In article ,
Sylvia Else wrote:
In the UK, or in London at least, the mains frequency was maintained
with a very accurate long term average, so that synchronous mains clocks
just stayed correct.

The UK has had synchronised mains frequency for a very long time.

Sometimes, after short power cuts, the frequency was increased to bring
such clocks back to the correct time. Which was actually a bit of a
nuiscance for us - we had clocks that weren't self starting (a
reflection of the rareness of power outages in those days), so after a
power cut, we'd set the clocks correctly and start them, only to find
them gaining.

I can't remember the last power cut in this part of London. Many years ago.
Of course the household RCD has taken over that function. ;-)

It seems a backward step that now, forty or so years later, household
wall clocks are less accurate than they were back then.

'Radio' controlled ones are cheap these days.

--
*If Barbie is so popular, why do you have to buy her friends? *

Dave Plowman London SW
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