James's Blogger Blog

Long Time No See

2008-09-23T21:09:00.005+01:00

Well, as the title says, long time no see. Time for me to get this up and going again. As most of you reading this go on my YouTube Channel you will know I can update this a lot.

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Extremely Rare "armitage"

I can't believe it, I found an "armitage", I'd only seen these in Australia on YouTube.

I was in a holiday shop, got bored and had a feeling about the toilet being good, after a while I asked, and got to go to it.

I walked upstairs and looked for the toilet, found it and walked into the cubicle. I thought it was TWYFORDS at first, but realised it was "armitage". You should have seen my face, I was so happy.

I checked the sink to see if that was the same as I had slight suspicion of missing Shanks part, but nope, same.

The bowl I've never seen before on, even with the newer batches. It looks similar to some I have seen though.

As you can see, no faded Shanks below or beside it.

What made it even better was the cistern handle, side and rare and old.

Notice the water pipe in the bottom right-hand corner? It made me think the cistern isn't original, but the building isn't old enough to have an older one, plus it probably went up and to the side, the current one comes down to the side.

Flush power is very good, length, and sound. Enjoy the video.

A Rare But Neglected TWYFORDS, Make Music

2008-04-05T20:17:00.002+01:00

Found in Make Music in Kettering, this neglected toilet is very rare, it's a TWYFORDS with Viterious China below the logo.

Before you go "Yuck! Oh my God!" That in the bowl is just limescale. I know it's worse than Subway but this is a music shop, not a food establishment.
But it is dirty and I didn't want to be in there long but I had to take the chance and shoot the video and pictures.
Design I don't love nor hate.

Now here's the rare logo, never seen it before, it's quite unique. The words are curved when they'd usually be straight.

The cistern isn't the same as the one on the Shires from the dental centre.
It says: dauntlessELITE.
Yet again, I think it's another 9 litre cistern.
The button squeaks a lot when it's pressed, probably hasn't been used in a while.
Sound and pressure are good, though pressure would be better slightly higher but this toilet is very old.

Enjoy the video:

Subway, A Place That Doesn't Like To Clean Toilets

2008-04-05T19:30:00.003+01:00

Well, if you haven't already seen my video about the state of the toilets, here's a blog post about it. (And the toilet bowl and cistern itself)

Kettering has two Subways one on Dalkeith Place and their toilets are pretty crap but these were the worst.

I walked in and found a very dirty sink with something looking like someone had taken a shit in it and removed most of it but left some, the cold tap was surrounded by who know what, soap dispenser had soap but that was probably over a few years old, all the floor was dirty and messy, hand dryer covered in yellow watermarks and things atleast it worked, hot water heater wasn't so bad but it wasn't very clean, the radiator was rusty, dirty and probably broken, paint peeled off everywhere and that's just in the area that you wait for the cubicle or wash your hands. In the cubicle, the floor is still dirty, mould behind the toilet on the waste outlet pipe, mould on the door, dirty yellow seat, dirty toilet bowl, dust covering everywhere still ... I wonder why they bother having the toilet brush if they don't use it? And I did complain, I'm going to go back and see if they are cleaned, if not I'll complain again.

Here's the video showing all this:

Now the toilet bowl was Shires, a older batch I believe.

I think it looks just about the same as the newer batch, except the rim slides in a bit if you look at this next photo:

The logo starts with a larger letter and ends with the same unlike the other logo all in lower-case and same size.

The cistern I'm not sure what it's brand is, probably Shires and the handle looks replaced as I have seen it on modern toilets before. The cistern can be tempermental to get to flush as you will hear in the video.

Sound is good and the pressure is reasonable, flush isn't very long though.

Shires At The Shires Dental Centre

2008-04-03T11:53:00.003+01:00

Yes, a very ironic toilet. It's a Shires in The Shires dental centre!

This toilet bowl is quite rare to see here, yet I saw this and another one of these but older batch.

