Good Directions

As exterior clock and clock tower manufacturers this is a question that we are asked all the time and there are many good reasons why we use GRP. A Good Directions GRP clock tower on a cricket score board As exterior clock and clock tower manufacturers this is a question that we are asked all the time and there are many good reasons why we use GRP.    An abbreviation for 'glass reinforced polyester', GRP is a light, durable and astonishingly tough constructional material, which can be moulded and fabricated into all manner of products. When manufacturing our clock towers in GRP one side is first hand crafted in Ash timber from which a mould tool is produced. Ash timber is used for the original pattern to ensure the finished product has a beautiful realistic wood grain, unique to Good Directions clock towers, making them the most realistic looking on the market. An oxford style cupola with Traditional style clock and a rooster style copper weat...

New shop front complemented with a custom designed clock Gift Retailer of the year 'Temptation' decided to celebrate winning this year by giving its Amersham store a face lift. Having had one of their stores in Amersham for over 20 years they decided they would like to give something back to the community and designed a large exterior clock matching their corporate style, to take pride of place above the shop front. The beautiful deep green colour used throughout their stores and on their website could be matched perfectly for the GRP clock (as can any colour with a matching BS or RAL code). Gold hands and numerals were chosen for the clock in a clear and simple design to match the typeface used on the shop signage. Clocks are still a very popular addition to any shop front hoping to stand out from the crowd. Clocks always seem to have a magnetism that catches the eye in a way that simply a shop name cannot do. The 'shop with a clock' makes for a memorable pla...

It was an exciting moment as many people watched the replacement clock we manufactured for the Royal Borough of Windsor being lowered into the pavement in Thames Street, the exact spot where the original clock had been placed over fifty years previously. Lowering the pavement clock into the ground at Windsor The original clock was installed on May 15, 1950, by former Windsor Mayor and owner of Dysons, Sir Cyril Dyson. Sadly the clock was removed many years ago and its wareabouts is now unknown but the council wanted to re-instate an important part of Windsor's heritage and so approached us to manufacture a replacement. Grandaughter of original clock maker with the Mayor at the unveiling of the new clock Dyson's grandaughter Caroline Fox, whose father Geoffrey Dyson took over the family business until it closed in the 1980s, proudly watched as Mayor Cllr Catherine Bursnall, unveiled the new clock. Mrs Fox, from Maidenhead, said: "It is very emotional, I feel m...

Having manufactured a 3000mm skeleton style clock for a school in Baku we were approached by our agent to come up with design concepts for a new time feature to be the largest clock in Baku, situated in a prominent position on the main route through the city centre used by the President daily. The chosen building was a typical Soviet apartment block with no detail and little character, which was to be refurbished and embelished around the new clock. Having decided on a large 5000mm Skeleton style clock with LED illumination to both the chapters and hands we had to overcome the difficulties in manufacturing and exporting the clock for installation by our client. To ensure the dial was lightweight but strong it was decided to fabricate the chapters in Aluminium box section welded between rolled angle rings. The dial was formed in four pieces with rear bolt flanges for ease of transportation. The hands were waterjet cut in Aluminium with additional strengthening ribs down the ...

Over the last 20 years we have built a reputation for manufacturing large exterior clocks so we were pleased to receive an enquiry to manufacture a very special bespoke exterior clock for a new park in Azerbaijan.   New clock feature in landscaped park in Baku, Azerbaijan  The structure was to be 4m high with a stainless steel clock supported in the middle with green LED illuminated spikes for hour markers and stainless steel LED illuminated hands.   Close up of spike being illuminated with LED's Using the latest CAD programme and 3D design package we provided detailed drawings of the clock feature and supplied photographs of work in progress throughout the project. As the clock was to be exported and installed by others drawings for installation were also provided.   3D design package with installation instructions  The clock feature now takes pride of place in a new landscaped park outside a brand new development, part of a massive r...

