A rotating speaker and a synth sequencer did the trick.

Yes. The spinning effect on “On the Run” comes from a Leslie rotating speaker cabinet, which physically spins a horn to create that Doppler swoosh. The track itself is built around a sequenced synth pattern played on an EMS VCS 3 (the British synth that looks like a suitcase). The sequencer runs through the Leslie, and the rotation speed was likely tweaked in real time.

Pink Floyd was obsessed with panning effects in the early ’70s, and this is one of the most famous examples. It’s not a plugin or a studio trick — it’s a literal spinning speaker.

If you want to recreate it, grab a Leslie emulator plugin or turn a real speaker around in circles. Either works.