I doubt it. I built one of her about 40 years ago just after the ship came out. There is even less interest in tankers than other types of merchant ship. The older ones with split accommodation were very attractive, and even the Algol looks better than the modern monstrosities The only reason I drew this plan was as an ilustration for my next book: "From Good Hope to St Helena." It is nothing to do with model shipbuilding, but is part of my autobiography from 1974 onwards. The last part from 1979 to late 1992 has already been published in printed form, and sold outof hundreds of copies. This one looks set to be a bit of a "damp squib" as I put the first chapter online yesterday for a nominal sum of £1.49 – about the price of a cup of coffee, in order to estimate the interest. In 24 hours, the synopsis has been viewed 199 times, but no interest whatsoever shown! Neverthless, it will still be printed, but I will probably only go for a very limited print run. Maybe 30 copies. In 1976, I became part of the building team for the Algol at Cammell Laird's shipyard, Birkenhead, England. I stood by the final stages of the building for three months, did both sets of sea trials in the ship, and then sailed in her for six months – and that was six months too long! Hated being in a tanker, and couldn't wait to get back to passenger ships. I managed it eventually, but not until 1979. After than, I will only have my early career from 1961 to 1965 to write up.

Bob

Hi John,

You were working inside them though! We could smell the oil right enough when pumping, especially in calm, hot weather, but it was OK inside with the air conditioning on. But the A/C kept losing the gas through pipes that kept cracking, and we couldn't open the windows, so it was often like a furnace inside. I remember looking at the extended spindles during the building, but the tanks were all clean at that time, of course. I think anyone who sailed in tankers during the war were possessed of a very high degree of courage that was seldom recognised. But we got used to non-recognition in the MN Still, would do it all again, if I had the chance (MN 1960 – 1992 Colliers to some of the finest passenger liners in the world), plus the Algol!

Bob