Author: Stephen Barker

Work is now well under way putting the pipework back into our organ. As each rank of pipes is put back into the organ, each pipe is individually tuned, and adjusted to speak clearly and quickly, and at the correct volume. This process will be repeated three or four times for each rank as the organ is put together to ensure that everything balances well and works as a coherent instrument.

So far, work has been progressing on the Great pipework and the Pedal Bourdon.

At the end of week 2, much of the framework is up and it’s clear to see the front of the casework beginning to look as it did before, albeit about 2 feet further forward in order to accommodate additional pipework. Much of the winding is now in place, with the larger blower alongside our original smaller one, providing ample wind to the different departments via the sets of bellows and regulators. One or two of the larger pipes have also arrived, notably pipes from the pedal Trombone rank which will be split at the rear or the organ, one half behind the Swell and the other behind the Great.

Come back next week for the next update!

Finally, after being away for 10 months, our organ started to return today! The first job is to rebuild the main structure, beginning with the newly enlarged Swell on the right. The photos below show progress on day 1 (bearing in mind that the morning was spent loading, transporting, and unloading). The captions to each photo give some more information.

Those of you reading this who are regular worshippers at St Stephen’s, I hope you have had a chance to look at the craftsmanship in the console which is now in the north transept. Work is still progressing and the photographs below show the brand new Bassoon pipework that will go on the Swell, details of the rewirinng that is being done to the 1960s chests and some of the new chests ready to take their pipework. The build is heading towards the final assembly in the workshop before moving everything into church where the final work will be completed on site. We are so nearly there now!