Carnforth railway station has unveiled the original clock made famous by the iconic 1945 film  Brief Encounter following its restoration.

The clock was originally installed at the station in December 1895, having been manufactured by Joyce of Whitchurch, Shropshire.

The station itself had opened in 1846. It was designed by the former President of the Royal Institute of British Architects, William Tite.

Carnforth is located in Lancashire, North West England, and is around seven miles north of Lancaster and near the border with Cumbria.

In the 1980s, the station fell into disrepair, and it was thought that the clock had been lost. However, Alan Smith located the original workings, hands, faces, pendulum and weights at a dealer in Twickenham. Alan paid for the clock to be fully restored, and it was rehung at Carnforth station in July 2002. The clock now belongs to Alan’s son, Mike.

The clock was removed in August 2020, so it could be restored and have its fixings remade.

It is now back on display, eighty years after Brief Encounter was released. In the film, actors Trevor Howard and Celia Johnson kissed beneath the clock.

For many years, visitors have travelled to the station because of its association with the film, with the clock being one of its most recognisable features.

Railway tours have sometimes included the clock and the station in the itinerary, including a visit from the Flying Scotsman in 2019. The Northern Belle has run ‘Brief Encounter’ tours to the station.

More information about Carnforth station’s history is available on this page of Northern’s website.

“We’re delighted the iconic clock from Brief Encounter has returned to its home at Carnforth station.

“It’s an important piece of local history and was a prominent feature at the station for years, with fans of the film travelling from far and wide to see it.

“They will be pleased to see the clock back in its rightful place and hopefully it will attract more visitors in the coming years.”

Owain Roberts, Northern’s stakeholder manager for the North West