Interesting Journey - 09 Dec 11 - No 2

[Worle Wonder]

Travelled on the 11:30 from BRI to London Paddington and found a number of the toilets out of action due to a lack of water. The train was very busy with lots of people heading into the capital, the Train Manager was very good putting posters up on the door of the loos informing all that they were out of order, but it meant queing to use the remaining working facilities

Question is with the increased capacity of seats/people travelling and the reduction in number of avialable toilets with the re-furbushed rolling stock how often does this happen?

I believe this train had originally formed the 05:20 service from Swansea to London and then the 08:30 Londan to BRI (before becoming the 11:30)

[eightf48544]

In the not so distant past there used be electric tankers at Paddington, which topped up the tanks from the tanks.

In the bad old days of BR most mainline staions had hoses at frequent intervals between the track on the offside to the  platform and MEN! used to couple up trains and water them.

Remember being on a railtour on the old Neath and Brecon line and we stopped at Neath Riverside Jn and the resturant car was watered from a fire engine.

Now I presumme it's only done at the depot.

[paul7755]

Not just depots, you'll still see HSTs being tanked in the platforms at Kings Cross.  FGW's 158s get topped up by SWT platform staff at Portsmouth Harbour on arrival, it's part of the routine.

I reckon the problem on your train is simply a lack of organisation somewhere

Paul

[IndustryInsider]

I reckon the problem on your train is simply a lack of organisation somewhere

Or a lack of time at Paddington due to late arrival on the 05:20ex Swansea, or the train not being in a platform at Paddington where tanking facilities exist.