Method Toolboxes for ringers

8. Plain Bob Doubles Toolbox

What is Plain Bob Doubles?

Plain Bob Doubles is often one of the first methods that you learn after you have mastered Plain Hunt. The treble plain hunts up to fifth place and back and there are four working bells which complete a cycle of four pieces of work. Often it is rung on six bells with the tenor covering. This gives a visual and auditory cue to help accurate leading.

There is more to learn to ring a plain course than in Grandsire Doubles but touches are simpler. The plain course is four leads long, compared to three leads for Grandsire Doubles.

Plain Bob Doubles explained

To find out more about Plain Bob Doubles – the blue line, the circle of work and treble signposts – read Plain Bob Doubles explained.

You can also download these cribsheets for further study or for use in the tower.

• The plain course explained
• The circle of work

Introducing bobs

The extent or maximum number of changes of 5 bells (doubles) without repetition is 120:

5! = 5 x 4 x 3 x 2 x 1 = 120

To ring the whole extent of a method, touches are rung. Touches alter the order of the bells using bobs and singles. When ringing touches of Plain Bob Doubles, you will almost always only encounter bobs, but singles do exist.

Move on to the next sub-chapter to find out more about bobs in Plain Bob Doubles.

You can download and print out the Bobs explained cribsheet to revise and use in the tower.

Ringing your bell in the right place

The dodges in Plain Bob are very different to those in Grandsire:

• Plain Bob Doubles – the 3-4 dodge requires the "step back" to be made at backstroke.
• Grandsire Doubles – the 4-5 dodge requires the "step back" to be made at handstroke.

Switching between the two methods can be confusing unless you rigorously count your place and have learnt when the "step back" or dodge is made in each method.

Calling Plain Bob Doubles

If you wish to learn how to call yourself, there is an interactive online learning course designed for you taking you from finding your voice for the first time to calling your first touches and even a quarter peal. Search for the First steps in calling bobs online course.

Supporting resources

• Successful dodging – what is a dodge and how to strike it successfully
• How are methods written out?

Learning aids

• Plain Bob Doubles dominoes
• Plain Bob Doubles happy families
• Plain Bob Doubles crossword
• Plain Bob Doubles wordsearch

Learn by watching

Watch Plain Bob Doubles being rung. Select a bell and watch it go through the cycle of work.