Uncovered

Posted: **Fri Oct 28, 2016 8:14 am**

What happens to the most famous clock in the world when the clocks go forward or back.

Every year, the Palace of Westminster Clockmakers, have the huge responsibility of changing the time on the Great Clock when British Summer Time (BST) finishes and Greenwich Mean Time (GMT) begins - and vice versa each spring.

21.05 (BST): The hour strike is locked off Big Ben, the Great Bell. It is re-set for the strike at 02.00 (GMT). The hour bell is silent until then.

21.46 (BST): The quarter chimes are also locked off. This stops them chiming while the clock is being inspected.

21.48 (BST): The dial lights are switched off. This allows the clock hands to be advanced without drawing too much attention or causing public concern.

21.50 (BST): The clock hands are advanced to 12 midnight by releasing the double three-legged gravity escapement. The escapement regulates the clock's accuracy.

Releasing the escapement allows the weight which drives the clock mechanism via the going train to rotate freely. This advances the hands forwards. The process takes two minutes.

At this stage, great care must be taken to make sure the clock hands do not overrun past 12. If this happens the hands would have to be advanced right around until they reached 12 again.

21.52-23.00 (BST): The going train is stopped. This time frame is used to carry out inspections as part of a rolling maintenance programme.

00.00 GMT (01.00 BST): At the new midnight, the going train is started. The clock then runs for the next two hours - without the hour strike or quarter chimes. This period allows the clockmakers to monitor the clock's accuracy and make any adjustments to get it within one second of the new time.

01.46 (GMT): The hour strike and the quarter chimes are unlocked. This allows the hammers of the hour bell and quarter bells to operate at the next strike.

01.58 (GMT): The dial lights are switched back on in the following sequence: West, South, East, North.

02.00 (GMT): The quarter bells sound the Westminster Chimes, the Great Bell strikes the hour and the time change weekend procedure is complete.

Posted: **Fri Oct 28, 2016 11:26 am**

A fascinating inner look at a legend. Thanks, Pip.

I still have to wonder why, in this day & age, we persist with this silly operation, the Daylight Savings Time Change. In the days before artificial light & when our cultures were predominantly Agrarian, it may have made sense. It no longer does. In the US, there are states who refuse to abide by this, like Arizona. There are some cities, who sit on the time zone border, who literally have an hour difference in time from one side of a street to another. How in the world that makes any sense is beyond me.

I say do away with this nonsense once & for all. No offense intended.

Posted: **Sat Oct 29, 2016 4:58 am**

I'm with you Fog.

Posted: **Sat Oct 29, 2016 11:48 pm**

I recently watched a segment about Big Ben on the Science Channel, it was quite fascinating.

Posted: **Sun Oct 30, 2016 10:57 am**

If I was to be pedantic I'd tell you Big Ben is the name of the hour bell.
The name has however become synonymous with the clock itself.

As regards Daylight Savings Time I could quite happily cope with GMT 24/7/365, it would not impact me at all. It was tried in this country years ago (I was still a schoolboy!!). and it didn't work. Let's face it although times have changed agriculture still plays a large part of the economies of both the UK and USA and that is the main reason for having DST.

Posted: **Sun Oct 30, 2016 10:53 pm**

Pip wrote:Let's face it although times have changed agriculture still plays a large part of the economies of both the UK and USA and that is the main reason for having DST.

Thanks for including CANADA there Monsieur Pip, lol

I'm on Fog's team for the time changing. I don't even see the point of changing the time, even for the farmers. They can just start/finish their day later or earlier whatever the case. The province of Saskatchewan never change the time and it's probably one of the most agriculture province in Canada.

And in my defense, every time we change time at the retirement home, all hell breaks loose with these seniors. We have to go into every resident's room and change every clocks and watches, and of course, explain like a thousand times why we are doing it. So it shall be fun next weekend. Reason why I'm on Fog's team as there are a lot more seniors in this world than frigging farmers!

:LOL

Posted: **Sun Oct 30, 2016 11:16 pm**

chouette wrote:
...

