Victoria & Albert Museum


Victoria & Albert Museum

142 person-capacity lift for landmark museum in central London

‘It feels like we’re breaking new ground with every new project that we take on,’ said one of the team working in IMEM’s large-lift manufacturing shop, pointing over his shoulder at the enormous lift system taking shape behind him. Just over the last months, the team that he is a part of has built many different lift systems, all of them well above standard size. The lift car and frame which they were assembling in those moments were delivered and installed in one of London’s best-known buildings: the worldwide famous Victoria & Albert Museum.

This lift is especially distinctive because of its enormous size and the fact that it serves a world-famous building in central London,’ explains Fernando Porres, IMEM’s Director of R&D. ‘And our skill and experience in the design and manufacture of made-to-measure lifts like this have clearly established us as the leading European company in this sector.’

It was with this in mind that, in 2015, IMEM set up a special section in its plant to be dedicated exclusively to the production of unusually large lifts, in order to keep it separate from the more standard production lines.

‘We are now manufacturing a significant number of outsize lifts, although I should make it clear that we have no intention of limiting ourselves to the production of any particular lift type, as we are firmly committed to providing vertical transport solutions of all kinds,’ Fernando Porres points out. ‘IMEM is a company which offers the start-to-finish design and manufacture of made-to-measure lifts. In addition to our wide range of standard lift types, of course. To put it bluntly, we can manufacture whatever kind of lift system our customers require. Without exception.’

It is a spectacular hydraulic lift system, which is currently used to carry both goods and passengers, and is designed to carry loads of up to 10,500 Kg, or up to 142 passengers. Its sheer size is instantly impressive, and these are some of its basic characteristics:

  • Hydraulic lift system with four 3-phase telescopic pistons
  • Travel distance: 16.4 metres
  • Speed: 0.5 metres/second
  • Number of stops: 4

Its size and power are reflected in the following specifications:

  • Weight: 12,000 Kg
  • Load capacity: 10,500 Kg / 142 passengers
  • Lift car dimensions: 6060mm (width) x 3400mm (depth) x 3500mm (height)
  • Doors: Bolton Gate, 5615mm clear opening width x 3100mm clear height
  • Hydraulic dampers below the vehicle are activated independently to avoid car movement during loading and unloading
  • The key components of the lift car frame are constructed in high-strength steel.

10650 Kg

Rated speed: 0,5 m/s

4 stops