Tuesday, November 12, 2013

News: ISG hands back Hastings Clock to town

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The distinctive blue and gold Hastings Clock has been moved back into Effingham Square as part of TCN UK's redevelopment of the former Civic Buildings' site in Rotherham town centre.

TCN UK agreed to carry out the works with the Council as part of an extensive programme of public realm improvement works connected to the new 110,000 sq ft Tesco superstore which also includes 540 parking spaces and a petrol filling station on the five-acre site.

Stephen Holme, director of TCN UK, said: "Relocating the Hastings Clock is just one aspect of the overall development, which has seen the demolition of Norfolk House, the Library and Arts Centre, the Civic Centre and the flyover.

"Once completed, Rotherham will benefit from a new road junction as well as extensive road improvements to Drummond and Nottingham Streets, and a highly attractive hard and soft landscaping scheme in Effingham Square itself."

Main contractor, ISG, moved the five tonne Grade II listed structure back into Effingham Square, where it will now form the centrepiece of a new pedestrian landscape.

Andrew Beaumont, senior project manager for ISG, said: "It is a ten metre high architecturally listed structure and every stage of the clock's relocation has been carefully planned. Removing the clock from its original location was a painstaking process as we carefully excavated the clock's foundations before lifting and transporting it to the specialist restoration company.

"The clock has undergone a comprehensive 17-week programme of refurbishment, with each component stripped down and re-painted in its original colour scheme, any damaged areas repaired, the glass in the clock face replaced back to its original leaded face and the mechanism fully serviced.

"We still have several weeks of work ahead of us to complete the full installation of the clock, which will involve slightly raising the structure to expose an exciting feature that was hidden underground at its previous location. 

"We had initially thought that a series of sculpted horses hooves had been removed from the base of the clock when it was relocated to the Civic site - in fact they had just been buried, so in Effingham Square this hidden feature will once again be revealed."

Commissioned and presented to the town by Rotherham businessman, James Hastings to commemorate the coronation of King George V, the cast iron clock tower was made by Scottish iron founders, MacFarlane and Co. of Glasgow.

The actual clock mechanism was made by John Mason of Rotherham - clockmakers who had been in the business since the 17th century. He built a shop on Rotherham's High Street, and also played a key civic role  being a councillor from the early 1880's and serving as Mayor in 1888.

Replacing the Forge Island store, the new Tesco Extra is planned to open in January 2015.

ISG website

Images: ISG

1 comments:

Calibre Metalwork Ltd November 28, 2013 at 12:14 PM  

Calibre Metalwork www.calibremetalwork.co.uk thanks ISG for working with us in the removals and the installation and restored the clock in Rotherham and wishes all a Happy Christmas ! Regards for all at Calibre Metalwork

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