Paternoster: The rare lift that went over the top - BBC News

As one of the last examples of a unique elevator closes in Leicester, is it hasta la vista Paternoster?
Please subscribe HERE bit.ly/1rbfUog
World In Pictures • WORLD IN PICTURES
Big Hitters • MUST SEE VIDEOS
Just Good News • Just good news

[@caseyvee4419]

Paternoster= The Lord's Prayer. Which I guess most people say before boarding this thing.

[@FatSnorlax]

Shame I think they’re really cool

[@stephenpearce3880]

There is a paternoster lift at Loughborough college in the UK. It was actively used and loved by all there in the 1980's when I was a student. But sadly it has now been boarded over and not used. It really was a great system and very good at moving hundreds of students efficiently. I think it was about 7 floors. Such a shame it was stopped. I'm sure with modern safety systems and sensors it could be made safe. Another win for the overzealous Health and safety brigade . Well done to Sheffield University for keeping theirs

[@christinestromberg4057]

We had one at Sheffield University in the 90s. Don't know if they still us it.

[@RosesAreGold1]

@@christinestromberg4057we do indeed!

[@fitfinlay999]

Yes I remember using it in the 1970’s

[@paddydowney6269]

I used one in an old office block in Zwolle, Holland about 10 years ago and no one back home would believe me when I described how it worked 😂

[@ahjtate]

Wonderful video. Paternoster lifts were/are wonderful. Only ever known one place that had one and that was when I used to work at AEE Winfrith in the 1970s. It was in the main admin block. That one had flaps in the ceiling of each floor that opened upwards so that if you were on the upward side and left your foot sticking out it would lift the flap and your foot would NOT be chopped off. Similar flap in the floor of each compartment worked on the downward side if you happened to leave your foot over the edge when waiting to get into the compartment - again the flap would lift. Yes you could go around the top without turning upside down. Efficient as you never really had to wait more than a few seconds max before you could step into a lift compartment - unlike a conventional lift where you press the call button and can wait ages for the one cabin to arrive.

[@gbartlett57]

That is part of a film made for the one show about paternoster lifts which I took part in during 2013, that's me holding the first rosary

[@arfriedman4577]

Rad awesome cool

[@southwedger]

Fascinating!

[@pentuplemintgum666]

I've ridden something similar. In an industrial setting its merely a conveyor belt with foot pads and hand bars. If you do get to the top, if you can avoid being scraped off by an I beam, you will be upside-down. Also, safety is in the hands of the user. It too is likely a relic of a bygone era. The one I've seen is in an old distillery turned ethanol plant.

[@omelette4604]

that’s interesting, although paternosters don’t go upside down at the top/bottom - they go sideways. i think it’s a shame these elevators are slowly disappearing; it’s the people that make them dangerous.

[@TRRailfan]

They should just install sensors so people aren’t crushed. I would love to use one of these!

[@Amolika51]

In Sheffield, still runs, but there are two normal lifts opposite as well

[@donnastevens8832]

Used one of these at my local tech ... not much fun during a rush like class changes, but not really much different from stepping on and off an escalator or rolling pavement, just moves at a different angle

[@arfriedman4577]

Im American. I didnt know about these in 1996. I just saw in the last week on YT.

[@williamevans9426]

'Sorry to see the Leicester Uni paternoster's been retired, 'though when I worked there I was nervous on the few occasions I had to use it!

[@pierrecoutetshinken]

Aston University 1971. I looped the loop for fun on occasion

[@fitfinlay999]

Loughborough university used to have one

[@nicholasm2966]

There is one in Frankfurt Germany too! I enjoyed it :)

[@crsmale]

I remember there used to be one at Imperial College as well, back in the early 80s

[@deanferguson9008]

I worked in The Imperial College till 1990, and as I recall it was still there.

[@luckylife99]

Awesomeeeee

[@lucymccarthy7346]

there used to be one of these at uce birmingham university. my friend and I wanted to know what would happen if we just stayed on it. we did & it just turned around & you went into the dark for a bit for both basement & at the very top. 👌

[@lisahenry20]

I went on one at my uni for the first time today and I ended up getting off one floor early because I was worried about passing the last floor and sonething happening.

[@pierrecoutetshinken]

1971.it was called Aston University. Looping the loop was fun

[@tomv3361]

So are we going to ignore the fact that those have sensors which immidiately stop the lift a slightest sign of anything getting trapped and also the safety flaps?

[@SuperKasper333]

Saw this in "Dalziel and "Pascoe" and was trying to explain it to my daughter. Well, now I know what it is.

