Organ Update 18
UPDATE Compiled by Boz Oram
boz@historyinharmony.com
www.historyinharmony.com
Welcome to Update Number 18 – and a big welcome to all of the new people who are on the Update, plus of course the many regular members that have been with me from the early days. Thank you also for your continued support and please keep passing this update around. Thanks also to the magazine editors for all of their help in passing on information plus all of the regular contributors help.
History in Harmony have just re-launched and updated their website, so it may be worth a look for you – usual address is www.historyinharmony.com We also have some accommodation available for the Great Dorset Steam Fair. All on a first come first served basis – usual email tours@historyinharmony.com
Here in the UK, we have just gone through a very hot spell and drought to then have a cold time with plenty of rain and funnily enough, we have had to put the central heating on to take the chill off the air. No wonder the true Englishman continually talks about the weather!
You have a really packed Update this time – plenty of reading - maybe in the smallest room in the house! For those who read this on your PC, you’ll find that the websites are ALL hyperlinked, which means that all you need to do is double click onto the web address and you’ll be straight in there!
Crossing the Atlantic
On July 3rd 2005, history was reinacted using wood, canvas, and an engine a compass and a sextant. Steve Fossett and Mark Rebholz crossed the Atlantic Ocean, eighty-six years after the same journey was completed by John Alcock and Arthur Whitten Brown in a replica First World War Vickers Vimy biplane from Newfoundland (10.52hrs) and landed on the Connemara Golf Links in Clifden, Co Galway, Ireland at 17.04hrs. This time the journey took just over two hours more than the original journey of 16 hours and 27 minutes. The original feat was inspired in 1919 by the British newspaper the Daily Mail, with the then owner Viscount Northcliffe, offering £10,000 (about £220,000 nowadays) to the first fliers to cross the ocean non-stop. During the original flight, the pilot was Alcock, who had spent time flying during WW1 and his navigator Brown who claimed their place in history by surviving freezing temperatures and it is said that Brown had to climb out onto the wings to chip off the ice and at one point clear out the cockpit which became full of snow! On the latest occasion, the flight was cloudy and rainy and they didn’t actually see the sun until three hours after sunrise. Mr Rebholz admitted that it was a great relief to see land after the re-run!
Website for ancient Motor Car Builders
For a good website that gives potted histories of almost all of the British motor manufacturers before 1960, then go to www.britishmm.co.uk It is a bit slow to work, but is just full of information for those of you who want to know about the many different car manufacturers of the UK.
I’ve been on to this site and it really is quite comprehensive, so really worth a look
How about ancient bicycles?
From Mark Jefford
Boz
Can't understand why I've suddenly remembered this when re-reading your Update Number 16 about nice cups of tea but here goes:
When the MOOS AGM was held at the Cuckoo Clock Museum, Tabley in 2003 I looked for something else in the area offering food and found references to this hostelry. Out of curiosity I checked where this was (in behind the buildings fronting King Street), called in for a snack before the AGM and was rewarded with both the refreshments and surrounding bicycle collection. An intriguing place for a cup of tea and I think there is a discount for anyone turning up on a Penny Farthing!
PENNY FARTHING BICYCLE COLLECTION, COURTYARD COFFEE HOUSE, at the rear of 92 KING STREET, KNUTSFORD. TEL:+UK (0) 1565 653974
Open: Every day except Christmas Day, Boxing Day and Good Friday. Weekdays 9.30 am - 4.30 pm. Sat & Sun 9.30 am - 5.00 pm
In a quaint cobbled yard in Knutsford, the Courtyard Coffee House displays the largest collection of English-made penny-farthing bicycles in the world and memorabilia. There is a bonus of a working model American train that surprises everyone. Look out for the sign on the left above a narrow alley and don't wobble off that bike.
Mark
PS. There's more detail on http://www.travelpublishing.co.uk/HiddenPlacesEngland/Cheshire/eng24442.htm
Steamy Stuff!
