Auto Winders (and Wide Wednesday Results)

These are two of the three auto winders on the tower clock in St Peters. 

The clock itself dates from 1884 (an earlier blip here)  and was originally powered by weights which were wound up by hand each week or so. Some time in the 1980s, the hand winding mechanisms were replaced by electro mechanical (i.e. no software - just relays and motors) setups which raise similar weights, but over a much shorter distance.  Being powered and automatic they can be wound more often so the long cables running over much of the height of the tower were no longer needed.   There are preservation rules governing how much can be changed on these clocks so the new mechanisms just drive into the clock where the original hand cranked arrangements would have.

The one on the right here, drives the quarter and half hour chimes, the one on the left, the hour chimes. In the middle of the frame, but not shown here is a third, similar, but not quite the same, winder which powers the clock itself.  That one has stopped hence my neighbour and me trying to figure out what has happened.  We did what we could without a circuit diagram for the control box, and we're also lacking a 'what it should look like' diagram.  However - the motor fuse for the clock winder had blown and it looks as if the weights are not stopping as they reach what should be their high point.  The micro switches and cam wheel don't look properly aligned, so that might be the real problem? 

It's an interesting thing to work on, Victorian safety guards i.e. none :-) and that big air brake you can see above the right hand winder rotates at quite a speed when it is turning.

Sadly - time to call on the maintenance or installation people - which won't be cheap!

As you might imagine - there are other widgets involved which I, thankfully, don't have to worry about:
A set of nasty looking levers to drive the bell hammers (Bell ringers generally don't like these)
A second electro mechanical arrangement which inhibits and lifts the hammers while the bells are being rung
Oh - and the bell ropes pass through this clock chamber, generally just where someone working on the clock might want to stand :-) 


Wide Wednesday Results:
This week’s Wide Wednesday theme was ‘Seasonal’ to allow for what I guessed would be most of us out for a New Years Day walk.  As usual – there were some great photographs and interpretations.
Favourites to:
Serious Frolic – Coogee life savers – enjoy the colours!
ChrisF – Looking for the Light – and finding some on Formby Beach  (be sure to look through the extras)
Freespiral – Cloudscape – those clouds are headed this way with a delivery of snow!
DonnaWanna – Playful Clouds – a very different cloudscape!
Marlieske – Sunlight on a forest walk – but see the extra too for a less positive angle

Honourable Mentions to:

RMeinz – Devon coastal – nice use of DoF
Sofiavillanuava – NYD bike ride
AngelsShare – Rider on the Storm – have the earworm as a bonus!
KeenKen – NYD Sunrise on the beach
Miranda1008  and LauraBlack for two similar takes on an urban winter walk.

Thanks to everyone who entered, as ever, I have very much enjoyed seeing your efforts and choosing the awards, and of course, its just my opinion!

You are stuck with me for the rest of the month!  The other  themes for January are here on the communities page.