Why Big Ben Will Never Stop Ticking | Monumental Challenge | Spark
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- Опубликовано: 30 июл 2024
- Recently voted the most iconic monument in Britain, Big Ben has come to symbolize the sights and sounds of a nation but ever-needy machinery. Her attachment to Britain's parliament building means that making sure she remains reliable is Big Ben's greatest challenge this year. Following her 150th anniversary, the keepers of Big Ben must ensure the monument stays clean, timely and most importantly, does not stop at an inopportune moment. Political elections, and royal and state visits alike all pass below its famed clock faces. But as history continues to be made on its doorstep workers behind the scenes must do everything from keeping pigeons at bay with a Harris Hawk patrol to monitoring a rather worrying tilt.
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If only my father was still alive, he’d have been so incredibly enthusiastic about this documentary.
He was responsible for over 200 clocks at the Lockheed factory in Leamington spar for 45 years. Ever Easter was ruined by his loyal service to the clocks and every October change to GMT .
Makes me feel quite emotional, that loyal herologists are taken for granted by the British population, especially as we are to my knowledge, the only country in the world that does this time honoured ritual. No pun intended.
An Herologist!
Wonderful neologism.
26:30 talk about working around the clock! 😂
Bells don't tick.
I love that England has these iconic historical items that they care about. The traditions would be a sorry loss if for example the clock were to be electrified.
doesn't mean people still make clocks like these!
From San Francisco at 2 PM,Saturday!! !WE need a bell/clock!!!!!!!!
Big Ben has never ticked. It is a bell, not a clock!
spybaz ... That's just what I have said in a comment.
So the clock faces that I see on ALL 4 SIDES is not a clock? Interesting.
@@calvin99991'Big Ben' is the name of the bell inside the tower, behind the clock faces. 'Big Ben' is not the name of the clock or the tower. The fact that you can see 4 clock faces has nothing to do with this fact.
@@spybaz Thanks for the clarification. Had to look it up, but I see the clock is actually named the Great Clock. You would think a "documentary" would get these facts straight.
And here I was surprised why a bell would tick
I see many remarks here saying Big Ben is not the clock but a bell inside the clock tower. Actually neither are true, Big Ben is the nick name given to the largest bell in the tower and it's real name is the Great Bell
all we know there's the clock tower of london and big ben.
but knowing how these incredible people working behind this magnificent landmark what keeps it going in top conditions despite it's age was so fascinating. huge respect for them. 🇵🇭
They will all be replaced by our new DEI this clock will be out of operation in no time
Because a bell don't tick?
Doesn't or cannot
@@Romamb That does not ring a bell.
I had a chance to walk all the steps to the bells. Along the way near the mechanism the guide pointed out some very old coins no longer minted but used to "balance" the pendulum. It was a very awesome experience.
I had to wonder how many coins might have been accidentally dropped over the years and might be lying at the bottom of the pendulum pit! :)
There are 4 clocks of the tower. Which one is Big Ben? None of them. The tower is not Big Ben either. Big Ben is the bell inside the clock tower.
I hope it's mentioned in this documentary that calling the clock itself big ben is a misnomer.
Yes, it is. Until today I had no idea that "Big Ben" refers to the hour bell and not the clock as a whole.
Nobody cares it is a misnomer. what something is named and what something is called are two different things.
The tower may be named "The Elizabeth Tower" and the bell only may be named "Big Ben", but for all intents and purposes, both the tower, the clock, and the bell itself are called "The Big Ben" no matter how many grammar nazis disagree.
Case in point: ask anyone to point out the Elizabeth tower and nobody will know what the hell you're talking about. Ask them to point out Big Ben and you'll get the answer.
Some older people may also know what St Stephens tower is.
For those who don’t know, it’s the original name for the Elizabeth tower.
But again many people would look just as blank at me when I used to take
Mainly American tourists past the many tourist spots on my Nat. Exp. Route into
London, great for them to see and photograph ( I did give them a warning of what
was coming up) to see the tower, tower bridge, the eye, the 2 horsemen guarding horse guards, the front
of Downing Street, parliament square (which if I had time I’d go completely round before
taking them on to Victoria coach station, this could also prove quite good for me as the
Americans are very good at tipping especially if you show them something special.
@@TheRealBigfeet Both these questions are fairly popular in pub quizzes
I don't know if the folks that brought "Big Ben" to life knew that this wonderful timepiece would be here today with us. This clock was built with what materials were on hand. Proper upkeep does make a difference, as with anything. Can't imagine life without this great tower.❤
Big Ben is the bell not the tinepiece.
Boy, those Hawks are magnificent !
Oi it's like the ancient Saxon saying goes: I've a hawk in my hand amd my hand's name is Sam, it's a glad hand, glad hand. Doo in the hawk mustard on the clock it's a Sam hand, Sam hand.
