Trinity

[Andrew Wilby]

<By installing a variable system, you can have both loud ringing for 
special occasions and the sound much attenuated for others.   Far 
better to do this from the outset, then situations, such at the one 
which prevailed at Trinity, New York, until the sound control was 
fitted, will not arise. Richard>

Ahem!

Variable sound control was installed at Trinity from the start as part of the project.

However in NYC the Structural Engineer is senior to God and is by law the ultimate signature to everything. Once he decided that there was a potential huricane problem with the loadings on the tower going up if the huricane happened with the sound control closed, he took charge of the design. He had it made out of metal roller shutters against our advice, incorporated and automatic opening system connected to the ringing room lights being switched off,....and Trinity found out the hard way!

The problems of dealing with Architects and Structural Engineers in the worlds only superpower, who know nothing of bells but believe that the rest of the world know less than they do, is quite interesting!

There were plenty of other issues which we won though. The Structural Engineer thought he was going to design the bellframe at one point but we managed to reduce that to only a modification of the undergrillage.... but that's another story!

Andrew