[modeleng] Re: are ye all trying to tell me something...

Barrie

The Paternoster lift you are talking about was in the Claremont Tower at 
Newcastle University.  I was a law student and our lecture rooms were on the 
9th floor.  I think there were 12 floors in all.  It was a very fast way of 
getting to studies.  We were all told under no circumstances to "go over the 
top" and back down again because it might cause instability as the "cars" 
moved apart as each went over the top.  Needless to say we occasionally 
ignored the advice.

I gather from news I heard afterwards, when I'd left, that the girl student 
was going over the top and the previous concern about instability proved to 
be well founded and she was crushed.

Very sad.

Peter Cathcart

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Barrie Purslow" <bpduo@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: <modeleng@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Sunday, November 19, 2006 3:04 PM
Subject: [modeleng] Re: are ye all trying to tell me something...


Peter,

I worked for many years (22) at a company that had "Paternoster" lifts. They
came close to being banned in the early eighties, I think because of a nasty
accident somewhere in N.E. England (C.A. Parsons?) where a car jammed and
the drive system kept going and crushed several cars including one with a
poor unfortunate woman in it.
Our system was completely stripped and many cracked welds were found similar
to that which caused the accident.
The Safety People (Bless 'em) had a field day(s). They put up notices at
every level that illuminated if the system stopped. The notices said
"Dangerous when stopped". Us engineers laughed our socks off since the risks
to life and limb were clearly much greater when the thing was running.
For those who have never come across "Paternosters". It is a system of open
fronted cars linked one above each other in a continuous chain stretching
the height of a multi story building. In operation one half of the cars are
rising, the other half descending. As each car passes a floor in the
building one or two people can take there lives in their hands and step
(jump) in or out of the car. The system does not stop - it runs at a
constant speed!
I'm sure that if anybody proposed such a system nowadays the Health and
Safety Executive would lock them up.

Barrie


----- Original Message ----- 
From: <peter.chadwick@xxxxxxxxxxx>
To: <modeleng@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Sunday, November 19, 2006 12:48 PM
Subject: [modeleng] Re: are ye all trying to tell me something...


> Ron,
> Totally off topic, but does anyone make 'Paternoster' lifts any more? Are
> they even allowed under today's H&S regs?
>
> Peter Chadwick
> Swindon
>
> MODEL ENGINEERING DISCUSSION LIST.
>
> To UNSUBSCRIBE from this list, send a blank email to,
> modeleng-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx with the word "unsubscribe" in the subject
> line.
>
>
>
> -- 
> No virus found in this incoming message.
> Checked by AVG Free Edition.
> Version: 7.5.430 / Virus Database: 268.14.4/532 - Release Date: 11/13/2006
> 3:08 PM
>

MODEL ENGINEERING DISCUSSION LIST.

To UNSUBSCRIBE from this list, send a blank email to,
modeleng-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx with the word "unsubscribe" in the subject 
line.


MODEL ENGINEERING DISCUSSION LIST.

To UNSUBSCRIBE from this list, send a blank email to, 
modeleng-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx with the word "unsubscribe" in the subject line.

Other related posts: