Brutal concrete car parks in Birmingham - searching for rocking horse s**t lifts

[@koobydotnet]

Fascinating to see a car park become less accessible over time.

[@idl3k_elev]

It's such a shame that the first lifts were no longer working, but you're right. The first ones are much better than the modernised ones. I always love old derelict lifts especially when they are of very rare brands. I noticed the floor numbering in the building has been changed but not on the lifts.

[@mrmattandmrchay]

oh yeah! Would love to get into that motor room of the first lifts. I guess it would look something like this... kzbin.info/www/bejne/m2iopXunh9Can7c

[@ZZ9ProductionsOFFICIAL]

how on earth is that modernisation in the second car park not been redone again for DDA compliance??

[@Fiery.Dragon]

About the buttons... Ms. Markle lives on the 50th floor of her highrise tower. When Ms. Markle goes shopping on a sunny day, she takes the lift up to the 10th floor, and walks the rest of the way up to the 50th floor, but on rainy days Ms. Markle takes the elevator directly to the 50th floor. Why? :)

[@Fiery.Dragon]

Answer:..... Ms. Markle is quite short, and she uses her umbrella to push the 50th floor button, but only carries it with her on rainy days... on sunny days, Ms. Markle can only reach the 10th floor button.

[@dieseldragon6756]

I live on the first floor of a three level block and absolutely *love* power walking, to the extent I'll only consider using the lift for convenience if I'm going 30 floors or more. 🛗 Might Mrs. Markle be interested in a swap? 😇

[@gabrielcoyle3067]

Why is the lift motor so silent ?

[@ALANSWEETIES99]

That quite cool to these elevators to find. See 7:24sec. Is my dad's old auntie live Mason Way in Birmingham. She working motoring machinery Ltd. Excellent video, mate! ^_^

[@Nik-8it5p]

The lifts and the ramp obviously designed for a totally different era! 👍👍

[@SamSitar]

how do you have that tall a car park without lifts?! those box shape lifts look great.

[@mrmattandmrchay]

Good question, and this car park has no doubt been without lifts for a long time now. But I'd rather they didn't modernise them (or gave me the fixtures haha!)

[@FM60260]

Is there anywhere in Greater Manchester that still has old relay operated lifts?

[@railroadelevators9258]

I thought I heard RELAYS from the modernized lift and it appears to only be a slap-on mod and the motor sounds NICE!

[@mrmattandmrchay]

There will still be some contactors, which are essentially relays but they switch higher current. Most lifts have contactors, but they are controlled by a PCB rather than 'other relays'.

[@kylekinghorn4509]

@@mrmattandmrchay in Southampton we used to have a rare 1950's Evans lift which is sadly now derelict

[@dykodesigns]

Wow, cocrete architecture at it's best for me! That exit ramp is pretty narrow though, I would drive through it really slowly not scratch my dad's car. I wonder why on the second lift, the fixtures are so high up. No way a child or a disabled person could reach them. That's almost sarcastic, good luck trying to reach the button for top floor. But what amazes me is that they kept this with the modernization.

[@mrmattandmrchay]

+dykodesigns2yt Not a lot of thought went into the COP design but at least they didn't put the alarm button at the top like they used to do on old lifts... that was to prevent kids pressing the alarm button in error. I love old concrete structures

[@dykodesigns]

It just amazes me how little that cared about accessibilty for the elderly and wheelchair users back then. Everything was designed with the average use case in mind. It's almost that they didn't want kids to use lifts. I know a flat where the lifts stop at the in-between floors stair landings, where you have to climb half a flight of stairs. Also the two lifts each skip three floors (different ones per lift). They don't design that like this anymore for obvious reasons but in the 60's they devised all sorts of solutions to limit the number of stops to keep the controllers simple and the cost down. I have a video about a flat with this design.

[@martinalooksatthings]

I liked the architecture of Pershore St Car Park, but actually parking there was horrible. As well as the extremely narrow exit, the concrete kerbs around the ramps caved in the sill on my Mondeo a long time ago, when I was parking in the only space left in the run up to Christmas.

[@mrmattandmrchay]

Yes, I remember the exit well! You had to carefully go down that ramp else you'd catch the corner as you go round! Challenging car park that one! It's no longer there anymore, was flattened about 2 years ago.

[@Satters]

Our Staff Car Park, also a Brutal Concrete Birmingham Multi Storey, has untouched Express Lifts that have been switched off for years, it's great that they are original, I wish I could enjoy them rather than climb the stairs to the roof after a night shift !

