Videoed at a rather amazing & unique place still open to the public.
Whilst Twyfordslad has videoed this site many times already, I particularly wanted to get the one faulty toilet in the entire building, just to see if the Acra could be improved in any way. Fortunately, yes. The removal of the hippo bag was a helping point, but interestingly, it appears the refill hole on the pan was never punctured properly in it's life. Having got a Shanks Acra pan from 1944, it's not surprising if this was indeed manufactured heavily during the wartime effort.
So, the first and rather surprising thing in this video is an intact Newspaper found whilst filming the Fireplace here. Secondly, there is a Porcelain Enameled Cast Iron bath, also the same age as the Washbasin & WC. The pair of 1 1/4" inlet taps are original, but unfortunately the washer has dislodged itself sometime and possibly quite recently in the hot tap. Both taps are original & in good working order on the Shanks Washbasin. The Single Trap Syphonic Shanks Acra, manufactured with the bulb trap, goes into the old second piece of a Shanks Venetian Two Piece Double Trap Syphonic WC. This as a result not only means that it requires a large volume of water for it to flush properly. The silencer tube in the syphon has been part blocked in order to get round the refilling problem after the pan flushes, resulting in a slow end of the flush which then refills the pan.
Whilst it wasn't fully refilling each time at night. As seen on the morning take, every time, the Shanks Acra was now flushing and refilling perfectly.
If anyone would like to visit this amazing place, certainly go for it, however it's best it's done sooner rather than later. The hotel room & bed was perfection, as well as the cleanliness all around... But I do still fear for the future of these, as this wonderful hotel is owned by an untrustworthy organization who have secretly been removing facilities for years, such as Spindles Health & Leisure Club... An exceptionally rare and still tunable Victorian Collard & Collard Grand piano has also been left to rot in the banquet hall.
Worst of all when I went to get a video of another certain well known set housing the Shanks Flushometers. They've also seemingly been retired as well as the whole back of the function area... Whilst there is maintenance work going on nearby round the building, and the gents corridor having a chair blocking the door, the fact the ladies door is screwed shut is worrying.. Will keep updated.
16 окт 2024
