Nylex Clock |
The Nylex Clock is one of Melbourne's iconic signs positioned on top of storage silos in Cremorne, Richmond next to the Yarra River and the Monash Freeway.
The Nylex Clock displays the time and temperature alternately. The text also alternates displaying the words 'Nylex Plastics' that changes to 'Nylex Every Time!'.
The Nylex Clock has become an iconic symbol of Melbourne depicted in art and film. The most notable example is Paul Kelly's 1987 song Leaps and Bounds where he sung "...and way up on high, the sign on the silo says eleven degrees...".
History
The clock was designed and built by Neon Electric Signs and erected in 1961 on behalf of Nylex. Since then the clock has operated on and off for financial, restoration and maintenance reasons. The clock was granted a Victorian Heritage Register listing in March 2004.
Restoration commencing in February 2005 when 17,000 LED lights, 800 metres of neon tubing and two kilometres of electrical cable were replaced. On 29 June 2005 the clock was restarted at 7.24am, but the time stayed stuck on 7.24am due to a 'glitch with satellite alignment' in the equipment used to keep the time and date accurate. The use of LEDs diminished the visibility of the clock, so the luminaires were replaced in December 2005 with 70-degree orange coloured LEDs.
In December 2007 the clock was switched off due to Nylex lapsing into receivership. Since December 2007, the clock and associated temperature display, were inoperative.
On Thursday, 29 January 2015 the clock mysteriously turned on (see below) although the clock was running an hour behind (not adjusted for daylight savings time).
Nylex Clock Collective
A caller (Byron) to radio 3AW explained on Friday, 30 January 2015 that a group of 4-10 people known as the Nylex Clock Collective had reactivated the sign to show how easily (and economically) the sign would work.
Using a simple extension lead to a power point located in the solo beneath, they had turned the sign back on. They believe the clock (not Nylex sign) would run at a cost of under $20 a day from a standard house-hold power point. The clock remained active for aprox 24 hours.
❊ Web Links ❊
➼ Nylex Clock
➼ www.wikipedia.org/Nylex_Clock
➼ 2015 - Nylex clock ticks again - theage.com.au
➼ adonline.id.au
❊ Also See... ❊
➼ Melbourne CLOCKS
Disclaimer: Check with the venue (web links) before making plans, travelling or buying tickets.
Accessibility: Contact the venue for accessibility information.
Update Page
