TIME may have run out for the Terry's workers, but will the clock tick on?

As we reported last week, York conservationist Alison Sinclair had won listed status for the iconic factory, built in the 1920s.

Whatever use the soon-to-be vacant buildings are put, the new owners will not be able to mess around with the fine brick facade.

But while the clock tower is safeguarded, what about the clock itself, bearing the words "Terry" and "York" in place of numerals?

The mechanism is rare and should be saved. That assessment comes from top timekeeper James Nye, who is secretary of the Electrical Horology Group of the Antiquarian Horological Society, no less.

"While this may possibly be widely known," he writes in a letter to City of York Council, "I would nevertheless draw your attention to the fact that this is one of the very few remaining examples of Gents' 'Waiting Train' systems still working in a major building in the UK." Of course it is...

"The best known example is in the Royal Liver Building on Merseyside, but the Terry's installation is probably only second to this." He encloses copies from a 1932 catalogue of Gent & Co Ltd, based in Leicester, extolling the virtues of its "Pul-Syn-Etic System of Electric Impulse Clocks and Time Discipline Apparatus".

Among the "mammoth clocks of British Empire" to feature such a system is the 4ft 8in turret clock at Terry's Chocolate Works and the one atop the Liver Building.

"When properly maintained, the example of the Royal Liver Building clock system shows that these clocks have an indefinite life," writes James.

"Indeed, they are remarkable examples of British design and innovation and have proved themselves to be robust and easily maintained, as long as there is a willingness to ensure that a competent person attends to the system personally."

His group is volunteering to offer to advise the new owners of Terry's on clock preservation. Because this is could well be the council itself, he has written to the right place.

WHAT'S happened to York's traffic lights? They used to change to reflect who was waiting. But motorists on New Lane, Huntington, are now forced to hang around for ages to turn into Malton Road, even if there's not a car on it. And the Diary has twice watched the Monk Bar lights go through two cycles before letting Monkgate traffic through. It's enough to make you see red.

IF things weren't bad enough for under-fire Osbaldwick councillor Jonathan Morley, the Disasterthorpe amphibians are now plotting his downfall.

"Having read recent reports that the humans in Osbaldwick feel that their local councillor is not representing them correctly, we newts feel it is about time we became 'political animals'," begin Newton & Ridley in their latest Letter From Amphibia.

"After all, if the people of Hartlepool could elect H'Angus The Monkey as their mayor, surely the people of Osbaldwick could elect Newton The Newt as their local councillor.

"They couldn't end up with less representation and would prevent their present councillor from 'making a monkey' out of his constituents any longer."

Updated: 08:45 Monday, March 14, 2005