I'm on Fog's team for the time changing. I don't even see the point of changing the time, even for the farmers. They can just start/finish their day later or earlier whatever the case. The province of Saskatchewan never change the time and it's probably one of the most agriculture province in Canada.

And in my defense, every time we change time at the retirement home, all hell breaks loose with these seniors. We have to go into every resident's room and change every clocks and watches, and of course, explain like a thousand times why we are doing it. So it shall be fun next weekend. Reason why I'm on Fog's team as there are a lot more seniors in this world than frigging farmers!

You tell'em, Chouette! :LOL

Posted: **Mon Oct 31, 2016 4:01 am**

Go Chouette!

Posted: **Mon Oct 31, 2016 4:57 am**

chouette wrote:
Pip wrote:Let's face it although times have changed agriculture still plays a large part of the economies of both the UK and USA and that is the main reason for having DST.

Thanks for including CANADA there Monsieur Pip, lol

I'm on Fog's team for the time changing. I don't even see the point of changing the time, even for the farmers. They can just start/finish their day later or earlier whatever the case. The province of Saskatchewan never change the time and it's probably one of the most agriculture province in Canada.

And in my defense, every time we change time at the retirement home, all hell breaks loose with these seniors. We have to go into every resident's room and change every clocks and watches, and of course, explain like a thousand times why we are doing it. So it shall be fun next weekend. Reason why I'm on Fog's team as there are a lot more seniors in this world than frigging farmers!

Posted: **Mon Oct 31, 2016 7:59 am**

All ganging up on me I see.

Posted: **Mon Oct 31, 2016 11:03 am**

chouette wrote:
Pip wrote:Let's face it although times have changed agriculture still plays a large part of the economies of both the UK and USA and that is the main reason for having DST.

So it shall be fun next weekend. Reason why I'm on Fog's team as there are a lot more seniors in this world than frigging farmers!

Ours changed in the early hours of yesterday!

Posted: **Mon Oct 31, 2016 5:16 pm**

Posted: **Mon Oct 31, 2016 8:10 pm**

Posted: **Mon Oct 31, 2016 8:13 pm**

That is hilarious :LOL

Posted: **Tue Nov 01, 2016 1:12 am**

Good one Fog.

Posted: **Tue Nov 01, 2016 1:28 am**

OMG that is too funny Fog! lol - That's pretty much what our seniors look like when we change the time, so thank goodness they don't have guns!

:LOL

Posted: **Tue Nov 01, 2016 3:38 pm**

Hey, where's our Webmaster???

My time zone is set for GMT but the site is still showing BST!

It's about time I had something to complain about in regard to the site. :LOL

Posted: **Tue Nov 01, 2016 6:02 pm**

I didn't think they changed that clock anymore, like in recent movies I thought they just blew it up and started over! :emo14

Posted: **Wed Nov 02, 2016 5:54 am**

Pip wrote:Hey, where's our Webmaster???

My time zone is set for GMT but the site is still showing BST!

It's about time I had something to complain about in regard to the site.

Monsieur Pip, daylight saving time will end at 2 a.m. on Sunday, Nov. 6 in our part of the world. So hang in there until this coming weekend, lol

Posted: **Sun Nov 20, 2016 2:01 pm**

chouette wrote:
Pip wrote:Hey, where's our Webmaster???

My time zone is set for GMT but the site is still showing BST!

It's about time I had something to complain about in regard to the site.

Monsieur Pip, daylight saving time will end at 2 a.m. on Sunday, Nov. 6 in our part of the world. So hang in there until this coming weekend, lol

Expect a PM ct, my posts are still being shown as being posted at BST (summer) time.

e.g. I made this post at 14.01 yet it shows as being made at 15.01.

Edit Ok I've found the problem. I have to manually change board preferences from Yes to No for Summertine/BST in effect.

Posted: **Sun Nov 20, 2016 11:20 pm**

See, we just need to give Pip some time and he can figure things out

Posted: **Mon Nov 21, 2016 12:46 am**

But other forums do it automagically so what do you expect? I know now though. Nobody pointed it out to me. :emo05

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