Running dry in the toilets!

[dmu fan]

Having been a fan of dmu's old and new ,i try and do a visit to Weymouth each year . Usually catch the 0740 from Gloucester on a Saturday. Last year we had a 158, 2 carriage attached at Bristol temple meads with a 150/2. The train was wedged even with the Weymouth wizard behind.
My issue was the toilets on board. They were in use totally. By the time we got to Weymouth the toilets were waterless. I mentioned this to the guard on arrival and was told there are no facilities on platform 1 to refill the tanks.
I felt awful for the passengers who got onboard for its return back to Gloucester.

Is this information correct? Would it be the same for the arrival at 1710 from great Malvern and return to Bristol at 1730 on a weekday?

Does the Weymouth wizard attended to in the jersey sidings before it's return to Bristol?

Can anything be done at Weymouth to solve this to give a better great western service to the paying passenger?

 

[BestWestern]

I would imagine the SWT fleet are topped up if needed up at Waterloo, considering the 444s presumably all go there at some point each day. So there would be no requirement to have tanking facilities at Weymouth other than for the GWR services, which are unlikely to require it on a regular basis. So, in short, no I doubt there is much that could be done.

A water bowser would require qualified staff to drive and replenish it, who would have to be on hand 'just in case'. Additionally, the platform used by GWR at Weymouth is very narrow, and on the busy summer days when the fresh water would be needed there probably wouldn't be room to safely operate a bowser, or indeed even a fixed hose facility.

 

[Welly]

I once travelled on a train from Basle to Luxembourg, a 4 hour train journey in SBB stock hauled by an SNCF locomotive. The Swiss "forgot" to fill up the water tanks in the 1st class coaches before the departure as that train serves Strasbourg and Brussels (arriving 6 hours later!)

 

[dgl]

There are certainly hoses on platform 1 and 2 (and I guess therefore 3 as well) and the one on platform 1 looked like it had been recently used when I passed through the station on Friday.
The one on platform 1 looks particularly new, with a newish green housing next to it so must still be used.

 

[yorksrob]

Although as I recall, there are hose reels under the canopy on the other two platforms (presumably to replenish the TC sets of years gone by).

Shame the timings don't allow one of these to be used instead !

 

[Johncleesefan]

There are certainly hoses on platform 1 and 2 (and I guess therefore 3 as well) and the one on platform 1 looked like it had been recently used when I passed through the station on Friday.
The one on platform 1 looks particularly new, with a newish green housing next to it so must still be used.

I can confirm that there are indeed tanking facilities at Weymouth. Gwr stable 2 units down there every night which get cleaned and tanked.

 

[CC 72100]

No tanking on the HST. A cleaner travels down on the train so that's the cleaning side of things covered. Toilets don't (shouldn't!) need tanking after a 2 hour 30 journey each way considering Penzance - Pad is 5, for example.

 

[BestWestern]

In that case then, it would have been a case of either the issue not having been raised, or perhaps more probably there being nobody on duty at that particular time to do it. Yes, that sounds silly, but the turnaround can at times be less than ten minutes, and again there can be issues with the platform being crowded etc.

 

[yorksrob]

Does the short platform even have tanking facilities ?

I was under the impression its quite a bit newer than the other two.

 

[Johncleesefan]

Does the short platform even have tanking facilities ?

I was under the impression its quite a bit newer than the other two.

It does, 2 hoses, the only gwr units booked for tanking are the over nighters

 

[yorksrob]

It does, 2 hoses, the only gwr units booked for tanking are the over nighters

Thanks - I've not used that platform much.

 

[dmu fan]

Looks like a dayout on a weekday rather than a saturday this year.
Does anyone know how many carriages will be on the 1730 ex Weymouth to Bristol temple meads on a weekday in August? What class of dmu might turn up?
What's the chances of a flushing toilet on the way home or will it be that busy there would be no chance in getting anywhere near them.

 

[Parallel]

Looks like a dayout on a weekday rather than a saturday this year.
Does anyone know how many carriages will be on the 1730 ex Weymouth to Bristol temple meads on a weekday in August? What class of dmu might turn up?
What's the chances of a flushing toilet on the way home or will it be that busy there would be no chance in getting anywhere near them.

Last year the 17:30 ex Weymouth was normally formed of 5 coaches using either 153 + 150 + 158(2-car) or 153 + 150 + 150 or 150 + 158(3-car). If there is a 150/1 in the combo you won't be able to walk through to some part(s) of the train but there should be a working toilet somewhere in the formation.

From personal experience, if the weather has been particularly good, it is very busy leaving Weymouth but more room once it's left Yeovil Pen Mill.

 

[455driver]

Last year the 17:30 ex Weymouth was normally formed of 5 coaches using either 153 + 150 + 158(2-car) or 153 + 150 + 150 or 150 + 158(3-car). If there is a 150/1 in the combo you won't be able to walk through to some part(s) of the train but there should be a working toilet somewhere in the formation.

From personal experience, if the weather has been particularly good, it is very busy leaving Weymouth but more room once it's left Yeovil Pen Mill.

I didnt think 153s were allowed over stabiliser railway infrastructure because of the steps at the new cab end?
Okay they used to go to Southampton but I thought it was a blanket ban now!

 

[Johncleesefan]

I didnt think 153s were allowed over stabiliser railway infrastructure because of the steps at the new cab end?
Okay they used to go to Southampton but I thought it was a blanket ban now!

153s are cleared to run on the Weymouth line and go down regularly.

They are clear into Southampton central station but banned to go any further south in the northam direction. Gwr run services that terminate at Southampton and send the 153s down

 

[455driver]

153s are cleared to run on the Weymouth line and go down regularly.

They are clear into Southampton central station but banned to go any further south in the northam direction. Gwr run services that terminate at Southampton and send the 153s down

Thanks for the info, I dont get down there anymore and am a bit behind with the goings on.

 

[Parallel]

I forgot to add I saw one working last year that was 3 x 153 + 150 as well! It seems to depend on whatever GWR has available.

 

[455driver]

I forgot to add I saw one working last year that was 3 x 153 + 150 as well! It seems to depend on whatever GWR has available.

Just like every other day then!

 

[Shaw S Hunter]

I didnt think 153s were allowed over stabiliser railway infrastructure because of the steps at the new cab end?
Okay they used to go to Southampton but I thought it was a blanket ban now!

So how long did it take you to get used to not having said stabilising technology?!

 

[SpacePhoenix]

I didnt think 153s were allowed over stabiliser railway infrastructure because of the steps at the new cab end?
Okay they used to go to Southampton but I thought it was a blanket ban now!

What's the difference between "stabiliser" infrastructure and "normal" infrastructure?

 

[Shaw S Hunter]

What's the difference between "stabiliser" infrastructure and "normal" infrastructure?

It was a humorous reference to third rail electrification.

 

[455driver]

It was a humorous reference to third rail electrification.

Indeed, after moving from SWT to FGW I did take a bit of ribbing about now having to drive trains without the stabilisers on.

 

[dmu fan]

Wow 3x153's and a 150. Plenty of room,seats and toilets. Appears we are are having an extended family day out with 6 of us. So hoping for a table seat from Gloucester down. See what happens on way home.
I think the 1730 departure from Weymouth has a long diagram. Starting in Gloucester down to Southampton,up to great Malvern,down to Weymouth and up to Bristol Temple Meads.
Those who may know, how long does it take to tank up a sprinter water tank and how many litres or gallons are stored. I was told some water is stored in the roof of a carriage. But don't know how true that is.