Escalator Stripes

[hmmm_tea]

I was at Euston station earlier today and noticed looking at the last set of escalators coming up into the main station from the underground, that on the left of each step were 2 polished stripes parallel with the direction of travel running from the outer edge about 3 quarters of the way to the inner edge.

It seems to me that it is probably due to people scuffing their feet along the step as they walk up the escalator. It just amazed me that it could make such a difference, but I suppose there must be hundreds of people using that escalator every day.

I checked the escalators at London Bridge on the way back, but there weren't any stripes, but then I'd expect London Bridge has slightly fewer people through it day (still a considerable number though), so now I'm wondering what the minimum requirements are for the stripes to appear.

Comments

[feanelwa.livejournal.com]

I think it's suitcases. Euston is long distance so it has more.

[hmmm-tea.livejournal.com]

Could be. The stripes were roughly foot-width though rather than suitcase wheel width, but that could just be coincidence (especially considering that the likelihood that all the suitcase wheel will run on exactly the same bit of step is fairly small anyway which would probably lead to a bit of spread).

Will have to look at Kings Cross or Victoria next time I'm there.

[coldclimate.livejournal.com]

Surely it is something to do with the housing of the machinary - something rubbing on it and thus polishing it everytime it goes round?

[hmmm-tea.livejournal.com]

I think there was enough variation to suggest it wasn't that, but I'd have to have another look to be sure (and I don't go to Euston very often).