Oil Rig Photos

I worked on the hook-up in Loch Kishorn, and then many years later for a couple of weeks in the North Sea. All involved received a 'medal' from Howard Doris and Phillips - I think I still have mine somewhere.

Added by Garve Scott-Lodge on 03 November 2006.

Hi also worked on the deck in Kishorn and previous to that on the jacket at Hunterston for nearly 3 yrs. One of the boys that came up with me from Hunterston worked on the hook up 3 months constant without a day off (Phil Devlin). Where is the rig now?

Added by Charlie McCormick on 20 May 2007.

Maureen was refloated in 2001 and taken with the tanker mooring bouy to Aker Stord in Norway for scrapping. The refloat was remarkable as all the original Ballast control room and lines etc had been ripped out years before as space was at a premium. It was refloated at a rate of 1" per hour after several hours work to break free of the mud.

The rig was then "recycled" to a remarkable 99.7% of the circa 110,000 tonnes. It caused a little disharmony at Stord until they washed off the marine growth, which stank, and ran power cables out from the beach. The noise of the gas turbines in the Fjord reverberated around and around to the annoyance of the locals.

Phillips had a website for selling her, but no viable option was found - a little before ebay I suppose - hence she was scrapped.

Added by Smee on 29 June 2007.

Hi My Dad worked in Kishorn during the 80's and I wondered if anyone remembered him - Jim Spencer

Added by Julie Spencer on 05 October 2007.

Hi there all you old commandos. I worked on the legs for the maureen in Hunterston, West Kilbride then up to do the cement barge with a squad of guys from the legs. Can't remember all the names but there was big Willie from Stewarton, Hugh McWaters, John Mcmenemy & Martin Polonis from Ayrshire, John Cairns & Phil ? from Greenock and myself Aly Bird. Sorry I cant remember you all but it was a long time ago. I remember the medals and also when Prince Charles came up to launch the platform. Most of us stayed on to work for Howard Doris on the platform then on a gas rig for the Morcambe Bay. I was one of the last to go before they got another rig to build. Went back up for a week or so with MOS with wee Jimmy the Squeek and Joe ? By then my wife was pregnent so was not keen on me being away so sadly opted for a job in town. I've got some photos of the platform somewhere, I'll try and dig them out. What did Jim Spencer work as? Charlie, your name rings a bell as does Phil Devlin, trying to put a face to the names.

Added by Alistair Bird on 06 November 2007.

Yes Ally the Phill you are thinking of was Phill Devlin. I was the wee guy from Port Glasgow and Bernie Mcdade was the other guy who came up.
Phill was the guy who worked 3 months steady then got sacked his 1st week on shore again for being in the toilet too long.
Remember your big gold granada was it?

Added by Charlie Mcormick on 06 November 2007.

Hi Charlie, remember now, think Phill travelled with me, Yes I had a gold granada and then a black 3.0 S Capri. What are you up too now?

Added by Alistair Bird on 12 November 2007.

Hi Ally stopped the travelling 8yrs ago now and dont realy miss it i am now working in mod repair base easy going job not bothered by gaffers or anything
had a cpl of off site jobs with them but its optional and if you dont like it you can come home.
You also get put up in the best hotels and everything is paid incl drink plus £29 a night and £57 a night overseas well i was in germany for 7 weeks and got a good lift for that
didnt mean to go on as long
catch you later charlie

Added by Charlie Mcormick on 19 November 2007.

Hi Alistair

My Dad, I think worked as a forman (fitter), would have been in his early 60's, was Irish and lived in Nottinghamshire. One of his friends was Billie McCrea (if I have spelt it correctly) who lived in Kishorn. Merry Christmas

Added by Julie Spencer on 24 December 2007.

Aly Bird you lied about your age when you started with Howard Doris Kishorn it was my dad that told you to.

Regards big Martin

Added by Christine Polonis on 12 February 2008.

Hi Martin, Yeah still lying about it yet, (just turned 40 ha ha) How are you? Hi Julie, sorry but just can't place your dad, there were so many of us at the time. Hi Charlie, good to hear you are doing ok, I'm working in the aerospace industry now, been off the tools for about 10 years, miss it like hell (not). Getting soft in my old days. All the best to you all.