The logo is a dark blue, printed off-centre.

The cistern is very big, I think it's one of the older 9 litre ones. To flush the toilet you must push the button sticking out the top, and what I like about these is that they are unique and use a syphon that gives a good sound and pressure, unlike the valves used with buttons nowadays, to tell if a toilet is a syphon flush, listen at the end when the water stops, if you a rumbling like sound and the water gets more powerful then stops, it's a syphon. To tell if it's a valve, at the end it will make a thump as the valve falls and the water will just stop with no gurgle or anything.

Here's a close-up of the button.

What is different about the syphons with these buttons is that if you press the button down again when it's flushing and it stays down (As it goes back up if you press once) The end of the flush is different.

I like the sound and flush for this one shame these buttons are becoming rarer. I've only seen about 3.
Enjoy the video.

Another Batch Of My Favourite Armitage Shanks?

2008-03-30T17:13:00.003+01:00

This one, from London Natural History Museum looks very similar to my favourite Armitage Shanks.

The hole that the rim forms is the same yet the water hole is longer. Logo is the same too.

And instead of being found with the Armitage Shanks sensor I found it with this sucky button.

The flush sound isn't much different though, pressure is good.

Enjoy the video.

Older Or Newer? Twyfords

2008-03-30T17:00:00.002+01:00

This one was found in the toilets of Marks And Spencers, Leicester.

When I first saw this, it looked like the newest batch of something.
But don't be fooled, like the say, don't read a book by it's front cover. Or at least I think that's how that saying goes ...

Anyway behind the seat and lid, I found the logo, it's a Twyfords, a batch before the newest.
I was very suprised, I was expecting Twyford or Armitage Shanks, mostly Twyford though.

The handle I believe is a Armitage Shanks, I think, might be DVS as the taps were DVS.

The flush sound is the usual sound for this batch of Twyfords. Pressure is good.

Enjoy the video.

A Rare One, Barrhead

2008-03-30T16:48:00.003+01:00

Barrhead, I've only ever seen it once, how about you? I saw this one at the Victoria And Albert museum in London, near the entrance in the underground subway from the tube station.

This was the only cubicle with it, the rest had older batch Armitage Shanks as usual, in a new toilet I check all vacant cubicles, and this was the odd one out.

It looks very similar to Armitage Shanks doesn't it? though on the outside you can see the rim while the others you can't. I suspect the reason this is in here is that either there was an Armitage Shanks here before that got broken and they replaced it with this because it looks similar or they were all Barrhead and the Armitage Shanks replaced them.

The logo looks quite unique, I wonder what it is supposed to look like.

The handle I have come across several times yet I don't know what brand it is, I'm thinking an older Armitage Shanks.

Sound and flush are good, nice pressure.
Enjoy the video.

Old Armitage Shanks With Dudley Tri-Shell High Cistern

2008-03-30T16:22:00.003+01:00

I seem to be on a blogging spree this afternoon, enjoy it!

Here's one I'm worried about as it's close to renovation by the looks of it, I had to detour round to it as the whole area is under renovation. (Leicester Museum entrance)

Some idiot didn't flush as you can see, I hate non-flushers, the bastards, it's just pure lazyness. Excuse the language.

The bowl is an older batch of Armitage Shanks, one I also haven't seen before.

Haven't got much to say on the bowl, sounds very good though.

here's the cistern, a Dudley Tri-shell, it's very powerful and good, I don't want it to be replaced with a sucky thing.

There's the logo, it seems that the high level ones have the logo on the righ-hand side while low level have it on the left-hand side because it's traditional to have the handle on the right-hand side here in England.

Here's the handle that you grip and pull, people seem to be fond of ripping it off the chain, it seems to change every time I go there ...

I really love this toilet, I've known it for a good long while but I think it's close to renovation, it's rather unique, to get in the main toilet area (not the cubicle) you have to push a button and the door opens, when you go to leave, it opens by itself without you having to do anything it's very hygenic. The urinal, automatic urinal cistern and sinks are old too.

