A detailed look at a Tesco Chatham lifts

A detailed look at a 1970s O&K modernized in the 1990s by generic, modernized in 2011 by Otis.
Skip to 4:00 to go straight to the lift ride.
beno.org.uk

[@benolifts]

Hi guys, I hope you enjoy this video. You all know where this lift is, but please don't say where in the comments. I want to keep a low profile for a while. And I will have to take down some of my videos for a short time. This is because I kind of got caught while making this video. There was somebody up the top (and he forced me to say how I did it). In the end no action was taken against me as everything I did falls under civil law. The police involved behaved in a very professional manor. But anyway, I don't want to get into this sort of situation again. But don't worry, I will still continue to make loads of interesting videos like this (but I will have to be more careful in future. I will try extra hard to make sure that all future adventures don't get in any bodys way). Anyway, lets not dwell on this, lets instead enjoy the awesome lifts in the video.

[@upanddownadventures]

***** I don't think the machine is original, except maybe the motor itself. The rest of the machine would probably have to be replaced to work with the Gen2 belts.

[@FNUKSTER1366]

Just the Pentagon to go next lol

[@batlin]

***** Sorry to hear that! How did the guy who caught you at the top get there, too?? I presume they noticed you entering the lift shaft on CCTV :D Seems obvious that you were just there out of curiosity and not hurting anyone, given that it was a completely abandoned and derelict floor. And without our innate curiosity, where would we be as a species? Still living in caves, I'd imagine...

[@salifrtsalifrt3817]

hello

[@RobR386]

I enjoyed that, AFAIK trespass isn't a criminal offence in the UK, that's why it was only a civil matter, the upside to getting caught is it would make an informative video to show what can go wrong with urbexing.

[@Vortex5Australia]

Beno you're a modern day adventurer but instead of climbing Mount Everest or searching for the wreck of the RMS Titanic in the North Atlantic Ocean, you take us on these amazing escapades into the urban wastelands of modern Britain and you're quite daring too.. as any adventurer must be. I understand the need for remaining clandestine as to the locations of some of the sites and installations... Great result !!

[@benolifts]

Enigma 27.240 Thanks. I think its the excitement of exploring parts of buildings that I'm not supposed to go that I enjoy. I still have a lot of adventures planned!

[@liquid_oxygen4409]

+benobve why do those lifts have 2 sets of doors?

[@tanchoonnee]

@@liquid_oxygen4409 Because of Store level & Market level

[@virgin390004]

Just out of curiosity how do you get up there and back down again?

[@benolifts]

+Shibehunter ZunKai (CetlicHunter) A lot of people are not that observant. The only thing they could notice is that the car top light is on, but most people don't. They would be able to hear me if I was moving around, but I kept very still. If I had put the lift on auto up the top the lifts would have most likely gone back down to the lowest floor (which they always do when put back to auto). I was just a bit worried about doing it since the upper floors were possibly removed from the logic. With the generic logic after the 90s mod of the O&Ks, I have no idea what it would have done. It would have likely got stuck and refused to move, and probably would have repeatedly said "Store level and exit").

[@WillDoesTransport]

lol

[@elevatorsinrussia2597]

Amazing video!

[@msioworld3266]

Beno, Layla has surfed this modded 1970s O&K.

[@TheUKTransportBlogger]

If them gates to upper levels are locked you must of been spotted in the shaft at a earlier time as im sure it would take a good few minutes for staff to get up there maybe Otis remote monitoring caught you?

[@judeclark1]

Will this car park still be open when Tesco closes down?

[@benolifts]

judeclark - Lifts in the UK I don't know yet. It is likely to be pulled down.

[@procksomaterman]

+battytec videos Boo! i want it to be a mess, places like that are fun!

[@lillylouise5353]

you should checkout this otis customer lift at tesco seacroft it goes from ground to 1 since i went i did not think they had a lift xD but when iwent i noticed it and since that im just gonna try push my luck and see if it works i would say its a cargo lift or it does look abandond from the outerdoors but iactully think its an otis gen2 from 2006/2007 lol as ihave simulor ones on my channel filemed by my briother but uploadedthem the lift how ever is not seable as its to the right side as you would go from the top of the isleslol aka were the bakery is lol

[@judeclark1]

Why were levels 5, 6 and 7 closed?

[@benolifts]

judeclark - Lifts in the UK I don't know. Maybe they had problems with people hanging around up there in the 90s.