As part of an ongoing regeneration scheme across Baku in Azerbaijan we have been working with our agent to design, manufacture and supply large exterior clocks to feature in parks and cities across the region. Artist impression of exterior clock feature Working from an artist impression of what was required we were asked to manufacture two large dials with raised numerals at the 12, 3, 6 and 9 positions with front LED illumination. Clock feature outside new development The limestone structure stands 8.6m high and is positioned in a newly lanscaped park next to a residential area with a 2500mm diameter clock facing in each direction. To see other examples of our clocks in Azerbaijan and other countries please visit our website http://www.good-directions.com/ . Clock feature illuminated at night

The installation of a new clock in Bingham marked the culmination of a competition run by Toot Hill School on behalf of the town council.   The finished clock, designed by 12-year-old Mollie Grice, was unveiled at a special school assembly. Town Crier Peter Taunton announced the unveiling to pupils at the school before heading to Bingham Market Place to tell residents the clock would be installed. Mollie was one of five finalists shortlisted for the chance of having their design turned into a £10,000 community clock, funded by Nottinghamshire County Council’s Local Improvement Scheme.  Mollie said she was delighted with the finished clock and was very proud it would now be centre stage in her local town. “I think it looks brilliant and I’m really excited to let people know it was my design,” Mollie added. The numbers have been laid on using 24-carat golf leaf, a very durable, hard-wearing material. The numbers six and 12 have been replaced with the town council’s Buttercr...

     Winning design by Ela, aged 11  Darrick Wood Junior School wanted an exterior clock to go on their school wall and decided that it would be a great idea to get the children involved, so they ran a competition to see who could design the best clock face. Four children's designs were short listed and then the Headteacher came to us for advice. As the children range in age from 7 - 11 years old it was decided that above all the clock needed to be clear and simple to read. Several of the designs had a leaf theme as every class is named after a tree and the logo for the school is a leaf. However having submitted nine variations, based on the children's designs, for the school to choose from it was decided that the winner should be Ela, aged eleven. Her design was on a clear white back ground, with the school logo in the middle and a pattern of children a...

Pupils at a school in Sussex decided that when they left they would like to give a leaving present that was a thank you to the whole school and would also be of use for many years to come. So the year of 2010 all raised money to be able to donate two large exterior clocks and came to us for advice. The pupils chose two 790mm Classic style clocks in dark blue from our range of standard exterior clocks. Gold leafed Arabic numerals were chosen to make the clocks clear and simple to read, then to personalise the clocks it was decided that the school logo would be sign written above the hands and the year 2010 sign written below. Having an in-house sign facility meant we could not only sign write the dials using special 22 carat gold leaf vinyl but even provide a brass plaque with all 52 of the children’s names on it to be fitted beneath one of the clocks, making us a one stop shop for the whole project. The school was so pleased with the clocks they have come b...

 Good Directions Traditional style clock hand finished with gold leaf  Time certainly does seem to go by faster these days as once again we see the end of the ‘Great’ British Summer Time, winter drawing closer and the arguments for when to change the clocks and by how many hours rears its ugly head again. But for the time being anyway come Sunday 31st October we will have to turn the clocks back one hour, trying to synchronise them all from the kitchen cooker, to the DVD player, but at least it gains us an extra hour in bed, so don’t forget your alarm clocks too. For clocks that are more important than whether we record our favourite TV show, we offer a choice of clock control systems at Good Directions that takes the hassle out of changing the time twice a year and after power failures for those hard to reach clocks. Not forgetting that these can be retro fitted to any of our clocks, so if you are tired of climbing that ladder, give us a call and ask about our ran...

  Good Directions 2.5m skeleton dial clocks   Not just your normal Grandfather clock – this one is 15.1m high, has 2.5m diameter clocks and weighs ten tons.  In twenty two years of manufacturing large exterior clocks we have never been involved with Grandfather clocks but this enquiry was different. The Mayor of the Sabunchi District in Azerbaijan wanted a large clock feature by the side of the road for all to see going to and from the airport and came up with a large scale Grandfather clock design.   The clock case was to be made in limestone 15.1m high and weighing in at ten tons, with the pendulum bob itself being 6m in length plus a 915mm diameter bob at the end. The clocks themselves were 2.5m diameter skeleton style clocks chosen from our standard range fitted in spun bezels and illuminated at night.  This colossal structure is now, we believe, the tallest Grandfather clock in the world. Visit our website to see this and other custom made and s...

Just weeks before the launch of the new and much talked about breakfast TV show ‘Daybreak’ we were approached to manufacture two 4ft clocks to feature in the brand new studios in London. Based on an old style train station clock the simple dial needed to be clear and easy to read with an antique white face in a metallic burnished bronze colour bezel.   Good Directions clock on the new ITV set for Daybreak   Of course all this was top secret before the show went live on 6th September and we were delighted to receive such a prestigious order. It didn’t give us much time however as they needed the clocks ready for the press launch the week before but working all hours we got the clocks ready on time. Although simple in design, state of the art technology was used to be sure the clocks would run on time. Obviously with potentially millions of people seeing the clocks every morning they need to be accurate and this is why the most advanced technology was used for our contr...