German Museums Tour January 2006
The excellent German Museums tour in January is already being filled up with many interested parties. The tour is held in conjunction with the famous Sinsheim Model Engineering Exhibition, the tour stays at the 4* Marriott hotel in Heidelberg and excellent place that is easily accessible from the railway station for those who want to travel by train and is also close to Frankfurt Airport for those wishing to travel by air. For those people who have travelled in the past then you know what to expect, however for those who haven’t then here’s a short synopsis:
The tour is based around the Model Engineering Exhibition in Sinsheim, the Echtdampf-Hallentreffen (could find no sensible website – any ideas?) offers some 5 kilometres of 7 ¼” gauge track which is extensively used by steam, electric and motorised rolling stock. 5” gauge plus others also have extensive areas. The whole exhibition is inside a five-building complex and people from all over Europe exhibit either with their own models or suppliers of various component parts with their own stalls. The tour also is unique in the fact that other venues connected with preserved equipment are included within the tour – Marxzell, the National Railway Museum in Nuremburg, the Technik Museum in Sinsheim and also the Auto Technik in Speyer. Germany is renowned for its attention to detail and all of these collections, the quality is totally assured. The date of the tour is from the 12th January 2006. tours@historyinharmony.com
IS THIS A FIRST?
From Peter Griffiths, the famous Lake District Organ Builder.
Hi there Boz
Is this to be a world first?
A friend of mine who used to help me run the Burrell Scenic Showman’s steam engine 'Winston Churchill' is getting married in August. Unfortunately they cannot find an organist that day, for the organ of the chapel where they are tying the knot.
So ............. it has been decided that the music for the wedding will be supplied by 'De Merel' my 52 key street organ - inside the church! The organ will just go through the doorway. Music will be Mendelssohn wedding march, three hymns, Pachabel's Cannon whilst signing the register, and a brand new arrangement of Widor's Toccata to send them on their way. (should be posting a recording of the Widor on my website soon). Should be great fun all round.
Cheers
Peter peter@griffithsorgans.co.uk
website at http://www.griffithsorgans.co.uk/
Peter Griffiths Organ Builder lives in Hawkshead, Cumbria in the most beautiful Lake District ( Now here’s a family that produces a fantastic cup of tea!)
I am really lucky to have some stalwarts who chivvy me along and help me on the way – Mark Jefford is the Membership secretary of the Mechanical Organ Owner’s Society www.moos.org.uk
Boz
At the weekend I got hold of a leaflet about the Lincolnshire Heritage Open Days and discovered that the Heritage Open Days were not limited to Lincolnshire but are throughout England.
The Open Days, billed as England's largest Voluntary Cultural Event, are about opening buildings, giving guided tours or generally bringing local history and culture to life annually on any of 4 days at the beginning of September free of charge. More than 2500 buildings have previously been open to the public over the 4 days bringing 800 000 people into contact with our heritage (see http://www.heritageopendays.org/about.shtml). The Civic Trust established the initiative in 1994 as part of the European Heritage Days and along with English Heritage helps promote the event. The directory of events will be available online from mid-July at www.heritageopendays.org, regional hardcopy directories will be distributed through Tourist Information Centres at the beginning of August or call 020 7539 7924 for the visitor enquiry line open from 1 August to 12 September, Monday to Friday, 9 am to 6 pm.
Interestingly enough, their Spring 2005 newsletter has details of their recently launched e-mail based Information Exchange, www.heritageopendays.org/education/exchange.shtml that enables like-minded people to electronically discuss their heritage - much like your Updates and FOPS forum.
Scotland holds its Doors Open Days on September Weekends, see http://www.doorsopendays.org.uk/dod.htm or call 0141 248 1188 for the 24 hr answerphone service in Aug/Sept only.
While European Heritage Days http://www.heritagedays.net/ in the same vein are held in
Wales, information will be online in August at http://www.civictrustwales.org/ehd2005/index.htm
the Irish Republic, tel <00> 353 1 647 2466 for further details or the information will be online at www.duchas.ie and
Northern Ireland, tel 02890 543022 for catalogue of events or email ehd@doeni.gov.uk or online information at www.ehsni.gov.uk.
Hope this is of use to the readership of the next update. (Sure is Mark, and thanks!)
Mark
From Wolfgang Brommer down in the south of Germany at the centre of organ building Waldkirch.
Dear Boz,
Thanks for your newsletter. Very good!
About Waldkirch: in 2006 we are celebrating the 200th festival of Iganz Blasius Bruder’s first street organ in 1806.
