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aobg
Forum Administrator
United Kingdom
254 Posts |
 Posted - 19/11/2007 : 08:16:17 AM
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Newsletter for Amateur Organ Builder No 2
As I write this the organ season is drawing to its close. What a year it has been. Floods have seen rallies cancelled or postponed and then cancelled or restricted again due to foot & mouth.
The year started for us at Little Downham in March which is always a good time to meet friends for the first time after the winter months.
We had 2 events that clashed in May- Wollaton Hall & BOGA Avoncroft meet. Which to choose? That problem was solved when Tina was called to have her back operation at the same time. But as some of you know we did come & visit Avoncroft for a short time.
Our next event was Belvior castle. The ground was soft so a number of displays had to be towed into position.
The next for us was Lamport hall, Whit Sunday/Monday. It rained most of Sunday. Played “ChrisTina” for only one hour. Monday it chucked it down and the organisers told us we could go any time we liked, so we were home just after midday! (I always feel sorry for the organisers of events at times like this).
The following weekend saw “ChrisTina” at Atherstone fun day. For once good weather.
As was the following Saturday for a local church Fete at St Oswald’s.
Gressenhall was next with the hand turned organs. An old workhouse turned into a museum and well worth a visit.
Then the rains came. We were due to go to the Bloxham rally, but decided not to take the organ. Went on Sunday as a visitor All the fields were a sea of mud. My little motor home would not have got into the first field let alone across three.
Our next event Erewash, Long Eaton was postponed from June 30 to September due to weather, so as a last minute entry took “ChrisTina” to Thurlaston village fete where we had a good time despite the constant drizzle.
Next Saturday 7 July was Keresley village fete Arranged by our Daughter in law Nicki.
On the Sunday we were privileged to take part in the Myton Hospice fete which is the charity we collect for. The weather was good all weekend.
Box Trees saw the busker organ in use from whence we went to the Forest of Dean for a weeks break.
We could have stayed there for another week because Wymeswold was cancelled, the ground too wet for the farmer to harvest his crop in time.
This brings us to another highlight, Lavenham. This was a one day event, but “come when you like & stop as long as you want” I happened to mention to John Smith earlier in the week that it was a shame that the event was on the Sunday,as we were only a few miles from the Cotton Mechanical Museum, and they only opened on Sunday. John managed to arrange a private visit, & about 20 of us had a conducted tour on the Monday evening.
A quick turn round saw us off to Rockingham Steam show the following Friday with “ChrisTina”
The next Friday was the Lincoln show 18/19 August. This has always been a good taster for Dorset with the large organs playing on the Saturday night. It is a shame that AOB entries have dwindled so that “ChrisTina” was the only one there this year. This was also another wet Saturday evening
This brings us up to “the largest show on earth”- Dorset. I’ll let someone else write about that.
One weekend off, then on to Catton Hall which had been re-scheduled from 23 June, to 15 September.
The next event was a local Scarecrow Day which saw “ChrisTina” working from 10-5pm & raising a record £120 for the hospice.
We then attended Widnes Organ Show September 29/30.
Twinwoods, where Glen Miller flew from, was our next venue 13/14 October.
When we got home from Twinwoods a message had been left asking us to attend the Barnwell village firework party. One of the best displays I have seen for a long time. I was the only music there.
This makes a total of 17 events we will have attended by the time you read this.
We have now been booked for 3 late night events at Coventry Motor Museum & 4 late shopping evenings!
Not much time for organ building! though some music arranging has been done. Hopefully during the winter, more work will be done to my Topsy.
I’ve Been Converted
An article has been written by John Hunt about how he made his MIDI organ. It has been put on the aobg website articles section www.aobg.co.uk . This was due to the large number of photos Will try and include it in postal version.
Future events
The now annual outing to St Albans will take place on 2 December 2007 which coincides with the Theatres Christmas show. We have arranged for roast dinner at the local pub which has been “passed” by John Smith as well worth the money.
Times are 11am, natter 2.15 Christmas Show
Ted Reeds museum at Amersham is open one Sunday each month during the winter. We usually go to the February one as this is a quiet time of the year. Why not come and join us- It’s free 11-5.Dates are 4 November, 9 December, 6 January, 3 February 2 March
LAVENHAM 2008
AMATEUR ORGAN BUILDERS
SUMMER SOIRE (HOLIDAY)
27 July – 3 August
As many of you will know there has been an excellent fete held at this location for a number of years to which more and more small organs have been attending.
