This is the organ of Glasgow University Chapel – the same chapel I explored the roof of recently. This was a visit by invitation.
Originally built along with the rest of the chapel in 1929 for the sum of £75,000 (an incredible £3.7M in today’s money), it was in a bad way until it was recently restored for a similarly eye-watering amount.
It really is an incredible work of engineering, though – there are 2,500 pipes in all sizes, from ones smaller than a pencil to ones taller than three people, made of metal or wood.
How’s this for a fantastic valve system? The air reservoir empties, the weight drops, it pulls the fabric tape over a couple of pulleys, and opes the valve to let in more air.
It was a really cramped space to work in – the organ was also being played at the time, so quite loud and I kept being squirted with jets of air!
This is all Wiki had about it
“The Chapel’s organ was constructed by Henry Willis & Sons in 1927 and refurbished by Harrison & Harrison in 2005.[10][11] It was a gift to the University from Joseph Paton Maclay, Lord Maclay, in memory of two of his sons, who had died in the war.[12] The Organist is Kevin Bowyer,[13] an acclaimed performer and prolific recorder, who is Artistic Director of the Glasgow International Organ Festival, which is held in the Chapel and has been running annually since June 2006.[12]”