Deep within the labyrinth of the London Underground lies a remarkable piece of functional art that allows commuters to tell the time anywhere on the planet. This fascinating device, a testament to 1920s modernity, remains a hidden secret for many rushing through the tunnels.
A Strip of Time Across the Globe
Located in Zone 1's Piccadilly Circus Station, which serves both the Piccadilly and Bakerloo lines, the World Time Linear Clock is an extraordinary sight. You can find it positioned opposite the Frank Pick memorial, set away from the main flow of passengers and escalators.
This is no ordinary clock face. Instead of a sphere with hands, it features a long strip marked with Roman numerals. This strip scrolls steadily across a detailed world map, moving westwards in perfect sync with the Earth's rotation. This brilliant design means a passer-by can instantly see the local solar time for any country or city simply by looking at where the numeral band aligns above it on the map.
A 1920s Vision of Modernity
The clock was installed following the station's redesign in 1928. At the time, it was hailed as a striking symbol of modernity and global connectivity. An inscription placed beneath the clock explains its purpose: "This clock shows the time of day in any part of the world. The time band moves across the map to correspond with the Earth’s rotation so that the solar time at any place can be ascertained by taking a vertical line from that point to the band."
The display includes both Greenwich Mean Time (GMT) and British Summer Time (BST). Adding to its period charm, small lightbulbs glow above cities that were considered key global reference points in the 1920s, including London, New York, Buenos Aires, Sydney, and Cape Town.
An Interactive Historical Artefact
For those who take a moment to engage with it, the clock offers more than just a visual display. If you put your ear close to the mechanism, you can hear the distinct sound of it ticking, a whisper of its continuous operation for nearly a century.
This unique installation provides a tangible, intuitive way to comprehend global time zones and the planet's rotation. It stands as a monument to the ambitious design philosophy of the era, conceived by Frank Pick, who championed integrating art and design into London's transport network. Far more than just a timepiece, it is a piece of working history nestled in the heart of one of the world's busiest transport hubs.
