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<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>According to the Tuning Books of G&J, the Regal
Cinema at Marble Arch had 32 bells (I might be wrong here) dated 1927/28. All
the bells were returned to the factory and used as Stock Bells. Some went to
Japan and others elsewhere. This is not to be confused with the 1930 M.A.
carillon of 32 which were shipped to Belgium in the mid 1960's. Where I got this
info from, I'm not too sure but I do have the info of the bells .</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>AAJB</FONT> </DIV>
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<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial">----- Original Message ----- </DIV>
<DIV
style="BACKGROUND: #e4e4e4; FONT: 10pt arial; font-color: black"><B>From:</B>
<A title=richard.offen@_gbz0RHX7zYC_YgN865Tr9EaiPvToKa66WF8TTYJ2XBdiCJaQ4AATHpFlcKFzlWsACe8xbkNZZk0s17UAVF2ezB0Hdunauz0aw.yahoo.invalid
href="mailto:richard.offen@OXaXcpWmbEQu7YVwgndGA1kPBctBvbfU3ZceZu1Ad8WTkTfhdWKtBzqESMevfmXEu7gSMjIW8N8Y3iFd_WYCsA.yahoo.invalid">Richard Offen</A> </DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>To:</B> <A
title=bellhistorians@yahoogroups.com
href="mailto:bellhistorians@yahoogroups.com">bellhistorians@yahoogroups.com</A>
</DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Sent:</B> Monday, February 26, 2007 7:58
AM</DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Subject:</B> [Bell Historians] The Regal,
Marble Arch ...again!</DIV>
<DIV><BR></DIV>
<DIV id=ygrp-text>
<P>Whilst browsing for some information on the web site of Mander Organs
<BR>just now, I found the following posting on their message board:<BR><BR>"I
think that it was in about 1966 that the Regal Marble Arch was <BR>demolished,
and just prior to its demise the 36 rank Hill Norman & <BR>Beard
"Christie" organ designed by Quentin Maclean was removed into <BR>storage. It
has remained in that state in a trailer (I gather located <BR>in a barn) in
Cornwall ever since. I am sure that this situation has <BR>just about driven a
generation of theatre organ fans crazy ! <BR>Apparently its owner who never
succeeded in doing anything with his <BR>container of bits was (probably for
quite reasonable reasons) not <BR>keen to encourage all manner of theatre
organ anoraks to his home, <BR>but now he has died and the Marble Arch organ
has re-surfaced (as it <BR>were). <BR><BR>Whilst it is restorable, its
condition is far from good, and the <BR>photographs of it reveal that there is
a considerable amount of <BR>restoration work required that would keep many
organ builders busy <BR>for many months. There are a number of photographs of
it in its <BR>present state - it will most certainly need its keyboards
re-building!<BR><BR>The organ apparently wasn't a great success in the cinema
in spite of <BR>its great size, but it has recorded well - particularly by
Sidney <BR>Torch.<BR><BR>So far as the future is concerned, of course the
issue with it its <BR>size. With organ preservation societies up and down the
land <BR>struggling to find venues in which to re-install various Wurlitzers
<BR>(and two homeless four manual instruments spring readily to mind), a
<BR>1920s orchestral pipe organ I guess will stand little chance short of
<BR>a miracle and someone with a huge bank balance. <BR><BR>(It included a 44
bell carillon in its spec which created such a <BR>noise that an injunction
was issued forbidding or at least severely <BR>restricting its
use!)<BR><BR>The present state of the Marble Arch Christie can be seen via the
<BR>yahoo group UKTheatreOrgans which is moderated by Peter Hammond. For
<BR>those interested in such things I have definitely found this to be <BR>far
and away the best theatre organ group on the net. <BR><BR>Quentin Bellamy -
who along with many theatre organ nuts is hopeful <BR>of a miracle!"<BR><BR>So
it looks as if the carillon has been sitting in Cornwall all these <BR>years
(sorry for doubting you Dickon!) and we may yet hear its tones
<BR>again.<BR><BR>Richard<BR><BR></P></DIV><!--End group email --></BLOCKQUOTE></BODY></HTML>