Spiral Ramp in Dublin Airport

Berty

Hello All,

I have googled and googled for information on a piece of architecture in Dublin Airport to no avail.

Can you somebody please either fully explain what it is or point me in the right direction. Thanks.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Athcliath-airport.jpg

Its just left of the terminal as you look at it and the first thing you see arriving to departures. It appears to be a ramp one would drive up to enter a car park but it appears only to lead to just below the roof.

What is it?

Thanks,

Alan

Rainy Day

You're right it leads to a staff car park.

Berty

What? inside the building?

Imagine the security implications of that!

Wishbone Ash

When the terminal was constructed in the early 1970s, it was designed to have a multi-storey car park on the roof. At the same time the troubles got worse in northern Ireland and the authorities were fearful that Loyalist terrorists would place a massive car bomb there and bring down the whole terminal. Hence it was never used.

Wishbone Ash

Rainy Day wrote: »

You're right it leads to a staff car park.

I don't think any staff park there. There are two staff surface car parks.

Berty

I would say its used as some type of storage area as on Google earth there appears to be some yellow vehicles either parked or heading up/down the ramp.

If its still the 70's look and not changed then I would love to see it. Its just weird thinking there is something there.

Bluefoam

its used to queue taxis

Wishbone Ash

quirke_folder wrote: »

I would say its used as some type of storage area as on Google earth there appears to be some yellow vehicles either parked or heading up/down the ramp.

If its still the 70's look and not changed then I would love to see it. Its just weird thinking there is something there.

Yes it seems to be used by some DAA vehicles. It's possible to walk over to it (or at least it used to be). The surface of the ramps are very under-used looking.

Wishbone Ash

Bluefoam wrote: »

its used to queue taxis

I don't think you are familiar with what we are referring to!

spurious

I have this vague memory as a child watching planes from my father's car on a roof. Are you sure it was never used?

Bluefoam

Wishbone Ash wrote: »

I don't think you are familiar with what we are referring to!

I am fully aware of what you are talking about. :rolleyes:

During peak times they use the spiral ramp to queue taxis of which there can be a huge number. Otherwise they would have to queue on the access ramp and out to the roundabout. It is a holding area that allows a constant stream of taxis to the ranks, without causing traffic mayhem.

It was originally designed to access a car park but as mentioned was decommissioned due to the troubles.

Berty

Edited, forgot to quote person reffering to being a child visiting airport.

deffo not on the roof, or as far as I would say. The roof seems to be filled with the usual air con, venting, heating ducts etc. I would presume you would not be able to be on the roof in a car or otherwise.

Berty

Im in Dublin Airport to catch a flight on Wed(hence why it jogged my memory)

I will try to dress in my least geeky clothing and ask a staff member if I get the chance. I get the most contact with those pink polo shirt people but as they hardly know their arse from their elbow I will try to suss out an older member of staff.

Wishbone Ash

Bluefoam wrote: »

I am fully aware of what you are talking about. :rolleyes:

During peak times they use the spiral ramp to queue taxis of which there can be a huge number. Otherwise they would have to queue on the access ramp and out to the roundabout. It is a holding area that allows a constant stream of taxis to the ranks, without causing traffic mayhem

The taxi holding area (the 'kesh') is down near the Great Southern Hotel (or whatever it's new name is) When the taxi holding area is full, the queue waiting to go into the taxi holding area goes around the staff surface car park at the rear of the hotel.

The taxi co-ordinator decides when taxis should be released from the holding area (to prevent a build-up at the arrivals road).

The blue dots in the image represent the taxi queue (although in this image it's relatively short).

Gillo

Funny, I also have a very vague memory of using the spiral at some stage; think I would have been about four of five so it would have been 1982-1993.
That said I have two uncles who used to work in the airport, so they may well have brought me in, must ask my dad

Just wondering how easy it would be to walk up and bluff in.

Berty

FYI, I have sent an email to the media centre of Dublin Airport and can only hope that they can find the time to reply.

