Paternoster

[Spinney]

Came across this on the beeb - takes me back to my student days

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/uk-42363360/paternoster-the-rare-lift-that-went-over-the-top

 

[MichaelW2]

Does Birmingham University library still have one?

 

[Spinney]

It didn't take long to work out that, rather than trying to queue up with the crowds waiting to go up for 9 am lectures, what you did was get on the downgoing one and take the rattly ride around the bottom. Then you were already in place and could metaphorically thumb your nose at the waiting hordes.

 

[TVC]

We had a couple at Leicester Poly, both buildings with them have been knocked down now. The first time you override is fun, you wonder if the stories are true.

 

[Spinney]

If I'd had the ability, I'd have done a handstand going over the top and held it for a couple of floors.

 

[stephec]

I remember the one at Salford University, hours of fun.

 

[Spinney]

I remember the one at Salford University, hours of fun.

That's mine too - the maths tower. We got 8 of us in once (I think it was 8, it's 35 years ago)

 

[Beebo]

They look fun, but the risk of injury seems very high.
We couldnt even get through the revolving doors at Uni without some wag either trapping you in or knocking you over.
And how do they work with 4 drunk students in a shopping trolley, which should be the standard question for anyone undertaking a risk assessment on any university campus in the 1990's.

 

[Spinney]

That video is on the beeb because the last one in the UK is being removed, or something. As you say, rather risky.

 

[Joey Shabadoo]

They had them at Kirkcaldy Tech - I never had the nerve to ride them all the way around and i don't know anyone else who did either.

 

[Globalti]

Yes we had one in the Humanities building; I was told that during the first day of term year twos would stand on their heads coming down although I never saw that.

 

[Bollo]

Does Birmingham University library still have one?

I’m not recent but it was there in the mid 90s. Fecking lethal device!

 

[ColinJ]

I remember the one at Salford University, hours of fun.

That's mine too - the maths tower. We got 8 of us in once (I think it was 8, it's 35 years ago)

+2, though I last used it 31 years ago.

Here's one in action ...

 

[Spinney]

A bit like the vid linked to in my original post, then.

 

[philk56]

We had one where I worked at P&O in the seventies, in Whitechapel. It was great fun!