Manchester Liners had just introduced their first generation of container ships with some conversions from general cargo and were probably one of the first lines to be so comprehensively equipped.
The show was based around a �Co-op� Manchester Ship Canal cruise from Liverpool to Manchester and also included ships taken from many of Roy�s favourite spots along the river and canal. From Liverpool we viewed the Manx Ferries, which numbered seven at that time. Shell�s Stanlow refinery at Ellesmere Port was a busy ocean refinery attracting a large variety of ships. These included the Shell lightening tankers Halia and Naticinia, a large variety of coastal tankers including those from the Rowbotham and Metcalf fleets carrying refined petroleum, chemicals and bitumen and a Buries Markes LPG carrier. Other cargos included iron ore destined for Birkenhead, car export and import from Eastham, salt export from the Cheshire salt fields and Guinness imported from Ireland. The voyage up the canal not only included the ships but also features such as the Eastham masting crane, bridges and docks along the way. The docks at Manchester had seven ships alongside what are now luxury apartment blocks! We left Manchester with a view of Fishers heavy lift ship Aberthaw Fisher alongside the CEGB quay.
We thank Roy for making the journey to show us a fine set of slides, which reminded us of the days of centre island tankers, Blue Funnel Line, Brocklebank, and other well known ship profiles and lines.