David Aris
David belongs to: The Doxford Engine Friends Association
David was born in Sunderland. He served his apprenticeship at North East Marine shipyards as a fitter. After working at sea David became an Assistant Manager at Doxford's ship yard overseeing the installation and testing of Doxford engines.
David was interviewed by Carl Greenwood on 8 November 2005. The interview took place at the Interviewee's living room and lasted 1 hour, 36 minutes and 40 seconds.
Accident on sea trials
"There was one disaster, yes, there was one disaster"
There was one disaster, yes, there was one disaster and it was, what was the name of the ship? It was the first engine of a, first of a new class of engine and it came in, it was a tanker, and we came in at night. And the pilot, the ship’s pilot made a lash up and he, down at the bottom of the mouth of the river, right by J.L. Thompson’s there was a row of great big iron buoys, floating buoys, and when the colliers used to come up, if they couldn’t get on a berth, they used to tie up there, and there was nothing on the buoys, but this, the pilot ran the ship over the buoys and we were in the engine room, I was on the controls and we heard, from the side of the engine “bang bang bang bang” and this was these buoys hitting the side of the ship, and then we heard “bump bump bump bump bump” and this was the buoy hit the propeller.
And we went alongside the Corporation Quay and all the blades were bent over, and of course the owners weren’t going to have that, so it was nothing to do with Doxford’s at all, it was the pilot that was at fault, totally at fault. And the next day we put the ship into dry dock and we put the spare propeller on then ordered another propeller. No doubt, the insurers no doubt paid us, but that was, well, it was one of those things- these things occasionally happen but…
David has 17 memories in the memorynet:
David's memories with a Danger theme:
Father’s time at sea- Swimming in ballast tanks on the tankers
- Safety and dangers at sea
- Accident on sea trials
David's other memories:
- Apprenticeship at North East Marine
- Going to sea
- Returning to the North East and Doxford's
- Role at Doxford’s
- Industrial action at Doxford's
- Going on sea trials
- Leaving Doxford’s
Workers at Doxford's- Engineer's Certificate
- Continuous Certificate of Discharge
- Swimming pool
- North East Marine Guide for Apprentices
- Sea Trials
This memory has these themes:
Danger
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