Blackheath, All Saints’ Church organ
Blackheath, All Saints
Hills 1859: 3 manuals, 43 stops. Full restoration of the mechanism, and revision of the tonal scheme.
Below are a series of images showing the progression of work from old to new
Soundboard & Actions
Soundboard, Actions and Chests
The Choir, Great and Swell slider soundboards cleaned and repaired in the church. A new five stop slider soundboard provided for the revised Pedal organ.
The main actions have lever-arm magnets fitted to the secondary valves and the power motors re-leathered.
Pre-work
 Pneumatic action |  action, chest and reservoir |
May 2014
 Leathering Great Tromba action power motors |  Leathering Great Tromba action power motors |  Great Tromba action power motors | |
 Swell Reed chest |  Swell Reed chest |
June 2014
 Chests |  Chest | ||
 pallets |  Choir action |
July 2014
 Pedal Violone Chest |  Pedal Violone Chest |  Pedal Violone Chest | |
 Swell Horn action |  Swell Horn action |
Aug – Sept 2014
 Swell Reed chest |  Swell reed chest |
January 2015
 soundboard |  soundboard |
Feb 2015
 soundboard |  close up showing workings of a soundboard |
Mar 2015
 Pedal Trombone unit chest |  Pedal Trombone unit chest |  Pedal Trombone unit chest | |
 Pedal Trombone unit chest |
11th May 2015
 bedding Ophicleide bottom board |
Console
Console
The manual keyboards overhauled and fitted with new contacts. New piston units and drawstop solenoids. The pedalboard overhauled and fitted with new contacts, and new foot pistons. The woodwork in the playing area and external casework will be refurbished.
Pre-work
 console pre-work |
June 2014
 manuals |  back of console |  console | |
 pedalboard |
July – Sept 2014
 console |  manuals |  console | |
 pedalboard |  fitting pedals in pedalboard |  manuals | |
 manuals |
19 Mar 2015
 Neil Walton constructing the pedalboard |  pedalboard |  pedals | |
 Keys |  keys |  keys |
30 Mar 2015
 console |  pedalboard |  keys | |
 console |  console |  roll top for console |
08 Apr 2015
 stops |  stops |  stops | |
 console |
05 May 2015
 fitting stop jambs |  fitting stop jambs |  fitting thumb pistons | |
 key contacts |
19 May 2015
 Working on the console |  Working on the console |  Working on the console | |
 Working on the console |  inside the console |  keys |
10 June 2015
 console assembly |  console assembly |  console assembly |
Pipework/Voicing
Pipework/Voicing
The pipework was cleaned and new pipework in a matching style provided.
Pre-work
 Swell Pipework before work |  Great pipework before work |  Choir pipework before work | |
 16ft Swell horn pipe to be renewed |
July 2014
 Making wooden pipes |  new wooden pipes |  wooden pipes | |
 completed wooden pipes |
Aug – Oct 2014
 Swell Mixture |  Pedal Trombone new shallots |  Clarinet 8ft | |
 Great Trumpet 8ft |  Pedal Trombone fitting new shallots |  Pedal Trombone fitting new shallot |
January 2015
 Great mixture |  Swell Sharp mixture II (1st rank) |
19 Mar 2015
 racking in Choir Krummhorn |  racking in Choir Krummhorn |  Ready for soldering | |
 ready for soldering |  ready for soldering |
30 Mar 2015
 Metal measured and cut out ready to form new 16ft Swell Horn pipes |  Metal cut to shape |  Pedal Fifteenth pipes | |
 Bourdon pipes ready for racking in |  Racking in the Bourdon pipes |  Soldering the pipes | |
 Ready for soldering |  Ready for soldering |  metal cut ready to form | |
08 Apr 2015
 16ft Trombone shallots |  16ft Trombone shallots |  Pedal 15th and Pedal Bourdon pipework | |
 Pedal 15th and Pedal Bourdon bodies |  Kelvin Kent forming the Swell mixture bodies |  Swell mixture | |
 Swell mixture |  Swell mixture |  16ft Swell Horn | |
 Swell mixture, smallest body in rank |
05 May 2015
 curving tongues for Pedal Trombone 16ft |  curving tongues for Pedal Trombone 16ft |  fitting tongues to shallots | |
 fitting tongues to shallots |  fitting tongues to shallots |  Pedal Trombone tongues being fitted | |
 16ft Pedal Trombone, tongues being fitted |  16ft Pedal Trombone, tongues being fitted |  shallots being leathered ‘Hill’ style | |
 voicing Pedal Trombone 16ft |  Pedal Trombone 16ft |
11-19 May 2015
 new Great Tromba |  new Great Tromba |  racking in Great Tromba | |
 Swell mixture |
10th Jun 2015
 Great Tromba |  Cutting the tongue |  Curving the tongue | |
 curving the tongue |
Wind System & Swell
Wind System and Swell Boxes
The wind system will be re-leathered and restored. Swell shutters overhauled and new electric shutter engine installed.