Added by Alistair Bird on 20 February 2008.

hi
does anybody remember larry sheedy kishorn wankers club president
still alive and kicking at 86
regards andrew sheedy

Added by Andrew Sheedy on 21 August 2008.

Hi, came across this site .. its amazing what you can find . My name is Derek Anderson ( Deeks ) from Falkirk . I worked on the Maureen as a Plater ( for Fergus Haynes ) . I was a raw arsed laddie, then .. 1982 - 83 and treated the job as a second apprenticeship, definetly in life anyway .
Stayed on the camp and remember mad nights in the welly bar, down the village and weekends at the Fort ( William ) . Crazy days .
Cant recall any names from above as there was so many there . I had a nasty accident on the way home one Saturday < remember we used to work until 4pm then it was the whacky races to get down the road ( 4hrs ) all for to leave late Sunday, early Monday to get back for early start ----- MAD !! The accident happened at Spean Bridge and myself and John Daly ( Plater, Glasgow ) were lucky but I think the whacky races claimed a few incidents .
I remember the buses that left the site, 1 for Stirling, the other Glasgow ..pick up at Sandy Dows pub if i remember . Can anyone remember that big mad Dutchman gaffer with the silver helmet, was it Koomans or something -- mad .
Now working ( 48 ) in the process game, control room, and when I hear them whinging about it being too warm or to chilly or pishy wee things like that, I look back to going down to the Maureen from the camp, 07.00, middle of Jan, freezing and I think to myself ..................
All the best to anyone who experienced Kishorn.

Added by Derek Anderson on 26 August 2008.

Willy Kooymans is long departed as is the "Fog"-John Fogarty, Jackie Borland as well as probably loads of others from that era, Andy Sheedy- how are you doing these days- I still come across Gary borland from time to time and occasionally others who are still in the same industry, it wasn't everyones cup of tea but I enjoyed my time there.

Added by Roy Williams on 07 September 2008.

Hello to anyone who remembers my late husband Tommy Birrell, he had his first heart attack while working on the Maureen. I didn't notice anyone having the medal given by Prince Charles dated 1983, I still have Tommy's to pass on to his Great grandson.

Added by Jean Birrell on 08 September 2008.

Hi, I work on the Judy platform for Conocophillips, most of my fellow (older)work mates all worked on the Maureen, since it was a Phillips platform at the time. what great stories they tell of the place and how much the oil industry has changed nowadays.!!

Added by Oil Ops on 22 October 2008.

Hi everyone, My names Chris Bell and I worked on the Maureen as a welder during construction at Kishorn for S P E L, Seagull & NE pipework (anyone remember the foodfight?) then offshore on 'hook up' with Grootcon and finally on the maintenance crew offshore for AMOD, just came across this site while browsing, would be nice to hear from anyone that might remember me as I came across so many characters during those crazy times!

Added by Chris Bell on 27 October 2008.

A friend of mine, Ken Townshend of Greenwich, was involved in the design of the deballasting system for Maureen's removal. Ken died this year of a heart attack, he had a pacemeker fitted some years ago and then had a stroke. He was one of the characters that make the offshore work so much fun. He is sadly missed.

Added by Craig Lang on 04 November 2008.

Hi Derek probably do know you as I was there at the same time - I was also in no less than 3 crashes at the weekends (don't think many weren't) and you were nearly right about the pub it was Sammy Dows. I still go into it now and again when I am in Glasgow, as for the bus anyone remember Geordie Richardson plater going down the rd for the Xmas hols with kerry oots. Geordie went to the toilet and when the bus went round a bend he went out the window middle of nowhere on a snow covered Rannoch Moor - all the guys were queueing up banging the door waiting for a pee, didn't know he was lying in a ditch miles back till some van driver saw him. I remember the food fight too. As for the blackhats the fog and bachelor etc I went into Scott/Lithgow as a subbie and a lot of them ended up there too to plague us. They were good days for a young man but don't think I would do it now. By the way Deeks I am staying in Cowie now and go to Falkirk now and again for a drink.

Added by Name not supplied on 09 November 2008.

