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Unread 02-12-2007, 23:54   #8
Derek Wheeler
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Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Kildare
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Mark Gleeson View Post
I took the time to visit the depot and staff in Drogheda recently and this came up.

There is nothing wrong with the design or maintenance of the toilets on the 29000. The engineering staff in Drogheda are very insistent that the toilets work and take offense to any reference that the kit is sub standard. The whole operation was very professional and runs to a very defined schedule and the reliability of trains in Dublin has massively improved since they got going in Drogheda

There are three reasons they don't work

1. Some genius wedges a beer can or other foreign object in the toilet bowl, very frequent apparently

2. The door to the toilet (on the wheelchair accessible ones) comes of the rails, again there is a hint of physical assault on the door

3. The tank fills up, the door locks itself out in that situation. However the 29k design has its tank level display out side so a full tank is easily spotted

1 and 2 are impossible to legislate for its a social issue with the lack of respect in society for everything in general by a growing minority, 3 is a fact of life when a suburban train runs a 3 hour plus service, can't blame IE for that but you get the feeling if you got rid of the gangs of beer swilling youths it wouldn't be such a issue

While all of that may be true, it is not in anyway, shape or form, an excuse, reason or justification for a passenger to experience poor toilets. Making excuses based on visits to a depot and citing things like "staff take offence" is more in line with a fanticists web site rather that a consumers web site.

The responsibility of the train operator is to provide a service that is fit to meet a passengers needs/expectations. Once excuses are made then the same oul **** (sorry for pun) goes on.

Have to admit Mark I expected better from you. But Im not surprised. It didn't take long.
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