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Big Ben Chimes - what alternative?
tedjrr
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The BBC News web site, amongst others has reported that "The Great Clock" and with it the chimes of "Big Ben" will from next yer be out-of-use for a three-year maintenance period.
I wonder how the World Service and Radio4 will cope?
Will there be a competition to find a suitable alternative; such as Great Tom (London or Oxford), St Giles Cathedral in Edinburgh, Canterbury Cathedral or Manchester Town Hall? Perhaps multiple locations could be chosen, with a random selection as to which is best on the day?
Yes, they could just use a recording of Big Ben: but where's the fun in that?
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-36138203
I wonder how the World Service and Radio4 will cope?
Will there be a competition to find a suitable alternative; such as Great Tom (London or Oxford), St Giles Cathedral in Edinburgh, Canterbury Cathedral or Manchester Town Hall? Perhaps multiple locations could be chosen, with a random selection as to which is best on the day?
Yes, they could just use a recording of Big Ben: but where's the fun in that?
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-36138203
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Maybe everyones house starts flashing lightbulbs!? :D
That did make me chortle
I don't expect the MOTD theme to be played live by an orchestra every time that starts so why bother with a live bell chiming at all?
The big decision will be, how will we see in the New Year!!!!
The chimes are only out of action for several months so I guess it won't affect New Year.
Or sometimes the pips.
I think they used a record during WWII if there was an air raid in progress.
.....LoL!
Best idea yet - and you wouldn't need radio to broadcast it around the country - he's loud enough to do it unaided!
Yes,they were discussing it on PM and said this, also 11th November and other important occasions will not be affected.
BBC Radio 4 also once used bird song instead which I'd forgotten about until they mentioned it .
It's almost certain the BBC will replace Big Ben with the "pips" which are broadcast before all other R4 news bulletins.
The two main public occasions which feature Big Ben are Remembrance Sunday and New Year's Eve. Fortunately both events are in winter months which means repair work can take place during the better weather of the summer months
By far the most important occasion is Remembrance Sunday in which the chimes of Big Ben form a key part in marking the two minutes silence.
IMO, New Year's Eve could be replaced with a countdown projected on the London Eye and as long as the fireworks are good, the lack of Big Ben would have little impact.
I fear though that Jim White on Sky Sports News will have to find another way of marking the end of the transfer window!!
ding ding !!
Regards
In a few years time it will be an Imam calling his people to prayer using a megawatt PA system.
It was hard not to laugh but I could imagine it.
Incidently, when it is live you can hear it on the radio before you hear it in real life:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5dwUWtyRP4c
Much more fun to listen on Short Wave and hear the bongs by short path and long path, it can sound like an echo chamber.