[@mrmattandmrchay]

Thank you very much for the comment, I was wondering if you could PM me with the location of the car park you mention? (I tried to PM you but I don't think you have Google+). Thanks. Matt

[@Satters]

will do

[@Satters]

hope you got my message

[@mrmattandmrchay]

+Satters yes I did get the message. I will have a look on google maps to see exactly where that is. Did you say that these old express lifts are now switched off? Can they still be accessed? Thanks for the info. Matt

[@Satters]

yes they are switched off, the car park is card access though, and I don't have a key to the motor room for a look either :( but I will try to explore further

[@ZLDSmogless]

At yorkhill hospital Glasgow, there were six old otises, and now five of them have been modernised by LML! One of them is a staff lift (modernised) two don't work two are in service and I don't think the old one works anymore. To reiterate, I DON'T THINK it does, but apparently it's for the operating theatre.

[@peterhogben3304]

They kept the old Rotunda in Birmingham when they built the new Bull Ring Shopping Centre.

[@themaconeau]

At least it wasn't a complete modernisation with the second set. But yes, disappointing that the beefy motor room sound was absent :(

[@VintageLiftLad]

I love Brutalism, one of my favourite types of architecture. Shame the lifts in the first one were derelict

[@mrmattandmrchay]

But derelict means they are preserved :)

[@urgentkestrel7990]

Are the lifts and Car Park still their in 2022 ?

[@blue.light.fazbear]

The modded lift on the right overran the top floor

[@hehwowyes]

sadly, both of these carparks have now been demolished.

[@aprilkolwey4779]

I think I prefer the modernized working ones for the simple fact that you can ride them. Broken ones, on the other hand, are even more boring than modded ones because of the simple fact that the most you can do is look.

[@mrmattandmrchay]

+Carter Kolwey (cheapie) I know what you mean but for me a modernised lift is just a means of getting from A to B... I have no interest in them at all :(

[@MrAustinPowers]

Wouldn’t the cost of steel work cost more than cost of repairing lifts as only disabled people can park on ground floor

[@hw-of4pl]

So if a old Bennie lift button fixture broke recently, will the lift button be fitted with a new button panel or one of express' buttons?

[@mrmattandmrchay]

+tib1186z videos i would imagine that if the engineer couldn't get hold of the express button (doubt Bennie buttons would be in existence ) then it would justify replacing the whole COP to a new one. As time goes on clients have to understand that the panel is XX years old and parts cannot be sourced anymore.

[@HN02_]

Those 2nd lifts remind me of the almost original Evans lifts at Barnsley Market.

[@mrmattandmrchay]

The car parks also remind me of the old "get carter" gateshead car park (google it) although it was demolished in 2010.

[@TheHiddenSNOW]

My university art building is concrete and has two lifts, one smaller people lift and then a larger heavy machinery lift. Both so loud and slow, quicker and easier to take the stairs ahaha

[@OmgItsElliot]

if you want old lifts and i mean OLD LIFTS, go to weston super mare. Most hotels on the seafront have really old GATED lifts with manual doors. I recommend Smiths hotel and Seaward Hotel.

[@mrmattandmrchay]

Thanks for the recommendation. When we go to the beach, I love exploring looking for likely buildings that may have an old lift. I'll have to google earth them and see if I'm near by at some stage, although I hate walking into small hotels when I know i'm not a guest there.

[@TransportationONLY]

mrmattandmrchay old lifts works better than new one New one are back and have really slow levelling I just wish that the lifts can get oldernised but still able to work properly....

[@EdwardMason9000]

@MrMattandMrChay - A crime has been committed in my local Debenhams, the classic 70's Otis has been replaced with a modern KONE, RIP!

[@mrmattandmrchay]

Unfortunately it's inevitable! It's our job to record them before it happens (and the motor room of course haha!)

[@EdwardMason9000]

I know, it's such a shame, though that lift was always a bit scary. I found an OTIS Europa 2000 in a block of flats near me and I'm not entirely sure how old and/or worth recording it is. Thirdly, if found a 70's OTIS in BHS in Leicester, i thought it was an Evans at first but then I noticed the V shaped key. If you are in Leicester before BHS closes down, I would definitely recommend a shoot.

