Sydney station’s old wooden escalators reborn as art installation

MILLIONS of people descended this CBD station’s escalators over eight decades. Now they’ve been reborn in the most unexpected way.

AT FIRST glance it looks like it could be a maintenance stuff up of epic proportions. At the Sydney CBD commuter transport hub of Wynyard, the escalators have been constructed on the ceiling.

But, no, someone didn’t read the plans upside down. Rather, transport bosses have installed a mind-bending new artwork reusing the railway station’s iconic old wooden escalators.

The artwork created by artist Chris Fox, titled Interloop, was commissioned to top off a multimillion-dollar redevelopment of Wynyard station, in the heart of the city’s financial district. It’s already been called by several people online as a “stairway to heaven”.

Commuters walk under an installation by artist Chris Fox, titled "Interloop", a physical reinterpretation of the historic wooden-stepped escalators from Wynyard station. Picture: AAP Image/Brendan Esposito.

Four combs and 244 steps from the previous escalators have been refashioned into a soaring crisscrossing tangle reminiscent of an Escher puzzle.

The escalators had been in place for 80 years. Following the 1987 fatal fire at London’s King’s Cross station, which began under a wooden escalator, the devices fell out of favour. The Wynyard escalators were fire retardant but a much more everyday problem was the number of high heels which became stuck in the wooden wedges on the steps.

“I remember going to my first job as a 17 year old and getting my stilettos caught in those grooves,” said a social media user.

Wynyard Station's "Interloop" is the creation of Sydney artist and sculptor Chris Fox.

The reborn escalators at Sydney’s Wynyard station.

With the station being redeveloped, the decision was made to replace the escalators as well.

“While the new modern escalators at Wynyard station are safer, more reliable and reduce the cost of maintenance, it was important to recognise the heritage status of Railway House and the York Street lobby as well as the iconic wooden escalators which were among the last of their kind in the world,” Transport for NSW coordinator general, Marg Prendergast, said.

“In addition to the impressive heritage-inspired artwork, the heritage significance of the building is recognised in the architectural design of the upgraded lobby as well as a historic photo of the original escalators from the 1940s which customers can see as they travel down the new escalators.”

The striking reuse of the old escalators appears to have won approval.

“This is best thing the state has done in years,” said one person on social media.

For 80 yrs, Sydneysiders entered & exited Wynyard station via a set of iconic wooden escalators. Some feared a station redesign would see the soulful staircases replaced, but commuters were surprised to see them given a 2nd life as an almost Hogwarts-like roof-based sculpture pic.twitter.com/7zblOosUyu

— Sherman (@Shermanbot) December 4, 2017

A dramatic use for old escalators - public art in #Sydney's Wynyard Station https://t.co/sZUO7nIwVN pic.twitter.com/XHJZtwcsBY

— Philip Oldfield (@SustainableTall) December 4, 2017

I love this repurposing of the old wooden escalators at Wynyard station. Iconic. #Sydney #Wynyard pic.twitter.com/RGnmtidMyu

— Matt Budge (@mbudge) December 4, 2017

Can't wait to check out the new installation at Wynyard. Looks amazing! https://t.co/l2p3Q9b5Xe

— Camilla Jury (@handycams) December 4, 2017

“Travelled up and down those escalators so many times in my life, glad they haven’t been relegated to the tip and have been made a feature,” said another.

Others were more succinct: “Just incredible,” said a Twitter user.

The first section of street track for Sydney’s new light rail system has been opened to the public. Picture: Toby Zerna

The completion of the Wynyard station upgrade comes as another big transport project was revealed. The first completed section of Sydney’s new CBD tramline can now be seen as barriers were dismantled along a section of George St.

Pedestrians can now walk across the tracks in the CBD between Market and Park streets, one of Sydney’s busiest shopping areas.

But you’ll still have a long wait for a tram. Much of the rest of the network is still under construction and the first tram in service won’t pick up passengers until 2019.