1967: HOW does BIG BEN BONG? | Blue Peter | Science and Nature | BBC Archive

John Noakes (who else?) put his eardrums in the line of duty for Blue Peter when he went inside the clock tower at the Palace of Westminster to find out exactly what made Big Ben, "the most famous clock in the world", bong.
Big Ben, you see, was the name given to the largest bell within the tower - the one that takes care of the appropriate number of 'bongs' that mark the passing of each hour. Blue Peter got special permission to take their cameras up the tower into the bell chamber, to see (and hear) Big Ben in action.
Once the intrepid Mr Noakes had climbed all 336 steps, he got to poke his head out of the clock's east face, see the inner workings of the various gadgets in the machinery room, take a wander round the balcony for an incredible view of the city of London and, finally, brace himself for the mighty bell being struck at extremely close quarters as the bongs rang out for midday.
Clip taken from Blue Peter, originally broadcast on BBC One, Monday 24 April, 1967.
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[@yorgokarna6801]

Notice how John's accent gets more posh when he's talking to the Clock Master 😂

[@fredo1070]

The Clock Master looks so happy that someone is interested in his job.

[@dawnyWestScotland]

Oh yes, made me giggle 😆

[@TheRealSmithFamily]

Completely apparent even to me. 🇺🇸

[@petergivenbless900]

I thought he might have been mocking him, cheeky!

[@dawnyWestScotland]

@@petergivenbless900 I did wonder 😆

[@fredo1070]

These old documentaries are like gold dust. And you can see Old St Thomas Hospital.

[@AtheistOrphan]

Blue Peter wasn’t really a documentary.

[@fredo1070]

@@AtheistOrphan I grew up thinking Blue Peter was a children's show. But watching these old clips show how grown up and adult Blue Peter was, especially compared to modern TV , like the One Show.

[@AtheistOrphan]

@@fredo1070 - I Totally agree. Television has certainly dumbed down!

[@jasonayres]

"England swings like a pendulum do Bobbies on bicycles, two by two Westminster Abbey, the tower of Big Ben The rosy-red cheeks of the little children." (Roger Miller. 1965) Seeing John stand next to the bell reminded me of this once popular old song.

[@michael7286]

Never used to miss Blue Peter back in the early days with my favourite presenters - John Noakes, Peter Purves, Valerie Singleton.

[@nigden1]

I remember the delightful Valerie Singleton confessing that Peter Perves had given her a good seeing to. This triggered a lengthy period of Onanistic indulgence for teenage boys, Val was lusted after. Peter Purves was thenceby referred to as Peter Pervert.

[@Lord-Sméagol]

Don't forget Jason, Petra and 'Get down, Shep!'

[@RUSH2112RUSH]

Big Ben: I am a Legend John Noakes: Hold my pint...

[@AtheistOrphan]

I love the way they always used to say “We took Blue Peter cameras to….”

[@atomictraveller]

i'm surprised you can still say blue peter without getting banned.

[@PhilofBristol]

It's a wonder that John Noakes wasn't expected to climb up the outside!! I'm too young to remember this (only about 9/10 weeks old when it was first shown) but this is so typical of the really interesting articles that John, Pete, and the other Blue Peter presenters brought us every week.

[@Kenny_P_abz]

Years later Peter Duncan was outside cleaning the clock face on a bosuns chair with no safety rope.

[@dawnyWestScotland]

Really loved this! 💛 Great childhood memories of Blue Peter!

[@deanmarskell1518]

So interesting to see how big Ben works ❤

[@AtheistOrphan]

6:43

[@philipmilner9638]

I can remember this when it was first on Blue Peter

[@Flip5ide]

Excellent, thank you!

[@RaveDave871]

Nothing excites me more than big clock 😝

[@andrewmwells9606]

Amazing how he stood there without ear protectors listening to the bell, also. I think there is a lift in there now

[@RaveDave871]

"16 tons and whata ya get..." burst eardrums ya prat !

[@evd]

07:49 He had no ear plugs?? I've been up there on a recent tour. That bell is damn loud!

[@Smudgie]

I'm pretty certain I viewed Valerie Singleton as a surrogate mother.

[@user-ry5fo5nr4d]

Even though this is old Big Ben hasn't changed over the years so this is still pretty accurate.

[@jim854]

'I could go and live up there with a gong and I could gong the gong to make the bong and hum the bim bom.'

[@ShantekaGlenn-cv8ek]

So you see there’s that one table alone in the heart of the Elizabeth Tower it strikes the big bell

[@G6JPG]

"Every time there's a climbing job to be done, it always seems to be me that goes." Accompanied by a man lugging a 1960s TV (or film) camera, of course!

[@ItsEnderium]

The time in this video is 9AM or 9PM (there were 9 tolls)

[@bigboyshassen59]

OI IT’S 7 BONG

[@jamesnicholson2503]

My knees was alright i'd run that,315 foot up i'd go.

[@dawnyWestScotland]

I wasn’t thought of until the 70’s though!😂

[@carwashslayer4235]

7:32 the chimes sound lower wonder why

[@abbbielittle]

Does anyone know if this is still how it works today? I know Big Ben underwent construction a few years ago.

[@jamesnicholson2503]

Its a wonder he never had hearing trouble.

[@JJONNYREPP]

Just like I had to do with the stylus arm on my record player...as a kid.

[@jamesnicholson2503]

I, shouldn't say this when he put that glass back in,I would have laughed my head off,if the glass had bowed the other way & fell out,my God that would have been mad!!

[@kunaeng5315]

7:32 changed voice

[@misspurrr-fect3684]

Education under the guise of a Childrens tv programme , how times have changed .

[@djtomoy]

Some sort of bell maybe 🤔

[@robinvanags912]

So - time really is money.

[@jamesnicholson2503]

315 foot.

[@singinglift409]

ANYONE WHO CAN HEAR HORSEGAURDS PARADE CLOCK HAS SUPER HEARING

[@jamesnicholson2503]

16 ton? 13.5/ 13 and half ton.

[@dodgeboy9052]

Who has the most Photographed face in the World .... common Not the hard ... ?

[@atomictraveller]

bong.. hotbox that mfr :) (tucson, many decades later)

[@jamesnicholson2503]

13.5 ton not bloody 16.

[@dogbreath8396]

Now in London its ……Bing Bong in the bubble coat

[@jamesnicholson2503]

Why has is voice changed to posh?

[@jamesnicholson2503]

Its 315 ft not 16.

[@singinglift409]

THE REASON WHY IS BECAUSE THE TOWER HAS BEEN TILTING OVER THE PAST 50 YEARS, AND IT HAS GOT TO THE POINT THAT THE TOWER IS 1 FEET SHORTER, THAN IN THE PAST

[@jamesnicholson2503]

@@singinglift409 Where in the tower is the lift please?

[@singinglift409]

@@jamesnicholson2503 THERE IS NO LIFT

[@jamesnicholson2503]

@@singinglift409 There is now,is there small windows in the?👍

[@singinglift409]

@@jamesnicholson2503 NO THERE IS NOT