The historic clock has been reinstalled at Southgate’s Station Parade, following a restoration project carried out by Transport for London (TfL), Heritage of London Trust and the Cumbria Clock Company.
The art-deco style clock was installed opposite the Grade II* listed Southgate Tube Station in 1932-1933, as part of Charles Holden’s design of Station Parade in Southgate. The renowned architect designed the wall clock as a concrete roundel with brass gilded ring plates and 12 gold button studs marking the hour.
After 90 years in service, the clock was temporarily removed in 2023 to allow for the important restoration works. Commissioned by TfL and undertaken by Cumbria Clock Company, these works included repairs to the clock mechanism, a refurbishment of the dial and a replacement of features that had gone missing over time, such as its gold medallions and sections of the chapter ring.
After being carefully repaired in a workshop in Penrith, Cumbria, the fully restored clock was reinstalled on Station Parade on the night of 4 July 2024. The restoration was supported by the Heritage of London Trust who awarded the project £7,000.
Southgate’s Station Parade lies at the heart of Enfield Council’s Southgate Circus Conservation Area and offers important transport connections to residents through its Tube and bus station. Southgate Tube station celebrated its 90th anniversary last year (2023) after opening in 1933 as part of the Piccadilly line extension. The station’s architecture was influenced by Charles Holden’s study tour of Northern Europe Architecture in 1930 and includes several notable architectural features such as bronze escalators and uplighters, as well as one of the few remaining passimeters on the Tube Network.
Gareth Leslie, Customer Experience Manager at TfL, said: “Working with Heritage of London Trust and Cumbria Clock Company, we have restored an important part of Southgate’s local history and architecture. After several months of work to carefully restore the art deco design, the clock is once again keeping time for the residents of Southgate and all our passengers using our underground station and bus interchange. It’s been a fantastic effort by all involved to bring this historic timepiece back to its best and we hope that it remains a local focal point for many years to come.”
