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Post by stapler on Dec 24, 2016 11:13:18 GMT
nickf, these will have been ex-LMS stock used on excursion and boat trains from St Pancras to Southend/Tilbury, generally pulled by a 4-4-0, as I remember them. This stock had door windows retained by by stout leather straps. As to the lavatories, I'm pretty sure they did not have retention tanks. They sported the usual notice about not using the w.c. when the train was at a station, as well as "Gentlemen lift the seat".
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Post by nickf on Dec 24, 2016 12:22:41 GMT
Oh yes...the leather straps that held the windows. Happy days.
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Post by brigham on Dec 24, 2016 14:27:46 GMT
That's how I learned how to tell if a fellow was a Gentleman.
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Post by silenthunter on Dec 24, 2016 20:09:23 GMT
TJW, the point about sleeping cars brings to mind the fact as I remember it (and I may be wrong) the lavatories in 2nd class twin berth were at the ends of the cars only, but there was a kind of chute in each cabin, for liquid waste only (marked "No solid waste down here please" or some such). Perhaps someone can refresh my memory!? And was a gazunder provided by BR? The Mark 3 sleepers still have one lavatory at the end only, but that's retention. |
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rincew1nd
Administrator
Junior Under-wizzard of quiz
Posts: 10,225 
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Post by rincew1nd on Dec 24, 2016 21:05:58 GMT
The Mk3 sleepers I've been on all have two toilets, one marked ladies the other gents - though I suspect they are identical. Some have been converted to be accessible when adjacent to the accessible berth.
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Post by norbitonflyer on Dec 24, 2016 22:58:04 GMT
The Mk3 sleepers I've been on all have two toilets. Unlike the day coaches, they are both at the same end. Presumably this is so that only one retention tank is required. |
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Post by silenthunter on Dec 25, 2016 22:29:25 GMT
The Mk3 sleepers I've been on all have two toilets, one marked ladies the other gents - though I suspect they are identical. Some have been converted to be accessible when adjacent to the accessible berth. My misremembering - it is two toilets. Mind you, it is effectively only one as a guy can't exactly use the ladies. Mark 5s are due to have ensuite toilets for First Class. |
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Post by silenthunter on Dec 25, 2016 22:31:30 GMT
Oh yes...the leather straps that held the windows. Happy days. GWR coaches had those as well. Awkward things. |
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Post by blackhorsesteve on Dec 29, 2016 23:57:20 GMT
When did toilets on trains come in? I would assume it's a *fairly* new idea?
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Post by whistlekiller2000 on Dec 30, 2016 1:50:48 GMT
When did toilets on trains come in? I would assume it's a *fairly* new idea? Probably when somebody decided they could do with a dump during a journey perhaps?  |
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Post by norbitonflyer on Dec 30, 2016 7:47:59 GMT
When did toilets on trains come in? I would assume it's a *fairly* new idea? A bit of googling suggests that corridor coaches, and toilets, first started to appear in the 1890s. |
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Post by stapler on Dec 30, 2016 8:29:31 GMT
The early corridor coaches were not gangway connected.
It is said the first w.c. on a train was in Queen Victoria's private saloon.
In the 19C, various bottle like contrivances were available commercially for both sexes - there used to be one on display in the MofBT or NRM, I believe; and 1st and 2nd class passengers could always use the footwarmers. It was not unknown for male passengers to open the doors slightly, also; with the concomitant of some falling out!
Timetabling also sometimes involved personal needs breaks (whether to take it in or let it out). This was not such a great problem with the timetablers, because of slower speeds, and small tenders and the necessity for engine watering.
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Post by norbitonflyer on Dec 30, 2016 10:54:31 GMT
The Wikipedia entry for "gangway connections" suggests that the first trains to have inter-car gangways (originally for staff use only) were on the GWR in c 1892, although another entry suggests that George Pullman introduced the "vestibule car" to America in 1887 - previous cars on the American pattern had open verandahs. None of this is conclusive - vestibules without gangway connections (or indeed toilets) are possible - most Tube trains are essentially of this layout, as the end doors are not for passenger use, and side corridors without inter-car gangways are also possible - see the old 2HAP units on the Southern. This summary www.bluebell-railway.co.uk/bluebell/car_fs1.html shows the development process, although I suspect the cited dates are "typical" rather than "earliest". |
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