Toilets not available

[infobleep]

I do think during peak rush hour trains should have longer turn around times than 4 minutes. It probably takes a driver that long to switch ends and the chances of a train arriving on time isn't so high. Tring is an example of the turn around time being too short.

However toilets not working isn't a reason to delay running a train.

Of course it would be nice if all the last trains from London going beyond a certain distance had loos. For example the last train to Guildford, bar Sunday nights, is a slow stopping service with no loos. To Woking their is a later service with loos but that doesn't go to Guildford. I try to avoid the train. However what would be nice may never happen for commercial reasons. It may be not financially viable to make it come with loos.

I would also like to see all trains to Clapham Junction in peak rush hour from Guildford have loos but again it won't ever happen unless fast trains stop there and that's another debate entirely.

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[yorksrob]

However what would be nice may never happen for commercial reasons.

I remember in the early noughties I used to use the Reading line quite a lot. Used to drive me up the wall when they'd swap the usual slammers for crummy 455's on the weekends

 

[feline1]

But where do you have the extra plumbers (or equivalent)? If a toilet becomes blocked part way through the journey; do you delay the train whilst someone comes out to a small station in the middle of nowhere to fix it where there are no facilities to pump anything, or do you carry on to the terminus point of that journey and then delay the return working by heading off to the carriage sidings where the facilities to fix it are?

These are operational issues which a franchised Train Operating Company needs to be able to deal with. If they can't deal with them, then they shouldn't be running a railway. That's the bottom line.

 

[Greenback]

These are operational issues which a franchised Train Operating Company needs to be able to deal with. If they can't deal with them, then they shouldn't be running a railway. That's the bottom line.

It would be far better if you addressed the questions raised by other posters and either put forward your own solutions or at least accepted that things are not as simple as they may appear.

To be honest, simply repeating an opinion and not engaging in a true debate with other contributors is not what discussion forums are all about.

 

[jon0844]

I already suggested investing in better (less blockable) loos and/or more plumbers, but that was deleted as it was apparently off topic.

Where do you find these less blockable loos? If you let us know, I'll pass the information on to the pub/leisure industry etc.

A lack of toilets is annoying. Perhaps newer trains can relay the lack of toilet provision to control to have some seek to unblock as soon as possible, or even show on the departure boards so people can choose not to board, but you don't cancel trains or cut the service frequency so they can be checked and fixed at every turnaround. And even if this did happen, what if the toilets are blocked after the first stop? Chuck everyone off the train and send it back to the depot?

Oh and those plumbers on standby at every station will need paying. Happy to pay a bit more next year for your season ticket on top of the normal increase?

 

[Clip]

These are operational issues which a franchised Train Operating Company needs to be able to deal with. If they can't deal with them, then they shouldn't be running a railway. That's the bottom line.

Toilets being broken on route and passenger abuse has been going on since before the days of privitisation. In fact in some cases especially on the south coast it was even worse then even with longer turn around times.

You offer no solution you just go over the same thing again and again with a little smiley at the end to try and indicate either no harm done or youre just having a lugh.

In fact I would go so far as to say you actually have no idea how difficult it is running a railway yet seem to find it fine to come on here flapping your gums about stuff you have no idea of.

You even seem to advocate longer turn around times so that toilets can get fixed, which is a patently daft idea given that if we did that at rush hour - when you travel and complain so much - then we wouldnt be able to run so many trains increasing the overcrowding so that you wouldnt be able to get near one of those nice shiny fixed toilets anyway.


Oh and as for your delays - you say 3 mins x 30 days. Now I know youre talking rubbish as there is no way you work every day of the month. None.

And without being a stalker - tell us what time train you get every day and then the good people on here can check to see if it is indeed late 3 mins everyday. So either put up or please, shut up.

 

[jon0844]

The data will be on RTT and elsewhere.

 

[455driver]

And without being a stalker - tell us what time train you get every day and then the good people on here can check to see if it is indeed late 3 mins everyday. So either put up or please, shut up.

Dont expect that information any time soon as the answer to it will only confirm my suspicions about him!

Smillie on end coz tat is wot wee doo innit!

 

[jon0844]

http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/search/advanced/DUR/2014/04/02/1629

That's a time based URL, so will need adjusting for the current time/date.

I can see a few services that were late, and a fair few that have no report for that station. Perhaps Southern is deliberately trying to hide the truth (ignoring the fact you can see the times before and after calling there)? I think they're doing it deliberately to wind him up personally.

Perhaps the best idea would be if we're just told every time the train is late so we can keep track ourselves and see how much time is lost that can never be recovered, and compare it with how much time has been wasted with all of us writing on this thread, plus the Tweets.

I think I can work out which will be longer.

 

[user15681]

Smillie on end coz tat is wot wee doo innit!

You've made my day.

The way I see it is that a fully working, clean toilet would be absolutely lovely... but it's just not feasible all the time. A carriage reserved for those who don't moan would be lovely to, but that's not feasible either it seems.