Love the banter lads, my father was a crane driver on the Ninian Central job still love the stories he comes out with when he has a few to many shandies. The Welly boot bar, the Irish lads moving there families in to the portacabins over the Christmas holidays so they wont miss out on the overtime ha!ha! Always talks about the poor sod flying out the window on the bus think the whole yard talked about it for ages. And the crashes, remember him writing off his green Saab on a that bad bend in Garve, lucky to be alive, mind my mother climbing the walls until he got home.

Added by BiG AL. (AA85) on 26 January 2009.

Man thats crazy, it was only tonight that I was telling that story of Geordie going thru the bus window!! Was so funny at the time, sure it was in the Daily Record or something. Took the wife and kids up to Applecross last year, so strange seeing the hillside without the camp !! PS , I work in Cowie and live in Falkirk !!!!

Added by Derek ( Deeks ) Anderson on 11 March 2009.

I remember Larry Sheedy, he used to be my shift boss on 'super C shift'. Has anyone still got a WOW club t-shirt?

Added by Tony Robinson on 11 April 2009.

Hi guy's, Great to hear all the patter and trying to put faces to names, I remember the big fella who went oot the windae, whit a laugh that caused, I was on the same squad as wee squeek (jimmy), Joe, Big Willie, Jimmy 2 rods who now works in the same place as myself (aerospace would you believe). Got a couple of photos somewhere and will try and post them sometime, I remember big Koymans who had a thing about hard hats and would stand at the bottom of the stairs and the skylift and try and catch us coming off early. Do any of you remember the guy who worked for perssonel dept' he was a right git. The welly bar nights were great till you had to do a 8 hour shift on the Saturday then drive 4 hours home. I drove a black 3 litre S Capri and it was like wacky races, would end up in jail if we drove at those speeds now. I remember scudding a deer one night coming up through Glencoe. Made a right mess of the bonnet, got all sorts of shit from the guy's, (the deer hunter, O' Dear and that was a deer bump) no sympathy. Great time when you look back but it was a tough life actually being there compared to what I do now. Keep them coming and all the best.

Added by Aly Bird on 15 April 2009.

Jimmy 2 rods, yes, remember him well, Aerospace, he will have 2 burn more than 2 rods there !!!!! Quality. That dude u are talking about in personnel dept sticks well in my mind but can't remember his name. Was it him that used to stand in the lavvies with a stop watch timing the traps !!!!

Added by Derek ( Deeks ) Anderson on 16 April 2009.

Alastair MacKenzie (macsacem) was head of personnel dept. Willem Kooymans, Craig Fraser, Alan Carnaby (yard manager), Henny van Triel, Gren Jones, all names from the past!

Added by Anon on 29 May 2009.

What a suprise finding this site, I worked at Kishorn from 1979 until we locked the gate in 1984, my name is Jim Bolder (welder), it's like going back in time just briliant.

My big mate at the time was Jim Mcfarland (welder) we were known as the two Jim's, we both went to the cameroons (the first adventure). If I remember rightly we used to play football after the "Welly bar caberet" finished on a Friday night then down to the villiage on a Saturday night, I think the hotel was called "the Strathcarron". The last time i heard from or saw anyone really was on the train from Inverness to Edinburgh after the site closed down the day before. One of the welding gaffers was Jimmy Small, well will be good to hear from some of those from the "good times".
At present I am working in the Middle East in the oil fields.

Added by Jim Bolder on 15 June 2009.

Hi Jim

do you remember Jim Spencer (Irish forman)

Added by Julie Spencer on 15 June 2009.

Sorry to say Julie but I can't remember your dad, I mixed mainly with the welders, platers and pipefitters, there were so many lads on site but I am sure someone will remember him.

Added by Jim Bolder on 16 June 2009.

Hi all, amazing to find this site, I was in Kishorn from 79 - 84/85 worked on Maureen platform construction.

Added by Jan Uitterhoeve on 16 June 2009.

Hi folks, good to hear from you all, Jim I think I remember you and JM, were you guy's from 'south of the border'? and did JM drive a Nissan sports car? Yeah the Strathcarron, what a place, I remember we went for a drink one night and when we left the pub it was a total whiteout. Had to stay in some managers lodge in the village. Good times.

Added by Aly Bird on 18 June 2009.

