UK train passengers caught short by tilting toilets

http://www.guardian.co.uk/transport/Story/0,2763,1279277,00.html

The smallest room is causing awkward problems on Virgin's hi-tech tilting trains, as passengers on the west coast mainline are caught short by chronic difficulties afflicting computer-controlled lavatories. Virgin Trains has revealed that a £600m fleet of "pendolino" trains is encountering a string of teething troubles with overflowing toilets and blocked radiators.

The problems have become so serious that Virgin is taking 10 of its 46-strong fleet out of service every day for modifications, with 1970s British Rail locomotives serving as temporary replacements.

Designed to herald a new era in Britain's railways, each of Virgin's new trains cost £11m and is controlled by 40 onboard computers. Each carriage has an electronic "controlled emission toilet" which is only emptied when a screen at the depot tells engineers it is full.

However, the system keeps giving the wrong signal, causing engineers to send out trains with blocked lavatories. In some cases, passengers have reported just one working toilet on an entire train.

Thankful not to be travelling via Virgin trains that often. :eyes:

Mind you, I don't like the all new St Pancras station in London at all and that's where I tend to do a lot of my train travelling from.