Glasgow And Ships Of The Clyde

MABEL WARWICK at Glasgow bunkers 90 tons of fuel oil from oiler INVERTEST

   Houlder Brother’s 506 feet long ore-carrier MABEL WARWICK arrived in Glasgow after her 2479 nautical mile passage from Seven Islands Canada, at 0250 on 9^th October 1960.

   Piloted from Tail-of-the-Bank at Greenock by Clyde Pilot Howieson and assisted by two Steel & Bennie tugs, MABEL WARWICK berthed at West Terminus, General Terminus Quay, Glasgow,  with her stern 50 feet from the west end.   Her draught forward was 27’ 11” and aft 27’ 7” and she was carrying 14,885 tons of Iron Ore for the steelworks in Lanarkshire, Scotland.

  In common with the other ore carriers arriving at Glasgow, she was on charter by BISCO (British Iron and Steel Company) who chartered suitable vessels to bring Iron Ore to supply British steelworks.

   At low water at 0915 on 9^th October and the gauge showing 5’ 6,” the vessel was sitting on the ground and lying 6 feet off the quay on an even keel, drawing 24 feet forward and aft 24’ 6”

   Colville’s, who operated General Terminus Quay, commenced unloading at 1345 on 9^th October and finished at 1950 on 10^th October.   The ship was then drawing 18 feet forward and 18’ 10” aft.

   At 1255 on 10^th October the oiler INVERTEST came alongside and the ore carrier bunkered 90 tons of fuel oil.

   With Clyde Pilot Begg in charge and, assisted by two Steel and Bennie tugs, MABEL WARWICK left General Terminus Quay at 1325 on 11^th October, draught 18’ 9” forward and 19’ 9” aft, and moved astern a short distance downriver to Prince’s Dock, where she canted to then proceed downriver to Tail-of-the-Bank, where Pilot Begg would land, and the vessel began her 1142-nautical mile passage to Narvik, in Norway.