Waterproofing on escalators

[modernrail]

I have noticed an increasing trend for escalators that are exposed to the elements. Paddington Crossrail is an example.

I had previously thought, obviously incorrectly, that escalators need to be ‘inside’. That is obviously incorrect as there are escalators outside in non-railway settings, but it has set me thinking, is an escalator that is more likely to get wet of a different design to those that definitely won’t (beyond the odd spilled coffee etc).

If so, are they more expensive/require more maintenance?

 

[pdeaves]

'Inside' and 'outside' escalators are designed differently. When an 'inside' one is used outside, problems happen (Reading station, I'm looking at you!).

 

[yorkie]

I am often surprised at how many outdoors escalators there are in other European countries. I think it is better for them to be covered though; I'd have thought it would be a false economy not covering them.

 

[superalbs]

I've seen fully outside ones in places like Baku and Istanbul.

 

[jamesst]

Not railway but the Liverpool one shopping area has a few.

 

[fgwrich]

'Inside' and 'outside' escalators are designed differently. When an 'inside' one is used outside, problems happen (Reading station, I'm looking at you!).

I'm glad you mentioned it. Dam things!

 

[modernrail]

I've seen fully outside ones in places like Baku and Istanbul.

Yeah there are fully outside ones in Barcelona as well on the routes up to the Olympic area that must take some very heavy thunderstorms. It is those ones that got me thinking and when I saw the Paddington escalators the curiosity bubbled over into my OP!

 

[DelW]

I have noticed an increasing trend for escalators that are exposed to the elements. Paddington Crossrail is an example.

I had previously thought, obviously incorrectly, that escalators need to be ‘inside’. That is obviously incorrect as there are escalators outside in non-railway settings, but it has set me thinking, is an escalator that is more likely to get wet of a different design to those that definitely won’t (beyond the odd spilled coffee etc).

If so, are they more expensive/require more maintenance?

I remember a fully outdoor one being installed in Birmingham as far back as the 1960s. It led up from a subway up to road level at the east end of New Street (the road, not the station), just north of the Rotunda. It lasted for a number of years, but I think it had gone well before the whole area was comprehensively redeveloped a couple of decades ago.

 

[mmh]

Lots of BART stations in the San Francisco area were built with exposed escalators, but recently many have been retrospectively covered. It wasn't uncommon for them to be broken, and being exposed isn't ideal for users - wet metal treads can be very slippery.

I remember a fully outdoor one being installed in Birmingham as far back as the 1960s. It led up from a subway up to road level at the east end of New Street (the road, not the station), just north of the Rotunda. It lasted for a number of years, but I think it had gone well before the whole area was comprehensively redeveloped a couple of decades ago.

The Whitgift shopping centre in Croydon was originally open air and also had an outside escalator - it features in the original opening titles for Terry and June, with Terry Scott checking various Croydon landmarks including East Croydon station, searching for June Whitfield.

 

[dorsetdesiro]

Agree that outdoor escalators really should be enclosed like that one on Market St in Manchester (not sure if that is still there?) also the now removed ones on Coventry's Upper Precinct.

I notice many outdoor escalators overseas seem to be in a bad shape, depending on how well maintained these are, broken ones in Barcelona also the rubber handrail, in Kuala Lumpur, sticky from the hot weather heat and god knows what else like body sweat or from food etc - yuk, really helps to carry antibac handwash!

I do remember those abandoned ones, just off the inner-ring road in Bristol, boarded off and left just like that for many years before the NCP multi-storey was demolished to make way for Cabot Circus.

Not forgetting about the old wooden escalators, in Boston's subway, leading riders up and out in the open many years ago - how they manage that in rainy weather!!