Treble’s going, she’s gone!

Work continued apace last night as the problem beam was removed, enabling all the heavy items to be winched down. The treble was first, shortly followed by the second, and finally the broken frame side. The beam itself had to be cut, so that has also been taken away for restoration/repair.

Treble's going

"Treble's Going" - Peter Hayward supervises as the Treble is lowered into the Ringing Chamber

The Second is lowered through the intermediate chamber

Treble and Second made it safely down

The treble and second will receive some light tuning to bring them into line with the other old and new bells. They also need new 'pads' (the section between bell and headstock) due to more weather related deterioration.

 

The frame side is also planned work - it was noted on a previous inspection, that the rust build up and expansion between the cast iron frame side, and the beam it sits on, had caused a fracture in the iron casting. While the bells aren't particularly heavy and leaving it in situ was, structurally, a valid option, it was felt while other bells were being removed, the opportunity to fix the frame shouldn't be neglected. Somewhat inevitably, this too also proved troublesome to dislodge. It's difficult to convey how much damage the rust has caused, but numerous nuts and bolts proved impossible to shift, the rust having effectively welded all the steel together! The trusty angle grinder was pressed into action once more.

Sparks fly as Carl from Black Cat Ironworks cuts through the rusted bolts

Sparks fly as Carl from Black Cat Ironworks cuts through the rusted bolts

Finally the bells and frame sections were hauled along the narrow paths and loaded into to the van. A heavy rain shower arrived just in time to give the treble another soaking - certainly no worse than it's seen in the tower.

Loading the Second

Loading the Second

She's gone.

She's gone.

Posted in Augmentation.