Tenor wheel removed

The last wheel came off tonight!

There are plenty more jobs to do over the next few months....

More progress

Some good progress tonight. Two more wheels off, leaving just one to go.

We've also laid some planks across the frame to walk on, as without any wheels, there's nothing left to hold onto!

Two more wheels off

A good evening's work - two more wheels removed from 4/8 (right) and 5/8 (left). The headstock of the 5th was rubbed down and painted blue about 10 years ago, but the rust is still coming through, hence the need to get them properly preserved with an anti rust treatment, and a nice new coat of blue paint. Note too the specially shaped stay - this is thinned at the top since the slider which it engages under the bell is shorter than ideal because there is not enough room for a full length one.

We are no longer going to take the headstocks off these two bells (and the next one on the left, 6/8) as there has been a somewhat interesting change of plan! These three bells (dating form 1704/5) are to be lowered to the tower floor by a professional bell hanger, Matthew Higby using his specialist lifting equipment. This is so that they can be taken away and tuned at his workshop to make them sound like new bells. This will result in Strensham having a completely modern sounding ring,