Time & Tide Clocks To Be Restored In Dockyard

August 8, 2016

Time will be restored at the Royal Naval Dockyard in a $200,000 restoration project at one of the most recognisable landmarks in Bermuda.

The electrical mechanisms of the clocks at Clocktower were put in 30 years ago and have worn out. One shows the time and the other the high tide time, and both are going to be restored.

Royal Naval Dockyard Clock Bermuda August 8 2016 (1)

Andrew Dias, general manager of the West End Development Corporation, said: “The motors of that period 30 years ago have to be replaced and the hands and dials also need to be replaced.

“The northern tower contained a single dial and one hand to show the time of High Tide but these also have to be replaced and an automatic clock controller will operate the settings of the hand.”

Royal Naval Dockyard Clock Bermuda August 8 2016 (2)

According to Mr Dias, it is the latest in a long list of investments WEDCo is making in the Royal Naval Dockyard, including a $900,000 renovation of the Glassworks building, a $500,000 make-over of the Sail Loft and $1m on the North Basin building.

“A professional horologist from Great Britain assisted with information on the clock mechanisms, but it is intended that the replacement work will be done by the Electric Time Company of Massachusetts, who made the most modern tower clock in Bermuda at the headquarters of Chubb Insurance on Pitts Bay Road,” added Mr Dias

Royal Naval Dockyard Clock Bermuda August 8 2016 (3)

“The Dockyard clocks are a major feature of the Great Eastern Storehouse and need to be see in a working condition.”

The original clock and one of the original dials are now on exhibit at the National Museum.

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Comments (21)

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  1. Yahoo says:

    How do we keep finding money for these less than urgent projects? I thought we were broke?

    • joly says:

      Like it or not, Dockyard is the hub of our tourism activity. It must have the investment that recognises that. The clocks are a point of interest and should be in working order.

    • Rada Gast says:

      Who is the ‘we’ to which your refer? This project appears to be being funded by WEDCo.

      • sage says:

        Ah yes the western fiefdom

      • Yahoo says:

        Where does WEDCo get their funding?

        • Zevon says:

          From their tenants who pay rent.

        • sage says:

          quan·go
          ˈkwaNGɡō/
          nounBRITISHderogatory
          a semipublic administrative body outside the civil service but receiving financial support from the government, which makes senior appointments to it. Not sure how much govt. supports directly but the huge area of real estate WEDCO controls would have been in govt. control otherwise. Are their books/ salaries etc. open to public scrutiny?

    • Just the Tip says:

      Dunno maybe they know how to budget the funds given to them, you know like most normal people do.

    • archy says:

      it is wedco’s budget – not government’s

    • Zevon says:

      We were broke when we spent $25m on returfing a golf course, but the money appeared didn’t it.

  2. Terry.. says:

    Simple solution. Hire a Bermudian to turn the hands on the clocks. Low tech but effective and much cheaper!

  3. Toodle-oo says:

    I’m sure that if there’s any old Dockyard maties left around they’ll be happy to see ‘the four faced liar’ up and working again .

  4. Just the Tip says:

    it amazes me the amount of people who are currently ‘playing dumb’ about all of this like its the first time they’ve heard of a quango and all that.

  5. It is what it is says:

    We have a Bermudian master clock maker in Bermuda……but they would rather use a forgein company and install some electroic unit in its place!

    • wondering says:

      Is he running a construction company now?

    • Micro says:

      Maybe they were approached about it?

    • Zevon says:

      Kinda like when they used a Canadian sculptor to do DLBE instead of a local one.