In about March last year, Moto reportedly gutted the interior of the tower - hinting they might still be trying to utilise it for something. The main proof to this story is that the coffee advert lady in the window at 6:25 is now gone but nothing much seems to have happened since. Seeing the tower reopen would be pretty cool, but yeah, it's quite unlikely.
I got to see this place for myself recently, the Otis on the right is now gone I think, it’s got what I think is a false wall or advert over it. The modern lift was broken at the time I went there. I found out online that the tower used to be a restaurant, which closed due to fire safety problems.
It always surprises me that a color LCD display (about 320 x 240 px) is necessary to display just a single digit :). Thats 76 800 pixels instead of just 7 segments...
+DiodeGoneWild Very good point!! All lifts now seem to have colour LCD displays and perhaps this is over engineering the need to see the lift position when a far simpler and reliable method would be an LED display! Perhaps the lift company can mark up the price more with a more expensive display!
Think it's more that colour LCD panels nowadays are cheaper and more mass produced than ever before, probably costs the same as a single or double digit LED unit, plus it offers the capability to display anything with little modification. For example in this case if the tower restaurant is reopened the floor indicator could display the restaurant name instead of the actual floor number.
It's weird that hi-tech things like hi-res display or a microcontroller became cheaper than a screw, chunk of metal, few LEDs or so. Harder to make, yet much cheaper. But I still believe that using a sign that tells what is on each floor is a better solution. You just print new paper and shove it behind a glass frame :). Instead of reprogramming some display.
...and now the old parts from the modded lift could be useful for the remaining lift as spare parts! I have seen many machinerooms on Buildings with a mix of mods and oldies, were they keps old parts in service areas near machine rooms, or inside the rooms themselves!
As I grow older, I become more of a realist myself. It is a shame that finances don't bode well for this tower. It would be nice to travel back in time and have a look at this place in its glory days. Great video as always, Matt! :)
It certainly would be and thanks for comment. I've found a few photos and the barriers from the motorway did not look like they prevented a car accident flying up into the building!
I wonder if they kept any of the bits from the old lift? Would be a real shame if they were tossed, I would have paid some serious cash for those call stations!
The non-modernized lift probably didn't get updated due to budget. there were plans to move Costa into the tower, but the removal of aspestos is so expensive they couldn't afford it. It may be reopened in the future but they are updating everything else first.
Many thanks for your comment! That intro footage I came across by chance, it was never supposed to become my intro, but after watching it it become obvious that it was perfect for the job, especially with the floodlight illuminating the concrete ceiling! All-in-all, over my spare time it took 2 months to complete. It was also my first experience with motion tracking in Adobe Premiere to keep the "mrmattandmrchay" logo on the ceiling. This was a few years ago now :)
I wonder if they have modernised the out of order lift so that they can then turn off the working old Otis. if the tower remains closed then there is not the need for two lifts serving two floors. If the other lift gets modernised then I would see it as a good sign that they have intentions to reopen the tower. I had expected both old Otis lifts to be switched off at some point and a platform lift (similar to the one on the other side of the motorway). ------------------- The history of Rank is an interesting one- over the years they owned Odeon and other cinema chains (now part of AMC, film studios, film printing and distribution companies (later Deluxe Film), Rank Screen Advertising (now DCM), Butlins and Haven holiday camps/caravan parks, Rank Xerox (Co venture with Xerox, now 100% Xerox owned), Rank Strand (theatre lighting now owned by Phillips), nightclubs, part of Universal Studios Florida. Now they only own gambling companies (Mecca Bingo, Grosvenor Casinos and some online gaming sites.
Was going to call in the other day but didn't get time. I suspect the right lift will be left in its original state but switched off and blocked off from view. They have updated one lift I suspect to reduce maintenance costs as the knowledge required to maintain it is becoming more and more scarce as the older lift engineers (who would have a knowledge of these vintage installations) retire and as spare parts become difficult to come by. One lift should be sufficient especially if it is only trundling between the ground and first floor.
