Ashington

The reason for the visit to Ashington is that it is the end of a branch line that was re-opened to passenger traffic in December 2024, having been previously closed 60 years before. The town itself (some argue that it is a village) has a population of about 30,000, and grew up around the coal mining industry. The only clock that I found on my visit was on the Town Hall on Station Road. Work on this building began in 1911 and was completed two years later. It was the headquarters of Ashington Urban District Council until local government reorganisation in 1974, and is now the home of Ashington Town Council. The clock tower was originally on the west side of the building, but was moved to the centre during reconstruction in 1937. The clock itself is by Potts and was set going on 10 February 1912. It 1938 it was fitted with synchronous drive and electrically driven strike [Potts of Leeds by Michael S. Potts – Mayfield Books (2006)].