I worked in Nigg from 1972 to 1992 fabrication and plate shop supervisor. Also worked Ardersier 1965 to 2000, responsible for the cutting of the plate for the columns etc then moved down to dock to work the columns - Peter Mackay was superintendant, Bob Dingwall, Nigel Campbell general foreman Alan /? was in charge, Eddie Stainkie, Bobby Thow, Eric Kelman, Davie Steel, Marshal Skelly, Davie Shearer - my memory is bad now.
My Father John Dingwall - Engineer worked on that Platform at Ardersier, Tom did you work on the Terra Nova Project/Captain Manifold at Ardersier 1999/2000? My Father was there up until 2000 then moved to Nigg and worked for KBR Caledonia.
I have stood on the narrow spit of land between the moray firth and McDermot's yard and watched jackets and platform float-out, my father was a welder at the yard for 20 odd years, i have lots of intersesting photos of stuctures and workers. What a shame it shut.
I worked on this TLP in 1984 during hook up. My first offshore job! 26 years later I have survived this indusrty in HSE. Bit of an omen really considering I was run off the TLP for raising a safety issue. Times have changed.
I was the Senior Welding Inspector on the TLP and signed the release note that allowewd the rig to leave the quayside at Arderseir. It was a brilliant job to work on, hard going at times but it paid the rent for a couple of years.
My uncles were at Ardersier in the 70's - they had a company called Weldex I think. Some time after that the crane company Weldex was formed but there was no connection.
I was one of the very few welders working on the actual hook-up of the TLP which was just off Findhorn in the Moray Firth. I think there must of been 10 welders back to back compared to hundreds of welders employed on the mate up, my foreman on the job was a guy called Watty Forrest, a really nice guy. I have a few more photos of the TLP and the Beatrice B hook-up which I will try and find.
Added by Charlie McCormick on 20 May 2007.