Thanks Matt. This really does interest me as it's not that far away from where I am. That old otis at Forton looks great. Do you think if you managed to get into the other old otis you showed us at the end it would be safe? Shame about the towers reality. I can't see it opening either if I'm honest. But let's hope that the money comes from somewhere and they find a use for it. Ben
Cool thanks. Which one was that? (mm:ss)? Do you mean the old goods lift? Yeah, I think they are still using it so it would probably still be safe, but last time I specially arranged the visit and had a lot more access than I did this time.
To be honest, probably not as I cannot see what else I can add. But I've had a few requests about this, so might do next time I'm passing (which isn't all that often).
Aww...shame about the newly modernized lift. I wish they could keep the other original lift so that they can give the customers both a ride of the past and now lol. Would be great if that happens :D Nice video as always, and may I know the name of the song in the beginning? I love that song.
I’d love to know if they bothered to replace the landings on the other floors or not. I wouldn’t think so, somehow, the lift may well just be running software for two floors now.
I would expect they have if only to provide easy access to the tower for maintenance. Although there was talk of plans to reopen the tower the lack of a secondary fire escape and only one working lift makes it unlikely in the short term. I suspect one lift was replaced to make it fully DDI compliant and to reduce maintenance costs.
Uhm, I did film all the elevators in this place. See the links at the end of the video or search for pennine tower lifts. I didn't film them all again in this video as I didn't have permission this time. Last visit was specially arranged.
Oh, yes sorry (thanks too). That is so strange : you had a ("royal") permission, and now, not for all. I think is not the shame peephole who had authorised you. (Sorry about my bad English)
I was there last week, I only live 1/2 hr away, used to cut through on my way to work many years ago. I was last up there in the late 80's when it was working. If you watch the previous video you can see the asbestos stickers everywhere, I think that's the excuse. There's a big vending machine in front of the old lift doors now on the ground floor.
+Simon Tay The architect was famous for elaborate buildings. At the time this should have been a selling point and attracted plenty of visitors. However fire regulations changed the tower was closed due to that. All facilities were moved to the lower floors. To update the building to accept visitors would take so much money. Also... why is there the need to open a tower with not much room when everything anyone needs is on the lower floors. I guess this was a 1960s design not compatible with current times. I cannot see it reopening personally
Lancaster - there's nothing left there anymore. The old otis is completely covered up, like you'd never know it was there. Hilton, there is an update coming soon.
Why can't they just gut the tower? Just make it a lookout, put some tables up there so people can eat with a view. Charge a small fee to get to the top like the space needle in Seattle I believe they charge $5USD per elevator to go to the top. So if your in a group of three and you strike up a conversation with another group of three and ride the lift to the top you can split the cost.
This is a question that lots of people have asked, and it all boils down to costs and recovery of the costs. Everything that anyone needs is on G and 1. The tower needs a lot of work done to it. There is a new lift there now, and according to the management, making the asbestos areas safe for the lift engineers to work in cost MORE than the cost of the new lift, and took a year to approve! There isn't a lot of room in the tower and spending millions making if fit for public use, well, you'd have to ask yourself the question, "for what reason"?
cool old 1970 Otis lift mrmatt the old Otis lifts are my favorite style lifts and we have a load of old Otis lifts in Australia . check out the old 1970 Otis lifts on my channel mrmatt I don't filmnew new lifts
ive got some sad news the Lancaster Forton old Otis lift has sadly been switched off WHY DID THEY DO THIS FOR IT WASENT A IDEO TO DO THAT STUPID MOTO RIP to the old otis lift 1968 to 2017 you will be missed and do a video nowwwwwwww boys for me
Too bad the mod is horrible generic. It would have been so much better if it was done by Otis, using their current fixtures instead of dewhurst. I think the economics of budget constraints are the realistic reason for the choiche of the generic lift beeing installed there. A mod by Otis would likely have been much more expensive and they probably couldn't justify the price premium.
![M6 Lancaster Forton - TOWER, old lifts & MOTOR ROOM [Pt3]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/PbzPcgBDNeA/mqdefault.jpg)
In about March last year, Moto reportedly gutted the interior of the tower - hinting they might still be trying to utilise it for something. The main proof to this story is that the coffee advert lady in the window at 6:25 is now gone but nothing much seems to have happened since. Seeing the tower reopen would be pretty cool, but yeah, it's quite unlikely.
