, although the staithes themselves are faded in the image.

2. The Alcan terminal at North Blyth to supply the former Alcan Aluminium Smelter directly via a rail link between Lynemouth and the Port at Blyth. The characteristic storage Silo's at the port are part of the redundant infrastructure in place to service the Smelter

"2" is easier to find images of than the Coal Staithes in their heyday, although some of the Staithes imposing former glory is captured forever in the final scenes of "Get Carter".

Occasionally the line between Alcan's North Blyth Storage Silos and Lynemoouth Smelter was worked by diesel electric Locomotive exotica, and there are videos of the line in action. Couple of screenshots here for the youtube video averse!

The Storage Silos in the Background Deltic Royal Scots Grey at North Blyth Hauling Alcan Trucks from the Silos to Lynemouth Smelter	Former Alcan Storage Silos North Blyth
You may recognise the "crossing" gates at North Blyth

Neil

[NewcastleFalcon]

North Blyth Staithes

Wm Cory's Corstream filling with coal for London at north Blyth staithes. by Edward Tomlinson, on Flickr

[CitroJim]

Thanks Neil, that's excellent

[NewcastleFalcon]

Talking of Silo's and Lynemouth and trains

..the link continues. Alcan has gone forever, the silo's at North Blyth remain and may well be utilised in some way but not for their primary purpose. The former coal-fired power station at Alcan's Aluminium Smelter at Lynemouth, was converted to run on biomass and supplies power to the National Grid, a sort of smaller Drax. Its fuel is Wood Pellets mainly from the USA and Canada.

Ridiculous logistics from tree to pellet to UK power station where the carefully made and transported pellets are ground into dust and burned. Lets just jump forward to the last lap, the pellets arriving in UK waters from the USA and Canada on ships.

Could the existing infreactructure a the Port of Bltyh be used to handle cargos of wood pellets arriving, the existing storage silos and the rail link Of course not, the Port of Tyne grabbed the business and made the investment in a super dooper specialist wood pellet handling facility down at Tyne Dock on the South Side of the River Tyne. It is no coincidence however, that the use of the lines up to Lynemouth from Tyne Dock do give a purpose for maintaining and improving those lines and the impending return of Passenger services to the much upgraded Northumberland Central line has benefited from that freight route being used.

Tells the story quicker then me writing it


...and the wood pellet trains...snake their way through a very convoluted route up and over the Tyne at Newcastle, up the east coast mainline and then on old Blyth and Tyne railway (now part of the improved and relaunced Northumberland Central Line), eventually up to Lynemouth.

The trains consist of 24 wagons, delivering 1,680 tonnes of biomass per train, and are auto-loading and discharging.

GBRF Class 60 No.60095 at Holywell Level Crossing working 6N85 Lynemouth To Tyne Dock
https://youtu.be/upsN4P3XZts

Neil