24
Mar
Ripon school caretaker's project to restore clocktower frozen in time
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A caretaker at a Ripon school is on a mission to revive a long-disused clocktower.
Matthew Buller, who took on the role at Ripon Grammar School last October, began working on the clock in December after noticing it had fallen into a state of disrepair.
Years have passed - between 40 and 50, Mr Buller believes - since the clock operated properly, but his project to restore it - and the clocktower as a whole – is now well underway.
A Ripon man himself, Mr Buller said:
I’ve always seen the clocktower as the monument of the school, and it’s such a shame the clock has deteriorated over time.
Ripon Grammar School said Mr Buller “hopes to get the old gravity and hand-cranked fed system” up-and-running, so the clock and bells can be used once again.
The clocktower was thick with dust, decay and debris, while the bells had oxidised and its workings had become saturated with oil.
But the obstacles didn't deter Mr Buller, who worked through the school holidays to clean the clocktower area and study the intricacies of the clock itself.
Mr Buller, a former science engineering student, said:
Once you understand the type of clock mechanism, it’s almost like a particularly challenging jigsaw puzzle. Fortunately, it is all mostly intact, and I’ve always been mechanically minded and a lover of problem-solving.
The base of the Ripon Grammar School clock, which is believed to have been out of use for decades.
The masterplan
The restoration project is no mean feat.
The clock mechanism sits on a flatbed cast iron base, powered by a traditional gravity system, while steel cables run over iron pulleys to support three sets of cast iron weights - each weighing around 190kg.
The bronze bells also weigh between 60kg and 90kg.
Mr Buller plans to hire a hydraulic safety lift to lower the bells so rusted brackets can be replaced, as well as to clean and revive the hammer and suspension systems.
New galvanised steel cables and pulleys will be installed, while pulley weights will be cleaned and repainted.
The clocktower and bells at Ripon Grammar School.
In addition, Ripon Grammar School said, the clock itself will be cleaned with specialist solutions to remove oil and dirt from “every gear tooth”.
“The pendulum and flywheels will also be restored to ensure accurate timekeeping, and a new hand crank will be created to manually wind the system”, it added.
Mr Buller anticipates the materials and equipment will cost between £1,500 and £2,000. The school has set up a fundraising page to support the project.
But the caretaker said his main aim is “to get her ticking again”.
Headmaster Jonathan Webb also said:
If successful, the restoration will not only revive a striking feature of the building but also reconnect the school community with a piece of its history that has stood silent for decades.
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