Outlane engineer Paul Jackson’s million-to-one find saves historic
Oct 14 2010 by Kevin Core, Huddersfield Daily Examiner
Outlane engineer’s million-to-one find saves historic
AN ENGINEER made a million-to-one find ... after burning his wellington.
Paul Jackson, 64, of Outlane, incinerated the battered old boot when clearing out his workshop, but thought little more of it until he spoke to his friend, Maurice Brayford, days later.
Maurice is custodian of the historic clock on the old Dobcross Loom Company works in Diggle.
The clock stopped working just before summer when its 50kg pendulum snapped off.
Paul said: “Maurice goes in to wind up the clock as there’s a preservation order on it.
“The pendulum is normally supported by a part called a “feather” with a very specific piece of sprung steel.
“When Maurice came to see me about another job, he brought half the broken part to show me.”
The part would have flexed millions of times over the life of the clock before the pendulum eventually fell.
