Some of the organs I play these days can be quite hard work and so I have noticed that I use Swell-to-Great less regularly. Many Swell departments do not really add much and one can gain sufficient variety of tone and volume with just the Great alone. In fact, skipping onto the Swell for a hymn verse then becomes a further resource.
When accompanying a choir it is best to stay largely on the Swell because English organs usually have a woolly flute stop on the Great which clouds the sound.
In the county where I live there are many small instruments but some are surprisingly versatile and lovely to listen to: they fill the church with sound. Of course, one would not play cathedral-style post service voluntaries on them.
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