Steam Rally 2008 Page6

This is the famous Munich Oktoberfest organ which was built in early years of the last century for a German showman by the well known Gavioli factory. It travelled the country untill 1955 when it was subsequently acquired by a member of the Potsch family who commissioned a complete rebuild making it much larger than the original. As well as lengthening the facade and increasing the number of carved figures, musically the organ was completely transformed incorporating a second playing system that did not require an operator. The organ has two centrifugal blowers to provide the wind supply and features coloured lighting effects which are linked to the music. It was then installed in a specially made 11metre drawbar trailer and the complete instrument made its debut at The Munich Oktoberfest in 1962 and was a sensation. After travelling with the Potch family for many years it was eventually offered for sale. The present owner Graham Atkinson of Scarborough lost no time in travelling to Germany to view the organ, and since bringing it to this country has done work on the trailer, acquired a suitable power source and repaired the organ itself where necessary. Graham has now added a purpose built stage to front the Organ as a platform for music and dancing shows which you can see set up at the show.