The ABC organ console in closeup, taken in the 1960s - photo JD Sharp

The Blackheath Compton organ, serial number A433, is a 3-manual cinema organ built on the extension principle typical of most such instruments. It has eight extended ranks of pipes from which the various tone colours and pitches are taken. There are about 700 pipes in total together with tuned & non-tuned percussion and sound effects typical of cinema organs. The console is remote from the pipe chambers and was originally connected by a bundle of about 500 wires. This, together with the old relay system, is being replaced in its new home by a modern state-of-the-art digital control system, although the functionality and features of the organ will remain as they always were.

The organ also features a Compton patented Melotone unit which is a tone generation system that produces sine wave tones electrostatically. The sound emanates from a large horn speaker originally placed just outside the organ chambers.

The organ chambers at the ABC cinema. Although these shots were only taken in November 2005 nothing had really changed since the organ was installed.
These two photos are actual exactly how one would have seen the two chambers from the corridor outside them - the accompaniment chamber to the left and the solo chamber to the right. Click the pics for a larger view.

The organ console in store prior to restoration

The specification of the organ is as follows:

Accomp chamber

Main chests:
Diapason
Flute
Viole
Strings (two ranks on one chest - unison and celeste)

Offset chests (bass):
Diapason 8ft
Cello and cello celeste 8ft
Diaphone 16ft

Traps - this is the sound effects and non-tuned percussion section consisting of effects such as bird whistle, car horn, train whistle & fire bell and percussion such as bass drum, cymbals, snare drum and wood block. These are all real instruments or whistles etc. and are played from the organ console via the relay system and pneumatically operated beaters or, the case of the whistles by valves to let the air in.
 

Solo chamber

Main chests:
Tibia
Tuba
Trumpet
Vox Humana

Offset chests (bass):
Tibia 16ft
Tuba 16ft

Xylophone
Glockenspiel
(these are real instruments played by pneumatically operated hammers)

Melotone horn (outside swell shutters)

Below are some selected audio recordings as mp3 files. These are taken from a recording by Dudley Savage made in the 1970s. The selected tracks show the versatility of the ABC organ in a range of musical styles, from light cinema organ favourites to classical works and even hymns.

Track 1 - Just for Two - Written by Dudley himself, a rousing up-beat tune

Track 2 - Eleanora - a lively waltz which perhaps falls midway between theatre style and light classical. Dudley opens the organ up at the end for a rousing finish

Track 3 - Charm of the Waltz - A light classical waltz selection

Track 4 - I will wait for you - A 1960s favourite by Michel LeGrand. Dudley uses the melotone here as well as other theatre voices and a little percussion on the accompaniment

Track 5 - Prelude in Classic Style - A Bach-esque piece which nicely shows off the organ’s more delicate flue work and classical side but then develops with the reeds to full organ

Track 6 - Hereford - Well loved hymn tune again demonstrating the organ’s strengths in the classical mode and also its sheer power and quality

Track 7 - Cross of Jesus - Another hymn

Track 8 - Wishing - A slow ballad in lush theatre organ style. Note the Melotone sound again at the beginning

Track 9 - Spanish Gypsy Dance - This piece demostrates the use of the organ’s non-tuned percussion in a light popular piece

Track 10 - Begin the Beguine - 1930s popular melody by Cole Porter. Dudley uses the solo trumpet to good effect here

Track 11 - Irish Melodies selection - An interesting range of tone colours and tempos is presented here

Track 12 - The Syncopated Clock - A novelty number which nicely features the glockenspiel and xylophone