 

[strettonarms96]

should a toilet really get blocked so often? Do you guys regularly take such a massive dump that this happens?

 

[jon0844]

There are many reasons tickets get blocked, or that they run out of water to flush which effectively means the same thing.

It's fine to say that some TOCs could do more, but without suggesting ridiculous solutions that are totally OTT.

 

[455driver]

should a toilet really get blocked so often? Do you guys regularly take such a massive dump that this happens?

No they dont but nappies or mobile phones or newspapers etc will block a toilet!

 

[trainophile]

No they dont but nappies or mobile phones or newspapers etc will block a toilet!

Who on earth decides to chuck their mobile phone down the toilet? Or if it drops in there accidentally, then by definition it's not a deliberate act of vandalism.

Urgh, I've just had a horrible vision of trying to retrieve my phone from some of the less pleasant (i.e. unflushed) train toilets I have had the misfortune to see :eek: . (That smiley looks nothing like "eek" does it?)

 

[gswindale]

Why don't we bring back toilets with no retention tanks? Just let it all out onto the tracks below

No chance of your mobile blocking it then

(not much chance of retrieving it either!)

 

[455driver]

Who on earth decides to chuck their mobile phone down the toilet?

Somebody who wants to claim for a 'lost' phone on their insurance for one!

 

[DownSouth]

I can testify from not quite first-hand experience (it was my housemate dropping her phone, not me!) that even a bulletproof old Nokia doesn't handle a dunking in even a clean toilet too happily.

Urgh, I've just had a horrible vision of trying to retrieve my phone from some of the less pleasant (i.e. unflushed) train toilets I have had the misfortune to see :eek: . (That smiley looks nothing like "eek" does it?)

Try pasting an image URL from another website with a more interesting selection - after a quick search I found a couple that might have been appropriate for your post!

Somebody who wants to claim for a 'lost' phone on their insurance for one!

And also Japanese women apparently!

You're probably more likely to get an awkward attempt at retrieval than flushing it down in that case though.

 

[strettonarms96]

how about tocs forget toilets. Anyone who has the runs can deal with it!

 

[DownSouth]

There's also a major public health aspect associated with diarrhoea - it is often a harbinger of a disease condition which may be contagious. A person experiencing a sudden onset of diarrhoea while on a train should probably alight at the next stop and use the emergency phone to call an ambulance, and if they were experiencing that condition before getting on the train they should have been under medical supervision instead of going off on a train.

May I suggest this edit though

how about tocs forget toilets. Anyone unfortunate enough to be within a 10 metre radius of a person who has the runs can deal with it!

 

[strettonarms96]

A person experiencing a sudden onset of diarrhoea while on a train should probably alight at the next stop and use the emergency phone to call an ambulance, and if they were experiencing that condition before getting on the train they should have been under medical supervision instead of going off on a train.

Have you not had diarrhoe before? Its not always ambulance-worthy, just something you've eaten!!

 

[yorksrob]

There's also a major public health aspect associated with diarrhoea - it is often a harbinger of a disease condition which may be contagious. A person experiencing a sudden onset of diarrhoea while on a train should probably alight at the next stop and use the emergency phone to call an ambulance, and if they were experiencing that condition before getting on the train they should have been under medical supervision instead of going off on a train.

If it's the dreaded noro-virus, there's an argument that you should retreat to your own bathroom as soon as possible for a week or two.

 

[westv]

Have you not had diarrhoe before? Its not always ambulance-worthy, just something you've eaten!!

Ambulance indeed. That part of the post did make me laugh!

 

[strettonarms96]

Ambulance indeed. That part of the post did make me laugh!

"Ambulance please, I'm busting for a ****"

 

[westv]

"Ambulance please, I'm busting for a ****"

Emergency dump!

 

[strettonarms96]

Emergency dump!

we could all do with that sometimes¬!

 

[infobleep]

If it's the dreaded noro-virus, there's an argument that you should retreat to your own bathroom as soon as possible for a week or two.

There are people with long term medical conditions or who have had surgical operations which mean they may do less solid waste. This doesn't always mean they have a contagious virus.

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[trainophile]

It seems somewhat paradoxical that under disability discrimination laws suitable facilities must be provided for the use of people with mobility problems, yet for a bodily function that every single one of us needs facilities for, it's a case of "tough" if such facilities are not available.

 

[yorksrob]

There are people with long term medical conditions or who have had surgical operations which mean they may do less solid waste. This doesn't always mean they have a contagious virus.

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Yes. but they equally probably wouldn't require the services of an ambulance.

 

[Clip]

It seems somewhat paradoxical that under disability discrimination laws suitable facilities must be provided for the use of people with mobility problems, yet for a bodily function that every single one of us needs facilities for, it's a case of "tough" if such facilities are not available.

I dont think anyone on this thread has just said 'tough' have they?

 

[infobleep]

Yes. but they equally probably wouldn't require the services of an ambulance.

No they certainly wouldn't or if they did something far more serious would be wrong with them than simple needing the loo.

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