Station cleaning on Liverpool's Merseyrail

[Camden]

I had to use Liverpool's Merseyrail the other week (for the first time in a long time!). I was surprised by the amount of ground in grime on the platforms.

On the tube, platforms will be mopped down top to bottom frequently, nightly in some cases.

From being brand new a few years ago it looks like these need a deep clean now. Small pic but shows the sort of grime involved:

and from fresh install, for comparison:

Does anyone know what the cleaning regime for these is? There seem to be enough staff to put some effort into keeping it all clean and mopping down each night. It's a shame to see it looking so shabby.

 

[Bletchleyite]

That does seem to be a long-running disease of Merseyrail - they get nice things but don't look after them. It's true throughout the system in pretty much every aspect, and really isn't good enough.

 

[Camden]

That's not my experience, generally. The trains are kept in a better condition than those in many other regions. The station ticket offices likewise, and the information panels and so on. The whole network is typically a litter free zone too. Perhaps your impression is out of date.

I'm really keen on hearing from someone who knows what effort currently goes in to keeping these clean. My feeling is that there is a service gap that just hasn't been considered. Let's face it, those old black rubber tiles probably only needed a wipe twice a year!

 

[Bletchleyite]

That's not my experience, generally. The trains are kept in a better condition than those in many other regions. The station ticket offices likewise, and the information panels and so on. The whole network is typically a litter free zone too. Perhaps your impression is out of date.

No, it's entirely current. It might be that you've got low expectations because Northern (one of the worse TOCs in most ways) are worse, but if you're used to the way Virgin (and now Avanti) and LNR look after things it really is very poor.

Ground-in muck and on-the-cheap repairs everywhere. The most notable place is toilets - Ormskirk is particularly disgusting. Lock broken? Just bodge another one on, don't do a proper repair. And to point out one more, the sticky-out device that means the fire doors close in the right order on the Liverpool Loop all point downwards towards my eye level. Yes, it's because of kids pulling/swinging on them, but that means that that design isn't viable and they need to change it - properly.

 

[py_megapixel]

Lock broken? Just bodge another one on, don't do a proper repair.

Or in the case of James Street.... very slow lift which keeps breaking down? Don't bother refurbishing it, just put up a sign admitting that there is a fault which you haven't bothered to fix?


Excuse the truly awful photo, some of the lights were broken down there

 

[mmh]

No, it's entirely current. It might be that you've got low expectations because Northern (one of the worse TOCs in most ways) are worse, but if you're used to the way Virgin (and now Avanti) and LNR

Virgin / Avanti are responsible for cleaning very few stations, none in London or Liverpool. Of the ones they are, none stand out as particularly well kept. Crewe, Stafford, Stoke, Warrington Bank Quay. Nothing to write home about there.

 

[Liverpool 507]

I had to use Liverpool's Merseyrail the other week (for the first time in a long time!). I was surprised by the amount of ground in grime on the platforms.

On the tube, platforms will be mopped down top to bottom frequently, nightly in some cases.

From being brand new a few years ago it looks like these need a deep clean now. Small pic but shows the sort of grime involved:

and from fresh install, for comparison:

Does anyone know what the cleaning regime for these is? There seem to be enough staff to put some effort into keeping it all clean and mopping down each night. It's a shame to see it looking so shabby.

That does seem to be a long-running disease of Merseyrail - they get nice things but don't look after them. It's true throughout the system in pretty much every aspect, and really isn't good enough.

I disagree with both of these messages as I live on the Merseyrail network and it is far cleaner and maintained well better than the London Underground and some Northern stations. Their trains are also looking very clean at the moment too. Merseyrail, Mitie and Stadler staff are working extremely hard at the moment to keep both the network and trains as clean and well kept as possible.

 

[py_megapixel]

I disagree with both of these messages as I live on the Merseyrail network and it is far cleaner and maintained well better than the London Underground and some Northern stations. Their trains are also looking very clean at the moment too. Merseyrail, Mitie and Stadler staff are working extremely hard at the moment to keep both the network and trains as clean and well kept as possible.

Stadler staff? None of those trains are in service yet!

 

[ScotRail158725]

That does seem to be a long-running disease of Merseyrail - they get nice things but don't look after them.

really? It wasn’t that when I got a £20 fine for having my feet on the seat frames

 

[Liverpool 507]

Stadler staff? None of those trains are in service yet!

Stadler staff clean and maintain the current fleet at Birkenhead North and Kirkdale.

They also clean any 507/8’s that are stabled overnight at Southport, New Brighton, West Kirby, Rock Ferry and Birkenhead Central C.S.

