2nd Course: The World's Longest Moving Footway
Title: The Domain Carpark Moving Footway.
Status: Open to the public daily.
Distance: 15 minutes walk.
Location: Domain Carpark, Sir John Young Crescent.
Cost: Free
There was a time when futurists believed this was the way of the future. In the 1950's many people thought roads would become a thing of the past as the helicopter replaced the car and foot paths, well, moved. Robert Heinlein wrote a novella called from memory 'The Roads Must Roll' in which engineers working beneath giant moving walkways form a religion of belt workers as they battle the evils that seek to stop the roads moving.
Such dreams proved to be impractical for many reasons, for the cost of maintaining such moving footways was substantial and besides, most people prefered to, well, walk. A few were built here and there during the 50's and 60's and the longest one of all, at more than 400 metres in length, was here in Sydney, buried in a tunnel beneath the Domain. Problem was it didn't really go anywhere, connecting Hyde Park with a parking station was its main function.
Back in 1996 artists used the walls as a giant mural called Tunnel Vision, and today the tunnel walls are a delightful elongated panorama that flies by as one walks. Oh, didn't I tell you, moving footways were designed so people didn't have to walk, but once on that moving belt there is a special joy in walking as well as being moved. It's the best shortcut into the city that I know of.
Photographs of the walkway and the artworks that line the walls are in the Crypts and Cats Album at top right.
I love the footway. My dad took me on it when I was a kid. I tell people about it and they don't believe me. It is amazing.
Posted by: seb | 27 November 2006 at 04:27 PM
Do you know the details of the Domain Walkway and the Builder -- I think the comapany was Garlet and the Project leader was Mike GEUDER ?? it took 8 months to build
Posted by: Mike G | 29 November 2007 at 09:58 PM
Yes -- it was GARLET Pty Ltd - The system was built with a designed service life of 10 years - and went into service on July 6 1995 - and yes the project leader was Mike GEUDER - the Managing Director of GARLET Pty Ltd --
Posted by: O. Ville | 29 November 2007 at 10:03 PM
Mike, thank you for that. You wouldn't happen to be that same Mike Gueder by any chance would you?
BTW The Moving footway has existed since the 1960's but eventually fell into disrepair. The 1995 date is the opening of the newly refurbished walkway with all new machinery and moving path placed in the original tunnel.
I would be curious to discover who the visionary original designer was and exactly when.
Posted by: Tony Johansen | 03 December 2007 at 01:14 PM