Iconic Railway Clock

Tonight the clocks go forward, marking the start of summer time, so I'm posting another picture of a Joyce railway clock -and this one is particularly iconic because it featured in my favourite film of all time: "Brief Encounter"– which was filmed largely on this railway station in the northwest of England. The clock, originally from 1895, was lovingly restored and reassembled piece by piece in 2002 after bits of its original features had been removed and dispersed accross England over the years In 2020 the clock was temporarily removed for further restoration prior to the 75th anniversary of the release of "Brief Encounter". I took this picture a few years ago when I had the chance to visit the station and its excellent exhibition devoted to the film, and also enjoy the hospitality of the equally iconic refreshment room seen straight ahead... "Cake or pastry?" anyone?

Location: Carnforth, England

Street Clock

Built to mark the completion of the harbour extension in 1878, this fine clock turret (made by Joyce of Whitchurch) stands in Station Approach of Holyhead on the Isle of Anglesey. Joyce was famous for its railway clocks which were an essential feature of so many stations. When it was built not everyone had a watch of their own and approaching this clock tower from any of four sides gave you immediate notice of whether you would have to hurry for your train or had a minute or two to spare. It's boldly ornate in a decorative Victorian style that may be regarded as a little overdone by today's standards, but which certainly stands out. It was originally surrounded by bollards and a bar preventing people from climbing it, but now it's left to itself atop a paved mound. Holyhead is the end of the line for trains in Wales -from here passengers embark and head for the nearby harbour to catch boats to Ireland, so this is a good opportunity to check the time -and because it's a Joyce clock, you can be assured that it is accurate!

Location: Holyhead, Angelsey, Wales

Night Train

An empty train waiting to depart at Paddington Station late one night. Nothing special about that, except that Paddington, of all London stations, is always a thrill to visit –a true and vast cathedral to rail travel. And it's so spacious that one never feels crowded there, except perhaps when busy commuter trains spill out their passengers of a morning. At night, it's quieter (but never still) and in places a little bit ghostly, but I love to walk along the platforms and imagine the many destinations the trains standing there will pass through. The lighting is alluring -in places, such as against the huge curved ceilings it is blue, like a nightclub. You only see a tiny bit of it here, but I like this picture because it seems to catch something of the essence of what makes train stations so alluring and romantic (at least for me!) I like the variety of lines and the mix of light and shadow and particularly the long stretch of windows along the sleek side of the empty train. All aboard!

Location: London, England