Big Ben Will Sound On Remembrance Day Despite Repair Works

Picture: The Elizabeth Tower, which is covered by scaffolding, has been undergoing maintenance work since August 2017. 

The bell will strike 11 times at 11am on Remembrance Sunday for the traditional two minutes of silence, the Government has confirmed.

It will sound a further 11 times at 12:30 along with bells across the UK and worldwide, as part of a programme of events to mark the centenary of Armistice Day.

Only Big Ben will be heard, while the four quarter bells that produce the 16 notes of the Westminster Chimes will remain silent.

The 159-year-old clock tower is currently undergoing renovation work, meaning the famous bells have been silent since August 2017 after being disconnected from the clock mechanism.

The bells were reconnected briefly to ring in the new year in 2018, but the entire clock mechanism has since been removed for repair and maintenance works.

To ensure that Big Ben can sound for important national events, a custom-built electronic mechanism has been built to power the 200kg striking hammer.