I suppose its like the new bridge over the blackwater in Fermoy is hollow and you can by right walk from end to the other inside. Its just over 1km long. In 50 years people may well be asking the same questions, i.e whats that door for on either side? Why is it hollow? ( I was one of the Engineers btw)

Berty

Gillo wrote: »

Just wondering how easy it would be to walk up and bluff in.

Judging by the photo, I dont think it would be possible with the gate unless there is a pedestrian access.

http://www.panoramio.com/photo/1956489

DublinWriter

Gillo wrote: »

Funny, I also have a very vague memory of using the spiral at some stage; think I would have been about four of five so it would have been 1982-1993.

Me too...but it would have been circa 1974/1975.

The ramp certainly wouldn't have been used for public access from the 80's onward.

Quality

The spiral ramp in question is not used for queueing taxis.

It is indeed used as access to a staff car park. I have been in this car park and have come down this ramp when I worked in Dublin Airport.

Bluetonic

Indeed, staff car parks on level 4 and 5 of T1. Still in use in the late 1990s although there were being gradually being built over, particularity level 5 which has a lovely roof top garden and some nice meeting rooms.

Many a night spent on level 4 asleep in on the manky sofa in the trolley break room when on nights.

Bluetonic

Bluefoam wrote: »

I am fully aware of what you are talking about. :rolleyes:

During peak times they use the spiral ramp to queue taxis of which there can be a huge number. Otherwise they would have to queue on the access ramp and out to the roundabout. It is a holding area that allows a constant stream of taxis to the ranks, without causing traffic mayhem.

Oh dear. :rolleyes:

therecklessone

Bluetonic wrote: »

Many a night spent on level 4 asleep in on the manky sofa in the trolley break room when on nights.

Snap!

swordsinfo

the ramp is actually still used as far as I know by DAA staff

Levels 2 and 4 were for retail if I can remember that far there is a security lad at the bottom of the ramp but we used to sneek in that way if we forgot our passes and up the stores lift.

Bluetonic

swordsinfo wrote: »

the ramp is actually still used as far as I know by DAA staff

Levels 2 and 4 were for retail if I can remember that far there is a security lad at the bottom of the ramp but we used to sneek in that way if we forgot our passes and up the stores lift.

Level 1 = arrivals (public) - no ramp access
Level 2 = departures (public) - no ramp access
Level 3 = mezz & offices (public & private) - no ramp access

Level 4 = old car park, break rooms, meeting rooms, trolley and duty free break rooms (private)
Level 5 = old car park, break rooms, meeting rooms (private)

Access to 4 & 5 can be seen from this image. One spiral is for up, one is for down. Spirals don't connect to 1, 2 or 3.
http://googlesightseeing.com/wp-content/DSC00170.jpg

Added to that too levels under arrivals both referred to as basements, used for stores (no hidden train station there despite the rumors) place was infected with rats. Accessible from the back of the spiral ramps.

The staff lift on departures always gave access to 4 & 5 without needing a swipe. Staff policed it themselves by turfing out any non Aer Rianta (DAA) or related staff.

Quality

Bluetonic wrote: »

Level 1 = arrivals (public) - no ramp access
Level 2 = departures (public) - no ramp access
Level 3 = mezz & offices (public & private) - no ramp access

Level 4 = old car park, break rooms, meeting rooms, trolley and duty free break rooms (private)
Level 5 = old car park, break rooms, meeting rooms (private)

Access to 4 & 5 can be seen from this image. One spiral is for up, one is for down.
http://googlesightseeing.com/wp-content/DSC00170.jpg

Added to that too levels under arrivals both referred to as basements, used for stores (no hidden trains station there despite the rumors) place with infected with rats. Accessible from the back of the spiral ramps.

The staff lift on departures always gave access to 4 & 5 without needing a swipe. Staff policed it themselves by turfing out any non Aer Rianta (DAA) or related staff.

