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Restarting Mechanical Tower Clocks

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Restarting Mechanical Tower Clocks You may need help and advice to re-start your How to check and Restarting clock if it has stopped due to lack of attention Mechanical during the COVID-19 interruption. We hope start your clock this guide will help. Tower Clocks There are many types and styles of mechanical Mechanical clock movements tower clocks. In principle, this simple guide Help and advice ! can be dangerous if not should assist you to review your clock status when re-starting handled correctly and carefully. and re-start your clock. your clock 1.CHECK the external If you are unsure - please do not attempt to dial(s), what time does it 'have a go'. Please contact Smith of Derby say? (you will need this for advice over the telephone. before entering the clock room and after winding Our helpdesk team can be reached on: the clock to set the clock email to the correct time) [email protected] 2.CHECK access is safe telephone enough to climb the 07800 689 410 tower, checking all steps/ 07800 689 428 ladders and lighting is adequate 3. Before climbing the Before you enter the tower, check that the tower or building weights are fully on the ground and not resting If you can take someone with you it will be safer. somewhere precariously? If you do not have someone with you it is very If the weights are off the important that you inform someone that you ground, you must make are going into the tower, and the time you have sure the weight line is done so. You should also inform them when long enough to allow the you have left the tower safely. weights to rest on the ground (when there is no You may wish to wear a mask, gloves and weight line left on the overalls (PPE) for this task. It is not just ‘social barrel). distancing’ that is our concern. The tower may If the weight line does not allow the weight have been dormant for many weeks and you to reach the ground, contact us immediately, may find you have new animal visitors that have DO NOT ATTEMPT TO WIND THE CLOCK. taken residence! Pigeons and other vermin can If you stopped the clock before COVID-19 carry disease, but in any case, these can be lockdown then the weights should be where dusty and dangerous places. you left them. 4.CHECK all weight lines 7.TAKE BREAKS Finally: If you are not confident that you are correctly located Especially if the weights are heavy, wind the are able to carry out any of the procedures around the pulleys, clock slowly and smoothly. described in this leaflet, please call us. checking from the weight If you have a strike or quarters to your end to the clock. movement, you will have more weights to Look especially at the lift. This will need more time in the tower. line running through the So perhaps take someone with you to help guide pulleys. The pulley and remember to let someone know you may have tilted over, and are in the tower. the line jumped off the pulley wheel. 8. If you have strike/chime/carillon that DO NOT TRY TO WIND THE CLOCK IF require winding, you MUST carry out the THIS IS THE CASE, CALL US. same checks as winding the ‘going’ side as previously described. You must check all the pulleys etc. 9. Once all weights have been wound, do We will do our best to help you. not swing the pendulum until the actual Our skilled clockmakers may need to visit your time matches the clock external time. (if site, and this would be agreed with you. you know how to set the clock via the mechanism you can proceed to set the time Good luck and take care. correct. Make sure the strike and chimes are We are here to help. Please talk to us. also set in the correct sequence. 5.CHECK the clock mechanism. 10. Finally, switch the clock room lights off, Thank you Is there anything obvious - such as broken descend the clock tower and check the Smith of Derby and cracked wheels that cause you time on the external dial(s) is correct. If you concern? A bird may have decided to nest have someone with you, send them down in your movement or an infestation of bees the tower and ask them to shout up if the or ladybirds? Look closely and check this clock is correct. You may not get the time before starting to wind the clock. If you perfectly accurate to start with, however notice something strange, take a photo, leave the clock running and the next time STOP and contact us. you need to wind the clock you can make Our thanks to the following team members who have 6. Insert the winding handle and very slowly small adjustments. Be patient. compiled this short guide for you. take the weight up. • Tony Charlesworth, Help Desk & Team Manager, If you feel or hear anything unusual - STOP Remember that if the clock has been Smith of Derby Limited. and call us. Once you are comfortable that stopped for a while it may take some time • Andy Burdon, Non-Executive Director, the weight is lifting correctly, continue to to stabilise the clock’s rate again Smith of Derby Limited; Turret clock researcher wind the clock until the usual height for your and restorer and Member of the Clocks Conservation clock is reached. REMEMBER the weights Committee at Church Buildings Council. were all the way to the bottom, so your usual method (possibly counting winding turns) will be different..
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