Paternosters...ever been on one?

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Haitch

Flim Flormally
Location
Netherlands
The paternoster boxes were solid at Newcastle but someone did panic and jumped off as it went up beyond the top floor.


A paternoster was installed in the economics block at Newcastle to replace a standard Otis lift, which had in turn replaced a paternoster. We were told that someone had died in the original paternoster and the Otis couldn't handle the volume. As you say, the boxes were solid and had hinged flaps so your feet didn't get trapped at each floor (they worked, I'm still a biped). When you went over the top or under the bottom, I seem to remember the chains and cog wheels that drove the lift were completely exposed.

We had statistics on the 13th floor and when the paternoster was being installed there were two options: gasp up 26 flights of stairs or go the Students Union. I failed statistics.
 

perplexed

Guru
Location
Sheffield
My hometown. Was the Arts Tower the one near Weston Park?

Yes, not far away. The Arts Tower is just below the "Red Brick" bit of the University and The Childrens Hospital, just off Brook Hill roundabout.

They've re-furbed the exterior of the tower recently too...
 

alecstilleyedye

nothing in moderation
Moderator
My hometown. Was the Arts Tower the one near Weston Park?

yes. never had the kahunas to go up and over (or down and under) as it used to grind to a halt with such regularity that the walls had a lot of 'so and so stuck in lift' graffiti.

paternoster means 'our father', as in the first line of the lord's prayer. so called because you have to pray to escape alive ;)
 

BrumJim

Forum Stalwart (won't take the hint and leave...)
[QUOTE 1613779"]
UoB had one.

What happened if you stuck a leg out?
[/quote]


2 - one in Muirhead Tower, one in library. Both were taken out of commission whilst I was studying there (the uni, not the paternoster).
 

Christopher

Über Member
2 - one in Muirhead Tower, one in library. Both were taken out of commission whilst I was studying there (the uni, not the paternoster).
When was that? I was at the Uni of Brum 85-88 and well remember the library paternoster. I went round the top a few times, good fun. One joke was that a student went around the top and managed to stand on his head while doing so, to make people think the boxes turned over as they went over the top.
OT but the other thing I liked doing there was dozing in remote corners of the libarary stacks where hardly anyone ever went... no mobiles then...
 

BrumJim

Forum Stalwart (won't take the hint and leave...)
When was that? I was at the Uni of Brum 85-88 and well remember the library paternoster. I went round the top a few times, good fun. One joke was that a student went around the top and managed to stand on his head while doing so, to make people think the boxes turned over as they went over the top.
OT but the other thing I liked doing there was dozing in remote corners of the libarary stacks where hardly anyone ever went... no mobiles then...


89-93.
Remember finding the library stacks when researching a Business Studies essay. There were rumours of intimate activity going on in the darkest corners of the stacks.
 

Haitch

Flim Flormally
Location
Netherlands
Anyone been on this? World's steepest railway: http://www.youtube.c...h?v=q-3pwvZWpUE



Yep, but it's very short and very slow. More, speed, more track and a parachute would put some fun into it.
 

sheddy

Legendary Member
Location
Suffolk
I always thought that each hinged flap had a microswitch to cut the power should anyone get trapped, but I guess I was mistaken
 
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