Landmark clock in Ogmore Valley repaired

A landmark clock in the Ogmore Valley has been repaired and put back into working order 65 years after it was officially unveiled.

The Price Town Memorial Clock Tower which now forms part of a roundabout was built by the Hartland Brothers in 1955, being paid for with funds from the dissolution of the Wyndham Medical Aid Society.

However years of wear and tear had left significant damage to the clock with the four individual clock faces working at different speeds and displaying different times.

Following on from discussions with the Ogmore Valley Community Council and feedback from local residents, Bridgend County Borough Council embarked upon a project to restore the clock to its former glory, funded via the local authority’s Public Realm Fund.

The council’s deputy leader Councillor Hywel Williams said: “The community is delighted to have the clock once again fully recommissioned and in full working order.

The work was carried out by the professional clockmakers Smith of Derby who removed the outer rings and broken dial covers with the hands and all four clock movements being taken back to their workshop.

“While three of the four movements were in good working order, one was completely unserviceable and had to be replaced.

“The other three were dismantled and fully serviced with the clockmakers fitting small electric motors on the side of them to ensure perfect timing was kept aligned between them all.

“A new high impact acrylic cover glass was also added.”

Over time the clocktower has become a roundabout with routes up to the Bwlch mountain road and on towards Treorchy in Rhondda Cynon Taf or the Afan Valley in Neath Port Talbot.

The work took place between August and September.