Best/worst station toilets

[district]

There is no need to pay to use toilets at all. I've a RADAR key, it costs 4.00 and if you do a lot of travelling it's certainly worth it.

 

[Cliveblackpool]

great! Been meaning to dig this up, a punt for perth here, you can smell there clenlyness from the footbridge and they dont disapoint.
Im afraid Prestons although new could do with a bit more cleaning.

I used Preston's new toilets a few months ago late evening, and they were clean!
York station has good toilets
Both the above are FREE!
I have to be pretty desperate to pay!
Liverpool head for Spoon's - 30p towards a coffee/ pint!!
Next time I will use the train's bogs!

 

[Blindtraveler]

when were the ones at PRE Refurbished?

 

[MidnightFlyer]

About two months ago.

 

[CheapAndNerdy]

I don't think Cannon Street has been mentioned yet - clean and free.
Norbury. Well, I've never used the gents' there and now it is behind the suicide fence, I doubt I ever will.

 

[Cliveblackpool]

About two months ago.

PRE Probably brand spanking new when I visited!!

 

[Butts]

Never mind best and worst....

Has anyone ever paid to use a toilet at a UK Airport or Port ???

Repeat question and substitute Railway Station ....

Why do they charge 30p ...or why don't the others ?

 

[Rick1984]

Bolton worse I've been in. closely followed by manchester victoria. the ones in bolton are "unisex" with one cubical for men and one for women

London bridge are a nightmare to get to from station pub. You have to go through ticket barrier. Along walkway. Down ramp onto platform then all the way back again

 

[Requeststop]

From a very early age I was discouraged from using any public convenience by my mother. Disgusting places, I was told. Go to a chemists shop and ask politely if you can use theirs I was advised. No answer to my question if the chemists shop's were closed.

There was a convenience at a station somewhere in Northern Italy I used once, all art deco, marble, even the partition walls solid marble and with fish swimming in the glass cisterns. Extremely clean and pleasant - except for one thing - how I discovered the marble was solid and not cladding. Some "enterprising" pervert had managed to drill out a two and a half inch "glory hole" between the gents side and the ladies.hock:hock:hock: Yes before someone says it - it could have been done from the other side.

 

[Cliveblackpool]

Never mind best and worst....

Has anyone ever paid to use a toilet at a UK Airport or Port ???

Repeat question and substitute Railway Station ....

Why do they charge 30p ...or why don't the others ?

Motorways are also free, and clean!

 

[VTPreston_Tez]

Edinburgh Mazerley has some great toilets located in the mall just down the escalator from the station. It's worth the walk and the cost. (I forgot how much it is)
On a recent shotting trip to Crewe, the toilets on the southbound main next to 2 southbound bays (I forgot) were impressive.

 

[BlythPower]

Motorways are also free, and clean!

I take it you mean the services and not the hard shoulder..?

Most services seem to have pretty clean bogs but many - Leicester Forest East being a bad example - don't half smell.

 

[scrapy]

Bolton worse I've been in. closely followed by manchester victoria. the ones in bolton are "unisex" with one cubical for men and one for women

London bridge are a nightmare to get to from station pub. You have to go through ticket barrier. Along walkway. Down ramp onto platform then all the way back again

Toilets at both Bolton and Manchester Victoria have been replaced within the last 6 months, have to agree they used to be awful though.

 

[MattRobinson]

Leeds are good (the free ones actually in the station). Often use them when coming back from KWVR because by the time I get to Leeds, the pint of beer I drink on the steam train has flushed through. Wakefield Westgate's are also ok, but very cramped. I used the toilet on a 142 yesterday. I found balancing to be harder than balancing on the footplate of a steam engine, I must admit (Yes, I was sober).

 

[Lampshade]

About two months ago.

Longer than that; they were being done in January.

They're nothing special really, a good improvement on what was there before but other things that are a good improvement on what was there before include rabies.