Nice update. Please don't keep us waiting too long for Part 2 :)
Amazed that they only stopped at the first lift. Awesome vid
Me too. Thanks for the comment
I got to see this place for myself recently, the Otis on the right is now gone I think, it’s got what I think is a false wall or advert over it. The modern lift was broken at the time I went there. I found out online that the tower used to be a restaurant, which closed due to fire safety problems.
I was here today & there's now only one lift, the old Otis seems to have been covered up with an advert.
At least the new lift has a nice hi-res floor indicator...
[puts on fireproof suit] ;)
Enjoyed thank you. What is the music please? It's very calming.
everybody gangsta until the pennine tower resturant starts breathin
Brilliant video, thank you
I hope the old one hangs in there
Now it's not working but It's still here.
It always surprises me that a color LCD display (about 320 x 240 px) is necessary to display just a single digit :). Thats 76 800 pixels instead of just 7 segments...
+DiodeGoneWild Very good point!! All lifts now seem to have colour LCD displays and perhaps this is over engineering the need to see the lift position when a far simpler and reliable method would be an LED display! Perhaps the lift company can mark up the price more with a more expensive display!
Think it's more that colour LCD panels nowadays are cheaper and more mass produced than ever before, probably costs the same as a single or double digit LED unit, plus it offers the capability to display anything with little modification. For example in this case if the tower restaurant is reopened the floor indicator could display the restaurant name instead of the actual floor number.
It's weird that hi-tech things like hi-res display or a microcontroller became cheaper than a screw, chunk of metal, few LEDs or so. Harder to make, yet much cheaper. But I still believe that using a sign that tells what is on each floor is a better solution. You just print new paper and shove it behind a glass frame :). Instead of reprogramming some display.
These don’t look like colour screens. But they still would’ve been much cheaper, plus I guess it can be argued they look a bit nicer.
There is now a code keypad for the second and third floors.
I've been there this evening, the right lift is out of order again
...and now the old parts from the modded lift could be useful for the remaining lift as spare parts!
I have seen many machinerooms on Buildings with a mix of mods and oldies, were they keps old parts in service areas near machine rooms, or inside the rooms themselves!
As I grow older, I become more of a realist myself. It is a shame that finances don't bode well for this tower. It would be nice to travel back in time and have a look at this place in its glory days. Great video as always, Matt! :)
It certainly would be and thanks for comment. I've found a few photos and the barriers from the motorway did not look like they prevented a car accident flying up into the building!
I have probably told you hundreds of times by now that I was incredibly fascinated with elevators as a child.
Tracy Island, as we used to call it.
I wonder if they kept any of the bits from the old lift? Would be a real shame if they were tossed, I would have paid some serious cash for those call stations!
I would think so - Imagine trying to get those motors down!
Now it's not working anyone but it's still here.
great vid this is just up the road from me. I have some pics of some more old lifts you may be intrested in.
Thanks, and yes, certainly would be :) I'll attempt to send you a PM with my email (sending PMs via youtube seems to be difficult these days!)
The non-modernized lift probably didn't get updated due to budget.
there were plans to move Costa into the tower, but the removal of aspestos is so expensive they couldn't afford it. It may be reopened in the future but they are updating everything else first.
Interesting thanks.
what a cool video! nice to see the old Otis continues to live on though the new lift looks a bit crap, it's not Misubishi grrr!
your intro is fantastic... i'm a photographer an a video maker and i apreciate your job!!
Many thanks for your comment! That intro footage I came across by chance, it was never supposed to become my intro, but after watching it it become obvious that it was perfect for the job, especially with the floodlight illuminating the concrete ceiling! All-in-all, over my spare time it took 2 months to complete. It was also my first experience with motion tracking in Adobe Premiere to keep the "mrmattandmrchay" logo on the ceiling. This was a few years ago now :)
@@mrmattandmrchay what song is it?
They've boarded it up now and put toilets around that back, so can't see the lift anymore now unfortunately!
The remaining Otis passenger lift is no more and Lancaster services, they haven’t even replaced it they put panelling over it :(
I've been to the first service station! (I think)
I wonder if they have modernised the out of order lift so that they can then turn off the working old Otis. if the tower remains closed then there is not the need for two lifts serving two floors.
