Organ matters - Organs matter!

This organ has now been saved for proper restoration. Some very interesting features have already been found - i will post details once the removal is complete this weekend.

Hi
Thanks very much for your further comments. The organ is certainly in danger because time is now pressing.
The nineteenth and twenty-second ranks of the sesquialtera have been removed but otherwise the general opinion seems to be that more than enough of the original remains to warrant a proper restoration to or near to the original form. It is still tracker action.
As I'm new to this forum I still haven't worked out how to attach photographs other than that only lo res images seem to be allowed. Could someone please advise me.

Thanks
Grinder12

Thanks very much for your technical comments. My non-technical answer to your question is that the church seats 150 and the Great organ is more than loud enough for a full house. The Swell is rather quieter.
We are talking about the organ at Christ Church, Biddulph Moor, in North Staffordshire. Re your suggestion that the instrument could be musicologically valuable, our diocesan adviser commented that it would be ideal for playing Handelian concerti.
I think that fully restored it would be a splendid example of its period (c 1830-40). We have so far been unable to discover its original location.
I hope very much that someone will take it on complete for restoration, but a decision as to its future will have to be made very soon.

This organ has been listed on the IBO site for some time and has attracted much interest but no takers. It is still in regular use but needs full restoration.  It will have to be removed within the next two or three months.

Expert opinion suggests it was built about 1830 or shortly afterwards, as it has a choir bass, a feature Renn introduced in 1829. We have yet to discover its original location but it is older than the church it stands in.
One expert said of this organ: It has a short compass Tenor C Swell organ of very gentle voicing. The Great organ has a splendid ringing tone.

Swell Organ (Tenor C)                      Great Organ
Double Diapason  16                     Open Diapason        8
Open Diapason     8                          Dulciana               8
Salicional        8*                              Stop Bass            8
Trumpet           8                              Claribel             8
Principal         4                                 Principal            4
Voix Celeste      8*                            Flute                4*
                                                        Gamba Bass           8*
                                                        Gamba                8*
                                                        Twelfth              2 2/3
                                                        Fifteenth            2
                                                        Sesquialtera        17th+

Pedal Organ
Bourdon          16

Couplers
Swell to Great
Great to Pedal

Compass
Manuals CC – F 54 notes, Pedals CCC – E 29 notes.

"Kick Stick" Swell operation.

*Non original pipework.     +The nineteenth and twenty second ranks have been removed.

We have an historic Renn and Boston organ dating from 1840 or earlier which has to be removed. It needs complete renovation.
It has two manuals plus pedals.
It is 9ft wide. Height to top of case is about 15ft but actual organ is less.
The PRESENT depth is about 12 ft but this could be reduced considerably on rebuilding, as it is not on its original "footprint'.
The Great has 11 stops and the Swell 6. The pedals are 16ft bourdon. Couplers Swell to Great and Great to Pedals.