Designing a versatile specification two-manual instrument is one thing, but when it comes to three manuals, this is far harder with so many views as to what speaking stops should be available on the third manual. After much discussion, we concluded that 45 speaking stops would be appropriate as they would just fit within our standard tabstop console.
During a very pleasant evening with food and a bottle of wine, Ian Tracey, Keith Harrington, Richard Goodall and Mark Johnson came up with a specification for the x-mere organ which we now officially launch as the ‘Windermere’. As with the Thirlmere, it can easily be modified at the time of voicing to create an ideal three manual instrument.