Colin Richell
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Posts posted by Colin Richell
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Forgive me if this has featured previously on the forum, but I received news from America this morning that Oxford's Merton College is to have a new organ in time for its 750th Anniversary in 2014. The new instrument is to be built by Dobson Pipe Organ Builders Ltd of America. The visual of the case design looks superb and whilst I don't have a complete specification, it's to be a 3-manual/pedal organ of 54 ranks with mechanical key action and electric stop action. The new instrument is planned for completion in 2013. Meanwhile, Lynn Dobson, the company's president, is presently completing the overall design detail.
So, presumably there is not one single organ builder in this country who could have built an organ to the specifications of Merton College ?
Very sad.
Colin Richell.
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A quick hop across to Paris doesn't need a three course meal and countless cans of beer. It probably takes longer to get from Heathrow from East London on the tube, and they don't have hostesses or a bar on board.
Germany is a bit further, but when I trotted around Europe working in Formula One, I don't think I ever bought anything on board if it was a schedulded commercial flight. The private jets were better....AND....they had leather upholstery.
MM
I am sure that BA Flights to Paris include a snack and a hot drink, this was certainly the case on a Glasgow flight, and was much appreciated for a basically boring flight.
Colin Richell
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We did. We used Ryan Air and Easy Jet almost exclusively. Bucket Airlines are certainly the only answer as I think you suggest.
N
Thats very brave of you ! I hope you appreciate all the "add ons" which normally brings the cost of a ticket to the same as BA, eg £3 for a can of beer, £2.50 for a small coffee, £3 for a sandwich, baggage and credit card charges, choice of seat etc etc, sorry but its a fallacy that these airlines are really cheap, and wait until you have a complaint and want to speak to someone at the airline.
Colin Richell.
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The background, I believe, involves defective mechanisms, collapsing case pipes etc - a sorry story all round.
JS
I cannot believe that the ROYAL Academy of Music is considering purchasing a new organ from abroad.
Are you telling me that there is not one English organ builder who could not have provided a suitable instrument for the Academy ?
I think it is disgraceful that we cannot support our own manufacturing industry, and I hope that at least the English companies were asked to quote for the new instrument.
The same thing has happened with the car industry which is now controlled from abroad.
Is anyone else indignant about the RAM policy of not supporting the UK companies ?
Colin Richell.
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On Tuesday night Nigel Ogden included a piece from Thomas Trotters new recording on the RAH organ, and the organ sounded great.
Colin Richell.
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There is a small amount of organ music in the 2011 Proms but some good quality music is featured. An interesting mix from Thierry Escaich...
Sunday 4 September
4.00pm – c. 5.00pm
Royal Albert Hall
Thierry Escaich
Overture in the Baroque Style (improvisation) (c5 mins)
J. S. Bach
Chorale Prelude 'Nun komm, der Heiden Heiland', BWV 659 (4 mins)
Thierry Escaich
Evocation III (on 'Nun komm, der Heiden Heiland') (5 mins)
UK Premiere
Reger
Chorale Prelude 'Jauchz, Erd, und Himmel, juble hell', Op. 67 No. 15 (3 mins)
Franck
Chorale No. 2 in B minor (14 mins)
Liszt
Adagio in D flat major, S759 (5 mins)
Thierry Escaich
Triptych on Themes by Liszt (improvisation) (c15 mins)
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I think I would go for the Bure Valley Railway, which runs for 9 miles between Aylsham and Wroxham. It's 15" gauge but, like the Romney, Hythe and Dymchurch, you do get the impression of speed, and the locomotives work quite hard. There are some nice shops in Coltishall if your wife needs persuading - probably in Aylsham too.
The Wells and Walsingham is basic but fun, and has the only British Garrett in steam.
Sorry I just have no interest in narrow gauge railways, although I did spend many years working on the Festiniog in the very cold winters, and I do have an affection for the RH&DR.
Colin Richell
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OK, I admit it, I'm in the club too, though for me (born after the last steam train to run), the fascination with railways is so much more about the architecture and topography (can't wait to get inside the restored Midland Hotel at St Pancras). However, we're on hols in Norfolk this week, which of the three steam railways can members recommend for 1. length of ride, and 2. decentness of refreshment and other additional attractions for my children. The other half will only permit one of the three. Answers asap!
The Mid Norfolk Railway is approx 10 miles in length (they actually own 17 miles of trackbed) and operates between Dereham and Wymondham where they have a connection with Network Rail to Norwich.and there is a nice church there.
Facilities are very good but from memory they do not operate steam locomotives although I might be wrong.Dereham is a lovely town and you can see the unused track bed to County School.
The North Norfolk railway is situated at Sheringham where the level crossing has been reinstated to connect with Network railway. Plenty of steam locos but line only about 7 miles in length. Facilities are reasonable and the town is interesting witha fairly decent beach.
Sorry cannot recall another raileay in Norfolk unless you are talking about the Mid Suffolk which is only 1 mile in length.
Hope that helps, the railways do have a web site.
Colin Richell.
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Cape Road bridge would be a better bet than the station (although not much good for photos in the down direction) as 70000 is booked to call at Warwick so will be at full blast by Cape Road for the run up Hatton Bank.
Although not especially a steam fan I may pop out nearer to SonA for a quick look if it's sunny.
P
Its a breath of fresh air to learn that on this forum there are so many steam fans and that many are aware of Britannia.
Yes Brunswick Green was the colour and ICI (are they still around?) very kindly donated the paint all those years ago.
I will be on the West Somerset Explorer on Saturday 18th June from Paddington which was a birthday present.
Colin Richell.
