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Clan Line
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« on: October 30, 2024, 19:20:28 » |
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The toilets on P4 (off the waiting room) at Southampton are the most horrendous things I have come across in many a long day. Instead of a separate "Ladies" and "Gents" there are now 10 unisex toilet cubicles, sited down a narrow “alleyway”. There always seems to be a queue to use them. The men seem a bit disgruntled at having to queue now and some of the ladies looked quite uncomfortable standing in the queue with the men.
The cubicles are really uninspiring - more like upright coffins, you have to do a sort of vertical Limbo dance to get through the door and it gets quite “cosy” when you use the built in hand drier. How Mum would cope with a toddler (or two) in these awful things I do not know. Still, you could always go over to P1.................BUT - not any more ! Yesterday, all the loos over there seem to have been "walled off" for some reason. I have to wonder if P1 is going to get these abominations as well.
Some good advice – use the loo on the train !!!
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ChrisB
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« Reply #1 on: October 30, 2024, 19:59:40 » |
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What was the disabled toilet provision?
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Timmer
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« Reply #2 on: October 30, 2024, 20:15:45 » |
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The toilets at Southampton Central were disgusting before these ‘improvements’.
Overall Southampton Central is an awful station.
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Clan Line
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« Reply #3 on: October 30, 2024, 22:23:23 » |
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What was the disabled toilet provision?
I didn't specifically look or notice, but I do recall a door to the left of the alleyway which could have been a disabled loo (or a cleaner's store - one was needed !). The toilets at Southampton Central were disgusting before these ‘improvements’.
Overall Southampton Central is an awful station.
Funny you should say that................we lived in Eastleigh until 1986, I did say to my daughter that SOU didn't seem to have altered/improved since we moved away. She agreed - visiting SOU, today, the first time for 20 years after being at The University of Southampton. |
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Fourbee
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« Reply #4 on: October 31, 2024, 11:35:57 » |
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It helps if you're quite supple as well as the toilet roll is situated over your left shoulder!
Presumably some sort of anti-vandalism measure having it integrated into the back wall rather than a standalone fixture, but not user friendly.
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eightonedee
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« Reply #5 on: October 31, 2024, 12:55:14 » |
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As a general observation, the last time I spent any time at Southampton Central (a wait of nearly an hour to change trains 5 years ago), it did seem that I had travelled back at least 20 years in time. I think it is a strong candidate for least adequate main railway station in any major UK▸ city.
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Chris from Nailsea
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« Reply #6 on: October 31, 2024, 17:50:41 » |
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Southampton Station is managed by South Western Railway - with whom any facilities issues should be raised. Good luck with that one. 
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William Huskisson MP▸ was the first person to be killed by a train while crossing the tracks, in 1830. Many more have died in the same way since then. Don't take a chance: stop, look, listen.
"Level crossings are safe, unless they are used in an unsafe manner." Discuss.
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Clan Line
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« Reply #7 on: October 31, 2024, 18:58:28 » |
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It helps if you're quite supple as well as the toilet roll is situated over your left shoulder!
If you are left handed should it not be over your right shoulder ? Tut-tut, bad error there ! Should be two..............or none. I assume that these monstrosities are meant to meet the calls of "diversity" & "inclusivity" and probably a few more "ities" as well. The end result is something that fails to really meet the needs of anybody ! I was at SOU again today: there is a "disabled" loo (but, of course, it's not called that any more) and a "nappy" room. |
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Ralph Ayres
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« Reply #8 on: October 31, 2024, 21:34:40 » |
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I'm fairly ambivalent about the current trend for "unisex" loos, but it needs doing properly to work and you might think anyone designing/specifying them would be keen to avoid giving anyone reason to complain. Urinals are a pretty efficient way of dealing with men's needs unless a longer visit is needed, so you should replace them with a greater number of cubicles if you only have WCs▸ . Putting the wash basin in the cubicle further delays things as the WC cannot be used by the next client while the previous one is washing their hands, unlike basins in a communal area, so you need yet more cubicles. I get the impression this is rarely factored in, hence the longer queues.
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Chris from Nailsea
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« Reply #9 on: October 31, 2024, 21:56:57 » |
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I'm very broadminded, so I wasn't offended at all by this. Many years ago, I was in a very basic gents convenience on a campsite somewhere in Gloucestershire when a female also arrived, to relieve herself into one of the urinals. She'd clearly drunk rather more than one pint of lager, so had to deal with that. She then, rather ruefully, explained to us men that there was a long queue for the ladies - and she just couldn't wait that long. |
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William Huskisson MP▸ was the first person to be killed by a train while crossing the tracks, in 1830. Many more have died in the same way since then. Don't take a chance: stop, look, listen.
"Level crossings are safe, unless they are used in an unsafe manner." Discuss.
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Timmer
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« Reply #10 on: November 01, 2024, 22:29:20 » |
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Passed through Southampton Central today, mercifully not getting off. As the train moved off, I was able to read the sign in the walled up area where the toilets were on platform 1 and yes they are being refurbed. I would expect to the same unisex spec as the ones on platform 4.
Whilst on the subject of toilets, and somewhat related to Southampton and refurbishments.
Used the recently refurbished toilets at Waterloo, that having only been open a few months are already looking shabby with half the cubicles locked ‘out of order’.
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Fourbee
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« Reply #11 on: November 02, 2024, 07:19:44 » |
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Used the recently refurbished toilets at Waterloo, that having only been open a few months are already looking shabby with half the cubicles locked ‘out of order’.
Apparently the ones in The Sidings (the shopping centre downstairs) are in good nick (probably don't see much use)... if you have enough time to get down there of course. |
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TaplowGreen
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« Reply #12 on: November 02, 2024, 08:23:58 » |
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I'm very broadminded, so I wasn't offended at all by this. Many years ago, I was in a very basic gents convenience on a campsite somewhere in Gloucestershire when a female also arrived, to relieve herself into one of the urinals. She'd clearly drunk rather more than one pint of lager, so had to deal with that. She then, rather ruefully, explained to us men that there was a long queue for the ladies - and she just couldn't wait that long. I recall the same happening at Twickenham at half time during an Army v Navy match, albeit in somewhat more numerous male company!  |
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Timmer
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« Reply #13 on: November 02, 2024, 08:52:45 » |
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Apparently the ones in The Sidings (the shopping centre downstairs) are in good nick (probably don't see much use)... if you have enough time to get down there of course.
Well they were until the main toilets in the station were closed for refurbishing that overran by a year meaning the smaller toilets in The Sidings got absolutely thrashed and they need a bit of a refurb now. |
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