[@imdone9735]

Tubedude10 nooooooooooo

[@mooncatandberyl5372]

so you went to Birmingham and just hung out in some old car parks, and didn't go the university to see the famous pasternoster lift? i hope you don't make the same mistake if you go to Sheffield. you probably know this, but there are some interesting lifts in some of the tube stations in London, many of these lifts are out of action.

[@mrmattandmrchay]

I've had my eye on these for a while, as old scary lifts is my interest. Paternosters are kind of interesting, but I'd have to go into the motor room before I make a video on them. Not sure just riding on one would interest me that much, especially as I can probably find them already on the internet.

[@mooncatandberyl5372]

@@mrmattandmrchay yeh you can find out about pasternoster lifts online, but seeing something online is not the same as experiencing it in real life, but i get ya about not being interested in going in one, there are several in different universities in England. in my opinion, in many respects,ironically, i think they are safer than conventional lifts, such as there are no doors, so no chance of doors shutting and lift moving with someone stuck in door, they go slow, etc, etc. even though i am not into lifts there are some interesting ones in some tube stations, although many are out of action.

[@DevonCornwallTransportVideos]

if i sent you a link to a photo on my flickr album of lift pics i took just the outside of would you be able to tell me what lifts they are, i think i may have found a really old one in a car park where the now closed toys r us is, witch if you come down to plymouth i recommend visiting this car park area, you can see on google maps a big green bridge with old out of use lifts with the original buttons and indicators (like the arrow lights) would be great to know if the lifts in the car park that still work are old as they look un touched

[@mrmattandmrchay]

Yes, that would be cool if you send me the flickr link then I'll take a look. Regarding Plymouth, would love to come down there but this is miles away from where I live and would take me about 3-4 hours to get there. And it's not really worth the fuel or travel expenses just to see a lift. If I'm ever down that way for work then this is different, but this is not an area that I've ever visited. Anyway, yep, pls send me a link to the photos.

[@DevonCornwallTransportVideos]

ok not a problem, even though myself i live in plymouth i never thought of doing videos or had a chance to here is just a few, i seems the swing door lift i found is not in the album so no idea where that gone to, the button pic is there though www.flickr.com/photos/129979430@N03/albums/72157683361916685 (edit, i just found out a council block not far from the toys r us has a express lift witch looks like it had new buttons but looks like the one in your council block video)

[@DevonCornwallTransportVideos]

ive now done a little bit of exploring and have added to that album link google map snips of the known lift areas and saying what they are from i know of them witch may help you to understand what the ones in old toys r us are, ill be going back there next week to get more pics of them, will try and see if the motor room is open for you

[@mrmattandmrchay]

Hi Bradley (your name right?). I can see you've spent a lot of time making all them maps. If I were to go out into public areas looking for old lifts, the ratio of finding an old lift would be about 1 in 100. Therefore, I've concluded that finding an old lift in a public area is so remote that it's no longer worth looking. In fact, I reached this conclusion back in 2012! ;) Is the old lift you mention in public, or is it behind closed doors? Unfortunately Plymouth is about a 4-5 hour drive away for me and I have never been down that way for work (only about 8 years ago when I was on holiday). So about the old lift photos, when where these taken? Are these recent? The second "lift button" photo looks interesting, as do all of those lifts. If these are still accessible then it might be worth finding the building manager and seeing if he/she would be prepared to show you around? I can help if you want, but you'd have to do a bit of finding out first. Matt

[@DevonCornwallTransportVideos]

Hi, yes my name is bradley :) ,all the maps i made this mouth so are updated to what i know of, the black lift button looks to me like its a swing door as there is just a door with a handle next to the button, all the photos of lifts i got there are in public places and have not changed from when i took the pics sadly the ones i said was in BHS are still there and work but shop is now empty so may get modded if shop is reused, All the maps are public buildings, 3 of them are pubic council buildings so most likely need to ask to use them, one of them i been in was a very old kone with a green screen, next week i can you more info on lifts as i got alot of free time to explore (ive updated the maps to say what the buildings are)

[@colaholiker1170]

I agreee about the "what is worse" rating. Even though it is funny to watch you "speeding" (I know it is just the video not the car that is fast) across the "SLOW" marks. :o) The narrow ramp reminds me of the old location of an electronics store here in Frankfurt. They had an underground car park with narrow curved ramps down and up again and fought a constant battle repainting the walls, with drivers re-streaking them every day (distance sensors on cars were much less common compared to today, especially in the front). Even though they had a nice old lift (hydraulic though) I hated driving there.

