Time-keeping in the antipodes: a critical comparison of the Sydney and Littelton time balls

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Time Balls, Maudslays, Siemens, Sydney Observatory, Lyttelton Timeball Station, Cape Of Good Hope

Scientific paper

Maudslay, Sons & Field built the time ball apparatus for Sydney, New South Wales (NSW) in 1855, and to hoist the ball they used a rack and pinion that was developed from the mechanism found at Edinburgh and Deal. Sydney's time ball became operational in 1858, following completion of Sydney Observatory (which included a time ball tower). Henry Russell, the NSW Government Astronomer, modified this apparatus to a limited extent during the 1870s, but most principal features were retained. The apparatus for Lyttelton, New Zealand, was ordered in 1873 and shipped from London in 1874 by Siemens Brothers. lt, too, had to await completion of the necessary tower, and became operational in 1876. Both Antipodean time balls were still working in 2009. In this paper it is demonstrated that the apparatus at Lyttelton is a replica of the 1855 design used in Sydney, despite the long interval between their dates of supply. The only surviving note in Maudslays' records about an 1873 time ball indicates provision for the Cape of Good Hope and an association with Siemens. A time ball was installed at Alfred Docks in Cape Town during 1873, but available evidence indicates that it was unlikely to have been built by Maudslays. lt is suggested that Maudslays' 1873 apparatus was instead sold to Siemens Brothers who installed it at Lyttelton. No Siemens records showing the supply of time balls to other locations at this time have been found.

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