Toilets at railway stations

[Bletchleyite]

Charging tends at least to reduce vandalism. All the bogs out of order at Euston this morning appeared to be due to maintenance issues.


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[Blindtraveler]

Like many above I think its time for a quid flat charge with contactless and Oyster as well as smartphone payments accepted

 

[mark-h]

Charging may make customers want to "get their money's worth" and not care about how they leave the facility.

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Facilities open to the public will be abused. At one place I worked somebody defecated on the floor of the mens toilet- I don't think I could do that, even in the home of somebody I hated.

 

[Bletchleyite]

Like many above I think its time for a quid flat charge with contactless and Oyster as well as smartphone payments accepted

I would only be happy with a quid if the high standards, e.g. constant cleaning, of the Swiss McClean or DB WC-Center operations were provided.

 

[yorksrob]

A quid ? The charge should be no more than 20p.

It would be very interesting to see what sort of a turnover toilets at places like Leeds or Euston actually make. One suspects more than the basic running and maintenance costs.

 

[physics34]

A quid ? The charge should be no more than 20p.

It would be very interesting to see what sort of a turnover toilets at places like Leeds or Euston actually make. One suspects more than the basic running and maintenance costs.

Victoria's takes more than a million quid a year. ..And that was when it was 30p. Now it's 50p.

 

[yorksrob]

Victoria's takes more than a million quid a year. ..And that was when it was 30p. Now it's 50p.

This makes me suspect that raising the cost of entry won't lead to a corresponding increase in quality.

 

[ValleyLines142]

I used Stafford's facilities last night and they were fine, was pleasantly surprised as the station itself is a little drab looking in general!

Lime Street's were clean and in fairness there was an attendant cleaning the loos as I was there but they could do with a refurb. Same for Piccadilly.

Cardiff Central's toilets have just been refurbished and they look lovely but last time I used them there were no locks on the door!

I know it's the capital and if you gotta go then you gotta go but 50p at Victoria I personally think is a bit steep! It's not as if the cubicles are covered in Swarovski crystals!

 

[61653 HTAFC]

A quid ? The charge should be no more than 20p.

It would be very interesting to see what sort of a turnover toilets at places like Leeds or Euston actually make. One suspects more than the basic running and maintenance costs.

Leeds certainly doesn't look like it has much spent on keeping the gents' loos presentable. They even got rid of the Dyson Airblade dryers years ago. :roll:

 

[Bletchleyite]

Dyson Airblades are rubbish, as they are insanitary - it is far too easy for your hands to come into contact with them. The normal-shaped high power ones are better.
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Facilities open to the public will be abused. At one place I worked somebody defecated on the floor of the mens toilet- I don't think I could do that, even in the home of somebody I hated.

I doubt that was the reason yesterday, but having noticed how some of the cubicles were "soiled" at Euston and how this might have come about, I wonder if they should consider, at the risk of some Daily Mail outrage, providing a few Asian type squatting pans for those who prefer not to make contact with the bog, rather than their poor aim affecting those of us who prefer to sit.

 

[greaterwest]

Dyson Airblades are rubbish, as they are insanitary - it is far too easy for your hands to come into contact with them. The normal-shaped high power ones are better.

I don't know what world you're living in but I have never had a problem using them, and have never come into contact with them.


On topic, Guildford charges 30p and its toilets are absolutely disgusting. Reading doesn't charge at all and its facilities are pristine.

 

[61653 HTAFC]

Dyson Airblades are rubbish, as they are insanitary - it is far too easy for your hands to come into contact with them. The normal-shaped high power ones are better.
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I have coordination problems but never struggled to use Airblades... besides, they (apologies for shouting!) ACTUALLY DRY YOUR HANDS!

 

[Bletchleyite]

I have coordination problems but never struggled to use Airblades... besides, they (apologies for shouting!) ACTUALLY DRY YOUR HANDS!

So do the high power regular type.

 

[kevjs]

I don't know what world you're living in but I have never had a problem using them, and have never come into contact with them.

Most places mount them too low down - when the top is little above knee height they are a pain to use.... Always seem to end up hitting the sides when using them - plus they never seem to actually dry anything, quicker to dry my hands on my jeans...

 

[greaterwest]

Most places mount them too low down - when the top is little above knee height they are a pain to use.... Always seem to end up hitting the sides when using them - plus they never seem to actually dry anything, quicker to dry my hands on my jeans...

I tend to find that they're quicker than "normal high powered" ones as Neil would describe them, with the added bonus of not getting my trousers damp from wiping my hands on them.

 

[yorksrob]

The worst ones are the dryers in the wall at Manchester Piccadilly. They holes are far too small to use without coming into contact with the sides and they burn your hands before drying them.

The dyson airblades are far better in comparison.

 

[trainophile]

Back to Merseyrail - I am somewhat amused by the signage at West Kirby that blandly states "Please note there are no public toilets at this station". All very well if they then went on to say... "facilities are available at..." but no, they might just as well not have bothered.

