Big Ben springs back into action

Updated 16.52 Sat Aug 11 2007

Keywords: The Great Clock, Big Ben, Sir Benjamin Hall

Londoners can once again set their watches by Britain's most famous clock after the correct time was restored following a pause for repairs.

But anyone waiting to hear the famous bongs of Big Ben will be disappointed as Parliament's chimes will remain silenced for at least another month.

Sightseers watched as a team of "industrial rope access technicians" then abseiled down the south face of the clock to begin a regular programme of cleaning and glazing repairs

They were halted just after sounding 8am - and the giant hands moved to show 12 o'clock - at the start of a major maintenance programme.

Sightseers watched as a team of "industrial rope access technicians" then abseiled down the south face of the clock to begin a regular programme of cleaning and glazing repairs.

But behind the scenes, engineers were constructing a scaffold to allow the strike train which operates the Big Ben hour bell to be lifted out.

Its bearings are being replaced as well as those on the going train, which controls the clock mechanism itself.

A temporary mechanism has been installed to ensure the clock keeps time while the work is carried out.

Big Ben is the nickname for what is officially called The Great Clock, but strictly speaking Big Ben refers only to the 13.5-tonne bell that chimes the hours.

It was named after Sir Benjamin Hall, who was Commissioner of Works when the bell was installed in 1859.

Over the years, the clock has been stopped accidentally on a number of occasions - by weather, workmen, breakages and birds.