# Imperial Distillery, Carron, April 2009



## RichardB (Apr 26, 2009)

This visit was arranged as a result of my plea for something to do during my work visit to Aberlour. Lost had a plan that proved to be every bit as cunning as we'd hoped and Zimbob and Bryag came along too.

We arranged a meeting place and time but 75% of the group turned up at the public toilets instead while 25% turned up at the chip shop. I'm not sure what, if anything, that says about us.

The others had been before but it was my first visit. It was a huge improvement over my alternative of sitting in the hotel watching crap TV. Before I went out I found myself watching Deal Or No Deal and had to switch off when I found myself caring what was in the next box. I would like to thank Lost, Zimbob and Bryag for saving me from that fate.


























Blurry schoolboy humour











More here.


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## rjg_scotland (Apr 26, 2009)

Is the power still on? We had fun poking buttons a couple of years ago... (and almost shat ourselves when something did something very loudly)


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## RichardB (Apr 26, 2009)

No power, we did try a few switches but nothing happened.


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## lost (Apr 27, 2009)

Hey we were just inspecting the toilets. As it turns out, the gents had no toilet paper, and the ladies is 'disappointing'.
Power seems to have been isolated from the main building, but the substation is still buzzing away.


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## Bryag (Apr 27, 2009)

Nice one Richard, good job Lost knew the way in. That was interesting to say the least

Some sort of valve (looks like a car spring to me!)





Looking into the dragon's mouth





Zimbob looking into the dragon's mouth





A lever and some bits and bobs





I thought this may have been a first aid cupboard, but no, just spares





You know when you are in a mash-tun trying to get a picture, and some bugger sticks his head through the hole and flashes a picture.......





No comment, it is just simplicity





Remarkable how shiny some of the brass still is, it looks as if the monkeys have been in and polishing madly!





Maybe it is our age, but myself and RichardB found this hugely amusing- Charging Cock!





And conversely- Discharge Cock!





I am sure I have met this fellow before, "Dennis" I believe......





Overview from on top of Dennis





Fire......


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## nemesis (Apr 27, 2009)

Nice, interesting pipe-work going on.

I like the pic you took inside one of the mash stage container.

well-done


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## Black Shuck (Apr 27, 2009)

Excellent Pics guys that is one hell of a site! Wish I had tagged along with you all but its a bit far for me!


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## Cuban B. (Apr 27, 2009)

Good to see the place still intact, wonder if they'll ever open it up again. Would probably need a fair bit of work to get it operational.


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## zimbob (Apr 27, 2009)

Twas a good evening, if the 'Ladies' in Aberlour were not up to the levels of greatness I had hoped for 

I'll pop up a few of my shots














































And the stills :






Who's that ? 






Looking in :






HDR :icon_evil






Thankfully this was empty 






It was great to go back here, and see how little had changed in the 16-odd months since I was here last ​


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## sheep21 (Apr 27, 2009)

Looks a grand site and so well preserved! All that polished brass is great


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## RichardB (Apr 27, 2009)

zimbob said:


> Who's that ?
> 
> 
> 
> ...



Is it me?


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## Foxylady (Apr 27, 2009)

Fabulous site and pics, chaps. So much to see there and some lovely bits and bobs.
Love the 'simplicity' pic, Bryag.
Excellent stuff!


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## Bryag (Apr 27, 2009)

Thanks Foxy, it is my favourite too. It does look much better full size, as the writing is in clear focus, all the resizing and framing takes it's toll on the image quality.

I do have a photo of Lost coming down the stairs, and was going to post it entitled "look, I found Lost!" but then thought better of it!




Cuban B. said:


> Good to see the place still intact, wonder if they'll ever open it up again. Would probably need a fair bit of work to get it operational.



To be fair, the stills at Glenglasshaugh were in a very poor condition when we visited and it has now reopened, but I cannot realistically see this one reopening, ever!


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## Foxylady (Apr 27, 2009)

Bryag said:


> ...I do have a photo of Lost coming down the stairs, and was going to post it entitled "look, I found Lost!" but then thought better of it!



 No, cause then he'd have to call himself Un-Lost!


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## Bryag (Apr 27, 2009)

Foxylady said:


> No, cause then he'd have to call himself Un-Lost!



Or indeed "Found"


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## Foxylady (Apr 27, 2009)

Bryag said:


> Or indeed "Found"



 Or maybe even "LostandFound".


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## lost (Apr 27, 2009)

I really need a username change.


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## lost (Apr 28, 2009)

I took some photos too, but having had only a couple of hours sleep the night before I was knackered and most of them came out blurry. Great work!





Distillery sign left in a store room





I believe these were for filtering waste water, ready to empty into the Spey. Dailuaine across the water has a similar setup.





15 CWTS





Archaic industrial light switches, made by Walsall - they still worked the year before last!










