What has been your longest rail replacement taxi?

[Skiddaw]

If you'd like, my father worked on Hull docks as a ship broker and agent at that time... He would have heard about such a thing and I can ask him in the morning

Oh yes please! I, too, would love to know what the back story was.

 

[EYFanatic]

Perhaps he was the captain!

The ship would not have sailed without the Master onboard

Yes, if you could, please .... it would be interesting to find out what the background is! Thanks.

Oh yes please! I, too, would love to know what the back story was.

So, I've called him and from what he can remember the sailor had been out on the lash the night before and had decided to get his head down for a little bit before going to the ship to board and sail the next morning. However, when he woke he discovered that the ship had already sailed carrying a cargo that couldn't be delayed (what it is, he can't remember as it wasn't his line) and so he reported to the company offices and explained the situation. They tore him a new one after the local union rep attended, Newport being very union strong at the time, and sent him by taxi to Hull where he stayed in the local Mission until the ship came into King George Dock where upon he boarded and resumed duty. It was only by the narrowest squeaks that he didn't become a discharged seaman as even the union couldn't have defended him for missing your ship on sailing day. Had to repay the company with docked wages for nearly six months as they'd had to pay out for a few changes of clothes for him as well as the cab fare

The sailor should have known better as he was an older chap of decades experience...And the Chief Engineer!

 

[Skiddaw]

Oh that's a good story! Thanks so much for following up on it. Nice one!

 

[EbbwJunction1]

So, I've called him and from what he can remember the sailor had been out on the lash the night before and had decided to get his head down for a little bit before going to the ship to board and sail the next morning. However, when he woke he discovered that the ship had already sailed carrying a cargo that couldn't be delayed (what it is, he can't remember as it wasn't his line) and so he reported to the company offices and explained the situation. They tore him a new one after the local union rep attended, Newport being very union strong at the time, and sent him by taxi to Hull where he stayed in the local Mission until the ship came into King George Dock where upon he boarded and resumed duty. It was only by the narrowest squeaks that he didn't become a discharged seaman as even the union couldn't have defended him for missing your ship on sailing day. Had to repay the company with docked wages for nearly six months as they'd had to pay out for a few changes of clothes for him as well as the cab fare

The sailor should have known better as he was an older chap of decades experience...And the Chief Engineer!

Thanks very much, that's a great story, and explains what happened.

 

[Cambus731]

I’m not sure which was the longer distance. Either Cambridge to Stansted Airport. Or
Portsmouth & Southsea to Haslemere

 

[0161]

Doncaster to Perth, back in the ‘90s

 

[Cambus731]

Well that blows mine right out of the water.