External Scenic Lift Modernisation
Background
Situated on Portsmouth’s famous waterfront, Gunwharf Quays is not only the location of the Spinnaker Tower landmark, but also a major open-air and enclosed retail park, with residential apartments and a small dock.
There is a range of internal and external passenger lifts at Gunwharf Quays, and one of the external two-stop scenic lifts had become unreliable and was showing signs of aesthetic deterioration, due to the amount of sodium chloride (salt) present in the coastal atmosphere.
Our approach and solution
In this instance, the lift upgrade was tendered by a well-known Lift consultancy, so after the survey, we had a good understanding of the issues that were being experienced with the hydraulic equipment. Principally, these all orientated around the lift’s hydraulic technology and corrosion in the lift shaft. Along with our client and consultant, we felt the most beneficial solution was to replace the existing hydraulic tank, pump, motor, and valve block equipment in the motor room. Replace the lift controller, car operating panel, landing call stations and visual lift position indicators. Due to corrosion, we also suggested replacing the pit equipment, props and associated shaft equipment, landing and lift car doors and architraves.
Having established what was needed, we produced a tender response, along with a budget proposal for a cost-effective, modernisation to improve the equipment’s reliability, energy efficiency, appearance, and operational costs.
The result
Our client agreed to undertake the modernisation of the lift and to facilitate this, our local modernisation team, working from the Temple Lifts’ offices in Havant, commenced work on the lift. During the modernisation period, our engineering team worked closely with The Liquorist, a busy bar and restaurant that uses the scenic lift, to ensure minimum disturbance was maintained throughout the modernisation period.
With the project being completed, Temple Lifts’ engineers working on this project were praised for their friendly and professional service.