Has the church found any suitable replacement pipe organs and the costs for restoration and installation? If a decision is going to be made in the next few weeks then that information will be needed rather than the common assumption "it is likely to be beyond budget".
I would agree that a much altered and pneumaticised instrument is not recommended. There are much better instruments which need homes and they can be done within the budget you mention. For example in July we took out a Blackett & Howden organ in Newcastle Sw 5, Gt 5, Ped 1 which was from a building of similar size to Ockbrook and was a fine instrument with all stops well voiced and one which could be rehoused with no alterations and minimal work save a new electric blower. Even restoring the soundboards & bellows which would have lasted another couple of decades might bring the cost to just over the budget. Installation with a thorough overhaul only, is going to be well within the budget.
I am going by a picture of the Ockbrook organ halfway down www.picturesofderby.co.uk/area_ockbrook%20page%202.htm
You may wish to investigate www.organ.dnet.co.uk/popco/redundancies.html where I recommend the church considers the Benson & Lewis organs. I will update it with the Blackett & Howden details and a couple more new ones.
Regarding scrapping the existing organ, the pipes will be useful to organ builders but generally they cannot afford the time and cost to get them. I would be interested but it would have to be in conjunction with something else in the area to make it worthwhile.
Alistair McCartney
I would agree that a much altered and pneumaticised instrument is not recommended. There are much better instruments which need homes and they can be done within the budget you mention. For example in July we took out a Blackett & Howden organ in Newcastle Sw 5, Gt 5, Ped 1 which was from a building of similar size to Ockbrook and was a fine instrument with all stops well voiced and one which could be rehoused with no alterations and minimal work save a new electric blower. Even restoring the soundboards & bellows which would have lasted another couple of decades might bring the cost to just over the budget. Installation with a thorough overhaul only, is going to be well within the budget.
I am going by a picture of the Ockbrook organ halfway down www.picturesofderby.co.uk/area_ockbrook%20page%202.htm
You may wish to investigate www.organ.dnet.co.uk/popco/redundancies.html where I recommend the church considers the Benson & Lewis organs. I will update it with the Blackett & Howden details and a couple more new ones.
Regarding scrapping the existing organ, the pipes will be useful to organ builders but generally they cannot afford the time and cost to get them. I would be interested but it would have to be in conjunction with something else in the area to make it worthwhile.
Alistair McCartney