Orkney Image Library

OISC's first YALE electric forklift.
OISC stuck with wooden locally made gangways to this very day.

Willie, I think this is the forkflift that went "over the side". It was fished out, and repaired by Jackie Kelday (Stevedore) who was an electrician to trade.

No that one was BS6574 - 3 tonne capacity I think the one that went ower the pier was a slightly bigger one they got in the early 70s (possibly 5 tonnee SWL) to handle the bigger fuel tanks etc.
There was a system on them that applied the handbrake if you jumped off the seat. The driver jumped off outside the store where there was a slope and a bit of a gap in the "Brander" (Kerb around the edge of pier) for the cattle gangway and this brake system failed and as there was no ship on the berth the truck went to the bottom.
Jackie Kelday did indeed repair it but I think it spent most of its time in the corner of the store after this till replaced by diesel forklifts.

I wonder if a man called Freddy Copeland made these wooden gangways? I recall him fitting a new section into the nice wooden stern hand-rail of the Orcadia. It was indeed the forklift with the seat brake that went over the edge. I saw it happening. Hilarious!

Aye he used a few fancy words whilst it was being repaired. The salt water did far more damage than they originaly thought, hence it never worked right. After replacing 1 new bit something else showed up as a fault.