Lifts and escalators

Martin1988 · 24 Apr 2017

Not the conventional form of public transport but does anyone on here have an interest in lifts/elevators or escalators?

If so, what are your favourite makes/brands and do you prefer the older variety or the newer/modernised variety?

RailUK Forums

168lover · 24 Apr 2017

Well this conversation escalated quickly(sorry, couldn't resist)

Blindtraveler · 24 Apr 2017

Well we have at least 1 other member who goes by the name of LiftFan

theres is of course a growing number of escalater/lift filmers on youtube.

I have a passing interest but before I go any further may I please have my standard moan about the awful cheep shopping centre escalaters installed at Edinburgh Waverley/Birmingham New Street/Kings Cross and doubtless others and why are Network Rail incapable of installing escalaters fit for a transport environment? LU have been managing it for years.

AlterEgo · 25 Apr 2017

Not necessarily a fan of lifts or escalators but give me a paternoster any day.

Dai Corner · 25 Apr 2017

Blindtraveler said:
Well we have at least 1 other member who goes by the name of LiftFan

theres is of course a growing number of escalater/lift filmers on youtube.

I have a passing interest but before I go any further may I please have my standard moan about the awful cheep shopping centre escalaters installed at Edinburgh Waverley/Birmingham New Street/Kings Cross and doubtless others and why are Network Rail incapable of installing escalaters fit for a transport environment? LU have been managing it for years.

Out of interest, what is the difference between an escalator used to reach a train and one used to reach a shop? Or one used to travel between trains and shops like at New Street?

PaxVobiscum · 25 Apr 2017

Last time I was in the ASDA in Hamilton Palace, the handrail of the up escalator was moving faster than the treads, something I didn't think that was possible. Maybe it was "topple a pensioner" week.

stut · 25 Apr 2017

I love the escalators in the Prague metro - some deep stations there, but they whizz up and down far faster than the ones in this country.

Did anyone here ever get the chance to use the Montparnasse-Bienvenue fast travelator while it was up and running? Surreal experience, and I did particularly enjoy the high heel protection rollers at either end.

As for lifts, I forget the make, but I did recently have the experience of a three-doored lift in an old building in Copenhagen. Quite confusing...

Blindtraveler · 25 Apr 2017

Did it make announcements along the lines of "This is the 3rd floor, doors will open on the right hand side" similar to the 96/09 tube stock?

An escalater for a transport environment needs IMO to be heavier duty than a shopping centre, able to take luggage, high usage and people occasionally sprinting up or down for a train. In other words look at any metro/underground system and you get the idea.

Rick1984 · 25 Apr 2017

The escalators on Prague metro are lethal. Stepping onto one is like taking your life into your own hands!

AlterEgo said:
Not necessarily a fan of lifts or escalators but give me a paternoster any day.

Now the one in Glasgow Uni has gone are there any left in UK?

AM9 · 25 Apr 2017

PaxVobiscum said:
Last time I was in the ASDA in Hamilton Palace, the handrail of the up escalator was moving faster than the treads, something I didn't think that was possible. Maybe it was "topple a pensioner" week.

I have been on many escalators where the handrail moves slightly faster than the steps. I wonder whether it is intentional, to encourage some to walk forward whist on the steps which slightly increases throughput and reduces average transit time.

eastwestdivide · 25 Apr 2017

I'd like to try the Hammetschwand-Lift in Lucerne:
http://www.buergenstock.ch/en/current-opening-hours/hammetschwand-lift

Tetchytyke · 25 Apr 2017

stut said:
As for lifts, I forget the make, but I did recently have the experience of a three-doored lift in an old building in Copenhagen. Quite confusing...

We have one of those in M&S.

I want to go on the Ascensore Castello d'Albertis-Montegalletto in Genoa.

Rick1984 · 25 Apr 2017

I have been in a diagonal traveling elevator up the Riga TV Tower

DasLunatic · 25 Apr 2017

Rick1984 said:
Now the one in Glasgow Uni has gone are there any [paternosters] left in UK?

