Escalator

An escalator is a moving staircase – a conveyor Muggle transport device for carrying people between floors of a building. The device consists of a motor-driven chain of individual, linked steps that move up or down on tracks, allowing the step treads to remain horizontal.

Escalators are used around the world to move pedestrian traffic in places where elevators would be impractical. Principal areas of usage include department stores, shopping malls, airports, transit systems, convention centers, hotels, and public buildings.

The benefits of escalators are many. They have the capacity to move large numbers of people, and they can be placed in the same physical space as one might install a staircase. They have no waiting interval (except during very heavy traffic), they can be used to guide people toward main exits or special exhibits, and they may be weatherproofed for outdoor use.

London Underground had an escalator, but Arthur Weasley could not stand normally and bowed his knees and when he had to get off it he stood like he was petrified.

Appearances

 * Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (film)