Historic clock to get a face lift thanks to an intervention from …

A large wall clock is about all that remains of the North Road Locomotive Workshops in Darlington which, until their closure over 50 years ago, employed up to 4,000 men.

That clock now hangs from the side of Morrisons supermarket on North Road and thanks to an intervention from Darlington’s MP Peter Gibson the clock will now receive a makeover.

Peter Gibson MP contacted Morrisons Supermarkets advising that the clock currently appears weathered and wrote to ask what plans there are for the future maintenance of the clock.

Plans are underway in Darlington as 2025 approaches, where Darlington will host a celebration of the Bicentenary of the first passenger railway in the world.

Morrisons Supermarkets have now confirmed that the clock has been discussed with their maintenance team and they are pleased to confirm that the clock will be painted in the next two weeks, helping to ensure the ongoing preservation of this important local heritage asset ahead of the 2025 anniversary celebrations.

Peter Gibson MP said “North Road is one of the primary gateways into Darlington and with the £35m of investment in our flagship Rail Heritage Quarter which abuts North Road Station, the preservation and improvement of the area around North Road is a hugely important project and improvements to this historic clock will complement the work already being undertaken to showcase Darlington’s rich railway heritage”.

Picture: North Road Locomotive Workshops clock which hangs in the same position as it did when it was attached to the main workshop entrance in 1960.

Image: Provided by Chris Lloyd