In the latest issue of Keroro Gunso, there is a scene in which one of the characters pauses before riding an escalator. He was waiting for the step with the footprints on it.
The escalator in the manga was not like the one above (in Singapore), but only had one pair of footprints on one of the steps. It was a typically strange scene in Sgt. Frog, but it triggered in me a memory!
From now on this post is dedicated to BW and AW and MMN and anyone else that grew up in Newcastle: Didn’t we have a wooden escalator in one store that had – on one step only – a pair of painted footprints?
I’m thinking it was probably in David Jones in Newcastle, but may possibly have been in the old Store building. The escalator was not one of the free-standing ones – it was against a back or side wall of the building with another wall built alongside (so it was a bit of a tunnel). As I said the stairs were wooden, and one of them had painted (yellow) footprints.
Is this memory real? I hope someone can verify that it is. But if so, then what was the purpose of the footprints? Why only on one step? Why only on one escalator?
Yes it was DJs in Newcastle that had the wooden escalator. It was actually in the middle of the store in constant use and as far as I can recall still there in 2003 before I left the country. I’m not sure it’s there now though.
I don’t remember any footprints painted on it. There was I think a yellow trim like the one in the pic you have. Perhaps that is what you are remembering.
Also I remember an old style elevator with the manually operated inner and outer doors (with windows!) and a permanent human elevator operator! It was either at the same DJs or the old Store.
Are you sure that old-timey elevator wasn’t in El’s Bookshop, B.?