Precision Of Steam.
The Steam Clock of Gastown in Vancouver is an iconic monument of Downtown Vancouver. The clock mechanism is powered by the steam emanating from the grate of the distributed underground steam heating system of Vancouver. It was installed there to prevent people from sleeping on the grate in the cold weather.
We walked in to Gastown from the Waterfront Station to have a look at the clock at the corner of Cambie and Water Streets. As such it is not a very impressive structure, and we almost missed it but for the small crowd standing nearby. It is fascinating to watch when it blows it’s musical whistle and sounds like a hissing Big Ben. We had to wait for some time before it blew and then it was indeed fascinating to watch. Do not get too close to the clock with your cell-phone otherwise you are likely to get a spray of steam on yourself.
The clock itself is not an antique as it was built in 1977, much after the settlement of Gastown, one of the earliest settlements of Vancouver, came into being. But there are very few such steam clocks in existence around the world as their mechanism is not very precise. This one too has an electrical back-up to keep it going. We could see the working mechanism of the clock which was enclosed in a glass casing, and the working was explained briefly on the plaques installed at the base.
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This review is the subjective opinion of a TripAdvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC
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