[@mrmattandmrchay]

I remember an underground car park to a place we used to visit. It's along the Marylebone road in London. Anyway, the ramp and car park must have been built for smart cars. Nearly on every bend you had to go forward-backward-forward-backward to line you car up so you could go up/down the ramps. Ridiculously small and no maneuvering space. The car park was quite large as well, but took a lot of energy to use it without damaging your car. Wish I could film it, but this was ages ago and the building's been renovated since then.My distance sensors are active all the time for some reason (it is a design feature). They go all the way round the car (I have "active park assist" (which moves the steering wheel for you to park). I never use it but it gets some "wow" for passengers when I show them!

[@colaholiker1170]

Wow, where I live such an "active park assist" could come handy. My car only measures the distance between its rear end and any obstacle, and only while driving backwards... But the story about the car park reminds me of the car parks at the airport here in Frankfurt. Especially the old ones (underground levels close to terminal 1). Designed in the 1960s for the cars that were common back then with a layout that was a clever thought, but causes problems today. The spiral ramps are okay, the "main access road" on each level also... then you have to make a 90° turn into the parking row (passing through a ticket barrier, which a) gives you a ticket with the correct level and row marking on it and b) gives them the opportunity to make parking close to the terminal access more expensive), and from that row there are 45° markings on each side. Perfectly easy to get in and out... in theory. Nowadays cars are wider than 1960s cars, so people can't follow the markings and just park next to each other. Unfortunately cars are counted when entering and exiting each row, and the system indicates vacant spaces depending on the number of cars counted in. But wait.. wider cars means less cars to fit into the same space.. so you enter a row and find that there is no space left. Or one you could drive into, but only if you are driving a convertible and can clinb out through the roof. And the only way to get into a different row is to completely leave the car park, drive around it and enter it again. Thankfully they started to reduce the number of cars per row now, but unfortunately all the ongoing renovation made them modernize the lifts too...

[@dieseldragon6756]

Talking of lifts in car parks; You might want to check out the ones in the Wellington Centre in Aldershot sometime if you can. They've been aesthetically updated with modern displays and controls (At least on the shopping centre levels) but the cars, motors and even control gear are probably original, as you can clearly hear if you stand below the motor room on car-park level 13. 🔊 The Wellington Centre management aren't at all bothered about the centres upkeep (This shows in hydraulic spalling that's presenting in some places) and the goods lifts haven't been operable for years, so I don't think any upgrades on their part will have done anything more than surface level touch-ups, especially given they'll let two of the three stand OOU if they can't be bothered to fix them. A potential wolf in sheeps clothing, this one! 👍 (I keep meaning to get some video of these myself as I'm local, but I'm extremely shy and fighting a *very* difficult spell of depression at the moment which makes it impossible to get out. So apologies if I prove to be about as much use as a Class 153 in the rush hour on this one... 🚈🇬🇧😇

[@aaronthefunnyboi5656]

Whoever removed the lifts at the 1st car park has no respect for the disabled. It's the same at Brighton Marina car park

[@peterhogben3304]

Could the council not fund lift repairs?

[@sgnjamcitydevteam6913]

I hate multi story car parks. They never give you enough room to get past anyone -.- especially those Q parks and NCP ones. God I wish I never have to see one of them but I do -.-

[@ALANSWEETIES99]

Wow, how disappointed these elevators may could gone or no longer plan for updated isn't??? What a surprised you visit there and is a shame might is cease for usual the car park, wasn't. See 1:40sec.

[@mrmattandmrchay]

I would love to go back here to film that motor room, but this takes ages to arrange and a lot of effort - mostly they say "no" quoting "it's against health and safety" no matter what I tell them about me.

[@TerryClarkAccordioncrazy]

Sadly health and safety is now the last refuge of the unimaginative rather than being any real contribution to the public good, and it's great that you're documenting this fascinating technology before it disappears. As a teenager it was my dream to enter these lift machine rooms as well as traffic light cabinets, telephone exchanges, and in fact anything with workings hidden behind the scenes. The lift motor rooms are among the things I've not yet managed to visit in person during my career and thus I'm so grateful to you for filming this stuff.