 

[maniacmartin]

Hatfield has always been consistently bad whenever I've visited. The floor in the gents full of puddles from their leaky urinal and a smell so bad I usually held my breath in there

Regarding motorway service stations - they must provide free toilets to anyone as part of their contract to become an official service station signed from the motorway

 

[trainophile]

A young lady travelling at the same table as me the other day mentioned that Manchester Piccadilly loos now cost 40p. Is this correct? If so does that mean all the other 30p ones will be following suit?

Also, regarding pay turnstiles, I've heard that there are new 10p coins in circulation, which are rejecting in slot machines, or at any rate in Asda car park ones. Not sure whether that applies to 'payg' toilets, but could be awkward if so, as I don't know how to recognize the new coins from the old ones. I always have suitable change in case of emergency but if I have the wrong type of coin I'd be stuck.

Oh and finally, I now know what the "cleaning" process at Liverpool South Parkway's talking toilets does ... not very much actually, although if actually seated it could be erm, startling. Makes note to self - press button marked "Lock" after entering, not button marked "Open" .

That is a busy station that could really do with proper multi-cubicle toilets rather than the three individual ones dotted around, each taking the user's required time plus about a minute for the "cleaning" routine. Even a couple travelling together would take about five minutes minimum, and there are signs about only one adult allowed at a time, so if a few people need to relieve themselves there's a danger of missing a train connection, particularly as the two platform areas are some distance apart, and some journeys only give shortish connection times. No good waiting to use the on-board loos on the Hunts Cross-Southport line as there aren't any.

 

[trentside]

I had the misfortune to use the toilets at Carlisle recently. Really disgusting, a nasty smell and the all the cubicles had 'issues' - the lack of a seat on the toilets also didn't help. The window in the cubicle door also wasn't great for privacy (even with frosted glass).

Derby has good toilets - always nice and clean when I've used them.

 

[MidnightFlyer]

Longer than that; they were being done in January.

They're nothing special really, a good improvement on what was there before but other things that are a good improvement on what was there before include rabies.

Sorry, haven't got a clue where two months came from Six is probably closer to the truth. Post will be edited accordingly.

I agree, basically everything was refitted and that was it. It's an improvement, yes, but I get the feeling it was a little effort, gotta be done project. Thinking about it they and the bus station's are probably the last set of 'public' toilets left in Preston when the two shopping centres are closed. That said, in Preston though the toilet's all around you.

A young lady travelling at the same table as me the other day mentioned that Manchester Piccadilly loos now cost 40p. Is this correct? If so does that mean all the other 30p ones will be following suit?

They were still 30p on Monday (both those opposite p11 and those on the p13-14 waiting area).

 

[A0]

Agree with Willesden Jnc - they're pretty vile.

I'd also add either Northampton or MK after 9pm (when they close and lock them). You're far enough away from anywhere else which may have a suitable convenience, that you're desperately hoping the train's conveniences aren't out of service when it arrives - or you have leave the station to go somewhere, ahem, discreet.

 

[jnjkerbin]

I find the toilets at Charing Cross and Paddington both quite good. I would agree with some that the St Pancras toilets in the main concourse are surprisingly poor.

Joe

 

[Tubeboy]

Machynlleth. They were very ropey. Doubt the place has seen a mop or rag for years.

 

[Stigy]

Clapham Jc used to be really bad, especially considering the size of the place.

 

[6Gman]

Wolverhampton (platform 1) and Stafford surely have to be up there with the worst loos?

Virgin Trains (ho! ho!) went through a spell of 'refurbishing' toilets, which consisted of relocating them into a cupboard, installing washbasins so small that you can't get your hands under the taps, and a single hand drier mounted almost flush (ho! ho! again) to the wall, which will satisfactorily dry your hands in about 45 minutes on a good day!

Think - Stafford, Wolverhampton, Crewe etc etc
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

Extremely clean and pleasant - except for one thing - how I discovered the marble was solid and not cladding. Some "enterprising" pervert had managed to drill out a two and a half inch "glory hole" between the gents side and the ladies.hock:hock:hock: Yes before someone says it - it could have been done from the other side.