Hello Aly,
Yeah mate that was us, i had the black Nissan sports car and came from down the south east, Jim Mcfarlane came from Falkirk, as you say good days, so much good crack on the job, just takes you back when you see names from the distant past.

Added by Jim Bolder on 20 June 2009.

Hello all. I worked at Kishorn from 1975 to 1988, in the marine department. Jan Uitterhoeve, I remember you well, weren't you in materials control? Julie, I remember your dad Jim very well, a genial friendly Irishman who'd lived in England for years but never lost his accent. A real top bloke, he was plant (workshop) foreman who worked mainly on big stuff like cranes etc - he was always up for a crack!

Added by Neil Simpson on 28 August 2009.

Hi Neil, you have made my day - thank you! I miss him so much and knowing that you can remember him is amazing. Oh he definately enjoyed the crack, the best blagarder I ever knew!

Added by Julie Spencer on 31 August 2009.

Hi guys, I am looking for some information, my father worked in Kishorn and I am putting some stuff together for his 70th !! his name was George MacDonald from Inverness, anyone remember him ?



Added by Lisa Anne MacDonald on 18 October 2009.

HI! I don't know where to start. I started in Kishorn in 1979 until it shut in 1986. Yes I remember Jimmy Spencer he was just as Neil described. Just after I started I had to take the landrover to plant for repair. The first person I asked was Jimmy who was working on a big 28 ton Heathfield. "Oh" he said "you need the Mickey Mouse squad for that". Well I got my head bitten off when I asked the other Duncan Spencer where the Mickey Mouse squad was.

Billy Macrae from Kishorn is still alive and kicking. I was the foreman that started the dolphin piles for the Maureen and know most of the names on here. I trained up Roy Williams and Garry Borland who's father was the safety officer and George Richardson was his journeyman plater. Andrew Sheedy I remember you and your father well.

Fergus Haynes that was the company name on the Ninian Central Contract. On the Maureen it was Seagull Offshore. The agent was Mick Boyle who when Kishorn shut moved down to Peterborough and set up MPB Structures building multi story buildings. I was working for them on the Glasgow Science Centre where Kenny Rainey was his Scottish Director. He has now passed on the reins to his son.

Jan Uitterhoeve I remember you well you issued the materials to the profile shop and shop 19 which I ran. I have the two medalions that were issued at the launch ceremoney of the Maureen. One for me and the other for my daughter who was there with the school. The dry dock was used later to build the caissons for the Skye Bridge for which my daughter did the inaugural pour and had a leg named after her.

A lot of you will remember Donny Taylor the last I met him he was working at the BP Dopot at Finnart Pier in Loch Long. Big Maggie is now married and has now moved back to Lewis. I met her at Raymond and Maureen Browns (Stan Brown Kishorn Garage's son) house this summer. Ruaraidh Ferguson plant (mother owned Lochcarron Hotel) has set up a marine engineering workshop at the site main gate.

I'll have to go now but if anyone needs further information I'll try to help. Lisa at its peak there were over 3,000 men with a high turnover - what did your father do and when, that may jog my memory or others. You can ask him if he remembers Ian Maclean Plating/ Profile Foreman Shop 19.

Added by Ian Maclean on 04 November 2009.

Would anyone have any photos of the Maureen Alpha that you could email me ?

I worked on the Maureen as a contractor replacing the Public Address systems in around 1987.

I did write to Phillips but didn't get a reply.


Added by Jack Franks on 07 November 2009.

Try www.oilrig.eu.org The Hunterston Oilrig Story Waiting for them to update the information on the crane barge. Tog Mor floating crane barge. Can anyone confirm if this is at Loch Kishorn or in Norway? No its not Kishorn.

Added by Ian Maclean on 09 November 2009.

Hi all it's a long shot, but does anyone remember Ronnie Fisher the Taff, he was an electrician up at Kishorn. I would like to get some photos for him for Christmas of the Ninian Central.

Added by Rona Ward on 09 November 2009.

Hi, I am Gordon and created the site about Maureen (www.oilrig.eu.org). I am looking for people who used to work on the construction but also at the operational rig when in the North Sea who are willing to share their stories. I will soon have a page where stories can be left but in meantime if you could email me what you have by visiting the link above.

