Imperial Distillery, Carron, April 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.

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)

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

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.

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......

Nice, interesting pipe-work going on.

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

well-done

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!

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.

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

zimbob said:

Who's that ?

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Is it me?

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

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.

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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!

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!

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

Foxylady said:

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

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Or indeed "Found"

Bryag said:

Or indeed "Found"

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Or maybe even "LostandFound".

I really need a username change.

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

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!

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

Click to expand...

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.

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