Northampton, England
Built for testing at height.
A landmark facility for research, product testing and specialist working-at-height training.
The National Lift Tower, Northampton
- 127m
- tower height
- 4
- lift shafts
- 75m
- drainage soil stack
- 40
- flushes in one test
A national engineering landmark
Originally built to test lifts. Now built around what comes next.
The National Lift Tower is an independent research, testing and training facility in Northampton. Its four lift shafts and 18 floors create a vertical environment that cannot be replicated in a conventional industrial building.
Today, the tower supports product development, safety testing and specialist working-at-height training, while Aliaxis UK operates its Training and Research Centre for high-rise drainage, waste and ventilation systems.
Explore vertical transport research →
Discover the tower's history →
High-rise drainage testing
Full-scale testing. Controlled to the smallest detail.
Within the tower sits the world's tallest drainage testing installation: a 75-metre soil stack capable of recreating real high-rise drainage conditions.
Siemens PLC automation, constant-flow valves, pressure transducers, ultrasonic level sensing and bespoke software enable consistent, repeatable test conditions.
- 75m
- soil stack
- PLC
- controlled testing
- Live
- instrumentation
Inside the tower
Designed for evidence, not just ideas.
The facility brings systems, controls and real building-scale conditions together so teams can see how their work performs.
Capability at height
Make use of a facility unlike any other.
High-rise drainage testing
Full-scale research, development and demonstrations.
Drop testing
Purpose-built vertical testing for equipment and safety systems.
Sharp-edge testing
Controlled evaluation of descenders and safety devices.
Access training
Practical working-at-height training on specialist systems.
Start a conversation
Have a product, system or project to put to the test?
Tell us what you are developing, testing or planning. We will help identify how the National Lift Tower can support it.