Gauges





Blistering





Under the stills





Unlike distilleries of the past, Imperial wasn't built for its proximity to a good water source, but for its proximity to the Strathspey Railway built a few decades earlier. It even had its own sidings, and a puggy line linked neighbouring Dailuaine to Imperial and the railway.





The station looks in good condition inside, 44 years after it closed


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## Black Shuck (Apr 28, 2009)

lost said:


> I took some photos too, but having had only a couple of hours sleep the night before I was knackered and most of them came out blurry. Great work!
> 
> 
> 
> ...



I was going to say I am sure this distillery was featured on a Railway walks programme recently!. The place had its own small industrial line complete with a small engine shed to house two locos that worked the Distillery branch.


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## lost (Apr 28, 2009)

Yes it was, I caught it on BBC iPlayer after being told by a friend about it. I found out quite a bit of new information through it, especially about the puggy rail line from Imperial to Dailuiane


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## Richard Davies (Apr 28, 2009)

Considering the amount of brass & copper fittings there it's lucky that the scrappers haven't paid a visit, though aluminium snow poles in the Highlands are something that can be nabbed for the scrap value.


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## lost (Apr 28, 2009)

Sadly it has been targetted, but limited only to a few copper pipes. It was tightly secured after that.


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## Bryag (Apr 28, 2009)

lost said:


> I really need a username change.



Nonsense man! "Lost" is a great name Much better than "Bryag" or "RichardB" (no offence Richard) which lack imagination and purpose.


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## wolfism (Apr 28, 2009)

lost said:


> Archaic industrial light switches, made by Walsall - they still worked the year before last!


Yes, I remember that, and I seem to recall being quite concerned when you operated them. 

Pernod Ricard may eventually re-open Imperial, but as it's spent twice as long out of production than working, over its life, the chances are probably slim. Looking at Bryag's pics, it looks like the lyne arms have been uncoupled (from top of the stills) … not sure if they were like that at the end of '07 when we originally visited??


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## Bryag (Apr 28, 2009)

wolfism said:


> Yes, I remember that, and I seem to recall being quite concerned when you operated them.
> 
> Pernod Ricard may eventually re-open Imperial, but as it's spent twice as long out of production than working, over its life, the chances are probably slim. Looking at Bryag's pics, it looks like the lyne arms have been uncoupled (from top of the stills) … not sure if they were like that at the end of '07 when we originally visited??



Here is a photo of all four stills






The two to the left are both connected to the condensers, and have their heating pipes intact; the two to the right are disconnected at the top of the pipe, and the heating pipes have been dismantled and removed. There is no evidence in the areas we were able to access of the dismantled components


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## maden_2 (Apr 28, 2009)

was there a ton of scoof down by the loading bay?


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## zimbob (Apr 29, 2009)

maden_2 said:


> was there a ton of scoof down by the loading bay?



'scoof' ? I'm not au-fait with Central Belt slang 

But all the copper that was there has vanished


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## wolfism (Apr 29, 2009)

Bryag said:


> There is no evidence in the areas we were able to access of the dismantled components


Let's hope the inevitable hasn't happened; I was recently exploring down south and surprised a pikey armed with a junior hacksaw, busily hacking away at the windings of a huge electric motor – at 6am. Seems the credit crunch hasn't dulled their appetite for copper.


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## lost (Apr 29, 2009)

It looks like they were disconnected on my first visit.






I miss the hatches on the stills, I bet they were flung into the back of a Mk3 Transit tipper.


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## Bryag (Apr 29, 2009)

lost said:


>



Snap (almost)






Actually, when you put them together, very little has changed. The absence of the charging cock and discharge cock(and associated pipework) from the second still appear to be the only differences. The discharge cock(snigger) from the first still is now lying on the floor of the loading bay. The only other major differences to our last visit is the fact that more of the place is better secured. That, from a preservation point of view, can only be a good thing


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## lost (Apr 29, 2009)

That wide angle adapter I had on my old camera was dire!


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## Richard Davies (Apr 29, 2009)

wolfism said:


> Let's hope the inevitable hasn't happened; I was recently exploring down south and surprised a pikey armed with a junior hacksaw, busily hacking away at the windings of a huge electric motor – at 6am. Seems the credit crunch hasn't dulled their appetite for copper.



Has the price of copper gone down much? 

I know that the demand for (& prices of) scrap steel has dropped in recent months.


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## Bryag (Apr 29, 2009)

Copper prices are still very high. Although the demand for steel has dropped massively recently, hence the price has plummeted, copper is very much at a premium.



lost said:


> That wide angle adapter I had on my old camera was dire!



What were you shooting with in those days, Lost?


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## freebird (May 1, 2009)

Nice pics all! What a great place! Sqwasher recorded that railway walks programme and pointed the place out to me. The whole area looks good, your lucky to get to explore these places! I do like the look of exploring a distillery but haven't had the chance, yet! What a pity that copper is still holding it's value!


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