[@yosefmacgruber1920]

I think part of the problem is that far too few people have reasonable discretion on their jobs. People just are not respected much anymore. They say "It's against health and safety" because somebody higher up than them in their job hierarchy may not approve, due to "liability" issues. Now which is more important? Taking pride in the old equipment and preserving the beauty and history, or keeping one's job? I think most people tend to choose the latter. Many maintenance people, if they were respected, might be proud to show off the old historic equipment, especially if they know that it will be properly shared on KZbin. I hear that chemistry sets for children, are much more boring than they were in the past. Most everything potentially dangerous has been removed. Maybe in some ways it would have been better to keep the dangers, write really good experiment instructions, and include good safety glasses and gloves? I wish we could do a better job respecting the old equipment. Somehow be able to keep it in good working order, and leave it in, when new "modernized" equipment is also added. In a car park, to add something new while keeping the old elevator(s) as well, would mean tacking the new onto the side of the structure, well since room for modern expansion, was not included in the original design. Or a new addition could get a new elevator, while the old part of the building keeps the old elevator. I think that when old houses are remodeled or modernized, it is a good idea to leave in a few remnants of the old, if reasonably possible, to "respect the character of the house" and to not bury its history. For example, a room expansion that goes into some of the space of a spacious front porch, can include the old porch supports just jutting up through the wall, not hidden but rather proudly exposed. The only likely possible explanation of such a sight, is a testament of what it once was. What does it hurt, to leave a few remaining pieces of the old? We should learn from our history, rather than being ashamed of it and hiding it away. Video games often have elevators in them. And some video games have so-called "easter egg" bonuses, for the adventuresome explorer to find, that are not essential towards completing the game. Video games are getting much more detailed. Yet does any video game, really have a properly complicated elevator lift room, with plenty of cool looking pulleys and clicking relays or an accurate simulation of some old elevator system? Often in a video game, there is no access to any lift room or even into the elevator shaft. It depends upon the game.

[@MichalM]

9:40 Logic has been replaced

[@mrmattandmrchay]

Yep

[@MichalM]

@@mrmattandmrchay Slow as well - Any idea about the original speed of the lifts?

[@battytec]

odd that it has a bennie indicator, but express buttons

[@mrmattandmrchay]

There are loads of places where Express buttons have been fitted in place of old Bennie buttons. Including this: kzbin.info/www/bejne/m2iopXunh9Can7c Look at the buttons at the top and bottom of the Bennie COP

[@battytec]

mrmattandmrchay I always think bennie and express had some merge, as theyre very similar as in cab design

[@mrmattandmrchay]

Probably rival companies back in the 70s and 80s, but I think just the era that they were in - all lift interiors were very similar during this period, not like now with glass and LED cab lighting etc.

[@peterlomas984]

Non whatsoever what an appalling thought.

[@ronniezzzz]

big car mate

[@vinchenzo6845]

ooh ya visited ma hometown!

[@mrmattandmrchay]

yep.. used to be some interesting lift in Birmingham. Worked in en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Centre_City_Tower_(Birmingham) - used to be old otis lifts once upon a time (not since 2005 though :( )

[@Gosh_Josh]

what about a modernised derelict lift

[@mrmattandmrchay]

+josh gardner if it has LEDs then I'm not really that interested. LEDs were in use from about 1985ish

[@jessvalenzuela5717]

why put panels over the door and gate it, You can just put a piece of paper on the door saying "out of order"

[@mrmattandmrchay]

+Jess Valenzuela its to prevent vandalism. It may have cost a couple of thousand but the cost to keep repairing the doors when people smash them up over the years may cost more

[@zrellll]

do any of you know why its derelict?

[@mrmattandmrchay]

Sorry, I have no idea why the lifts were not modernised, but I'm not complaining as I wouldn't have made the video otherwise ;) The other lift featured in this video has been modernised. Did you see this video... kzbin.info/www/bejne/h6W7eYR3odmXr9k

[@DudeLuqYL]

You sound like the KZbinr LcLc

[@ST3VI3RICHI3]

Why didn't you try the call buttons I'm 12 by the way and i have a interest for how things work and technology @mrmattandmrchay

[@mrmattandmrchay]

I knew already that the lifts were turned off. Cannot see the state of the doors behind those blue metal panels, so there are probably loads of lock switches open which would prevent it moving even if it did have power.

[@mrmattandmrchay]

Check out the new video where I explore the motor room :) kzbin.info/www/bejne/h6W7eYR3odmXr9k

[@greengirl594]

Ffgggg

[@Tassiedevil127]

Why won’t they fix the damn elevators? Do they want handicap people getting splattered by cars traveling on the ramps?

[@mrmattandmrchay]

Car Park was demolished 2 years ago, guess that's why they didn't want to spend any money on them.