escalators

Read all about it - The Sydney Morning Herald, Wednesday 4 April 1923, p. 12. '... three escalators of the latest pattern will be provided. Each escalator will be four feet wide, of the reversible type, will be driven by an electric motor, will have a travelling speed of 90 feet per minute, and will have a capacity of 9000 to 10,000 passengers per hour ... Escalators, or moving stairways, are a simple, safe, and very effective method of passenger transportation from one level to another without any effort on the part of the passenger. When the passenger reaches the top or bottom of his journey he simply walks away. Escalators are in common use on railway stations in New York and London and other up-to-date cities, whilst they have been installed in many large drapery stores in the United States and Japan.' - trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/16053931

pellethepoet Thanks for adding this...simple instructions for using an escalator! AB

It was important information - they were the first escalators in Australia! And one ended up at Town Hall Station. The Milsons Point / Lavender Bay station was a temporary one to enable bridge construction. " From 27 April 1924, a new temporary station was brought into use, approximately 300 metres back along the line on the site of the present Lavender Bay car sidings, just beyond the present Luna Park amusement park. It was linked to the street by stairs and three escalators (one of which was transferred to Town Hall Station when the station closed and to a new adjacent ferry wharf. The tram line was also relocated to terminate adjacent to the entrance to the new station in Glen Street. The aforementioned escalators at Milsons Point were the first installed in Australia. " From - en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Milsons_Point_railway_station#History

pellethepoet beachcomber australia Museums of History NSW - State Archives Collection I wasn't aware that they were the first set of escalators installed in Australia - thanks for this information. Interesting too that there is some discussion about where the escalators ended up - I have it from a fellow Flickr'er that they ended up at Wynyard! Mind you I wouldn't believe everything I read in Wikipedia; I'd rather rely on official railway records - which I will source when I have time! (Not wishing to put down Beachcomber's research I hasten to add!)

John Cowper beachcomber australia pellethepoet First escalators in Australia? That's a great find! AB

wow....they look so modern!

Luc ...and shiny! AB

those wooden escalators are still there!

cam_railbuff Indeed they are - I used them only last weekend! Apparently they were originally installed at Milsons Point. www.heritage.nsw.gov.au/07_subnav_04_2.cfm?itemid=4803268

Fourth escalator not yet installed. Stairs are no longer readily accessible. Otherwise, pretty similar today

Are these the same escalators that are still there today? the ones that lead up towards York st?

Gorgeous, I'm glad they're still there. I wish they'd do some restoration on them though, bring out their true beauty.

You can only do so much with escalators over the years. After 80 year I would be surprised if some parts might be rusted despite all the oiling and maintenance that they do.

YuMaNuMa You might like this 1931 view of the escalators.

AB