Last September 11th, I recieved a Hampden 18s Railway watch from Lindell. The previous week Lin had asked that I look at it because someone else had told him they did not have many parts for these. Well now we know what happened to Joe Btsflk's Pocket watch! (Al Capp's Character from "Lil Abner" comic strip!)
Posts: 6492 | Location: Southern California in the USA | Registered: July 19, 2007
Digging deeper, it seemed that every time I had one thing fixed another turned up wrong or broken. Finding that someone had filed the winding arbor to accept a reverse wound mainspring almost put me off the boat. (Lin had told me that when he bought the watch it "would not wind" and he was right.)
I worked on this in "shifts" over the past 8 months because you have to be really inspired to restore what falls apart more every time you touch it.
To get it running took a new Balance wheel, right length Pallet Fork and matching escape wheel, 4th wheel, three Jewels, the winding arbor and mainspring and about about 6 miscellaneous assembly screws.
(A funny aside; I took it to Vladimer when I hit the too short pallet fork along with 4 of my parts movements for him to use to get it running. Vladimer misunderstood me and got one of the parts movements going again and left this Railway alone as a "goner".)
All this because Lindell liked the case marked "Railway"
Posts: 6492 | Location: Southern California in the USA | Registered: July 19, 2007
What a great story that poor old watch has sure has been through a lot.
Think about it, this one has already seen more than one hundred twenty years of hard life and near death at the hands of those who should have followed... "If you don't know what you are doing, don't do anything!" ...advice.
But now, thanks to your outstanding skills, your never-give-up attitude and your amazing tenacity the next one hundred twenty should be much easier. Thanks to your efforts this wonderful watch is finally getting the respect it deserves. As we discussed, this venerable old timer has a lot going for it, in addition to a stopworks and early motor barrel, not only does this one have a matching Hampden Railway Movement and Dueber Railway Case it dates as being one of the first watches produced during the late 1880s in their then-newly combined watch and case factories in Canton, Ohio. You saved an important piece of horological history, I am proud to be its caretaker.
We often say... "If only they could talk" ...this one would have a lot to tell us!
Thanks a million Dave, this is really great of you.
Lindell
Posts: 10553 | Location: Northeastern Ohio in the USA | Registered: November 19, 2002
Great restoration, Dave! This one really put you through your paces. But it is so rewarding when you do get it fixed, assembled and running again. Kudos to you!
Posts: 1047 | Location: The Colony, Texas in the USA | Registered: December 20, 2008
Never run on a railroad again you say. Of course not. It's too good for that.
When they replaced our standard clock with one more suitable for a kitchen and accepted any "reliable" watch for train and engine service I turned in my overalls for paint brushes.
Posts: 464 | Location: Northern Indiana in the USA | Registered: May 04, 2009
(Lin had told me that when he bought the watch it "would not wind" and he was right.) 
that poor old watch has sure has been through a lot. 
