[Bell Historians] Diamond Jubelee bells on the BBC

[Dickon Love]

"I believe the only problem the band encountered was wind blowing the ropes
around while the were ringing, but that is always a problem with outdoor
portable rings. "

I wouldn't say that was the only problem, but it was a pretty major one.
The boat rocked around, but was slow enough not to give the bells the same
unpredictable jolt that rocking towers do.  But we certainly had to pull and
hold all the way through, which made it all quite hard work.  The wind was a
problem in so far as you could never really tell where the rope was going to
fall, although this happened in fits and starts.  Moving through the Thames
Barrier was quite exciting as it felt like we had suddenly hit open sea and
I had to get a message to the driver to slow the f* down!  We were also
getting sprayed by water, which actually, given how hot a day it was, was
not entirely unpleasant.

It was probably one of the most stressful pieces of ringing I have ever
done.  Even right at the end the river was capable of depriving us of clean
rounds at the "That's all".  Fortunately it didn't, and now looking back at
the many videos that seem to have been made of the peal at various points on
the river (some on Youtube, others posted to me directly), I am astonished
at the quality of the ringing in so far as it sounded easy!

The final thing to mention is the volume.  Some of us wore ear plugs: others
didn't feel they needed them. It is the first time I have rung on bells with
no belfry walls around them.  I have to say that they still sounded very
musical with a lovely hum.  The other memory is putting the ropes on in the
blazing sunshine overlooking the O2!

DrL