I was told that the train station was suppossed to be the large stores room at the back of the Thomas Read Stores ... They just use the room as stores now though...

Bluetonic

Having been down there, through the various dark rooms they all just resembled large storage cavities but then who is to say what a blank train station looks like. There was certainly nothing layed out like a train station. Also never came across any doors locked or space which appeared to be missing from the layout of the upper building. This is 100s of lazy walks around there over the space of 4 years.

It was a duty free heaven down there with the amount of booze and fags in storage. Pity because of the dark nature down there, coupled with it being used to store rubbish it attracted the aforementioned vermin which also used to have a field day in the old Burger King in arrivals.

Berty

Lots of good information there.

I also forwarded my questions to the info desk as well as the media centre.

Nobody has of yet replied which is not surprising at all. I live in hope.

sdanseo

Take it from those of us that work or used to work there - the ramps are NOT used to queue taxis. They provide staff access (and as regards bluffing, there's constant security now, so not a hope) to the top levels is all. One spiral has been completely decomissioned too.

Tbh I'd envisage this being phased out soon, the security implications will be looked at I'm sure. Only a few staff are allowed park up there and most of it is now partitioned off into break rooms.

Bluetonic wrote: »

Indeed, staff car parks on level 4 and 5 of T1. Still in use in the late 1990s although there were being gradually being built over, particularity level 5 which has a lovely roof top garden and some nice meeting rooms.

Many a night spent on level 4 asleep in on the manky sofa in the trolley break room when on nights.

therecklessone wrote: »

Snap!

And snap again :P

When were you two there? I'm guessing back in the Aer Rianta days?

dingding

spurious wrote: »

I have this vague memory as a child watching planes from my father's car on a roof. Are you sure it was never used?

I also have a recollection as a child of been in it as a car park with my father it probably would have been early to mid 70's

Stands out in my mind because of the slope and the curved walls.

The plot thickens.

Bluetonic

sdonn_1 wrote: »

When were you two there? I'm guessing back in the Aer Rianta days?

Aer Rianta days indeed, early/mid to late/mid 1990s. God there were some characters working up there. Some of the old school still work around there, I've seen some gardening, some still in operations, one at least is a TSO. Ah good times, better nights.

dingding wrote: »

The plot thickens.

What plot? There is none, it's all been explained.

Wishbone Ash

Interesting that Bluefoam hasn't posted back.

Bluefoam

I'm sure it was at one stage, but I'm happy enough to be proven wrong...

Wishbone Ash

Bluefoam wrote: »

I'm sure it was at one stage, but I'm happy enough to be proven wrong...

Fair enough!

Dizzyblonde

My father drove us up into this when it was open - it led to a car park, and I think it was built in the 70s. It wasn't open for very long.

Irish Halo

When I worked in Dublin airport (about 6 years ago) it was the entrance to a staff car park and the stores for some of the shops in the airport. I was told it was the original multi storey for the airport when the airport was built but obviously the number of cars became too much for it so it became "staff only" space.

Bluetonic

Any chance we can get a few more posts confirming whats already been confirmed :rolleyes:

The airport always had plenty of surface car parking across from the arrivals road when the terminal was built originally. Those were the days when the church was in the middle of nowhere on it's on internal road, ah bless.

Bistoman

Was this ever settled?

Panthro

What's in this threadddd...in this threaddddd...

Zombie, zombie, zombie-ie-ie

mickdw

Reading the thread, I worked for a time at the airport and I'd always been told the same story re fear of bombing and never then used for what was originally intended.

L1011

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121424640#Comment_121424640

Yes, in great detail on this thread. To summarise:

It is access to staff car parking; it was originally public parking, but after the airport was bombed (not a risk of bombing, it was bombed and one person died) it was closed to the public. Most of the parking decks have been converted to other uses but some spaces remain for senior staff.

It was never a taxi queue.

spurious

My half remembered visit with my father would have been pre-1975.