h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Hmmmm, sounds like fun to me.

Why was I the only student ringer around in Worcester?

Never mind, I still landed up with an interesting group.

I still think the description of the bell could do with a reference to the stay, and its importance - and what happens if in the course of a cheap restoration of a rural 3 bell tower, you replace a 3000 year old stay with a new (100 year old stay) which then snaps when first used.

Not knowing the setting point of the bell I managed a few meters flight before letting go!

CH

Hehe...

Thankfully that has never happened to me. Despite the fact I've hit the thing quite hard a few times.

You may have to help me out a little. But I'll have a go, and post it for your guidance. My knowledge of the more technical stuff is not that great. But hopefully if I do it from what simplistic knowledge I have, I can convey it to people who don't know a lot either. Or that's the plan, anyway!

Stay breaking is scary. I'm still glad it hasn't happened to me yet.

I've had several ropes go on me though.

Would there be a way of improting one of the moving pictures of a bell ringing onto the site? It would make explaining what is actually happening when a bell is ringing a lot easier.

Ok how about -

"Draw an outline of a bell, draw a line from the top (the closed end of the bell) the same length as the bell itself, and draw a circle around it. The line above the bell is called a stay, more on this later. The circle around it is called the wheel and the bell is attatched to this." then the rest as you have it.

Then next paragraph.

"OK, now most of you would have drawn the bell with open, wider end, the mouth, facing the bottom. In bellringer terminology this bell is "down". The position they are kept in when not in use. The "up" position is with the open, wide end facing upwards, so turn your paper up the other way, with the mouth facing about the one o'clock position.

You may now realise you have a large lump of metal defying gravity, this is where the stay comes in as it stops the bell tipping over as it engages with varous devices on the ground, the nature of these does vary according to the age of the bell. this bell is now "set" in the "up" position, bells are rarely left set in this position long, as they could be dangerous if the rope is accidently pulled. Also it is highly hazardous to work on bells when they are set in this position. Gravity again.


Or something like that.

CH

*frowns*

I like it. Damn, I hate it when there's work to do...