 

[Bletchleyite]

I disagree with both of these messages as I live on the Merseyrail network and it is far cleaner and maintained well better than the London Underground and some Northern stations. Their trains are also looking very clean at the moment too. Merseyrail, Mitie and Stadler staff are working extremely hard at the moment to keep both the network and trains as clean and well kept as possible.

I definitely don't agree that it is as clean as LU. LU really does put the effort in on this, and other than the inevitable brake dust etc the network is typically spotless.

really? It wasn’t that when I got a £20 fine for having my feet on the seat frames

The "seat frames" (the bit of plastic between the seats) is typically an accumulator of all sorts of detritus. Will be interesting to see if they apply the same to the heating conduit on the Stadlers assuming there is one, it's a nice footrest on most TOCs! (Edit: found some pics and there isn't; must have gone for underfloor).

They do like fining people for feet on seats (something I have no issue with, and I wish other TOCs would as well) but they really don't keep up their side of the bargain at all.

 

[py_megapixel]

Stadler staff clean and maintain the current fleet at Birkenhead North and Kirkdale.

They also clean any 507/8’s that are stabled overnight at Southport, New Brighton, West Kirby, Rock Ferry and Birkenhead Central C.S.

That's interesting, I didn't know that.

 

[Camden]

I disagree with both of these messages as I live on the Merseyrail network and it is far cleaner and maintained well better than the London Underground and some Northern stations.

I really would like to hear from someone who knows how the underground platforms are kept clean currently, thanks. I've already clarified that I don't consider Merseyrail itself mucky (hence my disappointment at the state of the platforms).

I appreciate your patriotism but, to quote Shakira, "the pics don't lie".

 

[Statto]

Stadler staff clean and maintain the current fleet at Birkenhead North and Kirkdale.

They also clean any 507/8’s that are stabled overnight at Southport, New Brighton, West Kirby, Rock Ferry and Birkenhead Central C.S.

I've noticed the trains have been a lot cleaner over the last year, could be quite common to get the first couple of trains of the day & they smelt like they hadn't been cleaned

 

[ChiefPlanner]

I definitely don't agree that it is as clean as LU. LU really does put the effort in on this, and other than the inevitable brake dust etc the network is typically spotless.



The "seat frames" (the bit of plastic between the seats) is typically an accumulator of all sorts of detritus. Will be interesting to see if they apply the same to the heating conduit on the Stadlers assuming there is one, it's a nice footrest on most TOCs! (Edit: found some pics and there isn't; must have gone for underfloor).

They do like fining people for feet on seats (something I have no issue with, and I wish other TOCs would as well) but they really don't keep up their side of the bargain at all.

LUL stations and trains were commendably clean even before the COVID issues - gleaming polished floors on even the busiest lines such as the Northern and Jubilee. Post COVID even cleaner as less passengers but tighter cleaning standards.

For my own observations in travelling on Merseyrail in the last 18 months or so - the 50x trains were typical of "soon to be withdrawn" trains - "OK - but not really clean , certainly not compared to my local GTR / LNW operations , stations again "OK" but not outstanding.

(But then , nicking a name - Liverpool St Station - no comparison - filthy really with proper ground in dirt and dirty glasswork all over)

 

[lxfe_mxtterz]

I disagree with both of these messages as I live on the Merseyrail network and it is far cleaner and maintained well better than the London Underground and some Northern stations. Their trains are also looking very clean at the moment too. Merseyrail, Mitie and Stadler staff are working extremely hard at the moment to keep both the network and trains as clean and well kept as possible.

Agree with this. I've always found Merseyrail much cleaner than the London Underground, and I've often seen cleaners onboard the trains, clearing up any rubbish which has been scattered around - something I've never seen on the Underground.

 

[Bow Fell]

I really would like to hear from someone who knows how the underground platforms are kept clean currently, thanks. I've already clarified that I don't consider Merseyrail itself mucky (hence my disappointment at the state of the platforms).

I appreciate your patriotism but, to quote Shakira, "the pics don't lie".

Underground stations inc platforms/lifts etc, all cleaned and mopped overnight every night by Mitie staff.

Attached also an example of machines also used for cleaning the floors;

TASKI® swingo 755 B and 755 E | TASKI

Walk-behind 17-inch (43-cm) auto scrubber drier offers maximum agility in confined areas with a dual-axle system that allows the machine to literally turn on the spot.

www.taski.com

 

[Camden]

Underground stations inc platforms/lifts etc, all cleaned and mopped overnight every night by Mitie staff.

