Time...

This fine clock stands at the junction known as Morningside Station. The Station itself - lamented - has been deserted since 1962. I blipped it last year with a little detail. My blip of 13 May 2010

It was presented in 1910 by Messrs Inches, Inman and Torrance who were the "toon cooncillers" for the Morningside Ward. Can you imagine the situation? One would announce that he was going to do it - and the other two would have to jump in with their wallets so as not to lose political face!

Anyway, the clock was placed there to display the time for the station. It's hard to imagine that less than 150 years ago there was no such thing as standard time through Britain. Of course, by the time this clock was set up, the whole situation had been resolved. But it was the railways that brought about the change.

It's impossible to over-estimate the influence of the new railway system on the country.

In honour of my impending RLS series - here is one of his poems about the new transportation.

From a Railway Carriage

Faster than fairies, faster than witches,
Bridges and houses, hedges and ditches,
And charging along like troops in a battle,
All through the meadows the horses and cattle:
All of the sights of the hill and the plain
Fly as thick as driving rain;
And ever again in the wink of an eye,
Painted stations whistle by.

Here is a child who clambers and scrambles,
All by himself and gathering brambles;
Here is a tramp who stands and grazes;
And there is a green for stringing daisies!
Here is a cart run away in the road
Lumping along with man and load;
And here is a mill and there is a river:
Each a glimpse and gone for ever!

ROBERT LOUIS STEVENSON