If you’ve had enough of growing plants in your conservatory, why not try building an oil rig! That’s what David Reynolds from Southampton has done.
It’s not an ordinary oil rig, this one weighs just half a ton, took 15-years to build - but is made out of more than four million matches!
Former oil rig worker David Reynolds built it in 14 sections after deciding to take on a bigger challenge after completing a small matchstick kit of a model train which he built in a few weeks.
Built in a Conservatory!
Each matchstick was polished before being put into place and the model is now being considered for a place in the Guinness Book of World Records.
The model is based on Brent Bravo, one of the four oil platforms in the UK northern section. Everything is built to the finest detail, including the accommodation block for the rig workers, the flotilla of ships moored to the rig, the platforms and towers.
David gathered used matches from work colleagues but his main source came from a friendly wholesaler who gave him a huge discount. The final cost was just £1,600 rather than the retail price of about £46,000.
Now the mammoth 21ft x 12ft x 7ft model has been moved on two lorries to the Bursledon Brickworks & Industrial Museum who have given it a temporary home. It is on display there for the rest of 2009.
If you have any odd hobbies you partake of in your conservatory, please let us know.
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