Farmers Stockton & Darlington Railway clock
Record status
Individual type · partial
Period
1825
The Science Museum Group records this wooden clock as made by Thomas Farmer in Stockton-on-Tees to commemorate the opening of the Stockton & Darlington Railway on 27 September 1825.
Built in an unidentified wood case measuring 677 mm high by 430 mm wide, the upper portion holds a circular dial with Roman numerals, two winding apertures, and two hands. Below the dial, the case is fashioned as a model railway carriage featuring three windowed panels with patterned backing and carved spoked carriage wheels resting on a plinth.
Evidence at a glance
- Linked sources
- 1
- Photograph views
- 1
- Catalogue references
- 0
Counts describe this entry’s documentation, not authenticity, rarity or completeness. Photographs may show one specimen; check each caption and licence.
Technical characteristics
- Date
- 1825
- Type
- Commemorative mantel clock
- Maker
- Thomas Farmer
- Materials
- Wood (unidentified), glass, brass, and white metal
- Dimensions
- 677 mm x 430 mm x 220 mm
- Place recorded
- United Kingdom
- Event Commemorated
- Opening of the Stockton & Darlington Railway, 27 September 1825
- Maker / attribution
- Thomas Farmer
Design
- Visible features
- • Circular moulded wooden bezel enclosing a light-coloured dial with Roman numeral hour markers. • Two winding apertures set into the lower portion of the dial face. • Dial is inscribed with text reading 'FARMER' above the arbor and 'STOCKTON ON TEES' below. • Middle section of the case resembles a three-compartment carriage body with arched decorative openings showing geometric patterns. • Lower carriage framework features spoked wheels resting on a stepped wooden plinth with turned bun feet. • Side handles or buffer extensions protrude from the base of the carriage compartment level.
- Dial and Visual Indicators
- The timepiece has a round dial face marked with Roman numerals, enclosed within a circular moulded wooden bezel. Inscriptions on the dial face read 'FARMER' above the arbor and 'STOCKTON ON TEES' below. Two winding apertures are visible in the lower portion of the dial. Internal movement details, train functions, and escapement type are not documented in the provided source record.
- Case Architecture and Construction
- Museum records list the materials as unidentified wood, glass, brass (copper, zinc alloy), and unknown white metal, with overall dimensions of 677 mm in height, 430 mm in width, and 220 mm in depth. The description notes a wooden case mounted on a model wooden railway carriage. Visual observations record that the middle section resembles a three-compartment carriage body with arched decorative openings displaying geometric patterns. Below, the carriage framework features spoked wheels resting on a stepped wooden plinth with turned bun feet, as well as side handles or buffer extensions protruding from the base of the carriage compartment level.
- Identity and Commemorative Context
- The Science Museum Group records this object as a clock made by Thomas Farmer of Stockton-on-Tees to commemorate the opening of the Stockton & Darlington Railway on 27 September 1825. Catalogued under object number 1975-7533 in the category of Railway Timepieces, the clock's credit line is listed as British Rail, Historical Relics.
Identification
- Object Number
- 1975-7533
- Source note
- Facts transcribed from the linked source listing or collection record. Attribution and specifications are source-reported and have not been independently authenticated.
Catalogue references
No catalogue numbers recorded. Numbers are only published once transcribed from a verified edition of a standard catalogue — they are never inferred.
Research required
- Research required: Movement type, escapement, and internal mechanical condition are not documented in the museum record.
- Research required: The specific wood species of the case is listed as unidentified by the museum.