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THEY CALLED THAT PUMP MARIA. Olna had a main circ pump, its top bearing did afire
The Engineers down below did call that pump Maria
They sailed to Icelands arctic seas, through rain and gale and mire
There troubles they did multiply, but the same one was Maria
In Rosyth's grim and lonely port, the dockyardies they were in tiers
'Twas the Engineers worked day and night upon that pump Maria
No clean collars nor shiny shoes, no lingering at the table
Just a boiler suit and a can of beer and a bite when they were able
The Sparkeys drank, the Mates did talk while they entertained their ladies
The Engineers laboured on below and wished that pump in Hades
They worked with a will to win to sail upon the Friday
Then FOSNI stepped into the breach saying cant we make it Thursday
So down below the whip came out the deck crowd joined in too
The second said "it is'nt right", but the chief said "it will do"
If Olna stays afloat for aire memories will not tire
Forever more that main circ pump will bear the name "Maria"
"O"BOAT DODGERS
Dear old molly Andrews you think you know a lot
Sitting in the madhouse talking tommy rot
You promised me a "O" boat you gave me a "Tide"
We think your mouth's too f*&king wide
We are the "O" boat dodgers we are on the old Tidesurge
Orders came for sailing somewhere over there
We filled our tanks with beer the admiralty went spare
We gave our wives and sweethearts one last kiss
And permantly went on the piss
We are the "O" boat dodgers we are on the old Tidesurge
You told us that our tide boat was going to Japan
Singapore and Aussie & maybe Matapan
Along came Olmeda the holy ghost and
All we got was the f*&king home coast
We are the "O" boat dodgers we are on the old Tidesurge INNERSKILLIN TIDESURGE Tidesurge she was a tanker born and bred in geordie land, her hull came from Sunderland, her engines from Wallsend, manned by the merchant navy but run by the admiralty, she played her part in the fleet fuelling ships at sea, Chorus Fare thee well Vickers Palmer’s, fare thee well for a while, and all around the boarders of Durham’s fare isle, and when the trip is over, we'll return in full bloom, and shut down in the dry dock by the light of the moon, Tidesurge she was made ready for the breaking of the day, from lovely Durham county they were sending her away, they flashed up here three boilers, and they put them all on line, proceeded down by Whitley Bay, out of the river Tyne, Tidesurge she was a happy ship in port or out at sea, the mates and engineers all get on quite happily, and often in the bar there we'll make the rafters ring, when we pick ourselves up off the deck and every man does sing, But now the trip is drawing nigh, there’s not much to say, look yonder out the porthole we're approaching Whitley Bay, in three hours i'll be payed off, for some leave I have the urge, but I wont forget the months that I've spent grafting on Tidesurge, But then sad news did reach our ears from far off England’s shore, our Palmer’s they were shutting down, refits they'd have no more, but lads don’t be down hearted, lets just say what the hell, and we'll shut down by the silvery moon somewhere in Newcastle, Then Harold Wilson looked outside and thought of wind and snow, and Tidesurge steaming around with nowhere left to go, he said we'll keep 'em open, and we'll all stand in a line, and we'll raise our caps and give three cheers, when the surge steams up the Tyne. Believed to be written by Barry Loard of Darlington. THE OLD TIDEBOAT SONG. I was going on watch the other day when I heard a hell of a din. I saw there was no lube oil, so I threw the throttles in. I phoned the chief up in the bar, about his bearings wearing. He said bring her back up to 21 knots, I'm too drunk to be caring. _______chorus _________ "Oh" my lads,you should have seen us gannin,21 knots to the measured mile, just off the isle of Arran Black smoke was belching out the flue, six fires in every boiler. A R.F.A. all painted grey, a fast replenishment oiler! __________chorus_________ I went to phone the second & went to start the pump, I said we're doing 21 knots with no lube oil in the sump He scratched his head and then he said “what a hell of a state we're in”, and fetched some bottles from the bar, and filled the sump with gin _________chorus__________ We sped past St.Vincent, that's south of Finnistere, and when we got to Capetown. The propeller threw off there. The chief lost his seniority, the second lost his pay. The juniors put it on again, and now we're on our way _________chorus___________ A diver went down the other day, and came up with a face so red. He said to take me on that ship you have to take me dead The rudder stuck with plastercine, the propeller's stuck with glue. The plates are in a awful state, I'd pay off if I were you __________chorus__________ I bet Mary Shippham to refit she will go and come aboard amidst the ice and snow I bet that she will ask you, if you've leave to sell. Say hadaway lass I'm paying off and you can go to hell __________chorus__________ She's a greyhound of the seas as soon you all shall learn, 21 knots she'll do ahead & 13 knots astern They say we're all mad to sail on here, they say we're all head cases, but she will run as fast as any old horse, you'll see at the Blaydon races __________chorus___________ MOTHER KELLY’S DOORSTEP On Victor Cooney's boilers in the boiler room there's a steam pipe blowing, we will be going there soon. There's just an hole in the pipe an hole in the drum an hole where all the steam comes from you'll here us running down the alley. On Victor Cooney's boilers in the boiler room Ghost Riders Song This song goes to ghost riders in the sky. While I was going down on watch one dark and dismal night. I came upon the Second, (a most disturbing sight). He stood there in his boiler suite, a spanner in his hand. Said "Take this in your grubby mitts, and tighten up that Gland". Yippee eye ah, yippee eye oh, night riders in the sky. I was stood down by the cargo pump while 'rasing' mighty 'Ark'. There was a flash and then a bang and everything went dark. The running feet of engineers, the Seconds mournful cry. Was worse than all those ghostly, steers stampeding 'cross the sky. Yippee eye ah, yippee eye oh, night riders in the sky. But cheer up all me bonny lads, to refit we will go. We're running low on fags and beer, and down on FFO. The only thing that's running high, is the engineers moral. As we slowly sink to rest out keel, in that waterless coral. Yippee eye ah, yippee eye oh, night riders in the sky. Originally sent in by John Breckon, and updated by Neil Mathewson the writer of the song. RFA Christmas Songs The tunes for these songs should be self explanatory. **** Jingle bells jingle bells jingle all the way, Oh what fun it is to sail on an RFA. **** Ho Ho Bloody Ho what a crock of sh*t, We all work for the RFA, we’ve had enough We quit, We do all the hard work, and Mad House steals the show, The Navy steal our glory, Ho Ho Fu*king Ho. **** God bless you DFMT, let nothing you dismay, We wish you a Merry Christmas from the lads of the RFA, Thy Sir Boats come, thy Leaf Boats go and Rover Boats are here to stay, But your Tide boats of comfort and joy, comfort and joy, Tide boats of comfort and joy. Tiz Christmas day on an ????? Boat and everybody’s here, The Chief says well done lads, I’ll buy you all a beer, Knock off at afternoon smoko and join in all the fun, MOD Navy stick your ????? Boat right up your flaming, Tide Boats of comfort and joy, comfort and joy, Tide boats of comfort and joy. Songs sent in by Casey as told to him by 2/O(X) Rodney Lamb on the Resurgent in 1976 **** Tune: Hymn What a friend I have in Jesus Location: 1973 RFA Tideflow after watching the film “Oh What a Lovely War” Oh when this lousey trip is over, then how happy I shall be, to return unto my homeland, and my darling unto thee. No more captains rounds on Fridays, no more rasing out at sea, when this lousey trip is over, No more seafaring for me. Aceholes (instead of amen).
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