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Click reply and then start typing below the /quote tag... Then just click Add Reply as normal
Many thanks for that I will do my best to save upsetting any one.
Colin Richell.
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Sorry I am not very good with computers. I am always asking my lodger to help when I have a problem.
Please tell me what I am doing wrong, as it is obviously of immence importance that I am not perfect. Do I press "reply" or "fast reply" to answer a message ?
Thanks
Colin Richell
ps is this ok?
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We raised money for Britannia by attending traction engine rallies every weekend, but I have to say that although it is steam, I am not very enthusastic about these beasts (well they don't run on rails do they ?)but we sold hundreds of models made by Matchbox. so I should be grateful.
Colin Richell.
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I believe that North Yorkshire organ-builder Graeme Leonardo Hardy owns a traction engine.
CP
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I had always intended to visit Liverpool to see the organ but never got round to it.Perhaps one day.
I do recall David Wells singing the praises of the organ and reiterating that it needed big money to complete the restoration, so good luck to them.
Colin Richell.
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Henry IV was always a hoot, and quite prone to dramatic outbursts and much colourful language.
The bit that always sticks in my mind is his comment about "Father" Willis and organ-funding. I think I can just about quote it word for word, as it was heard on "Howard Goodall's Organ Works" on the TV:-
"My Great Great Grandfather was not inhibited by the bribaries and corruption act of (date), and the usual thing was to have two patrons each paying half of the cost of the instrument and each unknown to the other, with the church paying the other half. This made certain organ-building quite profitable."
Of course, his party trick when he gave talks to local associatons, was to bring along two slender string bass pipes, which were usually slotted into each other; thus giving the appearance of a single pipe with two mouths and two boots. It's not often Henry would laugh at other people's jests, but when he asked me what it was, and I told him that it just had to be a double-bass, he found that very amusing.
With the said strings, he would take out a knife and start slicing away at them mid-talk......first a nice 4ft Principal, then a 2ft open flute and finally, using his hand as a tuning shade, he would play the Ntaional Anthem with it.
I am astonished that Colin has never heard the organ at St Geroge's Hall, Liverpool in the flesh. It a big, brooding sound with an awesome tutti, and quite unlike any other Father Willis I know. It isn't entirely authentic Father Willis, but it's a mighty impressive instrument all the same.
MM
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Yes I met Henry at Ally Pally many times, what a character, probably a bit eccentric but very funny when telling his jokes.
I hadn't heard from him for ages, so wondered whether he was in good health.
Perhaps he was asked and declined, but nevertheless an interesting programme.
Colin Richell
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I don't suppose it matters, since a great majority of household names are now brand names retained in commemoration of their founder rather than the name of the current proprietor. It would be a strange situation if Marks & Spencer or Ford were compelled to change their name every time there was a change of management.
If someone buys the firm and all the intellectual property, records etc relating to that firm, then they have every right to be unquestioningly recognised as the head of that firm and all its brand identity.
Do you know the last Henry very well?
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Today I listened to a very interesting programme on Radio 4 about the life of Father Henry Willis, and many people were interviewed about this much respected organ builder.
I could not understand why the interviews did not include a member of the Willis family assuming that Henry 4 is still with us.
Who else but a family member could relate information regarding his Great Grandfather ? so I felt that this ommission rather spoilt the programme, whose listeners were not even informed that the Company now had no connection with this wonderful family.
For the first time I heard the St Georges Hall Organ, and I can understand David Well's enthusiasm. for this instrument. Regrettably no recordings of the AP organ were included.
Did anyone else catch the programme.,and I wonder what persuaded the BBC to actually spend some time on discussing pipe organs and their builders.
Colin Richell
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I was involved with the purchase from BR of Britannia Pacific 70000 Britannia, and she wil be out on the main line on the 7th April for the first time for many years.and I will be proud to be on the train.
I am also interested in old buses and planes (new and old).
Am I a frustrated organ enthusiast ?
Colin Richell
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I absolutely agree, I thought Elton John was superb in his rendering, but, I thought at the time how much better it would have been had the organ been utilised as well. Wouldn't a piano and organ sound great together ?
As to the wedding, I couldn't care less and I certainly will not be watching it, rather watch paint dry !
Colin Richell.
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I'll repeat something I wrote previously concerning Diana's funeral service, which was rather more than an international showcase for British choral-music.
Princess Diana was very brave in her support of AIDS victims, and did much to dispell the myths, fears and hysteria surrounding this relatively new disease. Only lepers ever had rougher treatment, but Diana put her arms around them and hugged them, for all the world to see.
In the matter of (Sir) Elton Jiohn, he was not only very close to the work which Diana did in this respect, he became a close personal friend. In monetary terms, Sir Elton John has donated more to AIDS charities and research than many whole countries have.
Of course, the presence of Sir Elton John at Diana's funeral may just have been a cheap and tacky pubiciity stunt...........
Negative judgements are so easy to make when we don't understand the facts.
I was personally delighted to see Sir Elton John sing at the funeral, which seemed so utterly appropriate at the time.
MM
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Yes how I miss the RT and Routemaster buses, not forgetting those wonderful trolleybuses, thankfully a few preserved in museums.
I am very disappointed in the new RM but at least it is much better than those awful bendy buses where you can travel for free with the blessing of TFL.
Colin Richell.
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Indeed - and what about vintage fast cars?
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Are you really serious about the BR sandwich ?
Colin Richell.
Merton College, Oxford
in The Organ
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I can't imagine what the cost of transporting will be, and I sincerely hope that our own builders also have a fine reputation for build quality, but if not why not ?
I wonder if cost comes into it and that the project may be loss making but that Dobson's are looking for more business in the UK ?
Colin Richell.