On Sat, 25 Sep 2004 09:57:28 +0100, Keith J Chesworth
wrote:

snip


I believe it now has a preservation order on it. It no longer is in
use. In much earlier times the Hall's organ was steam powered, to pump
the bellows and the waste was vented through this chimney.
Reg

That's strange.

On Monday I was doing the statutory thorough examinations on boilers
1, 2 and 4. ie., the cold stripped down examinations.

Friday I was doing the same for boiler 3 and the steaming tests to
complete the examinations of 1, 2 and 4.

Anyone in the area yesterday morning may have seen the steam blowing
up there from the safety valve vents.

I'll pass on the Organ, that is now totally refurbished and I doubt if
there is much by records of the original one left. Prior to
refurbishment is was driven by an electric compressor.

I can say that the hall was originally supplied by well water using a
steam pumping engine. The lower part of which was still in place along
with the well until refurbishment.

The previous boilers in the place where Paxman and from the sounds of
what I have been told they were quite vintage when scrapped.

Heating is by means of stteam heated Plenium heaters in the air con
ducting and low temperature hot water to radiators, supplied via steam
heated calorifiers. Hot water is supplied by means of 'load leveller'
calorifiers. One of which I 'did' on Monday.

Why it looks out of use is because the boilers are gas fired and thus
the exhust is not visible unless the day is very cold.

Keith J Chesworth AKA boilerbill, 25years boiler surveying
www.unseenlondon.co.uk
www.blackpooltram.co.uk
www.happysnapper.com
www.boilerbill.com - main site
www.amerseyferry.co.uk

I stand corrected on its not being in use but I was told by the chap
who looked after the organ, prior to refurbishment, that the reason he
was known as the 'Organ Engineer' was that was in fact what the early
organ caretakers were.
Reg

In message , Keith J
Chesworth writes

I'll pass on the Organ, that is now totally refurbished and I doubt if
there is much by records of the original one left.

Because of the size and fame of the instrument there are in fact quite
detailed records of the original organ. The company that carried out the
recent restoration has a brief history on their website at:

http://www.mander-organs.com/html/body_news.html

Prior to refurbishment is was driven by an electric compressor.

According to the above site, the 1871 instrument was indeed steam
powered:

The wind-pressure was raised by steam engines in the blowing
room below the organ, driving six feeders. The high pressure was
provided by two blowing cylinders, 2 feet in diameter, each
containing a piston with a travel of 2 feet that provided the
vacuum on the upward stroke and the 30-inch wind pressure on the
return stroke. The plant worked well, and only one of the three
tenderers for rebuilding the instrument fifty years later
proposed to replace it.

The low-pressure engine is currently dismantled (but complete) and
housed at the Science Museum's storage depot in Wroughton near Swindon.

There is a picture of the high-pressure double-beam engine at:
http://www.allypallyorgan.org.uk/Pictures.html

Whether or not these were driven off a feed from the central boiler
house I don't know.

--
Paul Terry

On Sun, 26 Sep 2004 16:18:09 +0100, Paul Terry
wrote:

In message , Keith J
Chesworth writes

I'll pass on the Organ, that is now totally refurbished and I doubt if
there is much by records of the original one left.

Because of the size and fame of the instrument there are in fact quite
detailed records of the original organ. The company that carried out the
recent restoration has a brief history on their website at:

http://www.mander-organs.com/html/body_news.html

Prior to refurbishment is was driven by an electric compressor.

According to the above site, the 1871 instrument was indeed steam
powered:

The wind-pressure was raised by steam engines in the blowing
room below the organ, driving six feeders. The high pressure was
provided by two blowing cylinders, 2 feet in diameter, each
containing a piston with a travel of 2 feet that provided the
vacuum on the upward stroke and the 30-inch wind pressure on the
return stroke. The plant worked well, and only one of the three
tenderers for rebuilding the instrument fifty years later
proposed to replace it.

The low-pressure engine is currently dismantled (but complete) and
housed at the Science Museum's storage depot in Wroughton near Swindon.

There is a picture of the high-pressure double-beam engine at:
http://www.allypallyorgan.org.uk/Pictures.html

Whether or not these were driven off a feed from the central boiler
house I don't know.

That I didn't know, when I asked on site, no one had any info. Thanks
for that. The site dosen't say when the steam driving of the blowers
was done away with. Must ask some questions as I understood it that
was not being used in 1999. I think I must have first been involved
with the Hall about then. ISTR that the Organ strip out was in its
early stages when I first visited.

Must try and find out a bit more and see if I can visit the remains at
some time.

OK, sad, I love Windy Organ music, have several discs of the Blackpool
Organ etc and do post to vintage-engineering....ho hum

Keith J Chesworth
www.unseenlondon.co.uk
www.blackpooltram.co.uk
www.happysnapper.com
www.boilerbill.com - main site
www.amerseyferry.co.uk