Luckily Morrisons is only across the road, but anyone arriving there for the first time could be worried if they need to relieve themselves after their journey.

As apparently all Merseyrail stations are "manned" at some points of the day, there must be facilities for the staff to use. I wonder whether they would allow someone who was desperate to use them. Better than a puddle on the floor I'd have thought.

 

[Bletchleyite]

I note Town Green has gained a bog in a shed for public use.


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[PeterC]

Nice to see free toilets at the end of the Metropolitan Line (having paid my first visit to Chesham today)

All the Met line toilets are free, even Baker Street although it would be nice to have an OSI at Harrow to use the facilities when changing trains without being charged for two journeys.

There used to be a "cruising" problem at Baker Street but that seems to have been dealt with.

City Corporation used to have a nice set of free toilets in Bishopsgate just outside LST but I haven't had occasion to check if they are still there (and free) for quite a few years.

With the turnstiles at the LST toilets it pays to pay attention as, if somebody overpays (eg 2*20p coin) the overpayment is held as a credit for the next user. I don't know if any others work like that.

 

[trainmania100]

I have been to South Kenton a few times for some photographs, great station with good view of the fast lines.
Unfortunately there is no toilets on the station premises which often forces me to go to the toilet before heading out

They should install one for our benefit

 

[Bletchleyite]

With the turnstiles at the LST toilets it pays to pay attention as, if somebody overpays (eg 2*20p coin) the overpayment is held as a credit for the next user. I don't know if any others work like that.

They all do. Always worth a quick glance along the line of turnstiles at any major station to see if there is one that will admit you more cheaply.

 

[47513 Severn]

Most places mount them too low down - when the top is little above knee height they are a pain to use.... Always seem to end up hitting the sides when using them - plus they never seem to actually dry anything, quicker to dry my hands on my jeans...

Seriously??? You're doing it wrong, dude. They do the job for fine for me. Occasionally they are dead and don't blow but that can happen with the conventional type as well. Almost all that I have seen are mounted around waist height, if anything some are a little too high.

You understand how they are supposed to work? You move your hands up and down slowly in the gap. No need to rub them together or clap or flap them around wildly. Unless you have gigantism of the hands there is plenty of room.

The high powered normal types are also good for drying your hands but there is quite a risk of splashing when doing so. Take care in light coloured trousers!

 

[hassaanhc]

How many station bogs are still lit by blue lights?

Lincoln station gents had blue lights to make it difficult for junkies to find their veins but has since reverted to using white lights.

The one at Windsor & Eton Central has/had blue lights.

Some Go Ahead London buses have blue LED interior lights (all dating from 09-reg to 11-reg inclusive)

 

[PHILIPE]

I remember the toilets at Swindon having blue lights back in the 90s.

 

[infobleep]

I don't know what world you're living in but I have never had a problem using them, and have never come into contact with them.


On topic, Guildford charges 30p and its toilets are absolutely disgusting. Reading doesn't charge at all and its facilities are pristine.

So glad I have a key to use the accessibility one at Guildford then. Woking doesn't charge but the accessibility ones have the cistern locked down or taped over so you can't get inside. The accessibility one in Guildford doesn't!

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[Bletchleyite]

Some Go Ahead London buses have blue LED interior lights (all dating from 09-reg to 11-reg inclusive)

They aren't for that reason, they are just terrible quality cheap white ones.

 

[Parallel]

How many station bogs are still lit by blue lights?

Lincoln station gents had blue lights to make it difficult for junkies to find their veins but has since reverted to using white lights.

Newport, platforms two and three still use blue lights and the toilets themselves are grim. The newer ones on platforms 1 and 4 are better but they are normally locked early due to vandalism issues.

I agree, the refurbished ones at Cardiff Central are very good.

 

[Bevan Price]

Like many above I think its time for a quid flat charge with contactless and Oyster as well as smartphone payments accepted

Charging that much for a pee will only lead to more people "going" behind a bush, or in a dark passageway.

One reason why free (or very cheap) public toilets were introduced was to improve "public hygiene". Rail companies (& councils) have closed thousands of public toilets, and some of them now become mystified as to why urination occurs at "unauthorised" locations. At one time, almost every manned station had a least a free public urinal.

And the condition of toilets is mostly not due to their design - it is because far too many people are idle scruffs who use them as places to dump litter, etc., blocking the draining point - that is why toilets overflow onto the floor. In addition, there are more than a few mindless morons who think it is "fun" to try and damage almost everything they see.

 

[CyrusWuff]

They aren't for that reason, they are just terrible quality cheap white ones.

If memory serves, London Buses (as was) did a trial of blue/purple fluorescent lights at the front on Metrobuses to reduce "glare" for the Drivers at night. The usual technique on newer vehicles is to only turn on the front light when the front door opens.