As you will have seen, we have been without a blower since April, and the decision-making process has been an extremely long and tortuous one. However, a decision has now been reached and the order will be placed with Watkins and Watson, Ltd., of Poole, Dorset. This has seemed to be the best option for a variety of reasons, taking into account all the factors concerned. We now have to hope that the work can be completed in time for the licensing of our new Priest-in-Charge, Rev. Pauline Bicknell, on Wednesday 30 August. This had seemed a long time away, but is now looming large!
In short, the work will be carried out over a few days, and will involve removal of the old blowers, replacement by a new, single blower and replacement of the starter system, which had also failed and, like the blower, dates from 1927 at the latest! 90 years isn’t really a bad innings! The new system will involve and continuous soft-start, so that the blower speed will increase gradually, avoiding sudden stresses on the mechanical parts, and being less audibly obvious.
We should point out that each of the other two firms who had tendered for this work (British Organ Blowers, Ltd., of Derby and DBS Engineering of Deeside) had put a huge amount of effort into their considerations and suggestions, and anyone finding themselves in a similar position would be well-advised to approach either or both of them, as well, of course, as Watkins and Watson, when considering their options. This has been a very long process!
ormskirkparishchurchorgan 
I am very sorry to hear your problems, but perhaps this should be a timely reminder to those of us who just press the start switch when sitting at the console, and have no consideration of the machinery we are using.
Many blowers are in damp basements, they suffer huge variations fo temperature and humidity, with little tender loving care.
I am certainly going to have our church do a survey of the blowing plant as a matter of urgency.
Good luck in your endeavours.
David Speechley
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