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@moth
9 during summer, 8 come the winter. Open from 7 on weekdays, 8 on Saturday, 9 on Sunday.
http://www.tfl.gov.uk/gettingaround/23850.aspx
I had go yesterday evening. It's fun. They seem to be allocating separate cars to each group, so if you turn up on your own you get a car to your self! Stepping into the slowly moving car with a bike is slightly awkward.
It's a nice ride, and the view is certainly impressive.
I was hoping to see how the cars are accelerated to match speed with and clipped onto the fast moving cable, but that part of the mechanism is all boxed in. The way the doors work is wonderfully simple: as the car comes into the terminal an arm with a little wheel engages with a ramped track. The motion of the arm pulls a cable that operates the doors. Another ramp moves the arm back to close the doors as the car departs.
I'm curious to know how the electrical systems on the cars are powered. Do they have a battery that's charged each time they're in the terminals? Some power-source that lasts all day?
Also, are there any communication channels between the cars and the terminals? How do the cars know when to play the 'welcome' and 'good bye' announcements?