Pre-work
 Bellows |  Bellows |  Flexi trunking |
May 2014
 Choir reservoir |  single rise control reservoir carcass |  control reservoir |
June 2014
 Choir reservoir |  Choir reservoir |
July 2014
 leathering reservoir |  leathering reservoir |  Swell reservoir | |
 Leathering Swell reservoir |
Feb 2015
 reservoir |  leathering reservoir |  reservoir |
19 Mar 2015
 Great reservoir | Great reservoir | ||
 Concertina trunks pre-painting |  concertina trunks before leathering |
30 Mar 2015
 wind trunk |  re-leathering wind trunks |  re-leathering wind trunks | |
 concertina trunks |  wind trunks |  concertina trunks | |
08 Apr 2015
 Andrew Fiddes working on the wind trunks |  wind trunks |
Electrics
Electrical system
A new electronic coupling system and piston system installed. New low-voltage power supplies, cabling and fusing installed.
Pre-work
 old cabling |
5th May 2015
 Colin cabling |
Installation
Installation
The casework was cleaned and the front pipes repainted.
Pre-work
The organ |  Casework and front pipes before work |
On site
 The Team (left to right): Andrew Scott, Head Voicer, Craig Watson, Michael Clough and Jaroslav Strazovsky |  The team on site |  pipework | |
 pipework |  pipework |  Andrew Scott, Head Voicer at work | |
 inside the organ |  inside the organ |  pipework | |
 inside the organ |  stops |  The mechanism is now reinstalled and voicing is in the early stages. | |
 newly painted pipes |  side view of organ |  pipework | |
 pipework |  pipework |  pipework | |
 pipework |  pipework |  pipework | |
 pipework |  stops |  stops |
Colchester, Moot Hall organ pre-work
Colchester Moot Hall
Norman & Beard in 1902: 2 Manuals, 21 stops. We fully restored the mechanism and pipework, and the original tonal scheme of the Choir has been reinstated.
New specification 3 manuals, 30 stops. Click HERE to view the new specification
Soundboard & Actions
Soundboard, Actions & Chests
Full overhaul of the soundboard, action and chests. Full re-leathering and restoration of all mechanisms. Mechanical pedal couplers to be overhauled and re-centred.
Pre-work
 soundboard pre-work |  pre-work |  Primary motors | |
 Actions pre-work |  actions |  actions | |
 cabling |  soundboard |  actions primary motors | |
 front pipe actions pre-work |  soundboard, action and chest pre-work |  soundboard pre-work |
July – September 2014
 front pipe actions |  front pipe actions |  Great Reeds action and soundboard | |
 Great Reeds action and soundboard |  soundboard |  Great Reeds action and soundboard | |
 front pipe action motors |  Great Reed motors |  Pedal Bourdon motors | |
 front pipe action |  front pipe actions | ||
 forming plunger purses, Great stop action |  Plunger purses, Great stop action | ||
6th October 2014
 Choir soundboard |  Great soundboard |  solo soundboard | |
 Testing the Great Reed soundboard and action |  Testing the Great Reed soundboard and action |  Pedal derivation machine | |
 Pedal derivation machine |  leathered motors |  action | |
 action |  pallet valves |
14th October 2014
 Swell action |  Swell action |  Swell action | |
 Swell action |  Choir soundboard |  Choir action | |
 choir action | |||
22nd October 2014
 leathering motors |  leathering motors |  power motors being leatherd | |
 Great Main action power motors |  Choir action |  Great main action | |
 more motors being leathered |  Close up of motor |  Leathered motors ready for triming | |
 Swell soundboard |  Swell soundboard |  Swell soundboard | |
 Great main action | |||
29th October 2014
 Leathered motors ready for trimming | | ||
11th – 18th November 2014
 action mechanisms |  action mechanisms |  choir soundboard | |
 motors |  Great soundboard bottom-board | ||
24th November 2014
 Choir soundboard |  primary piston action |  primary piston action | |
 Primary motor |  Choir tube tray |  Choir tube tray | |
 Choir tube tray | |||
08 December 2014
 piston/primary action |  piston/primary action motor |  primary action motor | |
 book motor | |||
Console
Console
Pre-work
 Console before work |  Console before work |  Pedalboard before work | |
 pedalboard pre-work |  manuals pre-work |  Console before work | |
 pedalboard pre-work |  old wiring |  console |
9th October 2014
 pedalboard |  pedal board | ||
 Pedal coupler beams |  Pedal coupler beams stained |  pedal board | |
14th October 2014
 pedalboard |  pedalboard |  console |
3rd November 2014
 Keys |  Key |  Keyboards | |
 Pedal jack |
11th November 2014
 jamb machine |  jamb machine |  jamb machine | |
 jamb machine mechanism |  jamb machine mechanism |  jamb machine rods | |
 jamb machine rods |  jamb machine |  Stop knobs | |
 pedal coupler lift motor |  pedal coupler lift |  pedal coupler lift | |
17 November 2014
 Manuals |  manuals |  manuals | |
 pedalboard |  stop jambs | ||
 drawstop rods |  drawstop action primaries |  jamb machine rods | |
 diaphragm machine |  diaphragm machine |  diaphragm machine | |
 diaphragm |  diaphragm |  touchbox | |
 jamb machine rods |  jamb book motor ribs |  Jamb book motor ribs | |
 Pedal coupler lift motors |  Pedal coupler lift motors |  pedal coupler lift |
24th November 2014
 diaphragm and touch box pallets |  diaphragm machine |  composition pedals | |
 cutting felt for pallets |  touchbox pallets |  Diaphragm machine | |
 book motors |  book motors |  touchbox pallets | |
 stop jambs | |||
8th December 2014
 Drawstop action | |||
Pipework
Pipework
All pipework cleaned and repaired. New pipework in matching styles returned to the specification of its original.
