Bradford Cathedral Summer organ renovations

Check out our Instagram for today’s organ reel!

Tuesday 22nd August, 2023

Our organ builders are back on site! They have reinstated the heavy pressure wind reservoir and they are currently cleaning and reinstating sections of the Great pipework. The pipes are being hoisted to the top of the scaffolding, one crate at a time. pic.twitter.com/wJ9YT4Lipa
— Bradford Cathedral (@Bfdcathedral) August 22, 2023

Monday 14th August, 2023

The organ builders are back in the Cathedral. They will be returning next week to complete more work on the organ. Keep checking this page for more future updates!

Peter Wood & Son, our organ builders, are back in the Cathedral today. Ginny & Mark have been cleaning & re-sealing the organ's wells to ensure they remain airtight. This is in preparation for the reinstatement of the heavy-pressure wind reservoir next week. pic.twitter.com/CcTwhTQbdw
— Bradford Cathedral (@Bfdcathedral) August 14, 2023

Thursday 13th July, 2023

Today Mark and Ginny from Peter Wood & Son finished packing up the pipes, foot-boards and bellows of our organ as the Organ Project gets underway.

You can follow the work at https://t.co/Lju00SpJ1K, with time lapse footage coming soon!#ThursdayMorning #ThursdayMotivation pic.twitter.com/tPFnGYhHRi
— Bradford Cathedral (@Bfdcathedral) July 13, 2023

Whilst our organ is out of action, we'll be using our piano, the Wingfield organ (currently on loan to us), and this 'continuous organ', which was today tuned by John, who made it back in 1992. This organ contains 162 pipes, and now sounds on top form ready for playing! pic.twitter.com/MXvsLJ5asu
— Bradford Cathedral (@Bfdcathedral) July 13, 2023

Wednesday 12th July, 2023

Keep your eyes peeled as there will an upcoming video of the organs bellows.

The organ bellows, as seen in the 1st photograph, has been safely taken down. More pipes are continuing to be sent down, including some of the wooden pipes, as seen in the 2nd photo. pic.twitter.com/baxSOXCMV3
— Bradford Cathedral (@Bfdcathedral) July 12, 2023

Although these photographs show more of Bradford Cathedral’s metal pipes, the Cathedral also has many wooden organ pipes too.

These photos show just a few of the near 3000 pipes which are in Bradford Cathedral's organ. The pipes vary in size, the smallest being centimetres tall, to the largest being metres tall! All produce their own individual sounds and are all unique from one another. pic.twitter.com/up7tcM4kab
— Bradford Cathedral (@Bfdcathedral) July 12, 2023

Some of the organs pipes have been removed, since these photos were taken, more pipes have been taken out and packed up. The pipes come down on a pulley system in the wooden boxes that you see in the third photo.

For the past 3 days, the organ builders have been removing the organ's pipes so that they can be cleaned and repaired. Although there is still a long way to go, they are making excellent progress! pic.twitter.com/E2wGO8wDQE
— Bradford Cathedral (@Bfdcathedral) July 12, 2023

Tuesday 11th July, 2023

Here starts the first of many posts in our summer organ renovations blog. On this running blog, you will be able to track the progress of the organ repairs. Keep an eye out on our Facebook and Instagram pages, as we will be uploading exclusive, never seen before footage from inside the organ!

(1/7) Yesterday began the start of the summer organ repairs which will be completed this September.

Thanks to a mix of internally raised money and funding from The Pilling Trust Fund, we have the resources to restore our 1904 Hill Organ to its original design and former glory. pic.twitter.com/ISHnPAqty3
— Bradford Cathedral (@Bfdcathedral) July 11, 2023

Make sure to check back here soon, as we will be frequently uploading new posts about the organ works.