Time-Ball at Cape Town Docks, South Africa
S 33° 54.351 E 018° 25.154
34H E 261378 N 6245284
This Time-Ball was built in 1894 and restored in 1997.
Waymark Code: WMJ820
Location: Western Cape, South Africa
Date Posted: 10/08/2013
Views: 13
This was the 3rd Time-Ball in Cape Town: The first was at the Observatory, the second was on the slopes of Signal Hill, and this one is on the docks at Cape Town.
The following information is taken from the information sign next to the Time-Ball:
"Time-Ball at Cape Town Docks
Cape Town's Time-Ball, situated next to the Harbour Engineer's former residence, was built in 1894 and remained in operation for 40 years. New technology in the form of radio signals made it obsolete. After lying idle for 63 years the Time-Ball was restored by Gabriel Fagan Architects and officially recommissioned in November 1997. The University of Cape Town Department of Mechanical Engineering was responsible for reconstructing the mechinism to operate the Time-Ball. The dropping of the ball is triggered electronically by the SA Astronomical Observatory.
In the mid-19th century a wooden tower provided an elevated platform for the ball. With the development of the Table Bay Docks in the 1860s and the growth of the city, the Observatory Time-Ball was no longer clearly visible to ships at anchor. To compensate, a second Time-Ball, or repeater station, was built on te slopes of Signal Hill. It was released by a signalman who looked through a telescope at th ball dropping in Obervatory. The repeater station was discontinued when the existing Time-Ball was built at the docks. "
Type: Time Ball
In service: yes
Time of signal: 12:00
Year established (if known): 1894
Year decommissioned (if applicable): 1934
Address:
Time-Ball
V&A Waterfront,
Cape Town, South Africa
Weblink (if any): [Web Link]
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Visit Instructions:
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