Telecoms engineer Kenny hangs up after almost half a century keeping the isles connected

Kenny Malcolmson. 

Shetland’s longest-serving telecoms engineer is hanging up for the final time after almost half a century in the role.

Kenny Malcolmson, from Sandwick, joined what was then The Post Office Telephones in July 1975 as a 17-year-old apprentice.

He progressed through the ranks and went on to lead Openreach’s 20-strong frontline team in the Northern Islands.

As a young apprentice, Mr Malcolmson learned the basics of running and connecting cables, carrying out surveys, planning and installing phone lines for islanders, before moving on to exchange construction and network maintenance.

After studying for a City and Guilds qualification on block release at Inverness Technical College, he became a technical officer, working in transmission and radio from the Lerwick Repeater Station.

As the oil industry boomed in Shetland, Kenny also took on responsibility for major links for big operations like the Sullom Voe oil terminal, Sumburgh Airport and the MOD base in Unst, as well as rural exchanges and the radio links out to smaller islands.

The father-of-three, who is married to Yvonne, has been Openreach’s patch manager – or most senior service delivery engineer – for Shetland and Orkney since 2010.

He said: “When I started out everything was analogue but as time went on we moved into the digital era. I  worked on connections for mobile phone masts, banks and all the other business customers in Shetland. I travelled the length and breadth of Shetland and out to all the islands by ferry, as well as flying to Fair Isle and Foula.

“There were some memorable incidents over the years – not least falling asleep in a chair in Bressay radio station at 3am after a digger cut through the cable powering what was then Shetland’s only link to mainland Scotland.

“Another time, an SOS came in from Foula over a boat’s VHF radio.

“It was terrible weather, gale force winds and neither the plane nor the ferry could operate.

“But we could safely hire a helicopter, so we flew into Foula to repair aerials which had been battered about by the storm.  

“Whatever the weather and whatever the problem, I’ve always tried to give the best possible service to our community.

“As I enter my 50th year in the industry, I’ve seen massive progress, the latest being full fibre broadband arriving in Fair Isle, Unst and Yell.” 

Alongside his career in engineering, Kenny had a successful amateur footballing career.

A player with Lerwick Spurs and later coach with Ness United, he represented Shetland from 1976-90, including stints as captain, against the likes of Orkney and the Faroe Islands.

Jenni Macfarlane, Openreach’s service delivery director for Scotland, said: “Kenny is irreplaceable and we will miss him dearly.

“He’s a fantastic colleague who has quietly gone many extra miles over many years to keep people and businesses in the islands connected to each other and the outside world.

“Kenny is a true ambassador for Shetland who leaves a legacy which should make him very proud, and a senior, multi-skilled team who strongly share his commitment.

“Everyone at Openreach wishes him a well-earned rest and a happy and fulfilling retirement.”

 Orkney patch lead Craig Shearer will step in to oversee the team while a recruitment process takes place for Mr Malcolmson’s successor.