Thanks to Michael for send more information that I can absorb today!

The full story: 3 years ago my daughter was project managing the redevelopment of the site of an explosives factory in Birmingham and wanted to save the cast iron clock face that was in the tower above the entrance from the skip. She asked me if I could make a dining room table from it by covering if glass etc!

When it was delivered it came with a wooden box of 'bits' which I later found out was the WT mechanism and the Hooks Joint shafts etc. it was all covered in dust a debris. It has no serial number but the factory was built during WW1 so must be at least 96 years old.

I can see why so few of the WT units have survived whereas the transmitter (master) clocks look valuable the WT units, to the untrained eye, look insignificant and like scrap.

to demolition gangs. I have very carefully re-built the unit (see photos in my album) but not touched the coils which all work when powered up. I now need to know exactly how to wire both units together with a suitable 12-20v power supply and without burning out any of the original parts!

Tony

I have worked with 'real' engines of all sizes for all my working life and have modelled some for many years but working on these 'industrial' clocks has been very different.

When an engine first runs it is a success – Wow! – but when you start a WT and Gents Master clock they create a rhythm that you realise is decrementing your life with each swing of their pendulums – very spooky!!

For Mark: the WT clock solved the problem of getting several clocks in a factory or, for example on 14 railway platforms synchronised. The WT units have very heavy but short pendulums needed to drive large, open-air hands against wind load. They drive through a worm wheel to prevent the wind stalling or reversing the hands.
They all run (imprecisely) a few seconds fast and then wait for the pulse from the Master (transmitter) clock and so all synchronise every 30 seconds. The Hipps toggle is used to energise two big solenoids that give the pendulum a kick when its arc falls to a minimum.

The master clock works with a pendulum (1metre) that is given a push every 30 seconds coincidentally with sending a pulse to its own and 'slave' WT units that are 'waiting' – just loverly pieces of engineering and the only things I have met that use 1 and 3 BA threads!

I will post some more photos on my album

Tony