Big Ben will NEVER tick! Big Ben is NOT the clock. Big Ben IS the bell!
so the bell makes a ticking sound?
Amazing documentary, loved this!
Second law of thermodynamics: I’ll take that challenge. Thank you very much!
You really have to appreciate all of the work that goes into Big Ben/Elizabeth Tower to keep it looking good and working especially now considering it's currently 165 years old.
Big Ben has never ticked, it's a bell situated in The Clock Tower along with 4 others that give that unique sound.
Don't be so pedantic.
that is mentioned at around 6:04
@@internetgmbhnewsagency-ch4ikSo why not change the video title to "Why the Great Clock at the Palace of Westminster will never stop tucking"?
Cause it's the focking Big Ben, and somebody will always fix it.
I am curious, are you British? Or maybe you have a beef with the system in the country? Your comment leaves answers to be told...
@@carstenkh I'm Brazilian. And... really? Try thinking a little bit. Read the title of the video. "Why" will it never stop? Well... it's a very iconic symbol of the great Britain. Do you think that in case something happens to it, somebody wouldn't fix it?
@@MartyMcDonnald I certainly saw your comment as how it was intended. The money that the UK make from tourists would pay for the repairs 1,000 times over. Quite a lot of our heritage is also maintained by retired engineers, who understand it's origins and maintain them for free. It is certainly better than sitting down and watching all the digital rubbish of today.
I assume that the previous poster thought that you were being sarcastic. LOL
This is a fascinating documentary regarding the craftsmanship and technology that is still in use over 150 years later. I have been on the Queen Mary in Long Harbor in the greater L.A. area of California and it is amazing to see the workmanship. The workmanship is amazing and rivals any technology of the modern era.
The Mary. Survived the war with only a few bumps and scrapes. She also rammed a cruiser by accident at near top speed which sliced it in half, killing most of the crew. She also carried 15.000 men during the war in one crossing. Something even Churchill would say shortened the war by a year. Look after her for us.
And I meant Long Beach not Long Harbor.
@@kermitefrog64I forgot to mention that she also got struck by a rouge wave whilst at sea and almost capsized. Luckily she righted herself.
@@PinkPanther4958Must have been some wave!
@@Anglo_Saxon1It was apparently 92ft high
Good Job to everyone Who Keeps Big Ben on Time, I'm Trying to Keep New Brunswick's Covered Bridges Standing because at The 18th & 19th Century we had 400 or More Covered & we also had 6 of The Longest Covered Bridges now we Only have The Longest witch is The Hartland Covered Bridge at 1282' in Length, 7 Spans, 5 at at 168'6" in Longest & 2 at 144' in Longest.
Robert (The Covered Bridge Man of Albert County), New Brunswick Canada.
Monumental Challenge Big Ben Episode aired Nov 15, 2010
Production companies Blink Films Media, Lab UK, Oak 3 Films
Big Ben is the bell in the clock, not the clock. The clock, called the Great Clock of Westminster, is in Elizabeth Tower. Big Ben itself is all but invisible and isn't recognized by anyone.
shut up , no one likes a know it all. Big ben is the nickname for the Elisabeth tower formerly known as st stephens tower .let us enjoy this !
the video mentions that at around 6:04
36:17 love the quarter chimes that we hear
15:08 love these chimes
i always loved this tower even without knowing anything about it
Iconic landmark... Very cool to see a doco on Big Ben
Big Ben Is the name of the main bell, the one that strikes the hour. The tower is St Stephens Tower. It would be better to call it "The Clock Tower" Rather than "Big Ben"
It's the Elizabeth Tower, renamed back in 2012. I think it should have been left as the Clock Tower.
it is not and never has been called St. Stephens Tower. St. Stephens Tower is a different much smaller tower over the public entrance to Westminster.
In the 50's-60's around Detroit, Michigan The tune of Big Ben was" Gold Bell Gift Stamps, Gold Bell Gift stamps"
An excellent video, thanks.
Big Ben has never ticked. Big Ben rings.
Bells don't ring they chime
They need to design a safer comfortable harness rigging to work on glass
Lol have you ever worn one way up high, look down and you will forget all about your junk being squished by the harness and hell yeah I speak from experience 😂😂l
you should, and make lots of money
Bells tick now? Or are you referring to the Great Clock that occupies the Elizabeth Tower and actuates the bell called Big Ben?
Excellent!
Big Ben has NEVER ticked. It goes "DONG". It is not a clock. Nor is it a tower. It is a bell. I thought all English people knew that.
2:38 Lol I want that sign.
This was well worth the time.
The man that is suspended from Big Ben to work on it? Imagine 150 years ago the men whom built it? Anything that reached that high in the sky that long ago is TRULY a marvel and the men had balls of steel.