Though one thing I don't like is the lighting, it's blue to prevent drug addicts, it doesn't turn the whole room blue in this one but I have been in a full blue one and it's horrible, it confuses you, makes you feel slightly sick etc.

Enjoy the video.

Syphonic Twyfords Bathrooms Toilet, Leicester Muesum

2008-03-30T15:57:00.003+01:00

Yes, yes, I know there's a picture of this one at the side at the moment, but some more information will be better.

I love the pictures for this one, they came out brilliant, except the logo, they never do ...
The bowl is deeper than it looks, in real life the water level seems quite high.
there is two holes at the back in the rim, you get to see these in the video. The flush sound is similar to that of a syphonic Royal Doulton.

Haven't got much to say about the cistern, has the usual Twyfords handle and it has the logo on the left-hand side.

The logo says "Twyfords
Bathrooms" With a line under it connecting to a semi-circle.

You don't come across toilets like this often, if you see one, be sure to record it.

A Rare Armitage Shanks

2008-03-30T15:37:00.003+01:00

Well, I was in Leicester the other day and thought I'd reshoot some toilets on my good camera for you, and look at what I found while in Leicester Market public toilets. If you look at the first video with yellow tiles on the 6th post below this, you'll see the toilet from the same toilets but it's modern, I went in there angain and it seems that most cubicles are different, some are renovated and some aren't, I found a floor mounted toilet in one while the others are wall mounted. I will shoot some others next time.

Sorry about the shit on the bowl it was the only vacant cubicle with this bowl.
Look at the logo, it's in the bowl which was usually only found on Victorian toilets, which means this one must be a very very old batch, I wouldn't say Victorian but quite old.

The logo is the older batch, which means it is an older one. Typed out blue letters, not joined up handwritten style.

Same button as last time, all toilet cubicles in the toilet have this one.

Flush isn't too bad, the sound is similar to my favourite one, or a Victory, your thoughts?

Enjoy the video.

My Favourite Armitage Shanks With a Good Flush

2008-03-30T15:04:00.003+01:00

Well I've already shown you my favourite Armitage Shanks, and thought I'd show youthis better one, the video and pictures are better.

As you can see this is much better. These were taken at London Transport Museum, in the non-disabled cubicle near the exit.

This toilet you have to queue for as it's only one of two cubicles shared by both sexes. You have a choice of toilets, this one or in the disabled cubicle, a disabled Twyfords, I recommend this one as it's nicer and less common. Though if you hate wave-over sensors, use the other as it is handle flush.

This picture came out blurry as I had the wrong setting on the camera but it's the Armitage Shanks sensor, commonly found with this toilet bowl, the sensor usually requires you to hold your hand there or wave over twice.

One thing I liked about this toilet is that it refilled the cistern very very quick, I managed to flush it 4 more times whiel I was in there after I took that video. And if your favourite colour is black, you'll like these two cubicles as they are tiled and floored black. it is actually quite nice.

The flush isn't as long as the other one but it's clearer and you can see the water flow better.

Enjoy the video.

A Very Powerful Rimless Armitage Shanks

2008-03-22T19:24:00.004Z

Well I thought I'd blog some more tonight, and I decided to show you this extremely powerful rimless Armitage Shanks with sensor flush. (Wave over type)

I believe it is a newer batch of rimless Armitage Shanks as the holes are higher, the batch before the current one mentioned in the post below this.

Nothing special about the design, it's the flush and placement I want to talk about.

Strangly, this has been mounted to a box behind the bowl, I think this is because the pipe runs through there.

This is interesting, the sensor is on a box running up from thebox the toilet is mounted on to the ceiling. I'm thinking that this box has a pipe running down it, the toilet is cistern flushed as it wouldn't flush again when I waved over and there is an over-flow pipe on the toilet bowl if you look. So the cistern must be either in the ceiling or behind the tiled wall, I think it is in the ceiling due to the very very high pressure. Your thoughts?

