Clydebank: Our Holy Redeemer
J & A Mirrlees, 1867 — organ surveyed August 2023
Technical summary
Although occupying the most favourable of positions within the building, aurally and visually, the organ itself offers nothing by way of surprises in physical disposition or materials used – it is unassuming in many respects, yet utterly compelling for both player and listener alike.
Both manual soundboards sit at impost level, Swell behind Great, and separated by a generous enough passage board for tuning, with minor encroachment of the harmonic treble resonators (a later alteration) in the upper section of the Trumpet. Planting for the Great pipework is in sides for the lower two octaves, changing to chromatic from C25 upwards. For the Swell, the layout is entirely in sides, with trebles in the centre.
At either side, and at lower level, are the soundboards of the Pedal Open Diapason, with the lowest octave at the bass side. The wooden rollers (as all rollers and roller arms are throughout the organ) for these pedal soundboards, and the frames which house them, are robust and self-assured in their construction and setting up.
Plain metal predominates, with spotted metal only introduced for the Trumpet, and for the Oboe from C13. The plain metal bass octave of the Oboe is of a later vintage, and very likely supplied at the same time as the provision of the Trumpet harmonic trebles. As might be expected, the double-rise reservoir occupies most of the lower floor area of the instrument, and happily with retained feeders. The modern rotary blowing apparatus sits adjacent
to the case on the south side of the gallery.
Other than a small section of the Great Octave 4ft which is tuned by cones, all other tuning is by means of slides, scrolls, shades, ears, springs, and stoppers. The pipework throughout remains in good condition, being of a uniformly high quality, and having been well cared for over the past one hundred and fifty years