[Bell Historians] GSM Cambridge

[Andrew Higson]

I had better clarify......hoping that I'm not speaking out of turn!

 

The Chancellor has given verbal approval for the faculty; I don't know
if GSM have written confirmation of this yet.

 

If and when they get the paperwork, they have indicated that they want
TES to do the work. This will comprise of removing the existing bells,
fittings and frame, casting a new 24 cwt peal of 13 (flat 6th) with new
fittings. The old bells are being retained with the exception of the
three Taylor bells and the Dobson 11th. They are to be hung in a
separate frame in one corner of the tower and the Cambridge quarters
will continue to be struck on these bells - yes I know there are some
spares too, there are no plans as yet for making these sound.

 

The ringers have invested a lot of time into studying the modes of
vibration of the tower and have proposed a solution that will minimise
the tower movement to normally acceptable levels. The new bellframe will
be designed around these studies. There was a proposal to raise the
ringing room ceiling, but this was rejected because of the age of the
timbers in it; however the present false ceiling is being removed which
will increase the draught of the ringing chamber slightly.

 

I hope this helps

 

Andrew Higson

Taylors Eayre and Smith Ltd

The Bellfoundry

Freehold Street

Loughborough

LE11 1AR

Telephone: 01509 212241 Fax: 01509 263305 Registered in England No.
1352309

________________________________

From: bellhistorians at yahoogroups.com
[mailto:bellhistorians at yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of Richard Offen
Sent: 08 December 2008 00:13
To: bellhistorians at yahoogroups.com
Subject: RE: [Bell Historians] GSM Cambridge

 

I doubt that lowering the tenor weight by about 3 cwt is going to make a
blind bit of difference to the tower sway!

I answer to Ted's question, whilst, as with many such installations,
there are those who will greatly mourn the loss of this 'characterful'
ring, their tuning is pretty dreadful.   When Taylors recast the trebles
and restored the ring in 1952 they made them one of their horrible
'stretched' peals (not anything approaching a true octave interval
between any of the bells that should have one!) and I suspect, although
I have never looked at the bells closely, it was considered there was
insufficient metal to undertake a satifactory 'de-stretching' operation.

We have a similar 'stretched' peal here at St George's Cathedral, where
the treble is approximately an octave plus a quarter of a semi-tone
sharp of the tenor ...it makes my teeth grind every time I hear it,
which is very regularly!

Yours almost toothlessly (!)

Richard



On Sun Dec 7 21:29 , 'Andrew Bull' sent:

	Perhaps you may have answered your own question. Possibly a
reduction in weight, and maybe lowering the bells in the tower, will
reduce the tower movement.

	 

	Andrew Bull

	 

	
________________________________


	From: bellhistorians at yahoogroups.com
[mailto:bellhistorians at yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of Ted Steele
	Sent: 07 December 2008 16:49
	To: bellhistorians at yahoogroups.com
	Subject: Re: [Bell Historians] GSM Cambridge

	 

	A new 12 for Great St. Mary's.
	
	I'm sure this must be good news but I am interested to know what
is 
	considered to be wrong with the present twelve. I remember
thinking that 
	there was a lot of tower movement when I rang there some years
back but 
	apart from that they seemed OK. What have I missed? Is there any
plan 
	for the old bells?
	
	Ted

 

 

           
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