There are to be a lot of different activities during the whole year and we will have special exhibitions in the Museum of Bruchsal as well as Waldkirch. We will also bring out the handwritten book of Ignaz Bruder’s (278 pages and 42 drawings), there will be special concerts and of great deal interesting Bruder artefacts will be seen.
With all my best wishes
Wolfgang
Wolfgang also has told me that a new, limited edition 20 note handcranked organ with dancing figures on top are being produced by their company Jaeger and Brommer. For further information about this instrument on: http://www.jaegerbrommer.de
The series of events will be published at end of October and I will pass this on to you. As a side point, Linda are toying with the idea of a centralised tour to France, Switzerland and Germany so we may be able to tie up some of Wolfgang’s festivities within the tour. Many thanks for your comments as well Wolfgang, and good to finally meet you during our trip to Waldkirch.
Mark Jefford has been really active for me this time
Boz - Sorry to trouble you again but looking at a leaflet I picked up in Germany I found some more information on the 100 years celebration of Welte-Mignon.
There are brief details of the firm and exhibition to be held in the Freiburg museum at http://www.augustinermuseum.de/frame_vorschau.htm (English version available.)
Hope this helps but please ignore of you already know about it.
Mark
Again, thanks for that Mark especially as this Update grows weekly and many people haven’t seen the previous ones.
Numerous links to the world of mechanical instruments are to be found at:
http://www.pianola.org/links.html
Subject: ICE
A good idea... Important - please read... This is an idea that is spreading across the UK at a rate of knots and there’s no reason why it can’t go around the world either. With the recent cowardly threats throughout the world and many people now owning mobile (cell) phones, it seems that the phone doesn’t always get damaged completely and is a bit like the black box in an aircraft. With this information, all the rescue services etc have to do is just call the number headed ICE and all members of the family can be informed should the need arise.
“East Anglian Ambulance Service have launched a national "In case of Emergency (ICE)" campaign with the support of Falklands war hero Simon Weston and in association with Vodafone's annual life savers award. The idea is that you store the word "ICE" in your mobile phone address book, and against it enter the number of the person you would want to be contacted "In Case of Emergency". In an emergency situation ambulance and hospital staff will then be able to quickly find out who your next of kin are and be able to contact them.
It's so simple - everyone can do it. Please do. Please will you also forward this to other people in your address book, it won't take too many forwards' before everybody will know about this. It really could save your life and make the emergency services’ life a whole deal easier.”
In Update #17, I mentioned the ABOA. I had two replies advising of its non-existence.
From Ron Bopp Boz - nice meeting you in Waldkirch - About your list - thanks for your work
Note: The ABOA is defunct (for about 4 years now) and Ken Smith died over the winter.
Ron
Also from Roger Wiegrand
Hi Boz--
The ABOA no longer exists, having metamorphosed into the COAA. Sadly,
Ken Smith passed away this past winter.
Roger
Apologies to all concerned for the misinformation. In order to access the COAA please go to www.carouselorganassociation.org for further information.
Scandinavia
Hi Boz
Here is a link to a new group set up in Denmark – it covers Norway Sweden and Denmark. LIREKASSEVENNER.DK
Unfortunately for those who only speak English it is all in Danish, however they also offer many links. While I’m at it, come and have a quick look at my own wee modest site with a small sound sample of my 31/84 Alan Pell roll player. If you could sign my guestbook, just to let me know who’s been there for a visit link. The North Wind
I enjoy the newsletters Boz – keep up the good work, as it can only be an advantage to mechanical music.
With friendly greetings from Scotland
Ian (organgrinder)Pettigrew
Thanks for that Ian – hopefully this is also good for the whole of the restoration and preservation world – some areas are as sticky as treacle and others are just totally on the ball. I hope that this goes some way to keeping people in touch with each other.
