Northern star Ninian is still going strong after 50 years on the tools

As part of our 125th anniversary, we meet our most northerly Member, Ninian Johnson, who has been an electrician on the remote island of Unst for nearly half a century

Ninian with Member Representative Emma Paterson at the Toolbox Talk in Shetland in June

HI NINIAN. HOW DID YOU GET STARTED IN THE INDUSTRY?

I started my training in 1976 because there was an opening with a local firm for an apprentice. At that time, I had a cousin who was an electrician and I thought it would be a good opportunity to get into a trade. I served my time down on the main island and did block release in Inverness, which was something new as I’d only been to the mainland once before and suddenly here I was with guys from all over Scotland.

WHEN DID YOU SET UP BY YOURSELF?

After serving my time I went back up to Unst in the early 80s and set up on my own in 1982. For the first few years I didn’t really do that much as I was still farming on the family croft, so I spent a few years juggling everything. I mainly did domestic and light commercial and industrial jobs at first, then I got work at RAF Saxa Vord, which was a base on Unst. They had their own electricians but as time went on they sub-contracted stuff out – mainly maintenance and small installs. I also did some basic agricultural work, such as sheds and outbuildings. Plus, I was in the retained fire service for 28 years too, so having some electrical knowledge came in handy there.

ARE YOU THE ONLY ELECTRICIAN ON THE ISLAND?

At the moment I am the only electrician on Unst, although there is another guy who concentrates more on renewables such as wind and solar – I’m getting too long in the tooth to get into that.

HOW HAVE THINGS CHANGED OVER THE YEARS?

Technology and training are the two most obvious things – you’re forever learning and updating these days. Plus there’s a lot more paperwork required for everything, as well as a lot more accountability.

BEING SO FAR NORTH, WHAT CHALLENGES DOES THE WEATHER BRING?

The winters can certainly be long and dark, plus for the last 20 years I’ve been a retained switcher for the DNO, which has had its moments. We can get called out at any time to locate faults and help switch the network around to restore as many customers as possible. One year we had hydro faults and street lights being blown over due to the weather, so the phone was ringing a lot then. The mobile phone has been one of the biggest curses for me!

Working on the remote island of Unst brings a range of challenges due to the weather

HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN A MEMBER OF SELECT?

I joined the association in 2016, which coincided with me focusing on electrical work more as my son was working on the croft. The late Malcolm Duncan carried out my initial technical assessment.

HOW HAS THE ASSOCIATION HELPED YOU?

Training is the main thing – it’s been good for keeping me up to date with requirements and regulations, and the interpretation of the regulations too. The Technical staff have been excellent because, as I said before, there is just so much to be aware of now, but also there are things which may not be in black and white or are harder to find the answer to. So having regular interaction is invaluable, especially when you’re working on your own. The Toolbox Talks have been great for that too.

WHAT DOES A TYPICAL DAY LOOK LIKE FOR YOU NOW?

At the moment I’m doing a fair bit of work for the local authority housing department, mainly reactive repairs. I also do regular work for a few building contractors, plus I cover the northern islands, so I’ve plenty to keep me busy. I’m 65 now, so at my time of life I’m done with crawling under floors – indoor jobs suit me just fine. I’ve always enjoyed fault finding and resolving issues; it’s definitely the most satisfying part of the job.

AND WHAT ABOUT THE FUTURE?

I’m hoping to retire next year. I have one son who’s an electrician and works as a radar engineer at the RAF station, but he’s too busy looking after the croft to take over. Another son is in the plant hire business and my daughter lives on mainland Shetland with her family, so they won’t be taking it on either.

SO HOW WILL YOU SPEND YOUR RETIREMENT?

I have six, soon to be seven, grandbairns, so I’ll be spending more time with them, plus doing a bit of travelling. The croft is around 2,500 acres and we have 1,200 ewes and eight Shetland ponies. Doing the early morning lambing shift when the weather is fine in early May is one of the most enjoyable ways of starting the day so hopefully I’ll be able to continue that for a few years yet. I’ll miss the job, but 50 years is a good shift.