This sensor is also a better one, it only requires one wave over unlike the Armitage Shanks ones.

I will definatly visit this again when I am next in London, just hear the sound and see the pressure:

The Newest Batch Of Rimless Armitage Shanks

2008-03-22T12:31:00.004Z

Well, I discovered this the otherday in the newly renovated toilets of Sainburys Supermarket in Kettering, Northamptonshire.

I have no videos for this one yet due to the person in the next cubicle making some very unpleasant noises, I shall soon though when I next go to Kettering.

Look at the hole, notice anything different? It's smaller. Compare it to this photo from a batch just before this one, which is from London:

The handle for the newer batch is the same, nothing special, mounted on a nice colour wall though.

[Video coming soon.]

London St. Pancras' Automatic Sensor Flush Vacuum Toilets

2008-02-25T22:15:00.004Z

Last week I went to London, and of course I took my camera and shot 28 videos of toilets (all of which are uploaded on my YouTube)

This one I was suprised to find, it has an automatic sensor flush (Rare in England, wave over sensors are most common) and it has a cruise ship style vacuum toilet.

I wasn't expecting to find one of these, but I did.

Sorry for the motion blur, I was rushing to take the pictures, I shall hope to take some better ones next time.

Anyway, as you can see, it has a cruise ship toilet bowl with a vacuum. The sensor I have never seen here before, when you walk into the cubicle and close to the toilet, a red light appears on the sensor, when you move away and the light goes off, the toilet flushes. Also, the overide button at the bottom flushes it too. It was amazingly loud, and powerful. This is the first time i've seen a cruise ship style vacuum toilet.

Enjoy the videos.

(Paper in first video is for clean and for effect)

Leciester Train Station's Armitage Shanks, Platform 3 And 4

2008-01-04T11:32:00.001Z

Here's another one from my older collection, it's an Armitage Shanks, a model I have never seen before.

The hole looks like a typical Armitage Shanks. It has a different rim, it looks like and old one but it isn't. You can't see the way it looks old from the photo but I might add another one next time I see these. I don't have much to say on the toilet except it has the modern Armitage Shanks logo and it sticks out the wall quite far. Flush and sound are good.

I know what you're thinking, it looks like a round piece of metal on a wall. It's how you flush, it's right against the wall and you have to push it in pretty far. I've never seen this type of button before, I don't like it either it was hard to push it right in.
The toilets were empty so I decided to go round flushing all 5 cubicals and compare the sounds, they all sounded slightly different but this one was the best. I didn't shoot videos of them all as I didn't have time, the train was coming in in a few mins.
Enjoy the video.

My Favourite Armitage Shanks

2008-01-03T17:21:00.001Z

I don't blog about every toilet I shoot a video of but I have some random toilets you may like to see so the next few posts are on them. NOTE: These pictures were taken with my OLD camera before I got my new one which means they won't be as high quality as newer photos.

My Favourite Armitage Shanks:

This one is my favourite model of Armitage Shanks toilets, I like the design, flush and sound.

It's a rare one, but I suppose if it was common I wouldn't like it as much. The hole looks different to most toilet holes, I wouldn't call it unique just different. It's like an oval. It uses lots of little holes under the rim to flush unlike some toilets which use larger holes. I like the sounds of the small hole ones, though larger holes can sound good too.

The button extrudes out far but I've seen one of these before but it had a short flush. It's on 'Very Short Flushing Twyfords' on my YouTube.

Here's two videos, the first one is the toilet mentioned above but the next is a dodgy cistern one.

Videos are from my OLD camera too, future videos will be clearer.

Here's the messed up one, it's still my favourite toilet bowl but a broken cistern or button. I didn't take any pictures as it wasn't worth it. But if you listen, I keep pressing the button but it won't respond but when it doesn I had emptyied half the cistern and I got a short but good sounding flush.