[@favesongslist]

I used to use the paternoster at GEC Borehamwood, it was once used for filming a James Bond clip as Elstree Studios was based not far away. Funny thing was the Russians stole the Tornado fighter and Nimrod radar plans from the same building.

[@lecturesoniesgatepreparati8554]

Wow what a building

[@giobattaglini]

Eu sou do Brasil e adoraria conhecer um elevador desse. Sei que existe em alguns países, mas não aqui.

[@miniena7774]

Very funny title.

[@asd36f]

How easy was it to do maintenance and repairs on a paternoster lift?

[@omicron942]

There's one in the library at the Uni of Essex too

[@tomlinid]

Is it still there I got stuck in it in the 1980's.

[@omicron942]

Yep, I was on it today.

[@gbartlett57]

I've been on that a few times

[@driedsock449]

That's maybe dangerous, but it's fun!

[@brianmorrison9168]

in the 80s, there was one of these in The Claremont Tower at The University of Newcastle upon Tyne.

[@OrbvsTomarvm]

did it go all the way down to the pandon burn stream below ground?

[@brianmorrison9168]

@@OrbvsTomarvm Yeah, I often wondered why it was always wet ... that must have been the reason.

[@OrbvsTomarvm]

@@brianmorrison9168 OMG HAHAHAHHA nice try !i jus fooleded u ! , acktewally da goverment dunt sent esculaters down too streems nymor so u r a lier , !. brian morisons is neva bin too newcastel at all nd is probly from sumwhere reelly silly like iceland an russia HAHAHAHHAH

[@user-hg3bk1nw2x]

I guess im the only one in 2019..

[@ianjackson3273]

I remember using the one at Leicester Poly's James Went building1978-82, used to do a full-loop ride. Bit daunting up over the top and down at the engines but great fun! Dangerous, scary? Yup, so what, grow a pair

[@zaxchannel2834]

Better than the inconvenience of waiting all the time for a lift. Also don't need to touch a gross button

[@yolrivers1866]

I guess the steps would be safer. There isn't even enough head room. Scary to hop on and off.

[@lift_brisll]

Me being a lift enthusiast at 13 I really want to get on one before they all go but there all so far away from me lol

[@AuntyM66]

We had one at St Thomas's hospital.

[@PGBrown-qu8yz]

I remember using that in 1972. Seemed fun to me.

[@davidbresson8716]

There is quite pretty one in the Danish parliament.

[@tomwilson5108]

#Savethecrew

[@skyblueamusements]

I didn’t know there was on in Leicester

[@stu8998]

ZackYT Gaming it used to be in the James Went building, which was demolished and turned into something else for the uni

[@1963TOMB]

@@stu8998 Remember it well 1981-84: our Maths and Computer lectures were in the Jimmy Went building: it was the only time we were allowed out of the Hawthorne building - they didn't want engineers mixing with the rest of society!

[@paulanderson79]

I've never been fond of open cast lifts such as these and probably wouldn't ride on one. However, I'd never previously considered the dangers of loose clothing in these things until 0:22. Be careful sweets, please.

[@1234jajadingdong]

Someone was just crushed and killed by one of these this week in Berlin btw…

[@larryscott3982]

MIND THE GAP really!

[@michaelhaddleton2739]

Which half of you gets to the top first ?

[@icyboy771z]

What happens if you get off halfway and the lift goes up?

[@paulanderson79]

There are apparently wires that will stall the motors in the event of this happening. Personally I wouldn't use one.

[@lisahenry20]

@@paulanderson79 there's a rope/wire at the top near the ceiling of each floor which says to pull on in an emergency

[@malayalamhdtutorials532]

Lisa Henry Thats stupid. What a rope can do when your hands are on the other floor.

[@teslacoiler]

​@@malayalamhdtutorials532 You don't need to grab any wire to stop the elevator: the safety wires are placed near the edges in a way that you can't place an hand, foot or other parts of the body in a dangerous places without disturbing any of the safety wires. If you misplace an arm the elevator automatically stops just before before chopping it! :-)

[@lecturesoniesgatepreparati8554]

Kobe is good camping in lifts

[@sixmagpies]

Properly named "The Darwinian lift".

[@christinestromberg4057]

I used the one in the Arts Tower at Sheffield Uni for the three years I was there in the 90s. Perfectly safe if a bit nervewracking the first time you used it. The only problem was that some idiot first years would stay in as it went over the top causing it to alter the balance and come to a halt. Then people woul'd be stuck in the compartments until the engineers were called to get it going again. It was actually quite amusing seeing just peope's legs or heads as you stood waitung.

