A new digital clock, the first national timepiece for Britain's railways in more than half a century, has been unveiled at London Bridge station. The 1.8-metre-high clock, hanging above the concourse, is the first physical manifestation of the Great British Railways' signature design.
The black and red clock face draws on the old British Rail logo, which rail minister Peter Hendy said 'represents a bridge between the historic past and a new future for our railways'. The design was chosen from an international competition and will appear in digital form on electronic information boards at stations across the country.
London Bridge was chosen for the prestigious first clock as it was the second station in 1852 to have an electric clock linked by telegraph to the Greenwich Observatory. The new clock features only hours and minutes in numerals, with seconds represented by the 'double arrow' of the British Rail logo, which splits and rejoins hypnotically every minute.
Network Rail chief executive Andrew Haines dismissed suggestions the clock might lead to a more relaxed attitude to punctuality, confirming that seconds would be displayed in full on platforms. The design has been praised by Gerry Barney, creator of the original British Rail logo in 1965, who called it 'really magic'.
An app is planned to allow smartwatch wearers to download the clock face. Hendy said the unified design would make stations instantly recognisable, following a plethora of different clocks after rail privatisation.
