Wednesday 31 October 2007

Cisterns at Abby Pumping Station

I forgot to put these in last post, but I thought I'd put the seperatley.

The Bell Siphon:







The bell siphon is an old fashoned way of flushing, it works by lifting the bell up letting water into the tube and down the pipe which creates a siphon in the cistern.


The modern siphon:

This is the inside of a modern siphon, it works in a similar way. When the handle is pushed down it forces water up and round the bend pulling water in from the cistern creating a siphon.
That cistern is a very cheap plasticy one. Very noisy when they refill aswell.
Here's one in a wood cistern, it's made of metal and would work in a similar way.
Sorry I couldn't get these up, I've been having problems.

Tuesday 30 October 2007

The Toilet Exhibit at Abby Pumping Station

Last night I went to Abby Pumping station and there was a toilet exhibit there, I got some photos and videos of a display toilet and the ones for use.
Twyfords Pan Closet:




This is the Twyfords Pan closet, the sign says: TWYFORDS PAN CLOSET

The china pan is mounted on a hollow cast iron pedestal. Flushing occured by raising the handle on the right side. This operated a weighted lever mechanism. Formerly in use at Upton House Farm, Upton. it dates from about 1855.
I'd say it's a nice example of a floral pattern bowl but I have a better one comming up!
The Deluge Closet:
Now this is a toilet! I think it's by Royal Doulton, not sure I couldn't get a photo of the sign. This is a very nice toilet, old design, floral pattern. I wish they still had these now, they'd look really nice in an old bathroom.









Long Hopper Closet:

This very deep toilet bowl is a 'long hopper' can tell why it got that name, imagine how high it would be to sit on!
The sign says: LONG HOPPER CLOSET
The cone shaped panwas flushed by a narrow spiral of water, which according to Stevan Hellyer, a late 19th century writer of plumbing books, the water was flushed with a twirling motion but by the time it has reached the bottom of the trap it had no energy to carry away the contents. The date is pre 1870 and it was is use at Thornton, Leicester.
The Other Toilets:
Here's the other toilets that were there.


This one looks nice, very deep bowl. Didn't know what the brand was.

This one did have a brand but I can't remember it, again it's quite nice but not as good as some.
The flushable toilet:
The display one wasn't very good, it was very green with alge. Never been cleaned I'd say! it smelt aswell. Tempormental flush, it can take several pulls. Sorry about the background sound.





The Deep Bowl Disabled Toilet:


This interesting toilet can be found in the ones for use. The bowl is very deep, flush is quite good though. Very loud.

Monday 29 October 2007

The Smaller Pay Toilet Without A Hole!

Here's one of the smaller pay toilets. Again it costs 10p to use, but you only have 15 minutes this time. There is another version of these with a bowl like the larger pay toilets. I'll get some photos next time I use it.
Here's the toilet bowl, yep it looks nothing like a toilet. The things on the side are for sitting on and they are disenfected after each use. No hole there, it flushes by tipping the whole bowl into the back of the cubical and spraying and disenfecting it. I'd say it also doubles as a sink, as you can't fit your hands into the hole where water comes out for washing.

Over to the right is the hand wash thing. Wouldn't call it a sink as it's just a little spout above that green button. So when you press the button water pours down and you wash your hands in it, can't fit my hands in very well though so I tend to take some water and wash my hands over the toilet bowl. There's no hand dryer either. So I use the cubical heater!

On the left is the sign that tells you about the toilet, strangely you can through things into the toilet bowl this time... probably as there isn't a bin. Patent pending eh?



A Twyford Urinal

This urinal is a Twyford, it's a modern one as the toilets have just been renovated. I don't really have much to say about this, I prefer toilets more.

Saturday 27 October 2007

The clocks are going back an hour! And it's my birthday soon!

Yes it's finally that time of year when we gain an extra hour of sleep in bed, as you can see I accidently set my blog clock back an hour a day early but I left it because there isn't really any point in changing it. It's also getting darker earlier, which for some reason I like. I don't really get why we have to change the clocks round it's just to annoying, can't it just be one set time? (Not literly I mean losing and gaining an hour.)
I wish all clocks could be like computer clocks and adjust them selves instead of us going round messing with them.

My birthday is also coming up on 4th November (lucky me I get fireworks on my birthday as it's Bonfire Night the next day!) Maybe I'll go round looking at all my favourite toilets and seeing new ones and getting more photos and videos. Hopefully I might get something good...

Friday 26 October 2007

The Toilet Of My Hometown Rothwell


Well here it is, the disgusting public toilet of Rothwell.
That isn't excrement on the floor or seat, the seat has been spray painted and the floor is just leaves from outside.
It's metallic and brandless. Don't let the shine make it look clean, this is one dirty toilet. It smells really bad and I mean bad I had to hold my breath in there. There is low pressure due to flushing sytem and the sound is bad. This was actually cleaned yesterday, but they never do a good job of it. This place needs knocking down and rebuilt...maybe one of those automatic self cleaning toilets would be nice here. Someone had also peed in the sink, I didn't fancy using that!
What is suprising is the paper content in the corner...
The video of it flushing can be found here. Or at the bottom of this page with my other toilets.

Thursday 25 October 2007

What Automatic Pay Toilets Are Like

Well today I went to a pay toilet and thought I'd get some photos and show you what they are like inside.

They cost 10p to use but it can be worth it if you hate really dirty public toilets, they are cleaned after each use. The toilet bowl is scrubbed and disenfected including the seat the floor and walls are washed aswell so if someone makes a mess it is cleaned up.


The sign above the toilet bowl.

It is now illegal to smoke anywhere in public with 3 walls or more, so you can't smoke in these. They have an anti-loiter system which means you only have a certain amount of time in there before the door opens and it cleans itself. There is usally a 2 or 5 minute warning alarm before the door opens so you don't get caught with your trousers down while on the toilet. There is no flushing while you are in there so if someone goes in with a child (two adults aren't allowed and children under 10 aren't allowed in on their own either) and they both use the toilet then the previous users waste will still be in there until it flushes when they leave.

The very clean toilet bowl.

Here's what the toilet bowl is like, very clean and safe to use. That white flap is where the toilet cleaning brush comes out of to clean the toilet. The whole bowl tips up to get rid of the contents, water then sprays through the same whole the waste goes out of to fill the bowl again. If someone peed all over the seat it would be cleaned off for the next user.


The area around the toilet.

This is the area around the toilet it has grab rails and the toilet paper dispenser, some even have a baby changing table.


The sink area.
Here's the sink, hand dryer and bin. It's all automatic but the water is freezing! Just place your hands under and the water and soap will turn on then the hand dryer while the water is still going. The bin is the flap next to the sink.
Hope you enjoyed that! I will try to get some photos of the outside and of a smaller version.

Wednesday 24 October 2007

Welcome to my Blog!

Welcome to My Blog!

I've never actually blogged before so today I thought I might aswell, I'll be posting about toilets I find that I like, odd or strange things that have happened etc.

On to my first post...