ARCHIVE: The former glass lifts at the Galleries shopping centre, Bristol

Filmed in 2006 and rediscovered plus edited in 2020. My recorded narrations explain everything in the video about these glass Schindler M Series lifts and how I got interested in lifts (mainly the cables!) I'm dedicating this video to Lee Thomas :)

[@markpotter8280]

fun seeing this. I was an apprentice electrician working on this iconic building when it was first being made into a shopping mall. It was actually a very hard job to work on as when I first started the building had no roof or windows and I remember it was a really bad winter so bad in fact that the lift shafts which were always full of water had frozen over you would start work in the morning feeling cold and end your working day feeling cold. ahhhh the good old days lol

[@sapphire-fj3mm]

Wow! I remember these lifts very well. I've actually been looking for clips and even just images of when these lifts were here. Great video btw. 👍

[@lovelifts1736]

I'm also surprised that there wasn't any videos/photos of those lifts, but that makes me even more glad that I rediscovered my old videos of them! Thanks, glad you enjoyed :)

[@leethomas84]

Thank you for the dedication and thanks for uploading this, it brings back so many memories, I loved my time in Bristol and met my wife there. “The Mall” as they were know had a habit of pulling out glass glass lifts to “open up the arcade” (have more room for concessions stands). They removed the glass Schindler in Gloucester Eastgate centre for a similar reason. When I worked here there was always a queue for these lifts on a Saturday afternoon. I don’t think they were linked together, making them less efficient, you’d frequently get both lifts called when only one was needed. These lifts were right outside the shop I worked in, I spent way too long watching them.

[@lovelifts1736]

No worries, glad you enjoyed the video! I'd be the same if I worked in that store with the lifts outside...! That's a lovely story about your time in Bristol, I love the city too. :)

[@kalifts]

Very interesting video! Those lifts look great too, shame they are no longer there just like so many great lifts that have been replaced! Also milkshake and muffin while watching lifts sounds the perfect way to spend time for me!

[@lovelifts1736]

Thanks! I agree with everything you said there :)

[@ZZ9ProductionsOFFICIAL]

those look very nice, its a shame they are no longer there

[@lovelifts1736]

It really is, they were such nice lifts to ride :(

[@martindavis6115]

I live in Bristol and this is a great trip down memory lane. Not only the fact The Galleries had these awesome lifts but back then the shops were so much better than they are now.

[@lovelifts1736]

Couldn't agree more! It's so sad to see the centre itself go downhill too :(

[@interstat2222]

Now they’re planning to demolish the whole centre. We are so wasteful.

[@benfletcher9659]

Yes Bristol was so much better 1990's/first half of the 2000's. It's going to be nothing but over priced London shops with flats/gyms above them (like where the Apple shop is). Bristol just seems full of pretentious 'cool' Londoners.

[@benfletcher9659]

I actually forgot about these! Sadly the Galleries has been a sorry staye sibce 2008 when the recession happened and then Cabot Circus opened and it never really recovered. I remember going to the Galleries from 1991-2000 and it was packed. Its getting demolished next year.

[@lovelifts1736]

Yeah, it was a great shopping area back in its day, and I absolutely agree that it was such a shame to see it go massively downhill. Yeah I've seen an online article of the plans for the site once the centre will get demolished. To be completely honest, it sounds good however it just won't be the same without the centre which is an absolute thing of nostalgia. 🙁

[@benfletcher9659]

@@lovelifts1736 I lived in Bristol for 38 years and its changed more in the last 16 years then it did the whole time. I am near Cardiff now and don't really go back. I am sure people in Cardiff say Cardiff was better too. Just seems that the 1990's were better.

[@LIFTEXCELSIOROfficial]

I'm tempted to make these in Skyscrapersim XD nice video!

[@lovelifts1736]

Thanks, I think they'll look great in Skyscraper :D

[@LIFTEXCELSIOROfficial]

@@lovelifts1736 Out of interest do you have Skyscraper installed?

[@lovelifts1736]

@@LIFTEXCELSIOROfficial I don't, and I'm not sure if the laptop will have enough space for it XD

[@bobswan6196]

Cables! I remember cables...

[@lovelifts1736]

Nostalgia eh? ;)

[@Lift.Tracker]

Is the same lift still there, but just modernised?

[@lovelifts1736]

No, these have been completely removed, and the Thyssenkrupps were installed in a different part of the centre. :)

[@elevatorsfromswitzerland968]

What are the actual elevators in that centre ?

[@lovelifts1736]

Right now, there's 2 big Thyssenkrupp Isis MRL's which aren't glass, and modernised Schindlers at the car park :)

[@guksack]

The place really lost its character the second they took those out. The place looks even older and dated than it actually is now.

[@EverydayEverything360]

That's sad. This reminds me of what happened to the galas lifts at the Royals Centre in Southend.

[@lovelifts1736]

What lifts were at the Royals Centre? I agree, such a shame and a loss! :(

[@EverydayEverything360]

@@lovelifts1736 In a video by Beno it looks like they were some modded H+C lifts. The video is: m.kzbin.info/www/bejne/amrQfoiKatKDhqM.

[@lovelifts1736]

@@EverydayEverything360 So sad to see that those have been adandoned :(