My Home Toilets

2007-12-26T17:35:00.000Z

I haven't talked about these on here much, there is some pics of them on Toilet Roast though

It's one sucky toilet. The flush is terrible. You put some paper in and it can take two FULL flushes to clear it. It used to flush better until I flushed it one day and the handle snapped which meant we had to remove the siphon because it uses a rare side handle. So we got a dual-flush drop valve which means the pressure of the flush depends on the height of water in the cistern, when it gets lower the pressure goes down and the flush ... improves. That's not a typo, it does improve. There is too much pressure on this one, usally you can't get too much but this is the only toilet that does this.

The hole shape causes lots of blockages. It's a really cheaply designed sucky toilet. I want our old one back, it may have been dark orange but it still functioned better.

Here's the buttons, on the left-hand-side of the cistern. In place of the handle. The bottom button is full-flush and the top is half-flush. They work fine and are rare to have on the side of the cistern but I would love to have the good ol' handle flush back.

but one thing I like is the slow close seat, it can just be dropped and it won't slam. 'Saved the seat a few times from being dented and broken.

Now I shall tell you about the good toilet which is downstairs and doesn't get used much because it's too cold out there. (Opoligies for the motion blur on these next two pics, my fault I moved while taking them and didn't realise.)

This one is designed better and flushes better, doesn't block and pressure is the same througout the flush. i haven't got much to say except it is a VitrA and made in Turkey.

As you can see the hole is different. Much better.

I Have A New Camera!

2007-12-25T22:47:00.000Z

Well, I got a new camera for Christmas and it's a very good one too. 5 Megapixel, can take photos and videos (Which is good because my phone camera is rubbish) it can play MP3s, it has two super bright LEDs on the front for extra lighting in those dark places when shooting videos. Much clearer and smoother videos for you all to see. So I'm really happy with it. Here's two clearer than before videos of my toilets. (Both videos were taking in dark rooms without any lights on, I did this to test the functionality of the LEDs.)
Upstairs Toilet

Downstairs Toilet

Upstairs Toilet, Daylight View
This one was taken in the day.

Merry Christmas and a Happy New year to you all. :-)

'The Lion, the New Improved Washdown Closet'

2007-12-24T21:01:00.000Z

This one was found in the ladies (yes, I snuck in there, it's historical anyway so it doesn't exactly matter) Anyway, it's called 'The Lion, the New Improved Washdown Closet' I haven't heard of this one before unlike 'The Simplicitas' . This one has a great flush, and sound. It makes some unique sounds near the end of the flush.

The bowl looks old but not as old as 'The Simplicitas' I prefer the design of 'The Simplicitas' but I prefer the flush on this one.

There's the logo, not as complicated as 'The Simplicitas' .

It's cistern is incredibly high and I think it has a bell siphon because there was that clanging sound they make but the shape of a bell siphon cistern isn't there. The cistern is higher than it looks I just used zoom to get a better look. The chain was very very long too, it came quite low down.

Sorry for the dark video, the lighting was sucky in there.

'Adams & Co' Flushable Urinal With High Cistern

2007-12-24T20:47:00.000Z

As you can tell I don't post much on urinals, only the logos mainly. But this one really deserves to be on here and YouTube.

Basically, it is two troughs. The top one has 4 holes in total, two where there cistern pipe connects and two at the other end, a drain and a hole for more water to come out and rinse the drain right out. When you flush all three inlet holes spray water at an incredible pressure. The first two spray with so much force the water in the upper trough goes flying to the other end. Once it is at the upper drain it goes down the hole and through a pipe into the trough below and goes along and finally falls down into the sewer. You'll see all this in the video.

The cistern is the same as the toilet one but this one is missing the lid, it is also high cistern. As you can see it's manual flush but because men here are used to urinal flushing them selves this isn't an effective method. It is good powerful loud cistern though.
Enjoy the video.

