Emett water clock...and other clocks


Recommended Posts

Bring back the clock and the fountain ASAP...it was a beautiful feature and the highlight of my visits into town with my daughter, friends from out of town and grand children............what were they thinking of, when they removed it ?................ morons !!!!!!!!!!!

Link to post
Share on other sites
  • Replies 407
  • Created
  • Last Reply

Top Posters In This Topic

Top Posters In This Topic

Popular Posts

Yet another update! We've put some serious hours in this week, building the clock in Birmingham (Millennium Point - access is free if you are anywhere near but read on to understand what you might

Thank you for the kind comments, especially from those of you who have followed me on this journey. On location, I think the natural daylight is great - it is after all meant to be a sunflower, cobwe

Nope, not TT. On the matter of drinking, each day I've worked within that enclosure has been physically exhausting because of the heat and humidity - somewhere between a greenhouse and a sauna. Have

Posted Images

Cliff Ton, I can confirm that your photos indeed show the new location; you'll notice the absence of high level lighting there. Currently Laing O'Rourke are preparing the base and pond liner inside those hoardings; no parts of the clock are in there yet. We will soon be moving some major parts to an empty unit nearby so that it's all handy when we are ready to build it. The frame will be 'interesting' when we need to get it through some doors as it's now taller than when it left last year.

Blondie, the clock will have a ring of twelve water spouts round the middle (they've not been present for many years, probably not since the clock was moved in 1997) and of course the main 'cobweb' water wheel at the south end with its overhead water spout. I am sure you'll like what you see, as will everyone who waits in anticipation.

Engineer

Link to post
Share on other sites
  • 4 weeks later...

There has been activity within those hoardings. I understand that the concrete basin is there and that they have lined it with GRP. The access doors are not as high as the rest of the surrounds but still too high to see over - it needs someone with a selfie-stick to grab some photos.

The Emett plaque is in there as well but no other parts of the clock yet.

  • Upvote 1
Link to post
Share on other sites

BREAKING NEWS - It's a date for your diaries: Wednesday 17 June, sometime in the morning (maybe 10am) - the clock shall be ceremonially switched on (though to look at all the bits and my 'to-do' list, I and other players need to crack on to get it ready!)

Right now I am just about to modify the electrical panel so that it can control the water works. Back to work.....

  • Upvote 2
Link to post
Share on other sites

No worries; I'd like to think it's more than just a clock but as they say: "each to their own". I'll be there anyway.

  • Upvote 4
Link to post
Share on other sites

Catfan, Engineer loves his clock,you love the Cats,i love me Ties,Fly2 loves the Royals,.............i think we are all a bit odd...........not you ladies .lol.

Anyway tek no notice Engineer,hes just trying to wind you up. :biggrin:

  • Upvote 3
Link to post
Share on other sites

No, No, No, If people actually enjoyed the clock for what it really is, a marvellous piece of engineering then yes, but to stand there "Cooing" at a "Clock" is totally beyond me.

Some parents seem to think that it has been put there for the benefit of just their "Screaming Brats", not as an engineering showpiece.

  • Upvote 1
Link to post
Share on other sites

I think the Emett Water Clock is a beautiful piece of engineering and the people responsible for it should be applauded. I've followed the posts from The Engineer and I'm really looking forward to seeing it again. After all the hard work that's gone into restoring it I'm sure that it'll look fantastic.

  • Upvote 4
Link to post
Share on other sites

To The Engineer. I hope you get some medal from Buck House for all this. And I must say. the Vic owners seem to have gone the extra mile to help get our Emmet clock back to Nottingham. That Emmet bloke surely was a genious building stuff and making it work at all. And then a trained engineer has to move mountains to make the thing work again! Congratulations! Roland Emmet was a true ARTIST. I love his stuff, and we have a £17 million art centre that can't find exhibits to match it.

  • Upvote 1
Link to post
Share on other sites
  • 4 weeks later...

Am spending all of my spare time on the clock at present (and some time that wasn't spare if the truth be told). Everything seems to take much longer than expected but we are still on target for E-Day (17th June).

The frame is in place as of this evening, albeit still hanging from a gantry - you might see its top above the hoardings. We're expecting a crane to lift the main chunks this Thursday evening so there should definitely be something to see on Friday.

