You'd need a gear shift, so as to switch between (a) connecting the pulley to the headstock of the bell and (b) connecting it to a massively geared-down drive-shaft, which would drive the caterpillar tracks inserted under the base of the tower.

At international competition level, you'd need to replace the late-medieval masonry with a lightweight carbon fibre shell which just *looked* like crumbly limestone cladding.

Even then, this would be one of the slower-moving of the racing sports, with great emphasis placed on not toppling over.
-- pertinax, Aug 18 2016

The Crimson Permanent Assurance https://youtu.be/aSO9OFJNMBA?t=103
[not_morrison_rm, Aug 18 2016]

https://www.youtube...watch?v=Tc9K_uxQsbI [pocmloc, Aug 21 2020]

"Haul away, smartly now my bonny lads ! "

[+] for the visuals.

If there are crenelations around the top of the tower/base of steeple, it'd be possible to mount a few 6-pdrs, and some carronades. Luvverly.

Dingdongs on the starboard bow, starboard bow, starboard bow ...
-- 8th of 7, Aug 18 2016


Err...sort of done....but with accountants...The Crimson Permanent Assurance linky..
-- not_morrison_rm, Aug 18 2016


"Err...sort of done..."

Yeah, I refer to that as "preheated"...
-- normzone, Aug 18 2016


[+] Anybody else picture a bunch of steeples, flocking together once a week for a "giant robot wars" melee of ringing bells ? then heading back to their buildings, where mechanics and artisans repair and polish them for the next ?
-- FlyingToaster, Aug 18 2016


Never quite figured out why the Church didn't rent out spire space for line-of-sight microwave transmitters....perhaps they didn't aspire to it....ha aha aha ha...<realises no one else is laughing,retreats shamefaced>
-- not_morrison_rm, Aug 18 2016


Ah, but they do ... cellular telephony systems, too.

It's discreetly done; but if you know what to look for, easy to spot.

Don't look at the tower/spire; look for cabling, and equipment cabinets at ground level. With modern kit, and many spires having thin slate cladding on a wooden frame, it's possible to mount the antennae inside it, out of sight, without degrading performance.

Flagpoles are another popular disguise.

Floodlights are, however, camouflaged emitters for the CIA/Reader's Digest Secret Brane Ray (so make sure you wear your tinfoil balaclava)
-- 8th of 7, Aug 18 2016



random, halfbakery