EC HST Toilets: "Do not flush in the station"

[scotraildriver]

News to me, I heard that the alterations to fit tanks would require changes to the bogies

They were done in 2010. Not just the refurbished ones, the whole fleet was done. The tank is located at the extreme inner end of the coaches.

 

[yorksrob]

What I don't understand is, we've had toilets flushing on to the track for hundreds of years. Why does it keep cropping up in the media now ?

 

[455driver]

Because what was acceptable 50 years ago isnt acceptable now.
Rightly so.

 

[jon0844]

It must have been talked about for many years, or else we'd not have started to use retention tanks and make them compulsory on new rolling stock.

What I hate more, given where you get the spray from, is the Mk4s that haven't been emptied and effectively dump/spray at height when overflowing. They're still not emptied enough it seems.

Not that it makes an HST any better of course, but at least the coverage must be smaller given it dumps from under the train. Still nasty for rail staff and depot workers of course.

 

[Peter Mugridge]

So, when the BBC Transport Correspondent (https://twitter.com/bbctomedwards) says on Twitter:

On station sewage at Kings X - every toilet is being flushed on @eastcoastuk before departure - I don't think it's passengers

that's obviously not correct?

I think what the BBC man has seen is the tanking overflow from the water being topped up?

 

[jon0844]

I think what the BBC man has seen is the tanking overflow from the water being topped up?

Hard to miss as they leave the tanks overflowing and flooding the station/north London/Somerset before they disconnect them at times.

I guess the water isn't metered.

 

[RichmondCommu]

I suppose it's not self-evident when compared to some eastern European trains when you push a button, a flap opens and you can see the track flashing beneath your...erm...

The SNCF used to do this with their Corail stock. Way back in 1990 my then girlfriend (now wife) got sprayed at Juan Les Pins. Not very nice when you have bare legs!

 

[Beveridges]

Trains which dump on the tracks - they make my job easier on the depot. All they need is fuel and water, no s**t tank sucking!

 

[BestWestern]

The problem at Paddington is that Network Rail charge 30p to go to the bog but there is an HST stood in Platform 1 with a free bog......

What do the cleaners do when turning round HSTs at Paddington if the toilet needs attention?...

Nothing - they certainly shouldn't be flushing them anyhow. If a lav is blocked or in a such a state that it's beyond use then it'll simply be locked, if it just requires a flush then it's reasonable to expect the next user to be able to do that.

There is a FGW HST set that has been fitted with a 'flush inhibitor' system, which was intended to isolate the toilet flushes when the CDL (doors) were released I believe, the intention being to prevent station flushing. There is a small blue light and associated signage in the toilets, however the trial seems to have been abandoned and I think the kit is now defunct.