Why Carnforth Station's famous Brief Encounter clock has been gathering dust in someone's garage for years

The clock has been missing from the railway station for at least two years and is languishing in a garage as its owner refuses to let it be reinstated.

The clock appeared in the 1945 classic film and is a prominent feature of the station, attracting many visitors who have photographs taken underneath it.

However, amid fears that the bracket holding the clock was becoming unsafe, it was removed. It’s now in a garage owned by Peter Yates, the clock’s custodian, on behalf of its owner, Michael Smith, who also owns BDS Fuels at Middleton near Carnforth and lives in Guernsey.

Former councillor and businessman, Mr Yates discovered the clock more than 20 years ago when the refurbishment of the station and work on the Heritage Centre began.

One of his customers, Alan Smith, bought and restored the clock as the station meant a lot to him and following his death, his son took ownership.

Mr Smith refuses to allow the clock to be returned because he is concerned about how Carnforth Station Trust, the charity responsible for promotion and policy at the station, is managed.

“We’re hoping to restore some sort of sensible working arrangement with the trustees but can’t come to an agreement,” said Mr Smith.

“It’s a dreadful situation but I need to feel more comfortable about the safe return of the clock.”

Mr Yates added: “I’m absolutely heartbroken, not only about the station clock but also about the station itself.”

There’s also some confusion over the clock’s insurance.

Station Trust chair, Bob Roe, said: “I cannot understand Mr Smith making these excuses as the clock has never been on the Trust’s asset register and has always been insured. If the Trust did cease trading, he would not be affected as the clock is totally separate.”

Mr Roe explained that the Trust had lost £10,000 during the Covid pandemic when the owners of the Brief Encounter café and another of the shop tenants ceased trading, forcing the Trust to draw on reserves. Financial trading is now on a ‘firm footing’ with new café and shop tenants, and all shops let.

In a Companies House report, filed in December, Mr Roe said: “It’s been a challenging year for the Trust and Visitor Centre. Regarding the Station Trust, it was decided that under its present form, it was outdated and not fit for purpose as it was established in 1996.”

He added that independent legal advice had been obtained to restructure and modernise but “this will take time to achieve and is ongoing.”

Mr Roe is one of two current trustees, the other being Coun Paul Gardner, Trust secretary. Four trustees resigned last year for various reasons including ill health and new people are ready to join the Trust once the restructure is complete.

According to the Charity Commission, the Trust’s latest report is overdue by more than 220 days.

A Charity Commission spokesperson said: "We had a compliance case into Carnforth Station and Railway Trust in 2019 which we closed after issuing advice and guidance around filing accounts.

“We are now engaging with the charity to secure the submission of its overdue accounts."