Elizabeth Tower

Restoring the most famous clock tower in the world

Introduction

The Elizabeth Tower – most commonly know as Big Ben, after the great bell responsible for its iconic ‘bongs’ - is the Grade I-listed clock tower of the Palace of Westminster. It is the most famous clock tower in the world and has been the public face of British democracy for over 160 years.

Historically, the tower has been scaffolded and repaired roughly every 30 years since the first major repairs were undertaken in 1934. Prior to our project, the last repairs carried out between 1982 and 1985, comprising of stone repairs and redecoration.

Our recently completed major refurbishment of the tower is the most comprehensive in its history, with the intention that the next repairs will not need to be undertaken for 50 years, preserving the tower for the benefit of future generations.

The main areas of focus for the project were:

Repairs to the original mechanical clock mechanism, dating from 1859;
Repairs to the dials and clock hands, including redecoration of the cast iron dial and stone surround in its original Prussian blue and gold colour scheme;
Repairs and redecoration of the cast iron roof and Aryton Light, which is lit when either of the Houses is in session after dark;
A new floor and waterproofing layer at Belfry level;
Stone repairs to the full body of the tower;
Internal redecoration including plaster repairs and the application of breathable paint within the stairwell and rooms;
Installation of new building services, including LED lighting and conservation heating;
The insertion of a new pair of lifts to provide better access and emergency egress within the building.

The repairs followed a conservation approach, retaining the maximum amount of historic material possible, whilst ensuring high quality and robust repairs for a long life span. For example, new castings for the cast iron roof were only commissioned where the original elements were irreparably damaged, with 80% of the original fabric retained. Similarly, stone repairs aimed to focus on conservation of the original stone, replacing where necessary for a robust and long lift repair.

It was the first time BIM (Building Information Modelling) level 2 was used at Parliament, and the project has documented all repairs in a quantified database for the benefit of recording works undertaken and to inform repairs to the rest of the Palace of Westminster.