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jim
User
Location:
armley leeds
Joined on:
17-May-2009 14:39:44
Posted:
329 posts
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Chameleon, sorry to disillusion you, but these are perfectly normal for large buildings. They were all explored, and they have no function other than to keep services such as gas, electricity, heating, ventilation, pneumatic tubes, and the like out of sight and out of the way. Sorry, nothing connected to Temple Newsam, Robin Hoods Grave, or King Arthur and his Knights of the Round Table.
Cardiarms, thanks for the approval of my stance on safety. First time I REALLY learnt something on a course!
I wonder if we might arrange a meeting sometime to go over some maps, pictures, and references I have about the station, and, of course, "the beam"! The subjects are too convoluted and abstruse for discussion here, and two (or more) heads are better than one. Results to be posted for further discussion here later. Other interested volunteers welcome.
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dogduke
User
Location:
LS9
Joined on:
03-Jan-2008 11:17:19
Posted:
575 posts
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Jim - I worked in the Aire Street offices on and off over the
years and wondered if you knew much about the basement and sub basements.
Of the two lifts in Aire Street at that time only the faster of the 2 lifts
went below ground level.
In my early days as a fifteen yr old 'dead files'were relegated to the basements and doing this was part of my duties.
I didn't hang about down there,filed and fled !
Did the basements have connections to anywhere else.?
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jim
User
Location:
armley leeds
Joined on:
17-May-2009 14:39:44
Posted:
329 posts
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Hi Dogduke, I worked with ODM fitters and electricians all over the West Riding from 1957 to 1995. During this time I had several periods of responsibility for maintenance at Leeds City during which the two Otis lifts in Aire Street Office Block were in my care. If you wanted a white-knuckle ride I can thoroughly recommend the roof of the fast lift in operational mode!
During the '50s and '60s our staff working this job were quartered in the switch room in the basement and the electricians had to access all areas, including the whole of the basement and sub-basement, (which,out of interest, were above the cinema and it's pumps described in an earlier posting) and having visited every corner of both can confidently state that there were no further exits to points internal or external within the basement complex other than the lifts and the main stairwell.
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Si
User
Location:
Otley
Joined on:
10-Oct-2007 11:52:40
Posted:
3382 posts
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Is it true that Otis Waygood's head offices were in Reading, and if you phoned them, they answered, "Hello, Otis Reading?"!
PS Many lifts abroad are made by a company called Schindler - hence Shindler's Lift!
Coat on, taxi waiting.... 
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Phill_dvsn
User
Location:
Leeds
Joined on:
21-Feb-2007 10:17:09
Posted:
1295 posts
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Do you still have any old contacts/influence at the station Jim?
In reagrds maybe organising a little trip to these underground places? Me and Csnosi have been chipping away at it for a bit now. So close, but yet so far lol.
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jim
User
Location:
armley leeds
Joined on:
17-May-2009 14:39:44
Posted:
329 posts
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Hi Phill, very sorry, I used to have such contacts, but it's a good few years ago and I know for a fact they've retired. I left just before "they" privatised the Railway I had always known. My information is that new management precepts meant that the old guard was replaced as fast as possible to make a fresh start, and it is now fourteen years ago, along with a number of reorganisations.
I'm afraid you'll have to find a chippier little chopper, as a modern day Mikado might have it! If you succeed I'd certainly be up for it.
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chameleon
User
Location:
Leeds
Joined on:
29-Mar-2007 22:46:49
Posted:
3606 posts
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| jim wrote: |
Chameleon, sorry to disillusion you, but these are perfectly normal for large buildings. They were all explored, and they have no function other than to keep services such as gas, electricity, heating, ventilation, pneumatic tubes, and the like out of sight and out of the way. Sorry, nothing connected to Temple Newsam, Robin Hoods Grave, or King Arthur and his Knights of the Round Table.
Cardiarms, thanks for the approval of my stance on safety. First time I REALLY learnt something on a course!
I wonder if we might arrange a meeting sometime to go over some maps, pictures, and references I have about the station, and, of course, "the beam"! The subjects are too convoluted and abstruse for discussion here, and two (or more) heads are better than one. Results to be posted for further discussion here later. Other interested volunteers welcome.
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Well, ervice ducts it be then but, if you don't ask. One H&S that got me was the need mow to have working at heights training to go down a lift shaft (maybe not as daft as it seems though!)>
Perhaps the most poinient thing I remember from an early course was 'Never waste an accident' That translated into something along the lines of learning from other's mistakes; very true and remains with me even now.