If the other lift gets modernised then I would see it as a good sign that they have intentions to reopen the tower.
I had expected both old Otis lifts to be switched off at some point and a platform lift (similar to the one on the other side of the motorway).
-------------------
The history of Rank is an interesting one- over the years they owned Odeon and other cinema chains (now part of AMC, film studios, film printing and distribution companies (later Deluxe Film), Rank Screen Advertising (now DCM), Butlins and Haven holiday camps/caravan parks, Rank Xerox (Co venture with Xerox, now 100% Xerox owned), Rank Strand (theatre lighting now owned by Phillips), nightclubs, part of Universal Studios Florida.
Now they only own gambling companies (Mecca Bingo, Grosvenor Casinos and some online gaming sites.
one lift is never enough, even for 2 floor, when the lift stops working how are people in wheelchair meant to go up/down if there isn't a 2nd lift
spinba11 They will turn the Otis on again!
To this day, the tower is shut and the sole remaining 1965 Otis is still out of use. Visited earlier en route to Scotland and got some pics.
2018 update please!!!
I know why the ground floor call button for the elevator dosent work as the contact is probably not contacting the terminals
This is the guy who wrote that Magnus Archives episode
I like the cab in the new lift but nothing else about it.
Any idea what happened to Mrphill100? He seems to have disappeared from RUclips.
Was going to call in the other day but didn't get time. I suspect the right lift will be left in its original state but switched off and blocked off from view. They have updated one lift I suspect to reduce maintenance costs as the knowledge required to maintain it is becoming more and more scarce as the older lift engineers (who would have a knowledge of these vintage installations) retire and as spare parts become difficult to come by. One lift should be sufficient especially if it is only trundling between the ground and first floor.
I cannot see the tower coming back into use anytime soon especially after recent events.
I was there about a month ago - the old lift (which was turned off many years ago) has now been completely covered up so you cannot see it any more.
@@mrmattandmrchay At least that means they are not planning to refurbish it anytime soon. The Tower is listed so it will not be going anywhere.
I enjoyed your video :) Keep it up!
Anyone from 2024. Still not open and still sadly derelict 😢.
My local moto doesn't have any lifts
What is on the upper floors of the tower?
Thanks Matt. This really does interest me as it's not that far away from where I am. That old otis at Forton looks great. Do you think if you managed to get into the other old otis you showed us at the end it would be safe? Shame about the towers reality. I can't see it opening either if I'm honest. But let's hope that the money comes from somewhere and they find a use for it.
Ben
Cool thanks.
Which one was that? (mm:ss)? Do you mean the old goods lift? Yeah, I think they are still using it so it would probably still be safe, but last time I specially arranged the visit and had a lot more access than I did this time.
Are you planning to do a 2018 update?
To be honest, probably not as I cannot see what else I can add. But I've had a few requests about this, so might do next time I'm passing (which isn't all that often).
mrmattandmrchay you could show us if the other lift has been switched off.
Aww...shame about the newly modernized lift. I wish they could keep the other original lift so that they can give the customers both a ride of the past and now lol. Would be great if that happens :D Nice video as always, and may I know the name of the song in the beginning? I love that song.
Cool music isn't it? It's called Nevada City by Huma-Huma. Find it in youtube audio library.
Thanks!
why... i love old lifts too... why did they modernize it...:(
The Reason: The old lifts are starting to break.
The reason the lock off floor are proment because their needs to be a way to go to the motor room!
the tower has been out of bounds to the public for many many years.
@@mrmattandmrchay yea I know but if the locked off floor button Isent their how are maintaince people going to go to the motor room?
@@VOLTRONDEFENDER4440 Via a key Switch
@@djadventureI know that
If they've turned off the Otis, it's probarbly because the call button doesn't work!
what is the song in your intro
i want all them call stations of the old one i think i would have to ask for them
I’d love to know if they bothered to replace the landings on the other floors or not. I wouldn’t think so, somehow, the lift may well just be running software for two floors now.
I would expect they have if only to provide easy access to the tower for maintenance. Although there was talk of plans to reopen the tower the lack of a secondary fire escape and only one working lift makes it unlikely in the short term. I suspect one lift was replaced to make it fully DDI compliant and to reduce maintenance costs.