Unfortunately this will not be held in 2008 but the Amateur Organ Builders have been invited to use the camping facility for their own event. The date will be 27th July to 3rd August.
Lavenham in Suffolk is a really interesting little village, a real tourist attraction in fact with its abundance of original half timbered houses. The camping field is right on the edge of things literally a 5 minute walk into town, yet totally shielded by tall trees from civilization. It was originally a farm but now it is just a grassy field with just a few chickens and the families children. This is somewhere to bring your Grandchildren, I intend to.
Although it is not a registered camp site there are two nice flush loos, a disposal point and fresh water, it is a very nice place to just relax amongst friends, which is the main aim of this gathering. The only restriction is the rather sharp entrance gate which could be difficult for very large caravans or motor homes.
I will organise at least two trips during the week and with a large tent available we will probably be able to get some guest speaker to give us talks on our favourite subject. As guests of the owner we will only have a very modest donation to make for use of the facilities but only on condition that they can join in with our activities. I have showed them the video of a Rollcutter meeting so they know what we can do. Participants should come prepared to join in with our home brewed evening entertainments. At the end of the week we will have a party night with an organized group meal. On Sunday 3rd August we will hold an open day for the public playing our organs as a mini organ festival which will hopefully raise money for local charities.
The attendance times are flexible come when you like leave when you like as long as you are there for the public day.
Bressingham
In the same vicinity as Lavenham is Bressingham where small organs always had an annual event, but not recently. Well this has changed and for anyone interested the Amateur Organ Builders have been invited to join in with the Miniature Steamers in 2008.
They hold a weeks gathering at Bressingham using the large camping field during the week following our Lavenham event. Like us they are all enthusiastic and have a jolly good time when they get together. The week there ends with them providing a Miniature Steam weekend for the Bressingham Steam and Garden Centre which we will be included in. There is no fee for the basic camping and a weeks pass for the steam railways is provided.
If you are interested in either or both these events please apply to me by letter with a SAE giving your contact landline phone number and email address if you have one.
John Smith
55 Willow Way
Flitwick
Beds MK45 1LN
john.smith6607ntlworld.com
Possible rally dates
Wollaton Park 3 4 5 May.
Hollowell 5 6 July.
Wymeswold 26 27 July.
Lavenham 27 – 3 Aug.
Bressingham 3-10 Aug.
Lincoln 16 17 Aug.
Dorset
Twinwoods
Useful Contacts for Amateur organ builders
(These are not in any special order)
Amateur Organ builders group
Want to know how it's done? ask here!
www.aobg.co.uk
John Smith.
Email; johnsmith6607@ntlworld.com
Has a number of organ designs – Busker, Senior, Universal & "Topsy" MIDI controlled.
He supplies Drawings, Instructions & Video showing how to make certain parts of the organs
Bob Essex. email
bobessex@aol.com
http://members.aol.com/midpunch/
Midster Punch
Sells instructions and computer program on automatic music roll punching m/c Also knows a lot about pipe making
Melvyn Wright
http://www.melright.com/busker/index.htm
Has a major section on John smith organs hints & pictures
Supplies all types of music in various formats for mechanical organs
Peter Hood.
www.Rollcutter.com
Supplies some of the parts for the “Smiffy” organs, also list of ready made 20 note busker music, blank rolls & spools
John Wale. J Omega Electronics,
www.j-omega.co.uk
Supplies readymade circuit boards for MIDI (computer controlled) organs
FOPS- Fair Organ Preservation Society
www.fops.org
Secretary Ian Rogers
BOGA British Organ Grinders Association
www.boga.co.uk
Membership secretary David Wright e-mail
davec.wright@virgin.net
John Page.
www.johnpage.co.uk/organs
Supplier of all kinds of small parts including springs, threaded wires, and reed tuning wires
contact:
john@johnpage.co.uk
MOOS Mechanical organ owners society
www.moos.org
A new midi controller in various forms.
www.sdmidicontroller.co.uk
Finally
Has anybody got an article we could use in the next issue
Any more rally dates others might find useful.
Please contact John or John!! or Tina
A Merry Christmas to you all. See you next year on a muddy field somewhere.
John & Julia Smith & John & Tina Pettifer
Yours Phil Radford AOBG website & forums administrator.
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AOB newsletter No2