Many years ago the Station Master at Longport drilled holes in the roof of the Ladies' cubicles, and would spend time peering down at ladies in a state of partial undress.

And then one day you missed his footing and crashed through the ceiling onto his victim.

He rapidly became the former SM at Longport.

 

[tsr]

Does Half-Way House Station on Snowdon count? The toilet isn't a typical outdoor one, but it is accessed by a door on the outside of Half-Way House. Once inside the only operational cubicle (this may have changed back to two now!), however, it is clear that the facilities are perfectly clean and satisfactory. The most recent visit I made was on a day when queues were stretching half way up the access path, too... so plenty of possible opportunities for dirt!

If I had had some change on me, I would even have made the requested donation - keeping a serviceable loo open on the side of the highest peak in England and Wales is quite something!

As for NR, I have just discovered the fact that Bangor's facilities, whilst not refurbished seemingly within the last two decades or so, are clean enough and have soap, nice hot water and almost-OK hand-drying facilities.

I was pleasantly surprised by the non-wheelchair-friendly toilet on a bog-standard (ahem!) Southern 377 recently, but that may have just been a one-off. That said, they are now encouraging the public to report faults, so maybe it's a new number-one (ahem, again!) priority.

 

[BlythPower]

Clapham Jc used to be really bad, especially considering the size of the place.

Still vile, but the barrier's broken so you don't have to pay 30p to use them.

 

[Peter Mugridge]

Regarding motorway service stations - they must provide free toilets to anyone as part of their contract to become an official service station signed from the motorway

One slight problem - it'll cost a heck of a lot more than 30p to get to one though! ( Petrol used on the journey )

 

[Smethwickian]

Also, regarding pay turnstiles, I've heard that there are new 10p coins in circulation, which are rejecting in slot machines, or at any rate in Asda car park ones. Not sure whether that applies to 'payg' toilets, but could be awkward if so, as I don't know how to recognize the new coins from the old ones. I always have suitable change in case of emergency but if I have the wrong type of coin I'd be stuck.

Interesting - I thought it was just the wretched drinks machine where I work that rejected the newest 5p and 10p coins. Seems like there may be a difference which some slot machine owners/operators have not yet adjusted for.

I would agree with some that the St Pancras toilets in the main concourse are surprisingly poor.

Joe

Very busy and free, so not necessarily the most spotless, but I've always found them OK.

 

[Drsatan]

Forgive me if the situation's changed, but not so long ago the toilets at Fratton station were pretty horrible. They stank of something awful, the sink was too small and they were illuminated with a blue light which gives some a headache. Quite a few public toilets (especially the ones in Exeter) have the same lighting, presumably to stop junkies from using the facilities.

While kept in good condition, the toilets at Westbury are far too small for the number of passengers wishing to use them. This was compounded a few months ago when the gents were closed for refurbishment, meaning that the only toilet for men was the disabled toilet on platform one. At the time I wondered why FGW couldn't provide a few portaloos as compensation, but then I realised that it would be difficult dragging a portaloo, even with a trolley, up the steps from the subway.

 

[Temple Meads]

Forgive me if the situation's changed, but not so long ago the toilets at Fratton station were pretty horrible. They stank of something awful, the sink was too small and they were illuminated with a blue light which gives some a headache. Quite a few public toilets (especially the ones in Exeter) have the same lighting, presumably to stop junkies from using the facilities.

While kept in good condition, the toilets at Westbury are far too small for the number of passengers wishing to use them. This was compounded a few months ago when the gents were closed for refurbishment, meaning that the only toilet for men was the disabled toilet on platform one. At the time I wondered why FGW couldn't provide a few portaloos as compensation, but then I realised that it would be difficult dragging a portaloo, even with a trolley, up the steps from the subway.

They could have put the portaloos in the car park, like they did at Newton Abbot during refurbishment of the toilets there.

Would be a bit of a walk though I suppose