The Compton Theatrone

Typical specification of a theatrone of the 1938/39 period.  The theatrones at the Rex Aberdare, Regal Darlaston and Ritz Sheerness would have followed this pattern:

PEDAL				ACCOMPANIMENT				SOLO

Contra Bass	16'		Contra Violone		16'		Tibia			16'

Bourdon		16'		Tuba			8'		Tuba			8'

Baryphone		16'		Diapason			8'		Diapason			8'

Octave		8'		Tibia			8'		Tibia			8'

Flute		8'		Clarinet			8'		Vox Humana		8'

Flute		4'		Viola			8'		Saxhorn			8'

Clarinet		8'		Flute			8'		Flute			8'

Accompaniment to Pedal		Octave			4'		Clarion			4'

Solo to Pedal			Viola			4'		Tibia			4'

				Flute			4'		Flute			4'

MELOTONE (on Solo)			Nazard			2.2/3'		Tibia (Twelfth)		2.2/3'

Melotone		8'		Flute			2'		Ocarina			2'

Melotone		4'		Super Octave				Flautino			2'

Melotone Twelfth	2.2/3'		Solo to Accompaniment				Tierce			1.3/5'

Super Melo		2'							Sub Octave

Krumhorn		8'		EXPRESSION PEDALS			Octave

Musette		8'		Acompaniment-Pedal			

Carillon				Solo-Melotone				GENERAL

Chimes									Tremulant *

Vibraphone				

Echo Control 1

Echo Control 2

ACCESSORIES

4 thumb pistons to Accompaniment and Pedal duplicated by toe pistons

6 thumb pistons to Solo and Melotone

Double touch cancelling to each department

* Tremulant affects whole organ

The melotone division is not to be mistaken with that found in pipe instruments which is

an independant unit.  Here it uses the same set of generators.

Speakers would have been to suit each installation.

The theatrones used the 12 disc generator system and was the forerunner of the post war electrones.

Where an illuminated surround was added the usual stopkeys would have controlled this.

Specification courtesy of Stephen Dutfield.