[@danandlaundry]

I hope someone makes a roblox experience with this because as much as I can't do it irl pls can I in roblox

[@noxious_nights]

I'd much rather just take the stairs...

[@danielthomas791]

….is this where "try not to lose your head" comes from???...….

[@purpleturkey1792]

Fuck to that, I'll use the stairs thank you 😊

[@cantthinkofnameyeah7249]

Why doesn't the thing stop for a second

[@paulanderson79]

The whole principle is efficiency. These things can shift far more people than conventional lifts (elevators) can. Personally I think I'd just be patient and use a normal lift.

[@cantthinkofnameyeah7249]

@@paulanderson79 That still doesn't answer the question you would still be able to shift twice as much people if it just stopped for a second

[@paulanderson79]

@@cantthinkofnameyeah7249 sum up those seconds over a whole day and less people will be moved. Things can't start and stop instantly.

[@cantthinkofnameyeah7249]

@@paulanderson79 I summed it up and it would be much faster than a regular elevator and also safer then the design in the video

[@caroleast9636]

Think about it. There would be people at other floors timing their step on/off. Sudden stops wouldn’t be very helpful.

[@buffya8012]

The thing is (and even more so these days) is that they completely exclude the whole reason for an elevator in the first place,to help people that cannot climb stairs…anybody with a disability cannot use these or anyone with a stroller or such…I get that when they were built they were just meant to be people movers in general but I imagine this is why so many have been “retired”,because to a large part of the population they are completely useless and/or dangerous….not to mention I can see something horrible happening if anyone decided to play daredevil on them…beautiful and useful in the past,nowadays not so much 🤷🏻‍♀️

[@totallynoteverything1.]

Then add a 10 second delay every time it reaches a floor

[@paulanderson79]

That is actually a very canny idea. Good thinking.

[@chochesitowider2685]

Ni cagando me subo

[@Jackobee231]

I really think it's dangerous

[@scooped85]

Jack Thomas snowflake millennial

[@TheMercury-13]

No danger if it's used CORRECTLY with COMMON SENSE; people actually thinking about what they're doing?! Maybe not so good for those absorbed in their mobile 'phones..

[@TheMercury-13]

'snowflake millennial' sounds so lovely; like a sparkly frosted icing bun :'D

[@katotoy6755]

It's dangerous especially to those people who cannot get their eyes off from their smartphone.. ^_^

[@user-ke7hp1kq5k]

اول

[@cornetapluspluseleven9296]

r/TIHI

[@_GhostMiner]

Sad that there wasn't czech lift

[@TheMercury-13]

It's a BBC vid about UK Paternoster lifts but here's a Czech 1 :) ~ 'The Elevator of Death' is a bit misleading tho'... :'D kzbin.info/www/bejne/gYHHqJtvqcSNhpI

[@_GhostMiner]

In Saecula Saeculorum i know but in this vid xD

[@GordonGarvey]

There should probably be a stop button for disabled people.

[@lisahenry20]

At Sheffield uni there's a normal lift as well for disabled or handicapped people. I suppose you can compare it to escalators which aren't very handicap friendly.

[@steelgrey2000]

handicapped access???

[@artski09]

no

[@Immortal__]

Shut up chuck

[@xavier6130]

SArpnt _I wish that they were more common._

[@Fireglo]

Back when these were invented handicapped people were kept in cages.

[@OrbvsTomarvm]

i fell ofs one off dis an me hed fells of HAHAHAHH

[@quarans08]

Tom Rose you did?

[@OrbvsTomarvm]

@@quarans08 sumtimes ./! ,

[@smartbaba1321]

Is anyone dies yet in this ?

[@TheMoggiemum]

As someone in a wheelchair these are terrible! Absolutely wouldn't want to visit anywhere with one

[@Immortal__]

Use an alternative then.. stop moaning.

[@Aspen_Husky]

Places by law have to have a normal lift :)

[@malayalamhdtutorials532]

SArpnt This is stupid even if its focused on the mature people because everyone today have their phone glued on their hands no one look around the surroundings. This machine is a death invitation, nothing less.

[@caroleast9636]

Actually they help wheelchair users. Paternoster are very efficient at shifting crowds. That frees up the normal lifts

[@kierancurtis8545]

Darwinism comes to mind....

[@Fireglo]

Another idiot who doesn't understand the natural selection theory at all.

[@_Super_Hans_]

Tom Scott has a video about paternosters that's much better than this shit. I don't even like him and I would still recommend it over this.

[@jean-paul7251]

Bbc over playing ethnic element

[@jagaimeow]

NO thanks

[@sumz1721]

Dangerous