Anyone familiar with pendulum clock mechanisms ?

[Externet]

Hi.
Trying to find if these common AA operated mechanisms are self-starting or need a first swing by hand to start.

Or the pendulum mechanism alone :

 

[Bluejets]

Found this on another Ebay listing...........

• For the swing clock with movement shaft 12mm (thread 5mm)
  
  
• The pendulum is for decoration only and does not affect the clock movement's timekeeping
  
  
• This pendulum clock movements will drive any light shape making them ideal for novelty clocks
  
  
• Complete with removable hanger
  

 

[dave9]

Repaired one for my aunt recently. Yes it has to be started by hand to reliably start. If it is working and you don't do that, it might eventually gain enough momentum but I wouldn't trust that, swing it to one end of travel to see what happens next.

 

[Externet]

Thank you. Unreliable self-start... hmmm
In need of oscillatory mechanisms, ordered a couple as they are cheap, and will evaluate when arrive. As will not need a pendulum, there may be enough push to self start. Will see.

Did not find a AA operated mechanical metronome or something similar. Perhaps something else exists but cannot think of what could it be.