Traveling carillons and chimes
worldwide

The first traveling or mobile carillon was constructed early in the 20th century, using conventional tower bells.  Since then, several more transportable instruments have been produced.  Some were originally intended to publicize the work of a particular bellfoundry.  Some have been built on trucks or trailers, while others have been built with independent frames that can be carried by trucks or trailers.  In the most recent development, bells are hung in several small wheeled frames which can be rolled off the transport vehicle and reassembled with the keyboard at an indoor or outdoor concert venue.

Existing traveling/mobile/transportable carillons and chimes are indexed here in three different ways:

In those indexes, links are to the site data pages which describe the instruments.

Former traveling carillons which no longer exist

Links are to the relevant paragraphs of regional pages about defunct instruments. 
CROYDON - Mobile              : ENGLAND      19?? C [trad]
   Travelling carillon
HEILIGERLEE - Mobile          : NETHERLANDS  1??? C [trad]
   Van Bergen's Traveling Carillon

The Eijsbouts bellfoundry built a 35-bell traveling carillon in 1949, with a bass bell of C2; this was in use until at least 1954.  In 1955 it was replaced with a new instrument of 37 bells, having the same size bass bell.  It is believed that in 1967 it was replaced by yet another new 37-bell instrument having the same size bass bell.  The dispositions of these three instruments are all unknown, though it is reported that one of them may have been installed at Bolsward, Netherlands.

Former traveling carillons and chimes
which have been transferred or transformed

The following paragraphs describe situations in which the bells of a traveling carillon survive, but not at their original home base (center of operations).  Links are to the site data pages which describe the present instruments, or to the relevant paragraphs of regional pages for relocated instruments.  Instruments without links are not further described elsewhere, though they do have entries in the appropriate foundry index pages.  These situations are listed in approximate order of original manufacture.

Some time between 1967 and 1970, the Petit & Fritsen bellfoundry built the "Pepsi Carillon", which traveled around the USA as publicity for the Pepsi-Cola Company.  It was disassembled in 1982; the frame was re-used (see below), while the bells went to the Cathedral of the Assumption, Louisville, Kentucky.

In 1982, the Verdin Company put new bells from the Petit & Fritsen bellfoundry on the frame from the Pepsi Carillon to make a new traveling carillon for John P. Hall, of Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania.  In 1992 that instrument was reported sold to a private investor to become the basis for the Pennsylvania-based "CariBelle" (see above). But the evidence is somewhat confusing, because that instrument is also reported to have been installed on its present frame in 1991, and a former traveling carillon is reported to have provided the bells which are now at St.John's Westminster Union Church, Cincinnati, Ohio.

In 1981, Paccard made a traveling carillon of 49 bells which was based in Douai, France.  A 50th bell was added by Paccard in 1989.  This instrument was used by the carillon school there, as well as for special events, and also traveled all across Europe.  In 2005, it was disassembled, and the bells were installed in the city hall of Dordrecht, Netherlands.

In 1986, Eijsbouts constructed a traveling carillon of 47 or 48 major-third bells, and made it available for display and use at the World Carillon Congress which was held in Ann Arbor, Michigan, that year.  In 1991, these bells (and the main frame) were used to form the core of a 53-bell carillon in Dallas, Texas.

The Papageno traveling carillon was built in 1990 to celebrate the 700th anniversary of the Swiss Federation, using bells cast in 1967 for Libingen, Switzerland.  It was later sold to a private owner, and was based in Soest, Netherlands.

Eijsbouts built a traveling carillon of conventional bells in 1991-92; it traveled all over Europe for many years before being transferred to the USA in 2008.  In 2019 it was settled in Venice, Florida.

A 16-bell traveling chime constructed by Taylor in 2001 was dismantled in 2008, and its bells were incorporated into the York Minster carillon.

A traveling carillon with hybrid action, made for Frank Steijns of Maastricht, Netherlands, is now on permanent loan to the Museum Klok & Peel, Asten, Netherlands.

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This page was created on 2008/03/13 and last revised on 2024/03/15.

Please send comments or questions about this page to csz_stl@swbell.net.