Class 155 disabled access toilet

[mike57]

We travelled on a class 155 DMU Saturday, and both used the toilet facilities before reaching our destination.

The issue, the position of the toilet in the toilet compartment. The compartment is spacious, plenty of room for wheel chair access, but the toilet bowl is right in the farthest corner squashed in the angle of the two walls. I didn't have a problem as my requirements were met by standing. My wife however commented that given its position its impossible to sit on it 'normally', and she is able bodied, so how would a disabled person cope. It really seems like a major design flaw that has managed to get through all the design reviews that I assume take place on this type of thing. Surely having a toilet bowl where access is possible on 3 sides is common sense, and there is plenty of room to have moved it away from the wall.

 

[NSE]

If it’s the same one as one some 150’s, then yeah, it’s ridiculous.

 

[Dr Hoo]

Happened to be on a Class 155 just now.

Photo shows interior of the (only) toilet, with the wash basin hard up against one side of the pedestal.

 

[The exile]

Happened to be on a Class 155 just now.

Photo shows interior of the (only) toilet, with the wash basin hard up against one side of the pedestal.

Presumably shows the folly of designing to fit a set of specifications, rather than real world needs. "It must be alright - it ticks all the boxes!"

 

[JonathanH]

I think it was reported that the positioning of the toilet bowl was dictated by the need to allow for the turning circle of a standard wheelchair within the confines of the cubicle.

 

[Bletchleyite]

This layout is extremely common, and like many accessibility things (see also the card slot being a foot off the floor on GWR's TVMs) totally ignores the fact that tall people can become disabled, and one of the most common disabilities involves loss of flexibility due to back and knee problems, meaning a tall person cannot reach things near the floor, nor sit in an awkward position sideways on such a toilet.

With people on average getting taller all the time, this sort of design is going to be a major problem.

 

[mike57]

Happened to be on a Class 155 just now.

Photo shows interior of the (only) toilet, with the wash basin hard up against one side of the pedestal.

Yes thanks for that picture, didn't occur to me to take one Saturday, and return journey was a 170, which is the usual unit here.

Even if the 'pot' was rotated to face outwards it would be better.

Even although I am nowhere near 'disabled' knee issues as I have got older make certain things more of a challenge, and I agree, that comes with a general loss in flexibility.

Without getting into the 'too much information' area, there are certain activities which I think would be a challenge with that toilet, if the user was say 6ft and 16st, and thats not unusual.

Once a design is complete is there not a mock up, I have certainly done similar things when designing new or refurbishing control rooms, as a final signoff which means involving real people in a range of shapes, sizes and genders.

 

[Bletchleyite]

Without getting into the 'too much information' area, there are certain activities which I think would be a challenge with that toilet, if the user was say 6ft and 16st, and thats not unusual.

Being a bit bigger than that in both dimensions the only way I can use those toilets for purposes requiring me to be seated is "side saddle" as it were.

 

[FrontSideBus]

Has anybody noticed that hardly any seats actually stay up on these new PRM toilets these days or is it just me? Seems most of the time I have to hold the seat up with one hand and aim with the other which is not ideal when you are being bumped around when the train is in motion?

 

[61653 HTAFC]

Has anybody noticed that hardly any seats actually stay up on these new PRM toilets these days or is it just me? Seems most of the time I have to hold the seat up with one hand and aim with the other which is not ideal when you are being bumped around when the train is in motion?

If you're being bumped around, perhaps a "lazy wee" (i.e. sitting down) is the smart move?