Recently I have watched some Geoffrey Marshall videos about the Tube, and at one outlying station he pointed out that it had toilets, and that they were much appreciated by patrons going to and from a nearby stadium. I gathered that while many aboveground stations further from London had toilets, they were not so common (or at least not easily found) in the Underground. Is this the case? If so, and given the huge numbers of people using the Tube daily, desperation must happen frequently. I'm sure it's especially common in late evening/night when the pubs and clubs close.
Related to this, I know that in WWII, Underground stations were used by thousands of people as bomb shelters. How did they accommodate their toilet needs?
Toilets at Underground Stations
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Wombat48
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Re: Toilets at Underground Stations
It is very true that the earliest stations closer to central London didn’t have toilets
Some of the later stations further out on the network
Very common to see men pee in the stations at interchange stations or in a secluded spot directly outside late at night!
Some of the later stations further out on the network
Very common to see men pee in the stations at interchange stations or in a secluded spot directly outside late at night!
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Def123
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Re: Toilets at Underground Stations
Oh yes, been there!
I visited a friend in london a few years ago, and we stopped to take a piss at (I think) Westminster Station, which does have a toilet, that you had to pay 50p or so to use. It was definitely worth it and we both got our money’s worth. Later the same evening we’d taken another tube back to his house, a slightly longer trip, this time with no toilet facilities and despite both taking a stop in the gents of the last pub it was exactly as Wombat says, both of us desperate for a piss by the time we got to the station.
Luckily as it was my friends home station he knew of a quiet spot only 50m away from the station behind a phone box which he used frequently! A bit crowded for the two of us but we managed!
I visited a friend in london a few years ago, and we stopped to take a piss at (I think) Westminster Station, which does have a toilet, that you had to pay 50p or so to use. It was definitely worth it and we both got our money’s worth. Later the same evening we’d taken another tube back to his house, a slightly longer trip, this time with no toilet facilities and despite both taking a stop in the gents of the last pub it was exactly as Wombat says, both of us desperate for a piss by the time we got to the station.
Luckily as it was my friends home station he knew of a quiet spot only 50m away from the station behind a phone box which he used frequently! A bit crowded for the two of us but we managed!
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Wombat48
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Re: Toilets at Underground Stations
Did I ever post on here about the man leaving Highgate station I saw a few years ago?
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Lee
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Re: Toilets at Underground Stations
Although I haven’t been there for many years and I have no idea if things have changed as I believe the station has been modernised now, Wembley Park tube station was an amazing place on days when there was football at the stadium. As one packed train after another pulled in, packed jam-full of football supporters, you could see lads piling off the train absolutely desperate for a toilet. Crotch-holding, bent over, hobbling along the platform could be very common sights and I guess they still are as many of them would have been drinking in central London before getting on the tube to Wembley.
However, what might have changed is the location of the toilets which were hidden away at the very far end of the platform underneath the staircase. You would never know they were there unless you were familiar with the station and obviously most of the football fans wouldn’t have been. So you’d see them holding themselves and frantically looking around for a toilet, sometimes even hearing desperate shouts of “Where’s the toilet?” Invariably they’d have to go all the way back along the platform when they did discover the location and I’ve even seen some lads being helped by their mates to hobble along as they were in so much pain.
The other amazing thing about the toilets were that once you’d got through the outer door and thought you were there, you were then faced with a lobby-type area before another door led into the actual toilet area, which was quite primitive and unpleasant although I guess that hardly mattered if you were on the verge of wetting yourself! But imagine how many lads thought they’d made it as they stumbled through the outer door, frantically undoing their jeans ... only to be faced with a queue into the actual facility!!
I never actually saw anyone not make it in time but with thousands arriving at every match, I guess it must have happened.
The nearest I think I saw to an accident was actually at the previous stop which is Finchley Road. I was coming into the station on the day of a Wembley match when a lad came running up the stairs gripping the crotch of his black jeans, then stopped looked all around him and obviously couldn’t see a gents toilet sign. The gents was hidden away round the corner although the ladies toilet was in the concourse. This lad looked all round, saw no sign and went to run further but suddenly stopped and stood still, leaned forwards and put his hands on his knees and bent his legs. I honestly think he realised he couldn’t run any more and just prepared himself to do it in his pants.
