Train stations are known for big public clocks that help travelers avoid missing their rides. And now there is a new time-teller at the busy London Bridge Station, south of the River Thames in the British capital.
Officially named Rail Clock, with a diameter of 1.8 meters (5.9 feet), the digital model installed in October is made of lightweight aluminum and is powered by the station’s electric grid.
Designed by a team led by Mark Wood, a creative partner at the Design Bridge and Partners agency in London, it was selected from among more than 100 other entries in a global competition for the first new British rail clock in more than 50 years.
Mr. Wood recently explained the ideas behind the winning design, its role at stations that already have vintage clocks and the prospect of wearing Rail Clock on your own wrist. His comments by email and phone have been edited and condensed.
What was the thought behind the Rail Clock design?
We are not clock designers, but we thought it was an interesting subject matter. In brainstorming sessions with the team, we came up with hundreds of ideas. One became Rail Clock.
Our focus became finding an idea that spoke to, and celebrated, Britain’s rail heritage — the key was to come up with an idea that could only ever be for our railway.
We took inspiration from a timeless graphic symbol of Britain’s railway: Gerry Barney’s iconic double arrow logo. The double arrow reflects the train network and the journeys that are made up and down the country every day. You see this red symbol on train tickets and outside stations. Our challenge was to take this symbol and apply it to time.
What information does the clock show?
The center of the clock face features a 24-hour display, using an updated version of the railway’s own typeface, Rail Alphabet 2, originally developed by Margaret Calvert and digitized by Henrik Kubel.
We chose to use a 24-hour clock because this is the language of trains and timetables — as in the 12:03 from London King’s Cross to Doncaster. It’s how you buy your tickets and how we look for trains on the departure boards.
How does the double arrow logo appear in Rail Clock?
The seconds on the clock are visually represented by the two arrows that travel in opposing directions around the clock face, meeting precisely every 30 seconds, at the top and the bottom of the clock.
Right now, London Bridge Station is the only place to see a physical version of Rail Clock. Why that station?
The station, one of the busiest, was upgraded about 10 years ago and it’s beautiful. The main concourse is a good example of a big open space, but it didn’t have a focal point. So it made sense to do something in a prominent station in London and create a meeting point for travelers, underneath the clock.
Because it is digital, you can put the code in any digital application, so we have applied Rail Clock’s graphic design to information screens across the network, including at Charing Cross, Waterloo and London Victoria and about 20 other stations. It’s a digital manifestation, but the same design.
Why do you think your design beat the others?
There’s something in the beautiful simplicity of Rail Clock. When you see it in London Bridge Station, it looks like it should have always been there, and that’s very difficult to achieve with a piece of physical design.
Clock fans love the vintage ones in Britain’s stations. What will happen to them?
While the ambition is to install physical versions of Rail Clock in as many stations as possible, there are no plans to replace the beautiful heritage clocks in stations like Waterloo or St. Pancras. Why would we do that? They are wonderful and an important part of our history.
For stations such as Waterloo that do have a heritage clock, Rail Clock will appear on customer information screens as a digital-only version.
Another London rail logo, the Underground’s Mind the Gap roundel, appears on scores of souvenirs. Will the Rail Clock become key chains, coffee mugs and tea towels?
We have collaborated with the Design Museum to produce a double arrow and Rail Clock merchandise collection that includes bags, bottles and hoodies.
The double arrow is a graphic design national treasure. Transport for London has done an amazing job of making a utility into a brand that helps identify what it is to be a Londoner.
Tell me about the plans for a smartwatch app.
Rail Clock can be adapted for use in any digital format, from smartphones to smartwatches. The clock will be made available free to the public as a watch face for Android devices through the Google Play store in coming months.
Are you wearing a watch right now?
Yes. It’s a Braun, an analog watch. All it does is tell me the time.
Susanne Fowler is a former editor in the London and Paris offices of The New York Times.
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