30th September, 1960

Mitcham Firm Helps Solve A London Traffic Problem

The skill and precision workmanship of a local firm of constructional engineers —T. W. Palmer and Co. (Merton Abbey) Ltd., of Merton. Abbey Ironworks in Church Road, Mitcham — has been utilised to say “goodbye” to a passenger traffic problem at the Bank Station, Waterloo and City Railway (British Railways — Southern Regions) where at present during the morning rush period, approximately 40,000 passengers have to climb the long sloping walkway about 300ft. long. In the evening rush period, the traffic is in the reverse or “Down” direction.

The existing long sloping walkway, which has a series of steps at intervals, has long been nicked-named the “Drain.” During the rush period the “Drain” becomes almost choked with the moving mass of city workers but this picture will undergo a radical change when the passengers step on one or the other of two new design OTIS TRAV-O-LATORS.

T. W. Palmer, and Co. were responsible for the fabrication, to the design of Otis Elevator Company, of the two steel trusses which combine relative lightness with great strength.

Each truss is an intricate welded lattice girder, of light box section in form, and comprises one upper and one lower sections for the inclines, thirteen l8ft. standard incline sections, two variable
sections and frames for the upper and lower handrail drives.

The two steel trusses or structures, with flitted bolt splices, weigh about 33 tons together. Extreme accuracy of manufacture was essential and was achieved. Each TRAV-O-LATOR has a series of moving platforms, constructed from die cast aluminium with close spaced cleats to provide a good foothold. The platforms are provided with ample diameter wheels and are connected with a pair of continuous chains which surround the structural track system.

The change in angle of the platforms as they follow the track contour is almost imperceptible and, to reduce the danger of tripping as passengers step off the moving platform, each fixed landing is edged with a combplate which meshes with the close spaced cleats.

The distance travelled from the Lower Landing Combplate to the Upper Landing Combplate is about 325ft.

At full speed the TRAV-O-LATORS will travel at 180ft. per minute but provision has been made for the speed to be reduced automatically to 90ft. per minute should traffic conditions require this. A speed of l8Oft. per minute coincides with the fastest escalators on the Underground Railway Stations for London Transport Executive.

Source: Mitcham and Colliers Wood Gazette
30th September, 1960