I know of paternosters at:

- Albert Sloman Library, University of Essex
- That tower at the University of Leeds

Dr Hoo · 25 Apr 2017

stut said:
Did anyone here ever get the chance to use the Montparnasse-Bienvenue fast travelator while it was up and running? Surreal experience, and I did particularly enjoy the high heel protection rollers at either end....

The Montparnasse fast travelator was brilliant. So glad that all the family got the chance to try it as an adjunct to a trip to Disneyland. More fun that some of the rides there, free and no queues. What was not to like? I know that children were theoretically banned but we still managed it.

Nice inclinator diagonal lift at Greenford station. More coming to Crossrail soon...

Busaholic · 25 Apr 2017

stut said:
Did anyone here ever get the chance to use the Montparnasse-Bienvenue fast travelator while it was up and running? Surreal experience, and I did particularly enjoy the high heel protection rollers at either end.

.

On my first visit to Paris, and a couple of later ones. I left the high heels back in the hotel on those occasions, though :lol:

urpert · 25 Apr 2017

Bah, every time I passed through Montparnasse it was closed off

skyhigh · 25 Apr 2017

DasLunatic said:
I know of paternosters at:

- Albert Sloman Library, University of Essex
- That tower at the University of Leeds

Unfortunately the one at Leeds was replaced by a rather boring lift a while back

Busaholic · 25 Apr 2017

What is a paternoster?

Peter Mugridge · 25 Apr 2017

AM9 said:
I have been on many escalators where the handrail moves slightly faster than the steps.

A lot of escalators in London... the handrail can actually stop momentarily if you are holding it while you walk up the escalator; it is as if the application of your weight through that hand while you step upwards is enough to stall the handrail - surely that shouldn't happen and the handrail should continue to turn no matter how much load is placed on it?

AlterEgo · 25 Apr 2017

Busaholic said:
What is a paternoster?

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Ro3Fc_yG3p0

richard1976 · 26 Apr 2017

DasLunatic said:
I know of paternosters at:

- Albert Sloman Library, University of Essex
- That tower at the University of Leeds

The Arts tower at the University of Sheffield still has one

stut · 26 Apr 2017

Rick1984 said:
I have been in a diagonal traveling elevator up the Riga TV Tower

Oh, they're fun. I like that they're getting put in alongside escalators to give access to underground stations - the ones at Triangeln in Malmo and Nationaltheatret in Oslo are particularly fun.

eastwestdivide · 26 Apr 2017

Another paternoster at Leicester University, although this 2017 story says its currently out of action:
http://www2.le.ac.uk/staff/announcements/attenborough-paternoster-out-of-action

The paternoster is one of only three operating paternosters in the UK

and a story about "going over the top" here: http://www.leicestermercury.co.uk/f...rite-passage/story-27888676-detail/story.html

which I've done. The cars don't turn upside down of course.

Mikey C · 26 Apr 2017

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YgJBD1wf-YQ

This shows what happens at the top of the Sheffield one

AlterEgo · 26 Apr 2017

Mikey C said:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YgJBD1wf-YQ

This shows what happens at the top of the Sheffield one

I was expecting something like a hidden floor from Being John Malkovich.

flymo · 26 Apr 2017

Two pairs of curved escalators in Hong Kong, basement of Lane Crawford department store in Causeway Bay. Really neat things, probably a 60 degree curve or something.

Blindtraveler · 26 Apr 2017

I cant see that one in Leicester being fixed as it surely will be cheeper to change it for new conventional lifts?

What does the forum think of the Network Rail Standard Stanna installation at many many stations in the UK?

kevjs · 26 Apr 2017

Peter Mugridge said:
A lot of escalators in London... the handrail can actually stop momentarily if you are holding it while you walk up the escalator; it is as if the application of your weight through that hand while you step upwards is enough to stall the handrail - surely that shouldn't happen and the handrail should continue to turn no matter how much load is placed on it?

The ones at intu Broadmarsh (before they closed a few weeks ago) had one handrail moving faster than the steps, and the other which stopped if you touched it too heavily handed or "twisted" it. Being rather narrow and rough riding it was all too easy to end up with your hands on both - rather odd sensation!

Blindtraveler · 26 Apr 2017

Did the afformentioned issue result in their closure or is the cenre or escalaters being refurbished?

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