St Agnes Steam Rally
Possibly one of the greatest family shows in the South! Yes the excellent West of England Steam Society are holding their 50th rally at St Agnes on the North Coast of Cornwall at Tywarnhayle Farm on the 19th to 21st August. If you go, make the effort to go on the Friday as well – why? The show supports one of the most excellent Road-Runs and it goes along picturesque scenery to Engine Hill. This used to have a winding engine at the top to haul goods and products to the top. That engine has long since gone, but the steepness is just enough for all to test their skills at taking photographs and recording the loud chuffs on video plus a bit of fun for the drivers themselves. Further information on www.weses.co.uk or phone +UK (0) 1326 373102. Reason for being reminded is that Jimmer Marsh passed through last Friday from Sussex with his wife Sarah’s Burrell Gold Medal Tractor on the way to the St Agnes 50th anniversary via the Langport Rally. It wasn’t only just a steam down the road, but also a special delivery service too, stopping off at various customers on the way (I believe it is called the Burrell Express Delivery Parts Service). His timings as usual, were impeccable and I am so pleased to still see that there are still skilled people out there who keep doing this experience, without hesitation.
Talking of an excellent family day out
The Bedfordshire Steam & Country Fayre is held in the picturesque setting of Old Warden Park, home of the world famous Shuttleworth Collection which is housed in its own museum. The much-photographed mansion, home of the Shuttleworth family since 1876, provides a magnificent and stately backdrop for the event. Attracting over 15,000 visitors each year, the Bedford Steam Engine Preservation Society aims to give an insight into country life at the turn of the 20th century, when steam was in its hey day. Many working demonstrations take place wherever you may care to roam on the 400-acre site. For a complete day out, why not visit the Beer Garden and listen to the band, or watch the stage show. Stay into the evening on Saturday and end your day by marvelling at the magnificent line-up of showmen's engines’ generating the fairground rides and attractions or listen to some of the most original mechanical organs around in the UK. Dogs on leads are welcome.
For further information www.bseps.org.uk I also have to say here that the exhibitors really love coming to this show as well, which gives a great atmosphere, which the General Public enjoy and therefore they come back year after year. This has just reminded me – John Crawley, one of the earliest collectors and therefore protector of our heritage (and by default the reason why there are so many shows around the world), saved many different steam engines plus a couple of fair organs from certain destruction. This year, the show is honouring his achievements by bringing back as many as possible of the engines that he saved for our posterity – I was surprised when I found out how many there were.
Musical Tour to Holland
The eagerly anticipated Mechanical Organ Owner’s Society November Tour is in the final stages of being put together with just one venue to come back and confirm whether they can accommodate us. The tour will be going to a number of “new” places found out by arch delver Peter Craig and there are a few favourites as well. For further details please just drop us a line to tours@historyinharmony.com
Steam engines could be eco hope
By Jo Twist BBC News science and technology reporter
Think of steam engines and hazy, romantic images of chugging great beasts of old fill the mind?
Steam-powered vehicles are not usually deemed as being at the cutting edge of transport technology. Nor do they seem to be the type to race across desert landscapes in a bid to smash land speed records in the 21st Century however British design engineer Glynne Bowsher and his team have almost finished building a super-fast vehicle reminiscent of the Batmobile. He knows engine and vehicle design like old friends, having worked on Richard Noble's record-breaking Thrust 2 jet car and having designed ThrustSSC, the first vehicle to break the sound barrier on land. His team, the British Steam Car Challenge (BSCC), is hoping that its Inspiration vehicle will live up to its name and not only break a long-standing steam-car speed record, but also inspire thinking about alternative fuels for the future.
In and out The search for a suitable alternative fuel source to hydrocarbons which can cleanly power our vehicles has touched on various different options. Fuels which do not "rot" the environment usually bring to mind images of gently humming electric cars, clean hydrogen, natural gas, or hithane - a concoction of hydrogen and methane. The most promising, believes Mr Bowsher, is either nuclear or hydrogen fuel but until a viable mass-scale way of storing and distributing hydrogen effectively is developed, it remains limited in use.
INSPIRATION STEAM CAR
Construction: Tubular steel spaceframe with composite/metal panels
Length: 5.25m
Width: 1.70m
Height: 1.10m
Fuel: LPG (Liquified petroleum gas)
Working fluid: Water/steam
Performance: Maximum speed 200+ mph (320km/h); Initial acceleration: 0.52G
Brakes: Twin front wheel brakes and twin rear inboard rear disc brakes
Steering: Rack and pinion
Mr Bowsher believes that until then, designers could look to Inspiration for a different take on good old steam. The key to its potential is the difference between internal and external combustion technologies. External combustion engines - like steam ones - hold several advantages over internal ones. They have the potential to produce fewer harmful nitrogen oxides (NOx) than conventional cars which use internal combustion engines. Although steam engines are most likely to need to burn hydrocarbon-based fuels like petrol and diesel, which in turn release carbon dioxide, external combustion engines can control the release and the production of CO2 more efficiently. And because such engines can work well at lower peak temperatures and pressures, the creation of NOx compounds can be almost negligible.
