At the spent nuclear fuel storage facility at Andreeva Bay, north-west of Saida Bay, you can see why.
It is dangerous. The delegation had to wear protective clothing even for their brief visit.
It is a sensitive location. The Russians told television
crews, including the BBC, they had to agree to their pictures being
censored if they wished to film.
It wasn't the first problem we had had. Earlier in the
day, at the naval dockyard in Polyarny, we had been prevented from
filming a submarine which was due to be broken up.
I assume he was an agent of the FSB, the Russian secret police. He demanded to see what was on the cassette in our camera.
We had not even been able to film the delegation looking
at the submarine. Even with the Cold War over, the Soviet navy's
nuclear legacy is still surrounded by secrecy and suspicion.
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It was not the first problem we had had.
Is it fine to write 'had had' in the above?
It will be correct to say ' It was not the problem we had.'
I can't understand the use of two words of 'had'.
However, this borders past perfect.
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The fifth sentence of the above is fine:
The Russians told the crew ...
They had to agree ...
[Just the imperfect tense.]
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The seventh sentence is also fine:
Earlier in the day ...
We had been prevented ...
[Just the imperfect tense.]
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