Pre – work
 Old pipework |  Old pipework |  Old pipework | |
 Old pipework |  Looking down wooden pipes |  old pipework | |
July – August 2014
 Swell Horn | | ||
September 2014
 Harmonic Gemshorn |  metal marked out for the Viole d’Orchestre pipework | ||
13th October 2014
 Viole d’Orchestre pipes on voicing machine |  mouth and beard |  2ft harmonic gemshorn | |
 Viole d’Orchestre pipes ready for voicing |  Harmonic Gemshorn |  Viole d’Orchestre pipes | |
 Orchestral Clarinet shallots |  Choir Orchestral Clarinet fitting shallots | ||
20th – 27th October 2014
 Choir Viole d’Orchestre |  Orchestral Clarinet 8ft |  Orchestral Clarinet | |
11 November 2014
 new Viole d’Orchestre |  new Choir Orchestral Clarinet boots |  new Choir Orchestral Clarinet boots | |
 new Choir Orchestral Clarinet boots |  new Choir Orchestral Clarinet boots | ||
18 November 2014
 Orchestral Clarinet |  Orchestral Clarinet | ||
24 November 2014
 Orchestral Clarinet | |||
 Orchestral Clarinet |  Choir Orchestral Clarinet |  Choir Orchestral Clarinet | |
 Choir Viole d’Orchestre |  Choir Viole d’Orchestre |  Choir Viole d’Orchestre | |
 Choir Viole d’Orchestre |  Choir Viole d’Orchestre |  Choir Viole d’Orchestre | |
 Choir Viole d’Orchestre |  Choir Viole d’Orchestre | ||
08 December 2014
 Orchestral Clarinet |  Choir Viole d’Orchestre |  Choir Viole d’Orchestre | |
 Choir Viole d’Orchestre |  Choir Viole d’Orchestre |  rack board and stay for Choir Voile d’Orchestre | |
02 February 2015
 Front pipes painted gold | | ||
Wind System
Wind System
Pre-work
 wind system |  trunking |  trunking | |
 trunking |  trunking | ||
July – September 2014
 Pedal reservoir |  leathering Pedal reservoir | ||
7th October 2014
 Great reservoir |  reservoir |  working on reservoir | |
 reservoir | |||
20th – 27th October 2014
 Choir reservoir |  Choir reservoir | ||
 Choir reservoir |  leathered reservoir | ||
11th – 17th November 2014
 Choir reservoir |  reservoir |  Choir reservoir | |
December 2014
 Control reservoir |  ribs for control reservoir |  control valve grid | |
 control valve |  trunking |  trunking | |
 trunking | |||
Misc
Miscellaneous
The swell shutters have been re-fitted and the mechanism overhauled
Pre-work
 The organ before work | |||
24th November 2014
 papering swell box | papering swell box |  swell shutters | |
08 December 2014
 Swell main trunking |  Swell main trunking |  swell main trunk | |
March 2015
Installation of the organ
 Inside the organ |  Console |  stops | |
 front pipes |  front pipes |  The organ completed | |
 The organ completed |  The organ after work (photo by James Fletcher) |
Hatfield College, Durham
Durham, Hatfield College
The organ was partially dismantled to allow the removal of the reservoir. The reservoir was stripped and re-leathered. The organ was reassembled, the mechanism adjusted and the organ tuned.
Pre-work
 Reservoir |  reservoir |  trunking | |
 reservoir | |||
In the workshop
 reservoir |  reservoir |  reservoir | |
 reservoir |  reservoir |  reservoir | |
 reservoir |  reservoir |  Trunking | |
 leathering reservoir |  leathering reservoir |  leathering trunking | |
 leathering trunking |
Finished /On Site
 casework and pipes |  console |  Hatfield College | |
 installing the reservoir |  reservoir |  reservoir | |
 reservoir |  reservoir |  Pedal section | |
 Pedal section |  Pedal section |  Pedal section |