But almost immediately, one of his mates (presumably) who had run up the stairs behind him, grabbed the lad by the shoulders and propelled him into the nearby ladies toilet. No words were spoken but he just almost pushed him through the door. They both emerged a couple of minutes later looking totally different blokes, chatting and laughing. I guess the relief must have been incredible. I honestly think though, that if his mate hadn’t arrived and done what he did, the lad would have stood there and wet himself in torrents.
However, what might have changed is the location of the toilets which were hidden away at the very far end of the platform underneath the staircase. You would never know they were there unless you were familiar with the station and obviously most of the football fans wouldn’t have been. So you’d see them holding themselves and frantically looking around for a toilet, sometimes even hearing desperate shouts of “Where’s the toilet?” Invariably they’d have to go all the way back along the platform when they did discover the location and I’ve even seen some lads being helped by their mates to hobble along as they were in so much pain.
The other amazing thing about the toilets were that once you’d got through the outer door and thought you were there, you were then faced with a lobby-type area before another door led into the actual toilet area, which was quite primitive and unpleasant although I guess that hardly mattered if you were on the verge of wetting yourself! But imagine how many lads thought they’d made it as they stumbled through the outer door, frantically undoing their jeans ... only to be faced with a queue into the actual facility!!
I never actually saw anyone not make it in time but with thousands arriving at every match, I guess it must have happened.
The nearest I think I saw to an accident was actually at the previous stop which is Finchley Road. I was coming into the station on the day of a Wembley match when a lad came running up the stairs gripping the crotch of his black jeans, then stopped looked all around him and obviously couldn’t see a gents toilet sign. The gents was hidden away round the corner although the ladies toilet was in the concourse. This lad looked all round, saw no sign and went to run further but suddenly stopped and stood still, leaned forwards and put his hands on his knees and bent his legs. I honestly think he realised he couldn’t run any more and just prepared himself to do it in his pants.
But almost immediately, one of his mates (presumably) who had run up the stairs behind him, grabbed the lad by the shoulders and propelled him into the nearby ladies toilet. No words were spoken but he just almost pushed him through the door. They both emerged a couple of minutes later looking totally different blokes, chatting and laughing. I guess the relief must have been incredible. I honestly think though, that if his mate hadn’t arrived and done what he did, the lad would have stood there and wet himself in torrents.
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Wombat48
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Re: Toilets at Underground Stations
That is an amazing sighting Lee!
There is a massive gap between Finchley Road and Wembley Park, I love the idea that he had to get off the train presumably because he would have wet his pants had he stayed on it???
There is a massive gap between Finchley Road and Wembley Park, I love the idea that he had to get off the train presumably because he would have wet his pants had he stayed on it???
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Brian
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Re: Toilets at Underground Stations
Yes, from Lee's description he wouldn't have been able to wait one more station, let alone last till Wembley!
You can imagine the conversation between him and his friend in the train, can't you? The friend would have been annoyed at first when the guy told him he needed to pee and said he'd have to wait until they arrived, but somehow the guy would have had to get across how seriously desperate he was. This stage had clearly been passed by the time Lee saw them, and the friend's actions were obviously geared towards making sure they didn't end up watching the match with the other one in soaking jeans.
(Lee, tell me if that speculation doesn't tie in with what you saw! I love your account.)
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Brian
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Re: Toilets at Underground Stations
Def123 I loved your account too. Must have been interesting with the two of you both so desperate.
And Wombat, I can't remember reading anything about what you saw at Highgate. I would love to read about it if you have time to write it up!
And Wombat, I can't remember reading anything about what you saw at Highgate. I would love to read about it if you have time to write it up!
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Yannn
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Re: Toilets at Underground Stations
At least you guys have some toilets at your stations. Here in France, at least in Paris we don't have toilets at underground stations that's why it smells really bad. Sometimes you can peep some dude realise themself on a corner or against a wall in a corridor but honestly I don't relly paid attention to other people on the underground.
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Def123
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Re: Toilets at Underground Stations
Certainly was
I’ve lost count of the number of times I’ve had to wait while this particular friend goes for an emergency piss behind a building, up a side alley or in a park! (He’s got a tiny bladder). This was the first time we’d both ended up desperate at the same time.
We’d started out the evening alternating our pee stops, then fallen into ‘sync’ as it were after a 20 minute walk between pubs earlier in the night. After that we were both peeing at the same time with inevitable consequences.