Railway Clock Question
 

Can you help out. This message was sent by Erme who runs the excellent Railways of Britain site.

We have had two communications from people that have visited Railways of Britain!
The first one is a message about a clock that was once used at a Croydon Railway station and that has the words ONWARD and Croydon on them. Does anyone know what the onward may mean? A website about clocks does suggest it refers to a destination but I wouldn't have thought so. what does anyone else think?

The other request is about North Woolwich Old station museum. Does anyone know what is happening about it?

If you have any information I will pass it on to erme.

Alan,
I assume this is the clock you are talking about.
http://www.churchillclocks.co.uk/clocks/sXX456.jpg
Do you think that "ONWARD" could have been a trade name used by one of the Croydon clockmakers?

Croydon Station
 

Hi John this is what I read about the clock, I don't understand the bit about the "Onward Platform" was Onward a place or does it mean onward to some other place. It's a bit of a mystery.


A rare early 19th century English fusee' wall clock made around 1830 and possibly from the "Onward" platform of Croydon Railway Station. The mahogany case has a pegged on salt box with a lower rating trap door. The 14" diameter dial is wood in good original condition, complete with movement crack, and is an integral part of the turned mahogany surround. The cast brass bezel is concave and original to the clock. This is a rare large fusee' dial clock in very good condition.

OK, I know I'm bumping this thread because this is one of our unanswered questions and has been bugging me. I have just got a copy of a book called "Railway Clocks" by Ian Lyman. This seems to be regarded as a fairly authoratitive book.

Anyway:- the word Croydon will be where it was made, not the Station. There are only a couple of clock makers listed from Croydon was Gillett and Johnson (1879-1912) who supplied the LB&SCR, LC&DR, SER, LT&SR......... and F.W. Elliotts from the 1950's who seem to supply to BR western region.

There are also records of Thwaites and Reed, Clerkenwell suppliing clocks to, and maintaining clocks at, Croydon station from 5th June 1839 when the station opened, and to other stations on the London and Croydon Railway.

I accept that a couple of hours reading a book doesn't make me an expert, but the "Onward" clock doesn't have the feel of a railway clock at all.

I hope our humble attempts at railway clocks reproductions may be of some interest to members.

Hello Steve and welcome to the Railway Forum. I have spent many holidays at Sennen. Normaly rent a house in Sennen or down in the cove. Great place for a quite 2 weeks to unwind.

Welcome to the Forum Steve. Have happy memories of Camping at Travedra Farm at Sennen.

Do you have a web site for your clocks?

Best wishes,

John H-T.

John, just click on the words "railway clocks" in the post above. It's a link but not very distinct.

Regards, 62440.

The motto of the South Eastern Railway was "ONWARD" and appears on their crest. So could this clock have been made for the SER.

Thanks for the welcome John, Sid and also 62440 pointing out the link. Anyone catch the TimeShift programme tonight?

http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode...Days_of_Steam/