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chameleon
User
Location:
Leeds
Joined on:
29-Mar-2007 22:46:49
Posted:
3606 posts
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| Si wrote: |
Is it true that Otis Waygood's head offices were in Reading, and if you phoned them, they answered, "Hello, Otis Reading?"!
PS Many lifts abroad are made by a company called Schindler - hence Shindler's Lift!
Coat on, taxi waiting.... |
Aggggghhh - Wonderous and expensive Schindlers - many a tale there, but anyone other than they maintaining their brainchild systems often meant problems, or worse.
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chameleon
User
Location:
Leeds
Joined on:
29-Mar-2007 22:46:49
Posted:
3606 posts
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| jim wrote: |
Hi Phill, very sorry, I used to have such contacts, but it's a good few years ago and I know for a fact they've retired. I left just before "they" privatised the Railway I had always known. My information is that new management precepts meant that the old guard was replaced as fast as possible to make a fresh start, and it is now fourteen years ago, along with a number of reorganisations.
I'm afraid you'll have to find a chippier little chopper, as a modern day Mikado might have it! If you succeed I'd certainly be up for it. |
That was a long time coming Phill mate - you and the rest of us have had this dream since young Jim here arrived with us but you're the first to put thought into print as it were. Looks like digging our own tunnel will be the only way still
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jim
User
Location:
armley leeds
Joined on:
17-May-2009 14:39:44
Posted:
329 posts
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Chameleon, you have my guarantee that if I know anything of interest (secret passages included) about the subjects in these pages I will divulge it, provide it wouldn't cause serious embarrassment to any individual...........businesses can watch out for themselves! After all I do like to witter as you may have noticed.
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chameleon
User
Location:
Leeds
Joined on:
29-Mar-2007 22:46:49
Posted:
3606 posts
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| jim wrote: |
| Chameleon, you have my guarantee that if I know anything of interest (secret passages included) about the subjects in these pages I will divulge it, provide it wouldn't cause serious embarrassment to any individual...........businesses can watch out for themselves! After all I do like to witter as you may have noticed. |
You witter not Sir - this is pure gold to many of us - only grumble is, where yer bin this last two years????
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Phill_dvsn
User
Location:
Leeds
Joined on:
21-Feb-2007 10:17:09
Posted:
1295 posts
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Never mind Jim. It was worth a try wasn't it?
I still think it's worth an organised, professional approach to the powers that be for a little visit under there
(which again is why i was so miffed originally at the Y.E.P story girl getting in)
we still haven't seen her stuff
I'll say no more lol
P.S Chameleon i was wondering who would be the first to ask Jim
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jim
User
Location:
armley leeds
Joined on:
17-May-2009 14:39:44
Posted:
329 posts
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Phill, have you thought of writing to your MP on the subject? Freedom of information act and all that........or maybe you could get the brick man to shout at them................
I'll get my coat.
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Phill_dvsn
User
Location:
Leeds
Joined on:
21-Feb-2007 10:17:09
Posted:
1295 posts
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| jim wrote: |
Phill, have you thought of writing to your MP on the subject? Freedom of information act and all that........or maybe you could get the brick man to shout at them................
I'll get my coat. |
Haha. Yes Jim.. Get your coat
Actually Mr Mullholland has been very helpful in the past at opening doors thanks to Mr Csnosi lol.
I'm sure with a few S.L heads together we will be able to pull something off eventually.
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dogduke
User
Location:
LS9
Joined on:
03-Jan-2008 11:17:19
Posted:
575 posts
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| jim wrote: |
Hi Dogduke, I worked with ODM fitters and electricians all over the West Riding from 1957 to 1995. During this time I had several periods of responsibility for maintenance at Leeds City during which the two Otis lifts in Aire Street Office Block were in my care. If you wanted a white-knuckle ride I can thoroughly recommend the roof of the fast lift in operational mode!
During the '50s and '60s our staff working this job were quartered in the switch room in the basement and the electricians had to access all areas, including the whole of the basement and sub-basement, (which,out of interest, were above the cinema and it's pumps described in an earlier posting) and having visited every corner of both can confidently state that there were no further exits to points internal or external within the basement complex other than the lifts and the main stairwell.
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That fast lift was like a white knuckle ride in the lift itself.
Many times it would arrive on the 6th floor abov floor level and then settle like something on a bungi rope before levelling off and the doors opening.
One thing about those Otis lifts was the emergency stop switch,you could set off pell mel from ground to 6th,throw the emergency stop about floor 3,stop,release the switch and continue.
Don't suppose that did the 'workings'much good.
Some of th epoor old sods who turned up to find both lifts out of order were neither use nor onrament when they finally reached their desks and some of these were on the first three floors!
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