For the first time, Impressario is being used to automate hydraulic controls, and because it was originally designed for motorised controls, it has undergone a series of technical modifications. Hydraulics have a longer response time than motors, so to compensate for the delay, Impressario has been programmed behind the actual move times. The bonus of hydraulics is that they are much quieter than motors, so huge weights such as the Portcullis can be moved at speed with very little noise.

“Phantom, Madrid has established that AVW is not only big enough and experienced enough to do a production of this size and complexity, but also that we have the capabilities to undertake such a large project away from home,” said Anton Woodward. “Working for Delstar Engineering, I am really pleased with how every member of the team has excelled themselves and Impressario has proved itself once again, showing that it is capable of controlling hydraulic systems.”