Attached also an example of machines also used for cleaning the floors;

TASKI® swingo 755 B and 755 E | TASKI

Walk-behind 17-inch (43-cm) auto scrubber drier offers maximum agility in confined areas with a dual-axle system that allows the machine to literally turn on the spot.

www.taski.com

Glad to hear there is a proper regime in place, but it does beg the question, "what gives?"

The sort of grime I observed is of the type that builds up over time when soap and water isn't regularly used.

Are the tiles the problem? Or the workmanship of the cleaning?

 

[Liverpool 507]

Glad to hear there is a proper regime in place, but it does beg the question, "what gives?"

The sort of grime I observed is of the type that builds up over time when soap and water isn't regularly used.

Are the tiles the problem? Or the workmanship of the cleaning?

I’ve also worked in train presentation for another TOC that stables their trains at a Merseyrail station. The Mitie and Merseyrail station staff work very hard throughout the evening and when the station has closed to clean all public areas.

There are cleaning regimes in place.

 

[prod_pep]

The idea that Merseyrail stations are generally in worse condition than those in London is nonsense in my experience. In fact, I find Merseyrail's stations to be amongst the best kept of any operator.

The former Southern Region stations in London are particularly grim in general.

 

[Liverpool 507]

The idea that Merseyrail stations are generally in worse condition than those in London is nonsense in my experience. In fact, I find Merseyrail's stations to be amongst the best kept of any operator.

The former Southern Region stations in London are particularly grim in general.

I absolutely 100% agree with you here! Manchester Oxford Road and Manchester Victoria for example are dirty and in worser state than Liverpool Central.

 

[Skie]

There are a few Merseyrail stations they have problems with pigeons which takes an age to sort out, and peeling paint or rust aren’t uncommon on fittings just out of reach.

Seaforth had its own water feature for a few years before Network Rail finally fixed the track drainage above and also installed a now redundant drain onto the walkway.

 

[mmh]

I really would like to hear from someone who knows how the underground platforms are kept clean currently, thanks. I've already clarified that I don't consider Merseyrail itself mucky (hence my disappointment at the state of the platforms).

I appreciate your patriotism but, to quote Shakira, "the pics don't lie".

For every immaculate London Underground platform there is another tatty, chicken wire strewn one. Pics lie by what they're not showing, not what they are.

 

[Bletchleyite]

There are a few Merseyrail stations they have problems with pigeons which takes an age to sort out, and peeling paint or rust aren’t uncommon on fittings just out of reach.

The ticket office at Kirkdale is in an awful state - needs some sanding and painting urgently - really badly rusted.

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

Stadler staff? None of those trains are in service yet!

As part of the contract Stadler has taken over Merseyrail's depots and maintain the existing fleet as well as the new trains.

Merseyrail staff were busy cleaning surfaces yesterday at Hooton, though the shop was barriered off and tickets were being sold at the "out of hours" window.
I haven't plucked up the courage to travel yet, though, but it was good to see the essentials being cared for.

 

[Liverpool 507]

The ticket office at Kirkdale is in an awful state - needs some sanding and painting urgently - really badly rusted.

This would be one for Network Rail I would think, as they own the stations.

 

[py_megapixel]

This would be one for Network Rail I would think, as they own the stations.

I would have thought that the TOC would be responsible for the painting and decorating though - it is after all done in their colours.

 

[jamesst]

As part of the contract Stadler has taken over Merseyrail's depots and maintain the existing fleet as well as the new trains.

Merseyrail staff were busy cleaning surfaces yesterday at Hooton, though the shop was barriered off and tickets were being sold at the "out of hours" window.
I haven't plucked up the courage to travel yet, though, but it was good to see the essentials being cared for.

The Hooton m2go shop is no more, it closed down permanently back in March with the other m2go's to follow.

 

[Liverpool 507]

I would have thought that the TOC would be responsible for the painting and decorating though - it is after all done in their colours.

Yes, but I would have thought they’d need to consult with Network Rail in regard to sanding or grinding the current infrastructure.

 

[cactustwirly]

LUL stations and trains were commendably clean even before the COVID issues - gleaming polished floors on even the busiest lines such as the Northern and Jubilee. Post COVID even cleaner as less passengers but tighter cleaning standards.

For my own observations in travelling on Merseyrail in the last 18 months or so - the 50x trains were typical of "soon to be withdrawn" trains - "OK - but not really clean , certainly not compared to my local GTR / LNW operations , stations again "OK" but not outstanding.

(But then , nicking a name - Liverpool St Station - no comparison - filthy really with proper ground in dirt and dirty glasswork all over)

Clearly you haven't travelled on the Bakerloo line, stations like Lambeth North feel very neglected