You need to look up the clip of children's TV presenter John Noakes climbing Nelson's column (with a maintenance crew) back in the late 70's
UK after looting the World for centuries: Aah, let's pay money to keep these old mechanical clocks running.
Fun fact:Actual Big Ben (which was the name given to the massive bell inside the tower)was made by the same foundry in London(Whitechapel Bell Foundry)where the famous Liberty Bell in Pennsylvania U.S.A was made 106 years earlier in 1752.
@@patricksanders858 Its not a recommendation its just information.
Fascinating document.
Never is a long time like infinite, I don't think Big Ben is going to last that long
I never knew the chime sequence was Mozart's
Handel, from his great work 'Messiah'.
Well considering Big Ben is actually the nickname of The Great Bell which is the main bell in the tower it will never start ticking because bells don't tick. The clock is called The Great
Clock and tower is called Elizabeth Tower, prior to 2012 is was just called The Clock Tower but it was renamed for the queens diamond jubilee. You would think a channel that is supposed to be about information and facts could get that right.
Oh, wow! I'm watching this and reached the part about the clock going back to GMT at just gone 2am on Sun 29th Oct 2023 (by my watch), in other words, the clocks go back one hour, right NOW !
Because Burger King forgot to wrap it’s Whopper!?
Now take the clock hands away and us brits are left with a clock that doesnt tick
Big Ben is one of the bells inside the Elizabeth tower.
One can clearly tell you've been paying attention watching the video.😅
Big Ben is bear in Florida
… as explained in the video!
I knew a guy we called "Big Ben" give you three guesses why, but I bet you only need one. 😂
6:03 27:56
I very much enjoyed your video on BIG BEN. It is a very novel idea how the British thought to have the Hawks go after the Pidgins to keep the Pidgins from being a destructive force. Again thank you so much for your video.
That's pigeon.
Sorry. I'm just an English illiterate.
@@earllutz2663It's ok because Sam Hand is under your bed
too right. how dare people that need to communicate make a simple language. the bastards!
Wow amazing ...
I’m only about 1/3rd through this documentary, but I wonder if they’re going to speak to how Ben survived the bombing by the Germans in WWII ?
I would assume the same way as buildings on the other side: with lots of luck
Wow, that’s crazy…I never knew Big Ben was leaning. 180mm = 7.09 inches…Wikipedia has the tower height at 316 feet, that’s approximately 1 inch lean per every 45 feet.
Big Ben is the bell not the clock
But it did stop ticking. The clock mechanism was removed during a restoration. It is now back, but it did stop for a number of years.
There is a process where they can use wet concrete like a hydraulic fluid to lift and level a building of any size. Has that been considered to bring the great clock tower back into plumb?
The early cracks that took place more than a century ago have both automatically grouted by settlement and been filled. Since such a period of time, they are obstructed from closing, so tilting the foundations could allow cracks to open on the opposing sides.
Therefore, concrete is only pumped to maintain the existing equilibrium, plus a fraction of a millimetre at most. Any attempt to correct the original movement would need to be done very slowly and monitored. It would probably take at least 50 years.
If they take out the mechanism and replace it with batteries and electric it will be a huge loss. I love that in 2023 we still have Victorian Engineering and the Westminister Quarters. What tune would clocks play without them?
Fascinating documentary
you would think they would have a spare break.
Big Ben is the bell not the clock tower.
Many commenting about the fact that the hour bell is Big Ben, yes it’s correct however if this documentary was for the towers 150th anniversary then that would put this at being filmed/ produced in 2009. 3 years before the tower was named the Elizabeth tower. Technically at that time the correct term would have been the “clock tower” as it wasn’t officially called St. Stephen’s tower either. I guess before the big name change for the queen in 2012, referring to the whole structure as Big Ben was more common than today.
Thank you very much for this documentaries
I think anyone working on BigBen will ensure their contract - any engineer will do anything to uphold their contract = save income 🤭
Hell, id learn how to do any of those tasks for a good pay and benefits
Oh dun worry Big Ben will be renamed Big Bashir in the not too distant future
Did they name Big Ben, their pharaonic wigs attire, kilts, scepter, miter, judiciary symbology and government from the tribe of Benjamin?
@7:08 can any classical music peeps remind me of this piece?
Better to keep big Ben hanging, rather than commentators suggestion to keep Big Ben standing for another century and half. Big Ben would sound awful if made to stand in place.
As an Irish American, I have reason from two continents to not be a fan of the British. But then again, I did save for years to buy the Rolex on my wrist so...credit where credit is due.
Big Ben has never ticked because it's a bell and not a clock! 😂😅😅😂
Always someone.
so the bell makes a ticking sound?
those heights forget it
why does the clock chime that way
46:20 - 47:18
Might as well reduce the leaning with anchors
Pigeons/Gulls: Do autonomous Drones have a use?
