Cleanliness of the Merseyrail system

[Bletchleyite]

Moderator note: Split from https://www.railforums.co.uk/threads/merseyrail-legacy-fleet-updates-class-507-508.232404/

It's been a few years now, but when I roved the Merseyrail network as chaperone to Stadler's chosen design house, during the tendering process for the new trains, I was struck by the general levels of cleanliness of each aspect of the system.

You reckon? I think it's at best unkempt. Grubby, cheap repairs (e.g. not properly replacing a broken toilet door bolt, but just buying a cheap one from B&Q and using that), rusty, unkempt paintwork (e.g. the ticket office structure at Kirkdale looks like it's going to fall down) and (this bit is worst) automatic door closers in the underground stations that have been pulled down to eye poking level by kids swinging on them but have been left like that instead of being replaced with a more suitable design. The whole thing smacks of "can't be bothered", and it doesn't even have the benefit of cheerful, friendly staff like it used to have, either.

I think as a visitor you've definitely had an element of rose-tinted specs there. It's nowhere near as superbly maintained as the Underground is, say, and even some TOCs do it better (e.g. ScotRail always seems to be spotless).

OK, it's not the hive of ASB Metrolink is, and for that it is due some credit (though it's also hugely more expensive than Metrolink to run, so it *should* be better!), but I wouldn't hold it up as in any way good at the "soft product", even if the "hard product" of a high frequency metro is very convenient.

 

[Razorblades]

You reckon?

I think as a visitor you've definitely had an element of rose-tinted specs there. It's nowhere near as superbly maintained as the Underground is, say, and even some TOCs do it better (e.g. ScotRail always seems to be spotless).

This was January/ February 2017, so like I say, it was a good while ago! It has quite possibly deteriorated in the intervening years, for a range of reasons.

When I used the Underground daily between 2007-10 and 2014-15 I had mixed experiences, although I'd say it was generally better during the earlier period.

 

[Bletchleyite]

This was January/ February 2017, so like I say, it was a good while ago! It has quite possibly deteriorated in the intervening years, for a range of reasons.

I think what they do is that oh-so-British thing of spending lots of money doing something up, but then not maintaining it until it's next done up. It's such a contrast with Germany or Switzerland, where you'll see a range of ages of architecture and design, but always properly maintained (e.g. if you rent a flat you might get a 1980s kitchen with it, but it'll be spotless and in perfect repair). It'll be the same with the Stadlers - they'll be looking tired and grubby by 5 years in.

If you went in 2017 I think the underground stations would have not long had a major refurb, for instance.

 

[WesternLancer]

You reckon? I think it's at best unkempt. Grubby, cheap repairs (e.g. not properly replacing a broken toilet door bolt, but just buying a cheap one from B&Q and using that), rusty, unkempt paintwork (e.g. the ticket office structure at Kirkdale looks like it's going to fall down) and (this bit is worst) automatic door closers in the underground stations that have been pulled down to eye poking level by kids swinging on them but have been left like that instead of being replaced with a more suitable design. The whole thing smacks of "can't be bothered", and it doesn't even have the benefit of cheerful, friendly staff like it used to have, either.

I think as a visitor you've definitely had an element of rose-tinted specs there. It's nowhere near as superbly maintained as the Underground is, say, and even some TOCs do it better (e.g. ScotRail always seems to be spotless).

OK, it's not the hive of ASB Metrolink is, and for that it is due some credit (though it's also hugely more expensive than Metrolink to run, so it *should* be better!), but I wouldn't hold it up as in any way good at the "soft product", even if the "hard product" of a high frequency metro is very convenient.

Yes, I agree with this - a lot of the station environments seemed a bit tired. It was by no means litter free either. I picked up litter myself when awaiting my next train and then noticed station bins were not plentiful.
I did spot a carriage cleaner who got on at New Brighton, went through checking each of the carriage bins but failed to pick up a single bit of litter on the carriage floor or seats - including a large and not easy to miss semi disintegrated Primark shopping bag that would have ben easier to pick up than taking waste out of carriage bins that may have been full - which was presumably the point of checking them.

But this was all better than Southern 313s with massively ingrained dirt.

 

[Bletchleyite]

But this was all better than Southern 313s with massively ingrained dirt.

Certainly, there's always worse. Probably the worst was the similarly-urban North London Lines under Silverlink - grim beyond belief. But Merseyrail isn't what it should be, and it wouldn't cost much more for it to be better, it'd just cost a better attitude, and that culture comes from the top.