What's New
Around The Tower
The
Bells of St. James
A
Note From The Belfry
October 2003
In This
Issue:
What's
New Around The Tower
Upcoming
Chiming Events
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Joe
Connor, of AllChimes.com fame.
He was accompanied by friend Judy, and Rob Millikin, chimer at St. George's
Anglican in Oshawa, Ontario. The trio did a two day swing through Southern
Ontario, visiting chimes and bell towers, and meeting up with chimers along
the way. Altogether they visited fourteen installations of chimes. Joe
is an interesting fellow, who,along with Carl Zimmerman of the GCNA, has
done a lot to promote chimes and provide pertinent information to chimers
on the web. The accompanying photo shows Rob, Judy and Joe in front of
our tower after a pleasant lunch at the York Street Kitchen, just a bell's
echo across the river.
THE DRIVE-CHAIN PROJECT for the Westminster Quarters end of the E. Howard
tower clock is progressing nicely. So far 45 feet of shiny new clock chain
has been completed and nine feet of that has been spliced into the existing
(worn-out) drive chain 
to
check its fit and serviceability. It works like a dream! Forty-five feet
down, and only seventy-two feet to go... The chain normally carries
a load of about 200 pounds, so a test rig - the giant nutcracker in the
photo - was constructed to test sample chain links to 3,200 lbs. tension
and beyond. This represents a strain 16 times the normal working load.
The chain samples passed with flying colours, although a number of grade
5 bolts used to secure the sample links were mangled considerably in the
process.
IN JULY the brickwork inside 
the
belfry was repaired by David Kuepfer and his helper, Arnold. An incredibly
messy, dusty job; but leaving behind an aesthetically pleasing visage of
even mortar joints and solid brickwork. A dusty Arnold smiles in photo
to the right.
AND IN AUGUST, work finally got under way on the top of the tower. This will hopefully end once and for all the ongoing problem of spalling and cracking bricks on the parapets and finials. The first stage involved the erection of a staircase up the south face of the tower and a ring of scaffold suspended around the top. After years of peeking cautiously over the edge of the tower, it is mighty strange to walk around the outside of the parapet and view the tower clock from outside the clock-room windows!
December
2003,from about the 14th to the 31st: 
Christmas Bells Galore!
New
Years Eve: Not often comes the chance to ring the chime at midnight!
The
Bells will toll out the old year and ring in the new
from
11:50 pm, 2003 to 12:10 am, 2004.
Robbie
Burns Day - January 25th: - The Bells of St. James will echo over the
heather-strewn
hills of Stratford. Lots of traditional Scottish music.
St.
Valentine's Day Concert
February 14th, 12 noon: Take your Sweetie
for
a Walk around the Park, while Listening to all those Romantic Tunes
Chiming
forth. And don't forget Roses & Lunch at your Favorite Bistro!
Tower
will be open (as always) for visitors.