I am also seeking any images of the construction at Hunterston, the floating of the base up the Clyde, the construction of the top deck which I have totally failed to get anything on, and the mating of the top deck.

As Howard Doris no longer exists there is no one to contact and no one knows where the archives of that company went.

I would be grateful for any contribution you can send. If you have any images please send the largest possible and non-watermarked, any pdf documents. If you have negatives or don't own a scanner please let me know as I can scan/copy them for you and return them.

Thanks, and hope you can help.

Added by Gordon on 10 November 2009.

Hi to you all ... I remember a few names on here but as a young boy of 22/23 when I was up there one or two things slip my memory.

I worked with a young lad called Jimmy Cullion from Glasgow and we were looked after big style by Neil McCrae our plating foreman also from Glasgow ... the nights in the welly bar were great and the nights in the village were even better.. living on the camp wasn't too bad as long as you liked waiting in a queue ... and that was for everything; meals, drinks, phone booths (there was only 6 as I remember), the shop, the bank, the gym, the snooker need I go on ... but still we wouldn't have missed it for the world there was such a feeling of comradeship and every now and again you will meet someone who once worked there.

Best regards to everyone

Added by Tony Jackman on 19 November 2009.

I remember Neil Mcrae, he was the plating gaffer in area 6 along with John Baker who was the welding gaffer down there, as I remember Neil became a senior plating foreman in shop 19.


Added by Jim Bolder on 20 November 2009.

Rona, I remember Ron Fisher, I think he worked with electrical contractors Lloyd Morris. I didn't really know him that well but used to bump into him in my local the Strathcarron Hotel.

Added by Neil Simpson on 20 November 2009.

Great to see this forum...I was a "big daft boy" when I landed at Kishorn and left 2 years later as a "mad commando" when the Maureen floated away. I have dined out free on the stories I've told over the years of the antics,wind ups and downright outrageous behaviour of men (sober and drunk)who were working and living in difficult conditions. I hadn't worked in this "game" before and haven't since....but what a friggin experience.Some of the memories may have been embellished over time but who cares.

Someone mentioned Kooyman earlier...my favourite on him...If you remember there were a couple of raised crane landing areas on the main deck..well.. As usual when he appeared on deck everyone scattered but he spots a guy leaning over the railing, of one of the areas, staring out over the loch. He marches up the stairs to pull the guy (everyone is keekin roon corners) and as he taps the guy on the shoulder realises it's an orange overall with hard hat and boots stuffed paper. Rig erupts...priceless!!

The name is Tam( Tommy ) Whitelaw ,a bad spark,...love to here some craic.


Added by Tommy Whitelaw on 20 November 2009.

Hi Boys just come across this page. I'm the other Jim of the 2 Jims- Jim McFarlane - Red Opel Manta. Also known as the Deer Hunter for obvious reasons and many visits to Stan's Garage!! Worked at Kishorn on the Maureen and finished on the Buchan Alpha. Good to see so many names I recognise. Remember well the 1st adventure to Cameroon that Jim Bolder mentions but what about the 2nd one to Benin, Jim? Some made it some didn't!!! Still sound in the airport hotel and everyone thinking everybody was on the other bus!!! Other people I remember Colin Black - welder, Mike Sims (Taffy), Alex Kerr. Worked all over but now settled on a local job.

Added by Jim McFarlane on 22 November 2009.

Yes, my dad worked for Lloyd Morris, he had a lot of friends in Kishorn and Lochcarron. I'm trying to get a nice picture of either the rig or of Lochcarron for his Christmas pressie, can you help?



Added by Rona on 22 November 2009.

Hello Jim,
Never thought i would hear from you old mate, lost contact years ago. Yeah you are right, I did stay in my bed and not catch the Benin flight. Too much partying the night before - I remember but suffered when I returned to Kishorn - all good crack though. I am in the Middle East at the moment. Do you remember Jimmy Small, Stevie Sleep, Gerry Floyd and the 2 from Edinburgh, Ian Daffney and Archie Bucanhan? Good times those day's, nice to know you are still alive and kicking Jim.

Added by Jim Bolder on 23 November 2009.

I worked for Fergie Haynes then MBP. Some real blasts from the past mentioned on here. The ones I always remember for mad antics were the scaffolders.

Added by Aono on 27 November 2009.

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