If anyone has any hex head 5/16" BSW screws, I need 22 by Thursday (11 x one inch long, 11 x one and a half inches long) - don't want to re-use M8 as I'm being a bit pedantic about using Imperial fixings as per original. One of the managers is going to trawl local suppliers tomorrow.

Engineer.

Link to post
Share on other sites

Tramper, Thank you for offering to assist. I've PM'd you.

I'm assured by intu that the required screws are ordered and will be delivered to site by tomorrow lunchtime. We expect to start assembly tomorrow evening (sorry, no spectators; it will be done after hours).

Engineer

Link to post
Share on other sites

Just a brief post as I've had a long day. It culminated with spending around three hours this evening with a crane, a fistful of screws and nuts and various guys to assemble a few main parts of the clock as follows:

The control box and first tower.

The sunflower (no petals yet).

The next tower with the top turntable (no arms or pendants yet).

The clock tower and four clock faces and finally the spire.

The hoardings are back in place (they had to move some for the crane and a cherry picker) but the clock is quite visible from the mall now so you can have a butchers. I left it smiling ten to two.

There's a big deckchair nearby - I think they should turn it around to face the clock!

Engineer

  • Upvote 6
Link to post
Share on other sites

We are looking forward to coming to Nottingham, and to see the clock back in the center. I did like where it was positioned before, so I will be interested in how people take to it's new site. We managed to get to see the clock when it was at Millenium Point in Birmingham. It really looked great, you all have done a brilliant job

  • Upvote 1
Link to post
Share on other sites

I'd like to meet the person who decided the new location is suitable for the Emett clock. As you approach it (still behind its hoarding) something immediately strikes you.

clock1.jpg

You have to do some manoeuvring to be able to see the whole thing.

clock3.jpg

  • Upvote 3
Link to post
Share on other sites

Had a very busy week on the clock. Finally connected electric today; looks promising. Will be doing more building/testing tomorrow. Petals are on but I need to connect them via the rods to the gubbins below. If you're passing you might just hear the bell ring and Rameau playing. If you see the top things rotating, it's a sign that I am around (probably hot and bothered - it's like a sauna in there!) Still on target for Wednesday's official switch-on (must connect the big red button soon).

  • Upvote 4
Link to post
Share on other sites

Another busy day but the end is in sight now. In fact I've left it running as a 'soak test' (albeit still a dry installation - they are planning to fill the pool tomorrow). I've overcome a few minor snags and at present, the petals go up and down, the three top pendant things rotate, all four clock faces are going (maybe a few minutes out - I just set them roughly). The bell rings and the music plays (I've left volume at around half for now).

Tomorrow I expect to fit the orchestra players and to fit the butterflies to the cobweb wheel (just realised I might need to take wellies).

........and still the red start button to connect and test.

All for now

E

  • Upvote 6
Link to post
Share on other sites

Nope, not TT. On the matter of drinking, each day I've worked within that enclosure has been physically exhausting because of the heat and humidity - somewhere between a greenhouse and a sauna. Have drunk gallons of water and soft drinks just to stay hydrated.

Was there until after ten last night and back just after 8 this morning. I had to remove, drill, tap and refit loads of new brass bearings to try to get the butterflies to pivot as they should. I was still not entirely happy with two or three but we needed to get some water in to test the fountain and spout. At first the fountain sprayed the wooden plinth on the surround - man doing some final varnishing wasn't amused!

Anyway, as they say 'time and tide wait for no man'; that's it, I can do no more. A VIP will press the big red button tomorrow at 9:25am. All I can do now is stand there and hope it all works.

Eng

  • Upvote 7
Link to post
Share on other sites

And I hope you feel very proud of your work, you should do. It was a privilege to see your work at The Millenium Point. We are looking forward to seeing the clock up and running in Notts again. :)

  • Upvote 1
Link to post
Share on other sites

Well done, Engineer. I look forward to seeing the Water Clock on our visit next year after closely following your posts of the work that has been done. Cheers, mate.... hellothere

  • Upvote 1
Link to post
Share on other sites

There has just been a piece on the local tv news. I'm glad to hear that everything worked fine for the unveiling. From what I can see, the clock looks absolutely magnificent, I'll be having a better look on Friday. Well done Engineer.

By the way, I wonder if you were the ' Engineer ' seen on the telly?

  • Upvote 2
Link to post
Share on other sites
  • Cliff Ton changed the title to Emett water clock...and other clocks

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

Loading...