Major reconstruction at Islay's Bunnahabhain Distillery

Thursday, July 19 2007

Bunnahabhain Distillery on Islay closed down for some time due to the replacement of the boilers in the boiler house. Arra was in Bunnahabhain at 1.30 this afternoon just in time to see the second massive boiler being hoisted out through the roof of the boiler house. He was speaking to John MacLellan the manager, and he said that the boilers were installed in 1962 and the second in 64. The boilers weighed over 19 ton but were too heavy for the full reach of the cranes boom, so nearly five more tons had to be shed to reduce the weight. The new boilers come in at a cool £65,000 each approx., maybe even more, and the whole project will be around £300,000. The crane is an unbelievable 85 tons and one of the engineers said there wouldn't be much change from a million quid.

The aerial shots were taken by John MacLellan using Arra's camera from an inspection cage suspended by the crane, Arra told me he would have loved to go up there himself but there was only room for one, lucky him ;-)

John McLellan and Victor - emotional goodbye?

The Boiler House seen from the crane - picture John MacLellan

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