38 Responses to “Licensed to Drill”

  1. Sarah Rogers says:

    Does anyone know how many copies of the vhs tape license to drill were made I think I have an original copy of it on vhs tape left by my father in law in his safe and given to my son

    • Rob M says:

      Not sure, but your best bet would be to get a DVD copy of it from ebay, the DVD is a light coloured blue, and features Del holding a gun on the front cover

  2. Sarah Rogers says:

    I have a copy of the NHS tape license to drill in my father in laws safe after he passed away I’m not sure what to do with it

  3. Trotteresque says:

    How long is the episode. It says 27 mins but it’s only 19. Who has a copy in mint condition they can copy for me.

    • admin says:

      Hi Trotteresque, The 8 minutes was due to the original having a documentary about oil drilling in the middle of the sketch.
      So there is nothing Only Fools related in that section that is cut out.

      • Griff says:

        You sure it was 8 minutes long? I don’t remember it being that long. Felt more like a 2 or 3 minute clip they were watching – going by the full episode I watched.

      • Griff says:

        Forgive me -I thought you were referring to the bit where they watch the documentary part-way into the 19min episode.

        However, was it simply cut from 8 mins to 2 mins as it doesn’t seem like an obvious edit.

  4. Keith Hook says:

    It was 1984 as that was the year the Maureen Platform featured in the video was installed. I have a copy of the video in mint condition as I was the trainer for the operations team.

  5. Sam C says:

    It looks like it was filmed around the time of Christmas Crackers episode, so 1981 I’m guessing. Sounds like John Sullivan singing the Licence To Drill theme song played in the closing credits.

    • adam says:

      It was filmed in 1984 around the time they were filming series 4. This is the last OFAH related footage that survives of Grandad. With his sad death the series was put back until 1985. Licensed to Drill was produced by Topaz productions and is the only non BBC releated episode.

      • Sam C says:

        Scroll down further and a chap in the comments said he watched it in school, and he left in ’82. So around the time of filming series 2 I now reckon. There’s the mention of the deep sea divers watch as though he’s only just got it.

        • Jonny says:

          The copyright notice at the end reads MCMLXXXIV
          Which is Roman numerals for 1984.

          This is going to be screened in part on UK Gold very soon.

  6. adamkeeble@yahoo.co.uk says:

    The BBC had nothing to do with the episode Licensed to Drill. It was produced by topaz productions.

  7. Liam says:

    I got all the 7 lost rare episodes set on DVD on eBay, VHS quality because it was copyed from VHS to DVD, i just wish BBC could remaster the episode License to Drill then officially release it

    • Dave P says:

      Can’t find the lost episodes anywhere. Any ideas

      • Rob M says:

        in order to get the lost episodes, you need to purchase the licensed to drill DVD from ebay, the front cover is light blue, and features Del holding a gun.

        most licensed to drill DVD’s have the lost episodes on the disc anyway, just check with the ebayer before buying

  8. mark woods says:

    saw the mice episode….must admit,,,not the greatest ever,,,but there you go

  9. Kelvin Walker says:

    Hello, regarding the post stating Licensed to Drill been made in 1984, I can let you know, it was made in either 1981 or 1982 because I saw this at school and I left school in 1982.

  10. Griff says:

    An obvious observation to this show was the weird picture colour. Any techy explain why it’s a peculiar looking retro picture?

    Also, the same appears in the final scene at the Trotters Flat in Miami Twice. Kind of looks surreal.

  11. Griff says:

    What has the title got anything to do with the plot of buying an oil rig by the way?

  12. dan says:

    http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-5150311163275295425#

    there is a mozilla add on which can rip video’s in websites called video downloader.

    i do think that somewhere in the massive bbc archive they will have this episode hidden away.

  13. Stephen says:

    Hi All, I once had 30x copies of this DVD, incl Cover Artwork etc.
    I sold them on Ebay (until the listing was removed)
    Apparently Ebay or someone objected to this Item being sold..
    They said it was pirated.. apparently ..
    However it was never commercially released, Ebay said they had no objection however.. they couldn’t rule upon it’s listing.. So it was pulled from sale.

    Delboy would have been proud of me..

  14. Liam says:

    if you did’nt see my comment on here, you can get all 7 lost episodes on AMAZON

  15. Liam says:

    if your a real fan i think you should try and get this DVD, i’m glad i got a copy

  16. Daniel Muddle says:

    Hi i am trying to recreate a cover for the rare episodes does anyone have that picture of Del holding the gun with a sign above him say rare episodes Many Thanks

  17. Lewis says:

    yeah, i think u can find it on youtube , if if not u can download a torrent of it. i got a torrent of it right now in my folders. its a bit crap picture. but from a old vhs its understand able

  18. Daniel Muddle says:

    I have heard about this episode many times, but is there anyway I could get a copy

    • Liam says:

      hey everyone, you can get a DVD on AMAZON for 5 to 10 pound with all 7 lost/rare episodes of only fools and horses and it has the picture of del with the gun and i’v got the DVD

      • Griff says:

        No you can’t. This is an un-official release of an episode.

        • Liam says:

          You realy can get this DVD but it is a home made DVD with 7 lost/rare episodes in VHS quality and a home made quality cover with the same style of the only fools and horses series, and they did’nt put BBC on the side because it is a home made set

    • Rob M says:

      I’m pretty sure an ebayer would sell you one – you can just about buy anything you want on ebay!

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