A G Dryland reflects of first Big Ben New Year chimes in 1923
Episode 825, Dec 26, 2013, 01:29 AM
It is truly amazing that some things which seemed a bright idea to early radio producers remain to this day. It was New Year's Eve in 1923, when the idea was hatched to broadcast the chimes of Big Ben. BBC engineer, AG Dryland (pictured right), drew the short straw; and up he went onto a roof opposite the Houses of Parliament. Here, he tells his story.
The bells later became a regular feature of output, and have chimed continuously since, save for maintenance and for the funerals of Churchill and Thatcher.