Carnforth Station Clock

[childwallblues]

The station clock at Carnforth made famous in the film Brief Encounters has been missing for about two years. Does anybody have an update on the situation?

 

[Tw99]

It’s about 22.53 right now.

Sorry…

 

[Mollman]

https://www.lancasterguardian.co.uk...ed-from-carnforth-station-for-repairs-2937523

Iconic Brief Encounter clock removed from Carnforth station for repairs​

As the sun rose on Sunday morning, Carnforth's iconic Brief Encounter clock was taken down to be renovated and repaired.​

By Gayle Rouncivell
Monday, 10th August 2020, 12:30 pm

The clock being placed on a porter's trolley. Photo: Robert Swain
Owners Michael Smith and family of Guernsey have had the clock temporarily removed for work to be carried out.
The famous clock, manufactured by Joyce of Whitchurch, first graced the station in 1895.
Hand wound, it is one of the last examples of its kind. It featured prominently in the famous 1945 David Lean film Brief Encounter - the outdoor station scenes of which were filmed at Carnforth.

Preparing the clock for removal. Photo: Robert Swain

Most Popular​

• 1
  Here's 10 homes for sale in Lancaster & Morecambe priced under £150k
• 2
  Man, 31, bailed again after assault outside Lancaster nightclub
• 3
  Five teenagers rescued from sea at Morecambe are lucky to be alive
• 4
  Body of man found at house in Morecambe
• 5
  Tribute to Lancaster businessman who gained worldwide fame thanks to 'bull in his china shop'

Sponsored Links

Recommended by
​

Can't trust your security solution?

Shop Now​

Bitdefender

‘The Best Strategy Game Ever’ for PC gamers.

Play game​

Forge Of Empires
The clock has been a much loved symbol of the town and the station for decades, appealing equally to railway enthusiasts, film buffs and those with a romantic streak.
The clock’s original faces and mechanism were lost in the 1970s, but were tracked down some 20 years ago after much detective work and a few strokes of luck.
The clock was restored to its original condition by a team of local volunteers and rehung in 2002.
However, despite much care and maintenance, the elements have not been kind to the clock, and a full renovation will now be undertaken by members of the original restoration team.

The clock being placed on a porter's trolley. Photo: Robert Swain
New fixings will be manufactured locally.
Mr Smith said: “Sadly my father died in November last year, and purely by coincidence on that same day, the clock was stopped to preserve its deteriorating mechanism.
"He would have been very proud to see the volunteers putting in so much effort to restore its workings. Our thanks go out to Network Rail and Northern Rail, without whose help and support these actions would not have been possible.”

The clock being secured to a porter's trolley. Photo: Robert Swain

The clock being taken away on a porter's trolley. Photo: Robert Swain

 

[Sir Felix Pole]

In the film 'Brief Encounter' various paper dials were made to cover the face - showing consistent times - to avoid continuity errors between the various 'takes'.

 

[Mcr Warrior]

That article posted upthread by @Mollman effectively confirms that the clock at Carnforth has been missing for some two years now.

So, does anyone have an update as to when the clock might actually be re-installed at the station?

 

[Lemmy99uk]

I think the clock is owned by a private individual who does not want it installed on the station any longer.

 

[Brush 4]

Why was it sold in the first place?

 

[najaB]

Why was it sold in the first place?

According to this article, it was apparently sold for scrap when the station lost its staff (since there was nobody there to set it).

In the late 1980s the station became unmanned and the clock stopped because there was nobody to wind it up.

For a short while it was removed from the station, but partly returned as a result of local protests. However, when it came back it was run by two electric motors, one for each face.

The faces had been replaced by ones of fibreglass and the hands were replaced. The motors were driven by a master clock at Preston.

The motors became unreliable and the faces would show different times.

Pictures taken around June 1992 show one face at 15.48 and the other at 17.58 although both were taken at the same time, whatever that was. Eventually, both motors failed.

Following the setting up by Peter Yates of the Carnforth Station and Railway Trust in 1996, an unsuccessful search was made to find the original works, face and hands.

It was assumed that they had been sold for scrap, or were stored away somewhere and forgotten.

Time is ticking for iconic Brief Encounter clock at Carnforth Station

Writer Robert Swain looks at the history surrounding the clock on Carnforth Station which featured in film ‘Brief Encounter’

www.lancasterguardian.co.uk