Borders Railway Steam Services - Autumn 2015

You are rather missing the point. Having trains discharge s**t all over your workplace is not nice and it should STOP - regardless of where it is on the mainline network. The RMT who represent those workers who have to repair and maintain the tracks have been calling for an end to the practice for a number of years now and as such have every right to be angry if ScotRail going back on its word on the elimination of the practice by its trains by 2017 simply to chase tourist revenues.

Down south we are fortunate that our Mk1 slam door stock has long since gone - having s**t splattered all over an impedance bond (those spider like things in the 4 ft) when you are investigating a track circuit failure is disgusting.

As for the GWML, the new IEP stock will feature retention tank toilets - so thats London to Bristol / South Wales covered. The decision of FGW to order further IEPs with upgraded engines to get rid of HSTs from Devon & Cornwall services removes them from the equation. The 165s & 166s already have retention tanks - as do the EMUs proposed for use on Thames Valley services. That only leaves the 15x units to do, which will be far more cost effective thanks to the expanded toilet emptying facilities the introduction of IEPs will need.