JAKARTA - One of the world's most famous clocks is back in operation, tolling again on New Year's Eve 2022, after four years of silence.
The last time it chimed on August 21 2017, Big Ben then went through a series of much-needed, lengthy, intensive repair projects.
The Cumbria Clock Company, located in England's Lake District, has taken on the task of cleaning the dial, the chiming mechanism and about 1,000 parts over the past four years. No wonder, because this clock has a total weight of 5 tons and a height of 7 feet 2 inches.
"Having every nut and bolt is a huge privilege," said Ian Westworth, one of the team's mechanics in a statement, citing CNN Dec. 31.
"It's going to be very emotional when it's all over, there's going to be sadness that the project has been completed, but happiness that we've got it back and things are working again."
The name Big Ben currently refers to the entire clock tower, in fact it is the name of the largest bell in the tower, which is used to ring the clock.
Big Ben, housed within Elizabeth Tower in London's Parliament Buildings, has been a long-standing fixture in the British capital since 1859. It is the largest refurbishment project in its history, costing £79.7 million or about 107 million dollars.
Earlier this year, crew members working to repair Big Ben discovered extensive WWII-era damage from Nazi Germany's bombing campaign.
The damage, which was revealed only when craftsmen were able to disassemble the entire watch, added more time and money to the repair project, leading some British politicians to complain about the cost.
Although it was delayed, the team working on Big Ben still managed to complete the repair in 2021.
The news came just in time. Today, New Year's Eve, the clock will sound at noon, 4pm, 9pm, 10pm, 11pm. and, of course, midnight.
However, there are some tests to make sure everything goes well first. A few lucky locals may have caught some of the clang during intermittent tests on December 29 and 30.
Tonight, only the East Dial of the clock, which faces the Thames, will light up. But, one of London's most beloved attractions is back where it belongs.
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