Sorry that should read DDA and not DDI
so... you won't film all the others elevators ?
Uhm, I did film all the elevators in this place. See the links at the end of the video or search for pennine tower lifts.
I didn't film them all again in this video as I didn't have permission this time. Last visit was specially arranged.
Oh, yes sorry (thanks too).
That is so strange : you had a ("royal") permission, and now, not for all. I think is not the shame peephole who had authorised you.
(Sorry about my bad English)
I was there last week, I only live 1/2 hr away, used to cut through on my way to work many years ago. I was last up there in the late 80's when it was working. If you watch the previous video you can see the asbestos stickers everywhere, I think that's the excuse. There's a big vending machine in front of the old lift doors now on the ground floor.
interesting! You've been there after I did recently, it was just a 'pull up advert' that was in front of the doors.
2019 update !!!
Motor tour on the new
Um the New one is MRL (Motor Room Less) so there is nothing interesting to see there
Does anyone know if the other lift has now been modernised or is it still switched out of use?
Switched off out of use, however "no plans to replace it."
Ominous music at 1:43 :)
What is the point of the tower. Why was it built in the first place.
+Simon Tay The architect was famous for elaborate buildings. At the time this should have been a selling point and attracted plenty of visitors. However fire regulations changed the tower was closed due to that. All facilities were moved to the lower floors. To update the building to accept visitors would take so much money. Also... why is there the need to open a tower with not much room when everything anyone needs is on the lower floors. I guess this was a 1960s design not compatible with current times. I cannot see it reopening personally
Will they be a 2024 update?
Lancaster - there's nothing left there anymore. The old otis is completely covered up, like you'd never know it was there. Hilton, there is an update coming soon.
Is this the hilton park
Nope, this is about 100 miles north of hilton park - this is lancaster forton.
can you visit in 2018?
Yes that would be good. Probably the old one has been replaced now.
I'm slowly getting through the editing!
mrmattandmrchay Is the old one still there?
Why can't they just gut the tower? Just make it a lookout, put some tables up there so people can eat with a view. Charge a small fee to get to the top like the space needle in Seattle I believe they charge $5USD per elevator to go to the top. So if your in a group of three and you strike up a conversation with another group of three and ride the lift to the top you can split the cost.
This is a question that lots of people have asked, and it all boils down to costs and recovery of the costs. Everything that anyone needs is on G and 1. The tower needs a lot of work done to it. There is a new lift there now, and according to the management, making the asbestos areas safe for the lift engineers to work in cost MORE than the cost of the new lift, and took a year to approve!
There isn't a lot of room in the tower and spending millions making if fit for public use, well, you'd have to ask yourself the question, "for what reason"?
@@mrmattandmrchay Its a fine piece of history!!!
nice opening door intro
2:24 wow you actually showed your face
lol, I do show my face a lot... see my Q&A if you want to see me properly, or this video ruclips.net/video/KD3IR3UyKWY/видео.html
But my pretty face is not what people really want to see HAHA!
+mrmattandmrchay have never seen Benos face yet
ELPaso1990TX Has his surname ever been leaked?
Nobe Found the page
cool old 1970 Otis lift mrmatt the old Otis lifts are my favorite style lifts and we have a load of old Otis lifts in Australia . check out the old 1970 Otis lifts on my channel mrmatt I don't filmnew new lifts
ive got some sad news the Lancaster Forton old Otis lift has sadly been switched off WHY DID THEY DO THIS FOR IT WASENT A IDEO TO DO THAT STUPID MOTO RIP to the old otis lift 1968 to 2017 you will be missed and do a video nowwwwwwww boys for me
Too bad the mod is horrible generic. It would have been so much better if it was done by Otis, using their current fixtures instead of dewhurst. I think the economics of budget constraints are the realistic reason for the choiche of the generic lift beeing installed there. A mod by Otis would likely have been much more expensive and they probably couldn't justify the price premium.
It should be done by Kone!!!
Tinpo
I killed effect
Yet another s*** generic mod......they could've at least got a proper lift company to modernize it....
An OTIS Gen2 would have been a bit better than this crap generic.
yuck LOL
Nevermind, a Mitsubishi NEXIEZ would have been sooo much better :D
Ooh yes a mitsubishi..