Big Ben's four year silence brings some British MP's to tears

Dear ATS Readers, Writers,

I posted about the coming silence, and mentioned how Big Ben is the "icon" for the UK basically.

Well, it has fallen silent for the most part now, save a few exceptions, as in New Years Eve, it will sound off again.
After all, the workers will have the time off for holiday, and won't be deafened by it's din.

The article mentions how it is a symbol, or mental thing about it's tones bringing a sense of stability in an ever less stable world.

To some it's sound will be sadly missed.

So, when on Monday a politician dabbed away tears during Big Ben's final bongs, I'll admit my first thought was "harden up".

As a few people on social media noted, British MPs making a giant fuss about silencing a bell for a four-year restoration project is like a university student learning to make risotto the evening before a final 5,000-word essay is due.

Surely at this moment in this nation's history they should be focusing on their biggest task for a generation — Brexit.
The controversial $47 million renovation is being done for seemingly sound reasons.

Elizabeth Tower, the building that houses Big Ben, is in need of repair, much like the rest of the Palace of Westminster.

The clock at the top has to be totally dismantled with each cog examined, the glass repaired and the hands refurbished.

Union officials claim if The Great Bell, as Big Ben is officially known, kept ringing throughout the process then workers would be deafened.

"At nearly 120 decibels it's like putting your ear next to a police siren," Hugh Roberston from the Trades Union Congress said.

Big Ben's four-year silence brings British MPs to tears as they bow their heads for its final bong

My thanks to a UK poster for pointing out that Big Ben is the name of the bell that resides in Elizabeth Tower.. the regal tower often mistakenly referred to as Big Ben...

Pravdaseeker

HA! Very good black fox...

I have "round abouts" to deal with in Australia...

Some are quite elaborate and can be confusing, so I can relate somewhat to this crazy movie clip...

Some of the signs depicting the upcoming roundabout can put Mike Tyson's face tattoo to shame on being "elaborate"..Ha!

Pravdaseeker


a reply to: Black_Fox

a reply to: pravdaseeker



Hearing Big Ben is on my bucket list.
That and getting me some bangers & mash.

There was a news show where one of the crying MPs was asked did he visit or cry for the people of Grenfell tower . Steven Pound was the MP in the news story sorry I cant find a vid of it. It is on Twitter if you google it you will see his reaction. Priceless

originally posted by: Bluntone22
a reply to: pravdaseeker



Hearing Big Ben is on my bucket list.
That and getting me some bangers & mash.

I was in st Thomas's hospital right next to the bloody thing in a overnight stay.......when your ill and that bloody bell wakes you up every hour you start to wish Guy Faulks had blown it all up!

Dear ATS Readers, Writers,

OH brother, I see your point. Especially if you were in the hospital for "shell shock"... Ha!

I used to have 2 full blooded wolves as pets. They would sometimes start howling right out the bedroom window.

I am sure a neighbour or two hated it when they sounded off. But it never bothered me, go figure.

In Australia now, the sounds of big cockatoos having a "discussion", or the kookaburra's going off bothers a lot of Oz residents. For me, the bird sounds don't effect me.... it is nature, and birds, which are extra precious to me..

It is in the above "sense" that a lot of people will be missing the bells tolling.

As for that hospital so close to the tower... probably needs relocated for patients sanity.

It would definitely give you an incentive to heal up and check out, and go home to recover further wouldn't it!

Pravdaseeker



a reply to: Phonixfromtheashes

I'm in Britain and I couldn't give a # that big ben isn't chiming, it's a #ing clock FFS who cares outside of central London?

originally posted by: TJames
I'm in Britain and I couldn't give a # that big ben isn't chiming, it's a #ing clock FFS who cares outside of central London?

Because it is something built over 180 years ago, and the construction of the clock timing mechanism was a triumph of engineering. The specification called for the clock to be accurate to one second per year. That required the design of a new escapement or remontoir using three gravity arms and a fifteen foot long pendulum. It was actually designed by a lawyer who studied watch and clock mechanisms in his spare time.

bigbenfacts.co.uk...

The tears were because when the work has been completed it has been decided to rename Big Ben to "Massive Mohamed".

This so as not to offend the Muslim community about the size of their clocks.

a reply to: stormcell

So what? My town hall clock is of a similar age, big Ben is just scaled up a bit, why should anyone outside of central London give a toss?

History is why .
But people these days dont even know there grand parents names let along care about stuff that was built 180 years back .

a reply to: pravdaseeker

you know they could just play the sound on a speaker sampled from the bell




but its not like a politician to use common sense is it

a reply to: TJames

Where I am, they knocked ours down and built a concrete eyesore. As of 2014, we now have a glass eyesore

a reply to: Churchhousecreeper
LOL everyone has a clock on them these days...I do like the nostalgic looking at the town clock thing but I wouldn't give a toss if it got demolished, it's a clock not a child...Londoners bleating about no big Ben for a few years must have decent lives if that's all they have to moan about lol

a reply to: TJames
Bloody hell TJ, how did anybody find ANY Londoners that spoke English? All you foreigners must understand this building and the bell is part of the Palace of Westminster which is the MPs stomping ground.
Now what a lot of you don't realise the Palace of Westminster is virtually falling down. SSOOOO who do you think has got to pick up the tab for all these renovations then.
Big Ben my ar**. Knock it all down and build a proper parliament building with accommodation (that's to stop the greedy MPs claiming thousands each for their second homes) it would be far cheaper.

a reply to: crayzeed

Lol yes, even English speaking Londoners don't speak English, bare blood bruv.
I couldn't give a toss if the clock was knocked down, and yes Westminster is a crap hole slowly falling to bits, could house 650 hard working Eastern European families instead of lazy bastard MP's!

originally posted by: Churchhousecreeper
a reply to: TJames

Where I am, they knocked ours down and built a concrete eyesore. As of 2014, we now have a glass eyesore

Waste of money, it's not like anyone needs a public clock anymore lol, demolish them all and build affordable housing I say.