Today the team consisted of Colin, Sophie, Jonathan, John, David, Clive and myself, we had a brew and a breakfast barm before starting work.We had received a message mid week from Simon the full time ELLR electrician saying that the faulty clock mechanism from the Bury Bolton Street Station clock tower had been removed and that it was now in our workshop for us to have a look at, Clive set to stripping the mains powered clock to see what was stopping the mechanism from working, assisted by John and Jonathan.
On examination it was found that the brass mechanism was seized solid, no wonder the minute and hour hands were not moving, releasing fluid was tried with a bit of hammering to no avail. The gas blowtorch was then used and this worked a treat eventually releasing the seized parts, the shaft was then cleaned up so that it moved freely, it was then oiled with clock oil, the mains connected and unit bench tested.
It will be left on test till next Sunday to ensure it keeps good time before being put back in the clock tower, this will be the first time it as worked since Adam was a lad.
The other three sides of the clock are working OK but will probably need some servicing in the near future.
Meanwhile Colin, Sophie, David and myself recovered the station lamp heads which we have been restoring from storage and set to finishing off painting the lamp heads.
Lunch was then taken in the very changeable weather, dry, wet, windy, cold, then dry, warm no wind, what is going on?
The refurb of the lamp heads continued with the reassembly of all the components before being tested to ensure all was working OK, the lamp heads were then put back into storage ready for re-installing at Rawtenstall Station next Sunday, weather permitting.
The weather was worsening so we had a final brew, polishing off some of Mr. Kiplings finest courtesy of Sue, Sue and calling it a day.
