The Regal, Marble Arch ...again!

[Richard Offen]

Whilst browsing for some information on the web site of Mander Organs 
just now, I found the following posting on their message board:

"I think that it was in about 1966 that the Regal Marble Arch was 
demolished, and just prior to its demise the 36 rank Hill Norman & 
Beard "Christie" organ designed by Quentin Maclean was removed into 
storage. It has remained in that state in a trailer (I gather located 
in a barn) in Cornwall ever since. I am sure that this situation has 
just about driven a generation of theatre organ fans crazy ! 
Apparently its owner who never succeeded in doing anything with his 
container of bits was (probably for quite reasonable reasons) not 
keen to encourage all manner of theatre organ anoraks to his home, 
but now he has died and the Marble Arch organ has re-surfaced (as it 
were). 

Whilst it is restorable, its condition is far from good, and the 
photographs of it reveal that there is a considerable amount of 
restoration work required that would keep many organ builders busy 
for many months. There are a number of photographs of it in its 
present state - it will most certainly need its keyboards re-building!

The organ apparently wasn't a great success in the cinema in spite of 
its great size, but it has recorded well - particularly by Sidney 
Torch.

So far as the future is concerned, of course the issue with it its 
size. With organ preservation societies up and down the land 
struggling to find venues in which to re-install various Wurlitzers 
(and two homeless four manual instruments spring readily to mind), a 
1920s orchestral pipe organ I guess will stand little chance short of 
a miracle and someone with a huge bank balance. 

(It included a 44 bell carillon in its spec which created such a 
noise that an injunction was issued forbidding or at least severely 
restricting its use!)

The present state of the Marble Arch Christie can be seen via the 
yahoo group UKTheatreOrgans which is moderated by Peter Hammond. For 
those interested in such things I have definitely found this to be 
far and away the best theatre organ group on the net. 

Quentin Bellamy - who along with many theatre organ nuts is hopeful 
of a miracle!"

So it looks as if the carillon has been sitting in Cornwall all these 
years (sorry for doubting you Dickon!) and we may yet hear its tones 
again.

Richard