Clearpool Gallery

Steamship Clearpool.

Steamship Clearpool.

In the matter of a Formal Investigation held at the Guildhall, Hull, on the 31st day of July, 1st, 2nd and 3rd days of August, 1945 before R.F. Hayward, Esq., K.C. assisted by Commander B. Shillitoe and Captain D.M.Bremner into the circumstances attending the stranding and total loss of the s.s. "Clearpool".

The Court having carefully inquired into the circumstances attending the above-mentioned shipping casualty, finds for the reasons stated in the Annex hereto, that the stranding and subsequent loss of the "Clearpool" was due to the failure of the pilot John Raddings properly to control the ship by the means at his disposal. The Court severely censures him and orders him to pay £50 to the Solicitor to the Ministry of War Transport towards the cost- of this investigation.

Dated this 3rd day of August, 1945.

R.F. Hayward Judge

We concur in the above Report.

ANNEX TO THE REPORT.

The "Clearpool" is a steel screw cargo steamer built in 1935 by William Gray and Company, of West Hartlepool, fitted with double reduction geared steam turbines of 2,400 horse power. Her gross tonnage is 5,403, net tonnage 3,322, 425 feet in length and 55 beam. Her steering gear consisted of Brown's Patent Hydraulic Steering Telemotor with a Lynn steam steering gngine. She was laden with 7,080 tons of coal, and carried a crew of fiftyone hands. Her sailing draught was 26 feet 1 inch forward and 26 feet 3 inches aft. She was fitted with three compasses, the Standard compass on the flying bridge, the steering compass in the wheelhouse, and another compass fitted aft. She had an echo-sounder and deep sea and hand leads and was supplied with an East Coast Pilot, and an adequate supply of Admiralty charts including chart Number 5,497. At about 7.30 p.m. on the 4th of June, 1944, the "Clearpool", in charge of a pilot, John Raddings, duly licensed by the Humber Conservancy Board, left the lockpit of King George Dock, Hull, with the steam tug "R.W. Wheeldon" of 450 h.p. indicated fast ahead with a scope of about twenty fathoms of tow rope and with the tug "Headman" of about 800 h.p. indicated in attendance. At this time the tide was ebb high water having been at 6.40 p.m. The level of water fell about one foot in the first hour's ebb, about two feet three inches in the second hour, and about three feet six inches in the third hour. At the end of the first hour's ebb the force of the tide in mid-channel would be about one to two knots, and by the end of the third hour about three and a half knots. The Wind was southerly and squally, a fresh to strong breeze, and visibility was normal. After clearing the lock the engines which had been put full ahead to clear the lockpit were reduced to slow, and the wheel which had been hard-a-starboard was put hard-a-port and the "R.W. Wheeldon" towed on the port boy. Owing, it was said, to the strong wind the ship's head did not turn norm ally to port but the ship took too big a sweep. No engine room records were saved from the wreck, and the Court is unable to state with accuracy the subsequent engine movements or their duration or the resultant headway or steriway given to the ship. In a position 219 degrees from the hydraulic tower in King George Dock distant 3,773 foot was moored a balloon barge, and during her slow turn to port the "Clearpool" came to within a cable of it on a southerly and westerly heading. The master called the pilot's attention to the danger thinking that the ship would not clear it, and the pilot "for the master's peace of mind" increased the engines to half speed and re-ordered the wheel hard-a-port. Having cleared the barge the engines were reversed full speed astern, and at about this time the pilot abandoned the manoeuvre of turning head down to port and ordered the "R.W. Wheeldon" on to the starboard bow and the ship's engines were used to assist in turning the ship head up river. When the "Clearpool" was heading about up river, and just about stemming the tide the tug "Headman" was ordered to make fast on the starboard bow and did so with a scope of about twenty fathoms. The "Clearpool's" engines were worked full speed astern, her wheel was put hard-a-starboard, and both tugs turned her on to a heading of about south-east and she was about stationary in the water. According to the pilot the "Clearpool" at that time was in the Channel to the westward of No. 11 Buoy with that buoy about a point on his starboard bow. He signalled for the tugs to get ahead and having got the "Clearpool" on to a down channel heading ordered the wheel amidships and steady. He asserted that the ship continued turning slowly to starboard with No. 11 Buoy very fine on the starboard bow and that to avoid fouling it the tugs had to manoeuvre to starboard and they and the ship passed it on their port hand. The pilot ordered the wheel to port and hard-a-port. The helmsman was unable to get the wheel over more than about half-way and was unable to hold it there and so reported. A little time earlier the master, having seen the ship as he thought safely turned and steadied on to a down river course had called the chief officer from his station on the forecastle head and informed him and the pilot that he was going below for a few minutes to sign his sailing letter. He did this before the chief officer had time to ascertain by reference to the chart the ship's position, and the chief officer had just entered the chart-room for this purpose when the difficulty in steering became apparent. When the helmsman reported this state of affairs and the pilot had sent the second officer aft to investigate, the chief officer also investigated in the wheelhouse and lower wheelhouse. Minding nothing wrong there he and later the chief engineer investigated the position in the steering flat. The quadrant was found to be amidships, the steering engine stationary with a proper pressure of steam showing in the gauge. On his return to the bridge the second officer reported that the quadrant was amidships. About this time the master, hearing shouting on the bridge, returned and the pilot reported that the quadrant was amidships and the ship heading right for a sandbank. The master said "What about the anchors?" and both shouted for the port anchor to be let go, which was done by the carpenter and the cable was held at about two shackles. Thereafter the starboard anchor was also let go but the Court is of the opinion that the "Clcarpool" was already foul of the bottom when the difficulty with steering arose at about 8.10 p.m. Thereafter the anchors were hove clear of the ground, and the tugs attempted to tow the ship afloat without avail. Further assistance was asked for but was not forthcoming, and at or before low water the "Clearpool" broke her back and became a total loss. The position of the wreck is printed on the Admiralty chart about three cables below No. 11 Buoy on the Skitter Sands.

QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

The Courts answers to the questions submitted by the Ministry of War Transport are as follows:

Founded in 1874 by Robert Ropner, the company owned, managed & built ships.