'Doulton & Co Limited, The Simplicitas'

2007-12-24T20:32:00.000Z

I hope you enjoy these next few posts, they're on some very old toilets that I found.

Wow, what a find! I went to one of the Grand Central Railway stations and found this, a rare beautiful 'Doulton & Co Limited, The Simplicitas' toilet with a high cistern.

It's a bit cracked on the rim but still a beauty. Still got a good flush and the original logo is still there.

If you look above the logo there is a hole, you can't see it very well on the photo but it's visible. Water squirts out of that hole, I have no exact idea why but I've seen it on a few toilets.

Here's the cistern, I'm unsure of the brand but it's an old one. I haven't got much to say on this cistern, except the handle is on the left-hand side.

I'm glad this toilet is in a place like this, it's preserved and safe from demolition. The toilets atmosphere is really good. Everything is old, tiles sink, urinal (You'll see that in the next post) paper towel holder, soap is made to smell like it used to years ago. I love this toilet, apart from being in the ladies one to shoot a video of that I spent most of my time in the gents flushing it.
Enjoy the video.

Brandless Toilet at Franks Italian Pizzeria

2007-12-23T16:09:00.000Z

This is in the same place as the previous post but this time in the gents.

I can't find a brand but it is old, the bowl had a hairline crack. It was also an old design, old cistern and it was out in an outhouse. It's flush is better than the Royal Doulton, and it sounds great.

The hole is smaller normal shape, this bowl gives a good flush.
It's another one of these, I can't figure out if it's Shires or not. This one is slightly dodgy at first before the flush fully starts but it still sounds good and pressure is good.
Enjoy the video.

Oddest Royal Doulton I've ever seen ...

2007-12-23T15:35:00.000Z

This one is a good find, even though the flush isn't up-to-scratch it still deserves to be on here.

I found it at Franks Italian Pizzeria, Kettering. The resteraunt is in an old terraced house which means ... old outside toilets! I walked into the ladies by accident and found this beauty.

Now that is an odd hole. Not even enough water to fill it. It's a Royal Doulton, a very old one too. The bowl was cracked, as you can see in this next photo of the logo.

That logo is on every Royal Doulton in this area, I've never seen any other.

Thi cistern looks like a Shires but usally they have logos. I think it was slightly worn out as there wasn't enough pressure to go round the whole rim of the bowl.

The flush isn't good but still a great find. Apologies for the yellow photos, my camera picks certain lighting up like this.

Enjoy the video.

Midland Mainline Meridian Trains Vacuum Toilets

2007-11-28T17:49:00.000Z

These are the newer vacuum toilets found on Midland Mainline Meridian Trains, the older vacuum toilets have a more goldy effect. The even older toilets are ceramic and flush like a normal toilet but drop through onto the track once it goes through the u-bend.

These ones flush by spraying water round the bowl to push all waste by the hole (from the 5 nozzels around the top of the bowl) and creating a vacuum. After enough pressure has been created it will suddenly suck the contents out with a loud bang. If anything gets stuck in the hole it will start to create another vacuum more powerful and suck it all out again if that doesn't succeed then it goes again and so on.

The flush button has lights to indicate when the toilet is ready (when you press it the lights go out), if it gets blocked and hasn't cleared it fully out the hole then the lights stay out until the pipe is clear. Pressing it while lights are out won't do anything. The button is usally located to the left of the toilet.

A Common Urinal and Toilet

2007-11-28T17:19:00.000Z

As you may know Armitage Shanks is way to common. And here is the effects of it, a common boring urinal. Even though urinals I don't really like these are too common. There's larger versions of these aswell. Most Armitage Shanks have boring but effective designs, as you will see when I post about the toilet bowl.
There's a close up, as you can see it's pretty boring unlike the nicer older ones with good designs.
There's a close up of the latest logo, the older one can be found on the toilet with the backwards handle.

