The most recent rebuilding of the organ took place between January 1973 and April 1974, when it was re-dedicated on Easter Day. During the time that the main organ was out of action a three-manual electronic organ by Messrs J. & J. Makin was installed in the Quire to accompany the services.
The first priority was to make the organ thoroughly reliable and up-to-date mechanically, and so the old tubular-pneumatic action was replaced by electro-pneumatic, and all stop, coupler and combination piston control is now carried out by a sophisticated solid state system of printed circuit cards, but at the same time the opportunity was taken of making certain tonal adjustments to the instrument in order to give it clarity and brilliance without destroying its essentially British character. The present specification was drawn up after consultations between Mr Cecil Clutton, Mr Anthony Crossland the Cathedral Organist, and Mr Cuthbert Harrison. A comparison between this, which is given below, and the previous specification will show the changes which were made.
A new nine-stop Positive section provides a balanced counterpart on the main Great chorus, thus allowing more authentic performance of organ music of the Bach and pre-Bach periods. In the Great organ, the old leathered No. 1 Diapason, with its four-foot Octave, was removed, the former No. 2 and No. 3 Diapasons now becoming No. 1 and No. 2 respectively. New mixtures were provided for the Great, the Pedal organ was extended and developed tonally, and all reeds, with the exception of the Solo Tuba, were revoiced on lower pressure.
The organ now emerges as an eclectic instrument, properly equipped not only for the accompaniment of the choral services, which is its chief function, but also for the interpretation of all periods and styles of organ literature in recital work. Its outstanding success in these widely varying spheres of activity is a great tribute to the skill of all the craftsmen who worked on it, especially Messrs J. Prested, R. Greenwood, H. Pearson, K. James, H. James, B. Alderson, B. Coldbeck, M. Osborne and A. Langley.