Organ Project Installation

Week One, update

On Monday morning, 20 July, the scaffolders arrived to begin erecting the scaffolding needed by the Willis organ builders to access the organ chamber. Later that day, the team from Henry Willis & Sons in Liverpool arrived with a lorry-load of our new organ.

After unloading the very large pipes, bellows, wind chests and many other intricate components, and making some alterations to the scaffolding structure, the Willis team began placing the pipes in the chamber on Tuesday. It is extraordinary to see the scale of some of these pipes in person, which are up to sixteen feet long!

The team will return on Monday with another lorry-load of pipes and materials and will continue the installation. One of next week’s challenges will be hoisting the 200kg organ blower (the machine that supplies air to the pipes) into place using a Genie Lift.

It is all wonderfully instructive - and utterly amazing to watch.