Lifts and escalators

[py_megapixel]

Lifts and escalators are an uplifting subject
(Sorry)

I wouldn't be so optimistic - after all, they have their ups and downs
I'll see myself out

 

[Mikey C]

I always find myself doing mental arithmetic when in a lift after reading the plate showing number of passengers permitted and maximum load in kg

Ah yes, counting up the number of people in a crowded lift, and adjusting if anyone is really small or heavy

 

[Peter Mugridge]

If any lift ever got close to carrying the plated number of people, it would be extremely uncomfortably crowded in there - unless everyone in it was exceptionally thin.

 

[LSWR Cavalier]

Whatabout loads on escalators? The long ones in London could carry scores of people, several tonnes. Where are the rating plates hidden?

 

[py_megapixel]

If any lift ever got close to carrying the plated number of people, it would be extremely uncomfortably crowded in there - unless everyone in it was exceptionally thin.

This is a deliberate measure to prevent overloading. The rated capacity is always higher than the practical capacity

 

[LSWR Cavalier]

One is advised to take the stairs instead of the lift to get a bit of exercise
I used to be proud that I could lift my loaded cycle up and down the stairs, then I wondered what might happen if I stumbled, I use the lift now where possible

What are the calculations for lift loads, so many kg/m2?

 

[Peter Mugridge]

Whatabout loads on escalators? The long ones in London could carry scores of people, several tonnes. Where are the rating plates hidden?

They're not hidden, they must be displayed inside the lift. They're usually above the control panel.

 

[ModernRailways]

They're not hidden, they must be displayed inside the lift. They're usually above the control panel.

I believe @LSWR Cavalier was asking where escalator rating plates are located rather than lifts. It's a good point too as I don't recall having ever seen a rating plate on an escalator.

 

[Malcmal]

One of the stupidest things I saw was at Dusseldorf airport. An escalator heading down to towards the boarding bridge with a closed barrier right at the bottom. I pushed the emergency stop button before a crush occurred but from what I could see this was by design and would most likely happen many times during each day.

 

[Peter Mugridge]

I believe @LSWR Cavalier was asking where escalator rating plates are located rather than lifts. It's a good point too as I don't recall having ever seen a rating plate on an escalator.

Ah good point...

 

[telstarbox]

My office building has a very old school lift - each floor has an outward swinging manual door, and the lift itself has automatic folding inner doors. It's also no faster than using the stairs!

 

[Bald Rick]

If any lift ever got close to carrying the plated number of people, it would be extremely uncomfortably crowded in there - unless everyone in it was exceptionally thin.

I was once in a lift with a plated capacity of 11 people at 825kg (from memory). 6 of us in it, when a 7th person came aboard, at which point the buzzer sounded and it wouldn’t go. Now to be fair, of the original 6, 4 of us were well over 6ft and built like a rowing crew. Another was average height / build. The sixth was a petite young lady. All eyes turned, briefly, to number 7, a very very VERY large lady.

The initial 6 all looked at each other. All 6 knew what the other 5 were each thinking. Number 7 stood her ground. The buzzer kept its rasping note. After what felt like an hour, but was probably 2 seconds, I cracked and walked off, to allow the rest of the party to proceed upwards.

The three of the 6 that are still in touch still talk about that event 3 decades on.

 

[ABB125]

On the subject of lift capacity, I was on a school trip to New York, and the hotel we were staying in had the most useless lift system I've ever encountered: there must have been at least ten lifts, but only two of them could physically call at the floor we were using, and only one at a time ever did. I never found any stairs to use either.
Anyway, when it came to leaving for Washington DC, the lifts were rather busy, to the extent that, of the 40 or so students on the trip, precisely none went anywhere for at least ten minutes simply because either the lift never arrived, or arrived full already. Eventually, an empty lift turned up and I decided to take charge and shove as much luggage as possible into the lift, followed by myself and maybe half a dozen others. Suffice to say it was rather cosy, with precarious stacks of wheely cases taller than any of the occupants! I think the people waiting to board at the bottom were rather... taken aback by the amount of stuff which tumbled out when the doors opened...

 

[route101]

Been in a few weird ones. One in hotel in Greece, open type, manual door, only room for one person.

Had one lift jump in old college building,very unerving.