There's a far out view of a common Armitage Shanks toilet bowl. I hate these, they sound good but the have a boring and horribe design. It also has the most popular handle out.

There's the other cubical, it's the same bowl but differen't handle. This one also has a broken flush.
That is a view of the inside, the hole is designed well as it is hard to block up (not that I've tried but seen people trying to overflow them, I hate it when people that do that) but it isn't a very appealing toilet. These are everywere, I never bother shooting them as they aren't worth it. But I have two videos for those who want to see them. They are Morrisons Mens toilets and Morrisons Full Toilet Shoot.

What a toilet trip! Continued ...

2007-11-17T19:34:00.000Z

... lets continue with my pictures and info from my toilet trip today.

The brandless toilet at Bakers Oven
Well it's disgusting alright, brandless aswell 'till I can get some more information.

The picture came out yellow due too the bad lighting.

Anyway this horrible thing came from Bakers Oven, the flush is way too short and it is messed up. This use to be kept clean and tidy then suddenly it went downhill.

Here's a close up, that's not my paper. I'd say this is a typical toilet bowl.
I personally hate this toilet.

Video:

McDonalds Backwards Handle Toilet

This is an older version of the rimless Armitage Shanks, the flush and sound sucks on this thing. I only got the photo and video because it has a different logo and the handle is on backwards.

The brand logo is older and blue not black, most of the older Armitage Shanks have this logo including the sinks.

Well there it is the backwards handle, you still have to push it down. It's on the right hand side but it faces the wrong way, making it difficult for people trying to flush the toilet while videoing them as you have to cross your hand over (unless you are left handed) to flush it.

Video:

Fullers Cafe Armitage Shanks

This one had the same logo as the toilet on the above post, but the bowl is different design.

It's equipped for the disabled even though it just says Gents on the outside.

It sounds good and flush isn't too bad either.

The cistern has a different handle to what it'd normally have.

Video:

The Smaller Pay Toilet With a Hole

I won't really need to explain this one it's the pay toilet with a hole this time.

Well the seat cleaner works but not the bowl, sorry there is crap all round the bowl. It's always like this.

This sink is much better than the other smaller one.

And the opening handles, both work I don't see the need for two and you don't need to hold like it says on the other sign!

Well that's everything, hope you enjoyed that!

What a toilet trip!

2007-11-17T15:46:00.000Z

Marco has been telling me about toilet trips so I decided to go on one and it was worth it!

I got some great finds for you all!

Rare High Level Toilet With BELL SIPHON!

Now this one is my favourite. It has the rare high level cistern with a bell siphon.

Finding this toilet made my day I was so happy when I saw it. It is located at the library in Kettering, Northamptonshire, for those who want to see it. You have to ask if you can use their toilet and they take you to this.

As mentioned above it has a high level cistern using a bell siphon, it is also combined with my favourite brand of toilets! Royal Doulton!

This is what cisterns with the bell siphon look like, you can see the bit at the bottom where the bell is held. These are so rare this is the second one I've only seen in my whole life! I got very excited when I saw this. Flushing it was fun, it's lovely and loud very powerful aswell.

Here's the handle, it's the original one aswell. Modern ones don't have this, it's a rare sight.

The bowl looks like a modern one but it isn't, it's Royal Doulton. This one doesn't have a very long hole like most of the other Royal Doultons I've seen. I'd say this bowl is rare.

Just a picture of the logo.

Enjoy the video!

RARE Royal Doulton Childs Toilet

Ever seen a toilet this small? Neither had I until I found this.

It is in the ladies toilets at the Sunday School buildings in Rothwell Northamptonshire. I had to sneak in there while no one was in there. They aren't used much anyway. (My mum kept watch for me aswell)

Sadly the seat has been cracked in half by vandles.

Here's the cistern, it's low level. It looks like the original too me and the handle aswell.

