WHAT MAKES HER TICK - WORLD'S FIRST STEAM POWERED CLOCK - GASTOWN

            World's first steam powered clock

The insides of this clock is where the magic begins....

Built in 1977. Raymond Saunders' first steam clock was built in 1977 to solve the issue of a steam vent in a popular sidewalk for the renovated Gastown district of Vancouver. Owned by the City of Vancouver, BC Canada
 
The steam clock's plaque reads:
THE GASTOWN STEAM CLOCK
Designed and built by
Raymond L. Saunders
Horologist
The world's first steam powered clock has been created for the enjoyment of everyone. The live steam winds the weights and blows the whistles. Every 4.5 minutes one steel weight will travel by steam power to the top of the clock. The gravity driven "falling ball" drive was 'engineered' by Douglas L. Smith. Each quarter hour the clock will sound the Westminster Chimes. The large whistle will sound once on the hour. The steam is supplied by the underground system of Central Heat Distributor's Limited. The component parts cost $42,000 and the clock weighs over two tons.

A few years ago the clock was refit and is not entirely steam powered.  It also has three small electric motors to help operate two internal fans, one of which blows the steam out the top, and another that controls the valves that play the tunes on the five steam whistles mounted atop the clock case.

The large central whistle, which was taken off the CPR steam tug Naramata, counts off the full hours while the four auxiliary whistles chime the Westminster Quarters every quarter hour. The number of chimes matches the number of quarter hours that have passed.

Gastown is the original settlement that became the core of the creation of Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. Currently, it is a national historic site and a neighbourhood in the northwest end of Downtown Eastside, adjacent to Downtown Vancouver.

Wikipedia and various other online sites. 
*Please note : Information has not been verified accurate

Best experienced in full screen.

Thanks so much for comments and visits
~Christie

Taken on: January 19, 2025

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