 

[LSWR Cavalier]

Found a lift and a moving inclined platform in town
Both had tiny makers plates near the floor
Could not see any information on weight limits or numbers of passengers allowed

 

[Rick1984]

been up one i n Riga TV tower that went diagonally

 

[Peter Mugridge]

Had one lift jump in old college building,very unerving.

That'll almost certainly be a hydraulic lift; unlike the more common mechanical lifts these are extremely prone to jumping.

 

[Egg Centric]

Is there any station, anywhere in the world, with a paternoster lift or anything close to it?

 

[jamesontheroad]

There was one in the back-of-house areas of Brno station in the Czech Republic. It was not designed for use by the public. I have never seen it so I don't know if it is still operating.

 

[Alfonso]

Is there any station, anywhere in the world, with a paternoster lift or anything close to it?

While I do like a paternoster, I hope there aren't any at stations. I don't think they mix well with luggage, small children etc.

 

[ricohallo]

Brussels Midi has at least one paternoster in the NMBS/SNCB offices. Probably the last paternoster still in use in all of Belgium. It's not publicly accessible though.

 

[Bletchleyite]

While I do like a paternoster, I hope there aren't any at stations. I don't think they mix well with luggage, small children etc.

Most importantly they are not disabled accessible, and that's one of the key points of a lift!

 

[jamesontheroad]

Most importantly they are not disabled accessible, and that's one of the key points of a lift!

I studied at the University of Sheffield, which has the tallest paternoster in Europe, serving the basement, ground, mezzanine and eighteen floors of the 1960s Arts Tower on Western Bank. You can see it on the skyline of Sheffield when you approach by the train. It was such a unique characteristic of the building that it was included in the English Heritage listing, so it had to be preserved during the renovations of the building circa 2008-10.

In the case of the Arts Tower, where thousands of students used the lift every day, the exemption on disabled access was permissible because there were two regular elevators as well. As was evident whenever it broke down, it made a huge difference to the efficacy of the elevators.

 

[geoffk]

I too was a Sheffield student and the Arts Tower had just opened when I arrived in 1965. We used to "enjoy" the paternoster by riding "over the top" or down to the basement and back up, which we weren't supposed to do. It certainly broke down from time to time and my studies were on the 3rd, 4th and 5th floors so not so bad if you had to use the stairs! On my last visit to the University in 2018 it was temporarily out of use but I'm told it's still operating. Fairfax House in Bristol, a department store, also had one. Sorry nothing to do with stations but I doubt if railway H&S would allow them.

 

[jamesontheroad]

I too was a Sheffield student and the Arts Tower had just opened when I arrived in 1965. We used to "enjoy" the paternoster by riding "over the top" or down to the basement and back up, which we weren't supposed to do.

Likewise! Over-the-top wasn't much of a problem; I did it absent-mindedly once or twice when I forgot to get off on my floor. Underneath was a problem, however. After one fire drill 2,000+ staff and students attempted to re-enter the building. A friend and I took the stairs up to level 3, then hopped on the downward paternoster to ride past the queue and up again. Sadly it was overloaded with 20+ full cars going up and it promptly stalled with us underground. Spent about half an hour in semi darkness before we were rescued.

 

[rg177]

Having just graduated from the University of Sheffield, I can confirm that having a trip on it is still a rite of passage (or a good way to kill some time when you're early!)

 

[Meerkat]

better start building some more - socially distanced lifts!

 

[CC 72100]

There is one in the Post Office (Posta) which is next door to Brno Hlavni Nadrazi.

A fun experience when I went - if you search on YouTube for 'Honest Guide Brno' you will find a video on it and other cirt attractions.

 

[stuartl]

Ah yes the Arts Tower in the 1960'S. All I can say us that work folders were used to preserve the modesty of some of the female students.

 

[upasalmon]

I don't see the point of DOWN escalators. Gravity assists you going down. UP escalators are necessary , but there should be staircases for those like myself who find them tricky. Nothing scares me more than being on a Down escalator with more confident but impatient person behind me wanting to get past . The Merseyrail Underground is out of bounds to me as an "escaphobic". I fear slipping and causing a domino effect. So I avoid them like the plague. Escalators should have handles for people to steady themselves.

Any more "escaphobics" out there?