July 15, 2021
Centrale Markthal back on time
While the clocks in the Centrale Markthal had been standing still for years, since this month they are working again, and on time! The old movement that was in the clocks required a lot of maintenance. And to move the hands, an employee had to go up in a tray to do it manually, a job at a great height. Two such clocks can be found in the hall, facing each other in the northern and southern facade.
Clock expert Koninklijke Eijsbouts replaced the mechanics on the inside of the timepieces so that they now work GPS-controlled. A hole was made through a joint through the facade, through which a small antenna now sticks out. With this, the clock makes wireless contact with the system that sets them to the correct time. As a result, both clocks now also run exactly the same time. The appearance of the restored clocks has not been changed. That is, the aluminium hands have been cleaned so that they now stand out brightly against the background, as they were once intended to do. The hour markers have not yet been cleaned, but it is being considered to do so now, to reduce the contrast with the hands.