Express Lift Tower

The Express Lift Tower is a lift testing tower commissioned in 1978, built between 1980 and 1982 by Stimpson and Walton for the Express Lift Company Limited, with engineering by the Michael Barclay Partnership. Constructed of reinforced concrete, the lower 90 metres are formed with a separate outer skin created by a continuous slip pour completed in three weeks. The internal shaft walls and upper parts utilise jump formed concrete. The tower stands on concrete raft foundations and reaches a height of 127 metres, tapering from 14.6 metres at the base to 8.4 metres at the top. Its circular shape and pierced openings at the top contribute to reduced wind resistance.

Internally, the tower contains three rectangular shafts arranged on three sides of a square. The primary high-speed lift shaft runs the full height and is designed for testing lifts up to 7 metres per second, with the ability to simulate faults. This shaft includes a permanent service lift, providing access to a laboratory located above. A second shaft accommodates shafts, one above the other, for testing hydraulic lifts, medium-speed lifts, and incorporates two training shafts. A third, lower shaft utilises the space for testing. At the base, engineers' rooms are provided, one serving as an exhibition room, and there is a rooftop observation room. Two staircases are present, one extending the full height of the building. A smaller space at the base is used by the British Standards Agency for independent testing, a result of partial government funding.

The exterior and interior finishes are simple. The upper section of the tower exhibits a distinctive jagged shape with pierced openings and bracings to further minimise wind resistance. A glazed observation room is situated at the top. The interior reveals a contrast in finishes between the smooth outer skin and the more textured jump formed concrete surfaces. The tower is considered a unique structure, representing the only lift testing tower in Britain and one of only two in Europe, alongside a smaller 60-metre tower in France. It is significant both as a demonstration of the importance of lift technology to modern tall building construction, and as a prominent local landmark.