THE Te Kūiti town clock is now being reassembled with new electronic components at Pilbrows Watch and Clock Restorations in Taupō. PHOTO SUPPLIED
FOLLOWING the arrival of a replacement electronic mechanism from England, Pilbrows Watch and Clock Restorations in Taupo is about to repair and reassemble Te Kūiti’s town clock. A Waitomo District Council update on September 14, said it was hoped the timepiece could be reinstated at its Rora St site by mid-next month. Pilbrows owner Rowan Pilbrow said new electronics represented a major upgrade for the clock originally put to work in 1958. “With the old mechanism, if you had a power cut or a change in daylight saving time somebody would have had to come out and reset the clock but that should no longer be necessary,” Rowan said. “I am not exactly certain but it’s possible this town clock will be the first in the country to have this kind of upgrade.” Rowan said the original mechanism now been replaced, had been fairly standard for public clocks in the era in which it was built. However, the faces, hands, casings and other parts had been specifically designed for the Te Kūiti clock. For the most part, these were being reused, though new glass would be cut to protect the clock from the elements. Rowan described his business as the largest clock repair operation in the country. Operating in both North and South Islands, it had a purpose-built workshop at Taupō designed to repair and service large public or town clocks. “We have between 200 and 300 clocks (of all kinds) lined up and waiting to be done.” He said as well as Te Kūiti’s larger projects had recently included the recently completed Kihikihi Town Clock and current repairs to the Napier floral clock.
