During a busy day at the Palace of Westminster, Big Ben’s clock flashed the incorrect time for several hours.
The Elizabeth Tower’s clock looked to be stuck at 6.25 p.m.
Last night, a representative for the House of Commons stated, ‘We are aware that the clocks are displaying the erroneous time. ‘This is a transient error.’
The completion of a five-year, £80 million refurbishment of the national landmark is anticipated next month.
The governing body of the Palace of Westminster, which houses the House of Commons and the House of Lords, stated in July that the famed ‘bongs’ of Big Ben would return in the fall following a process of ‘tuning’ the bells.
The completion of a five-year, £80 million refurbishment of the national landmark is anticipated next month. Pictured: The newly renovated hands (left) contrasted with the clock face before the changes (right)
In May, the remaining scaffolding was removed, revealing that the famous dials of the clock have been restored to their original Prussian blue hue. In addition to patching cracks in the brickwork, halting leaks, and repairing the effects of rust and erosion, the lengthy five-year refurbishment also involved correcting the effects of rust and erosion.
Additionally, the gas-powered lights behind the clock face have been replaced with energy-efficient LEDs.
In its 163-year history, Big Ben has halted approximately 30 times, primarily due to maintenance or weather-related difficulties.
However, the hands of the clock likewise stopped twenty-four hours before the 1997 presidential election.
As a sign of respect, the bells were also silenced in 1965 and 2013 for the funerals of former prime ministers Winston Churchill and Margaret Thatcher.