Inspiration is a far cry from the steam cars made famous by the Stanley brothers, however. The 1906 record, set by a Stanley Steamer at what is now Daytona Beach, is the longest-standing officially recognised land speed record for a steam car. It was set at a time when the battle for supremacy between petrol-powered internal combustion engines and steam-powered external combustion engines was in full sprint. Although Stanley Steamers had enjoyed a boom in the early 1900s, they were quickly being overtaken by internal combustion engines. The steam car, driven by Fred Marriott, reached 127.7mph (205.5 km/h), beating four petrol-powered vehicles to pick up the Dewar Trophy rewarding the fastest vehicles on land.
Own design
Inspiration's engine works in quite a simple way, he explains. “Water is passed through a steam generator where it is heated by burning propane gas into superheated steam at 400C and at 40-bar pressure (4 million Pa). That steam is then fed into four nozzles on a two-stage turbine arrangement. With a turbine, you either use the pressure energy or velocity energy. In this case, we turn the pressure energy into high velocity. Then the moving gas stream strikes the turbine wheels and starts them rotating - a bit like a small-scale power station” explains Mr Bowsher.
"Once we have a turbine that goes round, rotational powers, that along with gear ratios can be used to drive the wheels and once we have the wheels rotating we can make it go forward fast." It sounds simple enough, but there were big challenges technologically to generate enough power in such a small vehicular space - 300 brake horsepower to be precise. That is 225kW of power operating at 12,000rpm. Formula 1 engines typically operate at more than 17,000rpm, while aircraft turbine engines turn at 85,000rpm and above. "One difficulty was getting a turbine and transmission system in such a small space. "But the worst problem was providing a steam generator to provide steam the turbine needed in such a small space."
INSPIRATION ENGINE SPEC
Two stage turbine on single spool
Output: 300bhp at 12,000rpm (turbine speed) (225kw)
Output shaft gear ratio: 4:1 or 4.45:1 to twin output shafts
Differential: Epicyclic type with viscous couplings
It is a method of steam production that seems not to have been used previously, according to Mr Bowsher.
Story from BBC NEWS:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/hi/science/nature/4076811.stm
Please go to this website for more information on this fantastic up-to-date steam vehicle.
Grateful thanks are given to the BBC and for the use of this article in the Update and hope this helps those who like the steam content of the Update.
Grateful thanks to Erica Yonge for this little snippet…
MARS SPECTACULAR
The Red Planet is about to be spectacular! This month and next, Earth is catching up with Mars in an encounter that will culminate in the closest approach between the two planets in recorded history. The next time Mars may come this close is in 2287. Due to the way Jupiter's gravity tugs on Mars and perturbs its orbit, astronomers can only be certain that Mars has not come this close to Earth in the Last 5,000 years, but it may be as long
as 60,000 years before it happens again.
The encounter will culminate on August 27th when Mars comes to within 34,649,589 miles of Earth and will be (next to the moon) the brightest object in the night sky. It will attain a magnitude of -2.9 and will appear 25.11 arc seconds wide. At a modest 75-power magnification, Mars will look as large as the full moon to the naked eye. Mars will be easy to spot. At the beginning of August it will rise in the east at 10p.m. and reach its azimuth at about 3 a.m.
By the end of August when the two planets are closest, Mars will rise at nightfall and reach its highest point in the sky at 12:30a.m. That's pretty convenient to see something that no human being has seen in recorded history.. So, mark your calendar at the beginning of August to see Mars grow progressively brighter and brighter throughout the month.
Share this with your children and grandchildren. NO ONE ALIVE TODAY WILL EVER SEE THIS AGAIN.
