Comments on: The Steam Clock at Gastown, Vancouver

By: Joseph (Vancouver)

Joseph (Vancouver) — Tue, 25 Oct 2011 08:45:14 +0000

fmed, I did some research on it and I would say it’s a hybrid steam/electric clock. The main engine that operates the clock is run by steam. The other features are run by electric motors.

From Wikipedia:

Engine. The steam engine is a Stuart #4 single expansion double acting 1″ piston engine purchased at the Stuart Turner Limited plant at Henley-on-Thames, England. (Engines of this size are typically employed by hobbyists for large model boat propulsion.) It is supplied with low pressure steam — engine inlet pressure is 17 psi (120 kPa) — from a centralized steam heating system that serves a portion of downtown Vancouver. The engine, rotating at only a few hundred revolutions per minute, drives a reduction gear train. The gear train drives an ascending chain lift to lift ball weights to a top track from which they load onto a drive chain providing the driving force to the clock while the ball weights descend.

Electric motors. The clock uses three electric motors. First, a small gear motor drives the tune playing machine. It rotates a drum with pins that play the Westminster chimes on micro switches which operate the steam whistle solenoid valves. Second, a small fan motor blows out hot air from the roof vent on top of the clock. Third, a small fan motor pulls warm air down to the base to provide air circulation.

By: fmed

fmed — Tue, 25 Oct 2011 07:28:45 +0000

I hate bursting bubbles but here goes….the steam clock is powered by electricity. It’s all a sham for the sake of tourism. :-)

By: farida

farida — Tue, 25 Oct 2011 05:32:37 +0000

Talking about hanging baskets, here in Ferndale and Lynden, they have those beautiful, humongous hanging baskets on their lamp posts that lined the city streets. And, yes, city parks and recreation takes care of them. Have seen the flowers watered twice a day in the hot summer months, although we did not get that hot this year.

@bettyq, would love to hook up with you and tweak my ensaymada recipe. Have to start my xmas baking soon.

By: joanna

joanna — Sun, 23 Oct 2011 04:25:02 +0000

Those flower pots are all over Canada and they are indeed beautiful! Even in our small obscure town here in western Manitoba, we have lush hanging flower pots which are being taken cared of by our town.

By: marissewalangkaparis

marissewalangkaparis — Sun, 23 Oct 2011 03:18:39 +0000

Yes…Vancouver is beautiful…it’s bettyq territory…tee hee….

By: Bijin

Bijin — Sat, 22 Oct 2011 14:25:02 +0000

Looks like Kitano-cho in Kobe in the spring time.

By: Joel

Joel — Sat, 22 Oct 2011 06:08:52 +0000

How come they can do such a beautiful work in Canada and we just let local governments in Manila put up cheap lamp posts that breaks apart after a couple of months? Does anyone else hate the lamp posts along Roxas Blvd? I don’t know who designs them but those are ugly and obviously of low quality.

By: Laura

Laura — Sat, 22 Oct 2011 04:50:09 +0000

Thanks MM for more info re Vancouver. I was impressed with the city. Very green, clean, active & tourist friendly. Most (if not all) taxis are hybrids. We were told that the city will not renew the taxi company’s licenses unless they switch to hybrids. We enjoyed our visit. Thanks betty q for the info re the watering system for the hanging plants. I was wondering about that myself.

By: Lava Bien

Lava Bien — Fri, 21 Oct 2011 17:47:30 +0000

The plants are nice! The banners thouhg BettQ are done in most big cities like Madrid, SF and even San Jose to announce whatever big is going on in the city. They just look good, especially if there’s a li’l wind.
But good luck doing the plant thing in Manila!

By: betty q.

betty q. — Fri, 21 Oct 2011 03:16:35 +0000

Potatokorner…other than the flowers or hanging baskets in the summer, the City also has these very colorful banners (which I would like to get my hands on) the rest of the year. I have always wondered what they do with them. I think they change them quarterly.

Then sometime between 2am and 4 am, the sweeping truck goes by, cleans and flushes the streets with water.

I know, MM….what am I doing up at 4am to notice these things?!? What can I say…I am an early bird like you!