Another old documentary on RUclips, this one from 2010. The short answer to the question of “Why Big Ben Will Never Stop Ticking” is that, as a bell, it never started ticking in the first place. “Big Ben” is, of course, the nickname for the Great Bell of the Great Clock of Westminster in the Elizabeth Tower at the Palace of Westminster.
This was made over 10 years ago
Big Ben doesn’t tick.
new zealand , falkland islands, and museum of modern art but sleepy but AI wouldn't work (tried) so sigh back to naval carriers
Big Ben will stop ticking when it becomes a broken coock, as for now, it remains a working bell within the the clock tower.
ecept that one time it did in 2017
Doing a documentary on Big Ben was not a lot about the BELL. Big Ben is a BELL not working clock mechanism...
Leans towards church state, according to will of the public but leaning tower of pisa balances
I don't know.....Gorgo's mom came to town once, back in the 1950s, and kicked the hell out of Big Ben..probably why it's leaning now from poor repairs. I guess the English can only hope.
the amount of energy in the universe is finite. it will stop
It will stop ticking ,Fact!
and the Ferrari in your PFP will breakdown eventually. FACT!
I think it stop ticking in the making of this doc.
🇬🇧 - amused to how sensitive they are to the clock’s behaviour/perception to the public ~ must be precisely set to the correct time (even relying on something as old as the talking-clock on the landline telephone ~ which in the near-future will be discontinued, then what will they do?) and even turning the face lights off when turning the clock back -1 hour for daylight saving time ~ so the public are not spooked by seeing the weird appearance of the hands rapidly turning an hour back. As of 2023; The clock itself is called the Elizabeth tower, but is given/referred to the name of the hour striking bell, it was recently externally refurbished and cleaned and went silent for several years for the process [a motor being used to strike the hour for special occasions] and it now looks brighter and much cleaner than in the documentary (other commenters have said it was recorded in 2010 ~ 14 years ago) we have had the funeral of Queen Elizabeth 2nd - where the Elizabeth tower chimed 72 times timed with the firing of a cannon, of her reign. Quite a lot has happened since this (out of date) documentary was recorded
Am I late with this comment? Big Ben (named after Benjamin Hall the Minister of Works) will never stop ticking because it never started. Big Ben is the bell, not the clock in the Palace of Westminster clock tower. (Sorry, I see I am!)🙃
Big Ben bell isn't named after anyone
You are wrong. Believe me. Hibbert and Weinreb, in "The London Encyclopaedia" aka "The London Dictionary" Macmillan, London, 1983 offer two possible and fairly widely accepted possibilities, viz., that when Sir Benjamin Hall, Chief Commissioner of Works was speaking about the project in Parliament someone shouted out "Why not call it Big Ben?"; the other that it is named from a (very) heavyweight contemporary boxer. I suggest a third possibility, that it may have been named from the Queen's clockmaker, Benjamin Vulliamy. Take your pick,🙃
Better spend a few more bucks there.
And not throw it all on to Downing Street 11.
1 hour to do it
Way too many ads..
This clock reminds me of the movie Hugo
As if that will happen,they got the best men stone mason,and mechanics in the world experts.
I lasted for about 30 seconds. If you don’t know that Big Ben is the bell and that the clock is something else, then I’m not going to waste my time.
So true this documentary pissed me right off
Love the the engineering, but could’ve done without that pageantry 🤮
The 'pageantry', as you call it, is remembering the dead servicemen and women of 2 world wars.
@@astrecks Who they send to fight for their chess games. This show is for us, disrespectful us and the fallen.
Mechanical is the best electrical is just stupid.
Remember remember the 5th of November there is no reason why the treason and gunpowder pot should ever be forgotten...........v............
Remember, remember, the 10th of September, guns, potatoes, comply, there is no reason why,
the 10th of September should not be forgotten.
It's NOT the tower that is Big Ben... It's the biggest bell that is Big Ben...
2009 documentary
Please wake up that t person who said it's not clock it's a bell .
OK we are all entitled to opinion but please respect the fact that it's a clock tower and it keeps time ,o there for in turn it is a clock it keeps ime and displays the time hent the reason that is why Big Ben is a clock .well, it's not a watch now, is it ?
Unless I'm going to have all that paraphnaila straped to me back . The workshop gets me. I'd love to work in a workshop where you can build absolutely anything that you can think of, and you probably would be able to .if you worked there .
big ben will never stop ticking because it has never ticked. it is a ruddy great bell. bells dont tick. you are thinking of 'time-bombs' from motion pictures. easy mistake to make.
Yes, but what will happen when Artificial Intelligence (Skynet) takes over and all humans disappear from Earth? Will AI robot clockmakers take care of Big Ben then? We can only hope so. Not that it will make any difference to robots what time a mechanical clock indicates. Those non-human things will run on Cesium clocks. [No I am not insane, this was just a joke.]