If you love yourself a roundel clock, there's a new one to tick off your list — and this time it's Elizabeth line themed!
Only four of London's tube stations feature Magneta Time Company clocks; installed in 1946 along the eastern extension of the Central line, these glorious time pieces switch out numbers/numerals for the iconic London Transport roundel. We wrote this piece about them, and have been awaiting the unveiling of a very special Elizabeth line clock at Chadwell Heath that's been in the works since 2018.
The wait is finally over: in late June 2024, it was unveiled on Platform 3 of the Chadwell Heath Elizabeth line station in east London. The double-sided clock — a modern day replica of those Central line beauts — was assembled by MOBATIME and BWB Surface Technology in Switzerland, and features 11 roundels — plus an hour hand with an Elizabeth line purple roundel — on each side. At 9 o' clock, there's a twist: the Chadwell Heath South Residents' Association (CHSRA) heraldic logo, starring a cornucopia of local iconography, including St. Chad's Well, a set of whalebones and the Embassy Cinema.
What's the CHSRA got to do with it? Their Chair, Rama Muraleetharan instigated the project, working with TfL and the Swiss clockmakers to come up with the final design. And hasn't the clock — which weighs 49kg, and measures 80cm across — turned out rather smartly, what with its brushed aluminium case, and illuminating faces. Not only is the clock Swiss-made, but it uses GPS radio, so it should keep accurate good time. We can't speak for the trains themselves, though.
Read more about the clock here, or go and see it on Platform 3 of Chadwell Heath station.
All images courtesy of CHSRA
