RUSSELL LEADBETTER

IT was known, for good reason, as Gulper – the most powerful suction tanker in Europe, capable of sucking a rowing-boat clear out of the water. In June 1969, Gulper, an American product, arrived from England to deal with an oil slick which had been menacing the Clyde for several days. Conventional methods of clearing the 2ft-thick mixture of sludge and heavy fuel oil had had little impact but Gulper made short work of 3,000 gallons which had been trapped at the Clyde tidal weir at

Glasgow Green before focusing on a second oil slick.