RMS Ruahine Voyage No 42 – November 1966-March 1967

by Willie Watson

I had always wanted to go to sea so on completion of my apprenticeship in September 1966 at Glasgow on the river Clyde I joined the New Zealand Shipping Company as a Junior Engineer My connections with New Zealand had started in 1965 while working at the yard of the Fairfield Shipbuilding & Engineering Company at Govan, the last ship that I worked aboard in that yard was the Wahine a Turbo Electric vessel built for The Union Steamship Company of New Zealand to run on the Express Steamer Service between Wellington & Lyttelton. The Wahine was a lovely ship and little did I realise when watching her slip into the river on the day of her launching that a year later I would see her once again this time in New Zealand waters.

On the l9th September 1966 at the offices of the Shipping Federation in Glasgow I was issued with my Merchant Navy discharge book No 843260 and British Seamans ID card a few days later I was told to report to my first ship lying at Liverpool she was the ‘Haparangi Class’ Hurunui, one of the ‘H Boats’, a large cargo carrier built for the New Zealand trade. My time aboard the Hurunui was short and after a spell of coasting around the UK. I was told to report to my next ship and be ready for my first ‘Deep Sea voyage’ to New Zealand. I would join her at Liverpool and then coast down to London. Here loading of cargo would take place in the Royal Albert Dock and finally her passengers would embark at Tilbury.

The ship I was about to join would be my floating home, between leave, for the next two years The Ruahine known by those who served aboard her as the happy ship, at 17,851 grt and with provision for 267 passengers was slightly smaller than her two larger sisters the Rangitane & Rangitoto both of 21,809 grt. These three classic motor liners (known as the Rangi Boats) made up the NZSCo. passenger ship trio and ran on the regular service between London & Wellington on the longest open sea route on earth from London outward bound calling at Curacao-Cristobal (Panama Canal)-Tahiti- Wellington and New Zealand ports then from Wellington homeward bound calling at Tahiti, Balboa, Kingston (Jamaica), Miami, and Hamilton to London.

Then we were away! The Ruahine sailed for Wellington on the 1st November 1966. I found that I had been given the job of Junior Engineer on the 12/4 watch along with the 3rd and 6th Engineer.

The Ruahine was powered by two 6 cylinder diesel engines of the Doxford design they were of the opposed-piston type 2 stroke and single-acting giving an output of 14,500 bhp (combined) at 108,410 rpm they ran on heavy fuel oil and consumed it at the rate of 40 tons per day, almost 7 tons per 4 hour watch. The day to day running of the engine room and all of the other machinery spaces was the responsibility held by the Junior Engineer of each of the three watches. The Senior Engineers were on hand at all times when help was required but the running of the engine room and all that it involved was our baby, quite a responsibility for us 20/21 year olds! You became a quick learner you had to be! It was like serving your apprenticeship all over again there was so much to learn and you had to get used to doing several things at the same time.

There was a never ending routine of adjustment and readjustment in temperatures in excess of 100 degrees F. The work was heavy and demanding almost to the point of exhaustion and yet it was the most fulfilling time of my life. Many friendships were made ashore as well as afloat some have lasted to this day. The Ruahine took on fuel oil bunkers at Curacao before arriving at Cristobal and the Panama Canal. It was here that I was introduced to the ‘Hammer Test’ while alongside awaiting transit.

After the main lub-oil circulating pumps had been shut down, the turning gear engaged and the crankcase vented, the crankcase doors of the two main engines were removed allowing entry. as those who have done so will well know working inside the crankcase can be hazardous at any time but on an engine that has just been stopped from full away with the internal surfaces still hot to the touch and everything coated in a film of lub-oil! The ‘Hammer Test’ involved the checking all of the nuts/bolts on connecting and piston rod assemblies side/rods and crosshead/guides etc. The 2nd Engineer called it an introduction to the finer points of Marine Engineering.

The Panama Canal transit completed we were now in the Pacific Ocean and after a short stay at Papeete, Tahiti we were on our way once more. A few days later the Ruahine approached the North island of New Zealand and on the morning of the 12th December 1966 we were alongside at the overseas passenger terminal near oriental Bay in Wellington. Here our passengers were discharged before the ship moved across to Glasgow Wharf on the opposite side of the harbour for cargo discharge and my introduction to the ‘5 O’Clock Swill.’

The 3rd Engineer had invited me for a drink ashore for what he called ‘a Five to Sixer.’ I found out later that the licensing laws in New Zealand at that time were such that the pubs opened at 5pm and closed at 6pm thus there was a rush from all places of work to get a drink in before going home. This I found created ‘an occasion’ with an atmosphere of its own. There were shop workers, railway workers, office workers, and ‘wharfies’ as well as many like myself from the various ships in port at the time. I think what fascinated me most was the long hoses with taps on the end used to dispense beer into the waiting jugs etc and before decimalization a ‘Ten Bob Note’ would go quite a few shouts!

Soon we were back over to the overseas passenger terminal and then off to Auckland before commencing a Christmas cruise to Suva and Lautoka in Fiji. I remember well when alongside in Suva right opposite us was the P&O liner Himalaya 27,989 grt. It was good to have another British ship alongside.

Christmas over and back in Wellington once more we were off again! This time to the South island of NZ and our next port of call Picton via Marlborough and Queen Charlotte Sounds. At that time, January 1967, I believe that the Ruahine at 17,851 grt was the largest vessel to have berthed there. I will always remember the magnificent scenery, and it being summer the weather was perfect. The skipper of Ruahine Captain RG Hollingdale would often take one of our ships motor lifeboats out on the sounds asking for an Engineer to accompany him and several others. This was a wonderful opportunity to see more of this beautiful part of NZ.

We would be out all day from after breakfast until dusk and I certainly made the most of it. Unlike the ‘Box Boats’ of today we spent a long time on the NZ coast. On this particular voyage we arrived in Wellington as stated on 12th December 1966 departing for the UK on 3rd February 1967, during that time visiting the ports of Wellington, Auckland, Suva, & Lautoka, Fiji and then back to NZ calling at Picton, Lyttelton, & Timaru.

Over the next two years I continued my service with the NZSCo. known to many as ‘The Company’ and was fortunate to see many more ports on the New Zealand coast. We were always met with a warm welcome and the World renowned hospitality that only the Kiwis can give. I did see the Wahine again as she sailed on the Wellington-Lyttelton service and was home on leave from the NZSCo. At my home in Glasgow when the devastating news of her loss came through in April 1968. On the termination of the NZSCo. passenger service I left the company and continued my service in the Merchant Navy with another well known British Shipping Company taking me to other countries and other ports of call. By the end of the decade the writing was on the wall and with the introduction of single handed watch keeping in the Engine room eventually leading to the UMS Unmanned Machinery Spaces operated in many of today’s deep sea vessels. My time at sea was at an end.

I look back with great admiration for both the ships and those that I sailed with during my time with the New Zealand Shipping Company and I realise how lucky I was to have been ‘in at the end’, so to speak, and to have served aboard a classic motor liner the like of which we shall never see again.

During a visit to New Zealand in February 1996 after an absence of almost 30 years I walked down to the overseas passenger terminal near oriental Parade in Wellington. It was a beautiful summer’s day and I contemplated just how many years had past since I first set foot ashore there. Closing my eyes I visualised the faces forever young (in my mind) of those that I was privileged to have worked with aboard the Ruahine. Along with those once familiar faces, the voices too and of course those Engine room sounds, and yes the smell of almond oil used for cylinder lubrication, shading my eyes from the sun she could have been there alongside.