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Big Ben Chimes - what alternative?

tedjrrtedjrr Posts: 2,935
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in Broadcasting #1
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

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    testcardtestcard Posts: 8,202
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    #2
    Cuckoo clock?
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    FusionFuryFusionFury Posts: 14,121
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    #3
    It's a bit ancient now anyways.

    Maybe everyones house starts flashing lightbulbs!? :D:D
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    Dan SetteDan Sette Posts: 5,816
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    #4
    I understand that they will use St Paul's.
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    Darren LethemDarren Lethem Posts: 61,700
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    #5
    testcard wrote: »
    Cuckoo clock?

    That did make me chortle :D
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    SnrDevSnrDev Posts: 6,094
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    #6
    The world's most loved football chappy Claudio Ranieri is lined up with his dilly ding dilly ding bell to do the biz.
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    Paul_DNAPPaul_DNAP Posts: 26,041
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    #7
    I think they should sit Brian Blessed up there just shouting the time out every hour.
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    skinjskinj Posts: 3,383
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    #8
    It's simply being used for tradition so why not just play the recorded sound?
    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?
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    davelovesleedsdavelovesleeds Posts: 22,642
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    #9
    I'm sure Radio 4 have used recordings in the past when Big Ben has been out of commission for what ever reason.

    The big decision will be, how will we see in the New Year!!!! :o
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    Mark.Mark. Posts: 84,930
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    #10
    They've used Great Tom at St Paul's in the past, so I'd expect them to use that again.
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    BillKayBillKay Posts: 6,215
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    #11
    davelovesleeds wrote: »
    .

    The big decision will be, how will we see in the New Year!!!! :o

    The chimes are only out of action for several months so I guess it won't affect New Year.
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    niceguy1966niceguy1966 Posts: 29,560
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    #12
    Mark. wrote: »
    They've used Great Tom at St Paul's in the past, so I'd expect them to use that again.

    Or sometimes the pips.
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    albertdalbertd Posts: 14,362
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    #13
    Not quite relevant to the original question, but there is quite a bit of info about the work on the clock and the tower here.
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    lundavralundavra Posts: 31,790
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    #14
    davelovesleeds wrote: »
    I'm sure Radio 4 have used recordings in the past when Big Ben has been out of commission for what ever reason.

    The big decision will be, how will we see in the New Year!!!! :o

    I think they used a record during WWII if there was an air raid in progress.
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    CappySpectrumCappySpectrum Posts: 2,907
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    #15
    Paul_DNAP wrote: »
    I think they should sit Brian Blessed up there just shouting the time out every hour.

    .....LoL!
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    grumpyscotgrumpyscot Posts: 11,354
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    #16
    Paul_DNAP wrote: »
    I think they should sit Brian Blessed up there just shouting the time out every hour.

    Best idea yet - and you wouldn't need radio to broadcast it around the country - he's loud enough to do it unaided!
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    davelovesleedsdavelovesleeds Posts: 22,642
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    #17
    BillKay wrote: »
    The chimes are only out of action for several months so I guess it won't affect New Year.


    Yes,they were discussing it on PM and said this, also 11th November and other important occasions will not be affected.
    Mark. wrote: »
    They've used Great Tom at St Paul's in the past, so I'd expect them to use that again.

    BBC Radio 4 also once used bird song instead which I'd forgotten about until they mentioned it .
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    JamSirJamSir Posts: 1,053
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    #18
    The BBC World Service no longer broadcast Big Ben but the chimes are broadcast before the 6 o'clock and 12 midnight news on Radio 4 each evening.

    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!!
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    grumpyscotgrumpyscot Posts: 11,354
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    #19
    surely all they need is a recording and a pretty loud PA system?
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    oscar1oscar1 Posts: 5,079
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    #20
    Radio Caroline bell
    ding ding !!
    Regards
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    Mark CMark C Posts: 20,923
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    #21
    This is the perfect opportunity to shake of the London-centric nature of the TOTH ident on The Home Service or whatever it's called these days, surely there's a clock tower in Salford they could use ?
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    lundavralundavra Posts: 31,790
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    #22
    grumpyscot wrote: »
    surely all they need is a recording and a pretty loud PA system?

    In a few years time it will be an Imam calling his people to prayer using a megawatt PA system.
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    SexbombSexbomb Posts: 20,005
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    #23
    The Teletubbies - Eh Oh, Eh Oh, Eh Oh :D
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    CappySpectrumCappySpectrum Posts: 2,907
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    #24
    Sexbomb wrote: »
    The Teletubbies - Eh Oh, Eh Oh, Eh Oh :D

    It was hard not to laugh but I could imagine it.
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    Toxteth O'GradyToxteth O'Grady Posts: 8,497
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    #25
    JamSir wrote: »
    It's almost certain the BBC will replace Big Ben with the "pips" which are broadcast before all other R4 news bulletins.
    No, it's almost certain that they'll use a recording, which is what they've done every other time it's been out of action


    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
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    lundavralundavra Posts: 31,790
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    #26
    Toxteth O'Grady wrote: »
    No, it's almost certain that they'll use a recording, which is what they've done every other time it's been out of action


    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.
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