To ask what the lift is called?

[Downunderduchess]

Putting this here, because I don’t know what subject it should come under. I was fascinated with a recent thread where several people mentioned a particular type of lift. I had never heard of it before, definitely don’t think we have them in Australia. The lift goes around a track & you jump out at your floor. What is it called please?? I want to tell someone about it & would like to know it’s correct name. Thanks!

The Wikipedia page for these is interesting reading. I've heard of these but never seen one myself.

I have quite a lot of dealings with universities and the odd person has mentioned that they liked them, usually while waiting for a lift delayed by able bodied but lazy students using lifts to go up or down one floor. I can see that they're a bit of a H&S hazard, which has obviously led to their demise.

Loved the Arts Tower paternoster

Leeds Medical/Dental School had one of these when I first started work. It used to terrify me! However, my son who is now a lift engineer tells me they're very safe!

@heronlanyon

I grew up in Hamburg , have happy memories of the Paternoster und my father's office. He told us that the cabs collapsed as they went over the top and I never risked it 😀

Any one worried about safety, it is no different to stepping into the London Eye, in-fact it is exactly the sane.

Screw that. I'd trip like the idiot I am and end up having my legs chopped off.

I would have thought it was because you said a prayer before entering too! Shows what I know

obviously they are not disability friendly but they are quite efficient. I believe that the gag was to go over the top and emerge doing a handstand to convince observers that you were turned upside down.

thank you to whoever mentioned the byzantine Foyles payment system; I was most disappointed to find out that they don't do that any more! For anyone not familiar, it was 3 queues: once to hand in the book and get a payment chit, once to pay and then a third to collect the book with the stamped chit. Made university book buying a half-day exercise.

They would be a brilliant horror movie device, I reckon. Imagine someone/something slowly coming into view as you desperately try to escape down the corridor... Or someone going round the loop and disappearing.

I worked at the School of Dentistry in Birmingham for a while, and there was definitely something creepy about the noise and the never-ceasing motion (except when they broke down!).

@PhoneTwattery OMG me too!!

I got the chills watching the video, exactly like my dreams!!!!

They had them at Birmingham uni until 1992. Were fab. I went over the top. I’ve never been as scared

I liked the comment under a Youtube video of one that said they are actually safer than normal lifts. A normal lift can fall and kill you, but these only hurt you if you do something stupid. According to the commenter, if the only bad things that can happen are your own fault, then they aren't dangerous, just not idiot-proof.

The Bank of England social club in the City had one.

A Youtube commenter from Finland reports that his parliament has one, but unfortunately no-one has died in it yet...

This may be an urban myth but aren't they called paternosters because people were so scared they said the our father as they got on and off?!

Leeds University had one in the Roger Stevens Building where most of the lecture theatres were. It had closed before I arrived in 1989, allegedly due to someone taking a bike in and getting it stuck.

M&S in Liverpool had one for staff many years ago. I'm really claustrophobic and lifts in particular have always been a problem for me but I loved the paternoster. Really quick and no doors!

Is the architecture dept still at the very top of Sheffield Arts Tower ? Two of my housemates had great fun lugging huge art folders, and cardboard and matchstick models into the paternoster

Just looked on YouTube, they look deadly!

I've never heard of these before. They're the stuff of nightmares. I'd take the stairs.

The one at my uni used to have a notice that said going all the way round "wasn't dangerous but was not advised" I still don't know what to make of that advice (I however wasn't tempted !)

I remember the one at Leicester poly as my dad worked there. Sad they got rid of it.

Didn't know Leicester university had one as well. I only knew the one at 'the poly' / de Montfort university.

Leicester Uni also has one - gives me the willies even thinking about getting on it ...

is it still there? I thought it had been done away with. Which would be a pity because they are great. It's just like stepping on an escalator.

Probably not as deadly as the "man engines" that they used to use in Cornish Tin Mines. They would certainly separate the men from the boys!