[Not a TV-related but...] Bongs on BBC Radio

When I can hear the Big Ben Bongs on the BBC Radios?
(Please notice that I'm not living in the UK.)

6pm, 10pm, and midnight UK time on Radio 4.

Does the BBC World Service take BIg Ben's chimes still? Is there still a live feed into BH and Bush for this? A former Studio Manager for the WS once told me that you had to be quite careful if there was a tour party in the bell chamber becuase after the first chime of Big Ben itself, you often heard a load of people going "F*ck me that's loud!" in the background...

They have a radio forum on Metropol these days, you know...

Indeed, whoiam you are welcome to join the radio chat at Birdsong. You'll find it in the forums drop down list. Registration takes moments and is free.

I'm not sure about World Service, but for Radio 4 they have a mike in the bell chamber which is linked directly to Broadcasting House. Due to the speed sound travels at compared to the speed it gets to the BBC from the mike, you can often hear an interesting effect in London where you hear the bells on Radio 4 before you hear the real things (only by a split second of course).

As well as the times Rob has stated, you can hear the bongs every hour on Radio 4, although they are talked over and cut short by the news reader. All the other BBC station use the pips, so you won't find Big Ben on them.

Except on New Year's Eve, of course...

BBC African version of the WS does not carry the chimes, dont listen to other regional versions of the WS aimed for elsewhere.

I'd love it if an Official BBC Spokesperson would state that Big Ben is actually live, always, sometimes or even just about never! When it is live do they have an on-air tally light in the bell chamber? The Parliamentary Works Department (PWD) and their contractors always claim to be careful at tx times!