Fuel prices cited in airfare increase
HONOLULU (eTurboNews) – Hong Kong's Civil Aviation Department has given as 22 airlines permission to extend fuel surcharges on passenger tickets in response to high oil prices. Cathay Pacific says it will increase US$42.60 per sector, up from the current US$32. The long-haul surcharges apply to all CX flights between Hong Kong and Australia, North America, Europe, the Middle East and South Africa.
The short-haul surcharge, which applies mainly to the airline's regional flights in Asia, remains at US$11 per sector. The revised surcharges will apply to all tickets issued or re-issued on or after August 1, 2005. Meanwhile, Australians have been warned of an increase in airfare prices to fund anti-terrorism measures at airports.
Federal Transport Minister Warren Truss says there could be a price hike in airline tickets to pay for boosted security at airports and on aircraft, according to Australia’s Federal Transport Minister Warren Truss.
From Susan Robinson
Hi Boz,
Enjoyed the latest update. Thanks for your efforts.
Regarding steam in Japan, your readers may find this railway of interest: http://www.geocities.com/sakuradani_railway/ (The SAKURADANI Light Railway) Not sure if there is steam, but it is still an incredible sight for such a small space.
Regards,
Susan
--
The Grand Scales Quarterly http://www.grandscales.com
7+ RAILROADER http://www.7plusrailroader.com
Robinson & Associates
P.O. Box 8953, Red Bluff, CA 96080 USA
530-527-0141 fax 530-527-0420
Hi Boz,
Hello Again Boz,
Another announcement follows (which I forgot to include in the first e-mail I sent a moment ago.) It is in regard to our upcoming Grand Scales Railroad Convention. Please see the press release below. Thank you kindly,
Susan
--
Your own railroad empire
FIRE, SMOKE & STEAM
Reedley, CA: Readers in eighteen countries say that their dream is to own their own railroad. These folks aren’t talking about toys that run around the living room floor. Rather their Grand Scale railways feature trains large enough to sit comfortably inside.
From city lots to grand estates; from 100 feet of track to 10 miles of track; from one engine to a whole roster of locomotives, Grand Scale train enthusiasts continue to build and run their railway empires.
But how does one gather the information needed to build large-scale layouts? Those who have been around the hobby for generations are often willing to share their expertise. Several magazines in the U.S. and abroad discuss it. Various videos demonstrate it. But to really learn the nitty-gritty, get grease in your fingernails and smoke in your eyes way, one needs to attend a Grand Scales Convention.
This unique three-day event is held only once every two years. During the convention guests have the opportunity to get their hands dirty laying track and levelling ballast. They can feel the rush of firing a working, breathing steam locomotive. They chat with those who have been building railroads for decades. And they go home with more knowledge and confidence than they can find anywhere else in the world. Plus they will have the opportunity to see over ten steam and diesel engines running at once - a site that can rarely, if ever, be seen any where else!
Those who want to learn more, whether for work on their tourist railroad or for their own private line, are invited to attend. More information can be found by calling (+USA) 530-527-0141 or by visiting www.grandscales.com.
What: Grand Scales Railroad Convention
When: September 30 through October 2, 2005
Where: Hillcrest & Wahtoke RR, Reedley, California
Photos gladly provided upon request from Susan.
That’s it so far. Grateful thanks for all contributions and contributors on this particular Update.
If you have any interesting news, please can you supply me with it - all subjects are welcome to be discussed. If you feel that your subject isn’t being covered fully, then please let me know and/or please send in an article to cover it.
If you want to use the general material, please do, but please mention History in Harmony as the source and give the web address www.historyinharmony.com please contact me on article use to ask permission from author.
As ever, should you wish to not be included on this update, then please let me know at boz@historyinharmony.com and I’ll remove you forthwith. Conversely, if you know of any other people who would enjoy this email, then please get them to contact me at the same address.
COURTESY NOTICE
Views expressed are not necessarily those of the Update Compiler. It may be on occasions, necessary to edit material. In such cases utmost care will be taken to ensure that alterations or omissions do not alter the context of the subject or create a misleading or false representation. As a matter of courtesy, the author(s) will be consulted about major alterations.
With kind wishes
Boz Oram
The email address for all correspondence is boz@historyinharmony.com
Website www.historyinharmony.com
tel +UK (0) 8700 113994
Published on iMOD with kind permission of Boz Oram.
