Paul Camps wrote, "The Imhof from Blackpool Tower is indeed at the
Birmingham Science Museum. I restored it for them in about 1986."
The orchestrion was in a prime location just inside the main entrance
to the museum, being maintained by the late James Crighton. I had
tendered for the restoration in the 1980s, but on learning that the
museum intended to relocate the instrument to the basement I doubled
my price, with the message that it would be a bad move. I obtained
a cassette recording of it at that time, produced by John Hulse of
Causeway Recording Services in 1984 (BSMC 001).
It turned out that the atmosphere was so different below ground that
the orchestrion soon developed faults, and deteriorated, never to play
properly again. It would be interesting to know where it is now,
and under what conditions it is being kept.
John Page, UK
|