We received a new guillotine from the makers last week and it is now fully commissioned and operational replacing our original machine. The old machine had served us well but concern was being raised should it break down during an important job, we recently had to rewind its electrical motor and the cutting blades had been replaced. We bought it in 1999 from Parsons Peebles (Bruce Peebles as was) following their disastrous fire that eventually closed that plant, and it had done very well as it was thirty odd years old when we bought it. The new machine has the same capacity, (12mm over 3000mm) but has modern back stops and cutting programmes that are already being enjoyed.
Both machines weigh over 11 tonnes and it took two days of hard work to release the old machine from its plinth and replace it with the new machine that has the same footprint. The new machine arrived on a Hiab Artic lorry and we had to unfortunately close off the Shore to enable the new machine to be swung through the doors into the workshop, and then reverse the procedure and take away the old machine that has been sold on.
We look forward to getting a similar 20 years service from the new machine.