This picture shows a good view of the bowl. You can just see the logo, I forgot to get a close up but it is just like any other Royal Doulton logo round here.

The hole is way too big, I'm unsure of it's flushing cababilities. It has reasonable pressure, and it flushes good with a small bowl like that.

Video:

Royal Doulton in Gents

Here's the regular sized toilet in the gents, it's Royal Doulton again and has the same cistern as the other.

If you look, the hole is off shape and square-ish. Don't know why that is.

Video:

Twyfords Toilet and Urinal

Well at the methodist church in Rothwell there was an event going on so I thought I'd go in and shoot a video, get some brand logos and a video for you.

It looks just like a normal toilet too me, quite modern not old.

It's very powerful though, it splashes back sometimes, the handle gives a nice springy effect when you push it.

There's the handle, it's a Twyfords one again. I think this toilet has all it's original parts to it.

I'm unsure if the bowl is Twyfords but I think it is, and no that isn't my paper.

Here's a close up of the badge on the cistern.

Here's one of the urinals, it has the same design as the other urinal I posted but different logo like Marco said.

I am going to make another post with some more pictures from my toilet trip as this one is a bit too long ...

Plotter Table's Royal Doulton

2007-11-10T10:50:00.000Z

This nice Royal Doulton was found in Plotters Table cafe.

It has a Royal Doulton cistern aswell, I've never seen one with a cistern.

This was getting worn out and the handle was going all funny and wouldnt flush well but luckely the shop owners fixed it.

Now this is the logo on the bowl, I have no idea what era this is from but that is the logo I seem to see on all Royal Doultons. It's blue not black, that's just the camera doing that. Marco told me that older toilets have their logos facing outwards but this one faces up like a modern one. That theory isn't always right then, but most times it is.
This is the cistern logo, it's a bit off coloured but you can still see it, and it's blue again not black.

It seems it has got turned round by someone. If you look at this one and the bowl, this one doesn't have "Vitreous China" while the bowl does.

Now, onto the flush.

As I said it has had it's handle fixed so the siphon may have been changed. The flush does sound good but it doesn't have enough power to flush everything away, as I kept finding paper left over in there from the previous user. But still Royal Doulton is my favourite brand so I'm not going to miss a chance to get a photo and video of it.

Video #1:

Video #2

Granite Armitage Shanks

2007-11-09T16:25:00.000Z

Ever seen a toilet made fully out of granite? No? Well now you can!

The granite toilet in all it's glory.
This extremely rare toilet is made fully out of granite, the seat is aswell. If you have ever seen a rimless Armitage Shanks it is like them.
A closer view.
These sound very very bad and have poor flushing, the sound may be due the cistern but the flush may be the shape of the bowl and the holes.
A full close up, you can see the granite and holes. (And is that a penny?!)
It's basically a granite version of the rimless ceramic ones. It looks like it has a rim but it isn't, the seat is a piece of granite shaped like a seat and you can't lift it.

The handle. (I have no idea why the bowl came out yellow then, my phone's been doing that a lot recently)

That there is the most common back-to-wall handle, I believe it is Armitage Shanks, it's used everywhere now.
Again I have no idea why the bowl is yellow in that shot.

Video

Cisterns at Abby Pumping Station

2007-10-31T15:57:00.000Z

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.

The Toilet Exhibit at Abby Pumping Station

2007-10-30T15:50:00.000Z

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.

The Smaller Pay Toilet Without A Hole!

2007-10-29T17:05:00.000Z

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

2007-10-29T16:30:00.000Z

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.

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

2007-10-27T19:37:00.000+01:00

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...

The Toilet Of My Hometown Rothwell

2007-10-26T15:56:00.001+01:00

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.

What Automatic Pay Toilets Are Like

2007-10-25T16:23:00.000+01:00

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.

Welcome to my Blog!

2007-10-24T16:21:00.000+01:00

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...