[@blue.light.fazbear]

Possibly for financial reasons

[@elevatorsinwales9792]

British Lifts In my town of Port Talbot, Wilkinsons actually had to close their upper level which is really annoying. They closed off the level (as you mentioned) due to financial problems, it’s really annoying because I had soo many childhood memories, I’d always mess around with the lift and well... test the furniture (mainly beds), and when I say test I mean by laying on the beds.

[@itzalsonathyy1963]

Do a detailed look at a Kone eco disc

[@benolifts]

xXSuperBoyNathanXx I want to. The question is which one. Theres none in Medway that I can get away with. I need to plan a trip in London that will include several very quiet lifts where nobody will notice a quick surf.

[@blue.light.fazbear]

I think the motor would be Gen2 Mod if it has belt cables

[@benolifts]

The lift seems far too heavy for a gen2 motor. I would be very interested to see what the motor room looks like.

[@Mattyeah101]

Kind of funny how they completely modernised them only a few years ago and now the place is closed. I wonder why they even bothered to replace the call buttons on the uppermost levels if like you say the logic doesn't even exist up there - very strange. Also there was a gated goods lift inside the store that had also been modernised by Otis, did you get a chance to look at that? I'm guessing not considering it was in quite an exposed location.

[@benolifts]

Mattyeah101 Yes, it was very much a waste of money modernizing them since the shop has now closed. All they needed to do was replace the logic (or in my opinion, leave then just how they were, totally unreliable, as that makes them more fun to ride!). There are 8 lifts here. The gated one that opens into the main shopping area of Tesco has not been maintained (despite being modernized by Otis), and it is now a dumb waiter only (I would need someone with me to ride it, plus it would have been very hard to have not been caught). At a guess I would say that there is 3 gated lifts in Tesco. And another 2 in the shop opposite. The ones inside Tesco go from store level, then Mezzanine (stock room?), then loading bay level. The ones that go to the other shop go up to a different service area which is right next to the car park. You can see this area, it is now being used as a hand car wash.

[@Mattyeah101]

***** Is the shop opposite still open? As far as I'm aware, the entire building is owned by the council, including the car park, and Medway Council have denied planning to demolish the building, but the lifts and stairs can only be accessed from the now closed store, so changes would have to be made if they plan to reopen the car park, which I doubt. Also, are you serious about camping out up there? How will you gain access?

[@bakedbeanishdragon]

8 lifts? That's quite a lot! When you are in a building, the thought that there are loads more areas and lifts in that building than there are accessible to the public really gets your thirst for adventure going. I remember when I was very young, I was at a somerfields shop with my dad and I really needed the loo, and a shop worker lead us up to the toilets past a huge loading bay, and a service area with two lifts, and it was very interesting!

[@Mattyeah101]

bakedbeanishdragon Well, in that store there was a lot of disused space - a large part of the store has been walled off for years, as has the cafe on the 1st floor - maybe if they hadn't let it decline so badly, it would still be open today.

[@benolifts]

Mattyeah101 I went back there today. The lifts are completely turned off (not locked off). There is no power to them. The shop opposite is still open. As for camping up there, it is no longer possible. But I have many ideas planned. One being to camp out on Grain fort.

[@jovangaming2651]

is in tesco in chantam

[@WillDoesTransport]

shhhhhhhhhhhh yes

[@irl_zulu]

Funny seeing the people entering and exiting the lift below you

[@craidedtoast401]

BlackpoolTransport Roblox I've played one of your maps on ROBLOX before.

[@haz05-06]

Hi, BlackPool! I didn't know you watched Beno! 😀

[@msioworld3266]

Otis modded buttons are really crap, Ben!

[@jaqulinerathbone296]

Be careful you don't get trapped or injured playing on top of that lift young man.

[@PrestissimoMasterStation]

*STORE LEVEL AND EXIT*

[@RandomPerson00998]

Are floors 3 and 4 still a poo-infested, urine-smelling mess or did Tesco attempt to clean them up before they shut them off?

[@benolifts]

TAA - Lifts and More I went past floor 4 when I came down with the security guy. It appeared to be cleaned up quite a bit.

[@metro_ken]

Store level and exit. Store level and exit. Store level and exit. Store level and exit. Store level and exit.

[@xiaomong8]

that is semi-intelligent leveling for otis.

[@DylanA1S]

store level and exit store level and exit store level and exit