Apparent in the photograph above, is the partial white hull band. This must have been during the period when it was phased out in the 1930's, as it was originally a full band, as in the case of the Imperial Star.

Bob Smark wrote:

"I joined her in the Panama Canal in January 1961 having been promoted and transferred from the Adelaide Star, homeward bound from New Zealand, I then headed back to New Zealand for a 95 day stay on the coast there and then headed home via South Africa, Nigeria and Ghana with cargo arriving home at the end of June, I had been away since the middle of August 1960 so I had a good long leave due to me.

I sailed in her on her last coastal discharge voyage and trip to the scrapyard in 1964.

She was a twin six cylinder, exhaust piston double acting B&W but was exceptional in that her exhaust pistons were operated by eccentric cams on a lay shaft inside the crankcase by a series of driving rods and bell cranks. apparently there weren't many of this type of engine built, but Blue Star had two of them during my time with them, the  Sydney Star  being the other ship. Being an old ship we had a fair amount of problems, scavenge fires being a regular occurrence, but I must admit she was good to gain experience in engine room watchkeeping as you never knew what problem you would be facing you on your next watch."

Back row:  Ken Chainey S/2/E (sadly now deceased),  John Nicholson S/4/E (BSc. Eng.), ??? J/E, Alex Robertson J/E,     ??? J/E, ???  2nd Elect. (ex Royal Navy), Dick Whitworth ? J/3/E/. Front Row:  Tom Pugh C/R/E,  Ken Jones J/2/E,  ??? J/E

Michael Harry commented: