Monday, April 30, 2007

A TRIBUTE:Queen's Road East Public Toilet...Demolished 2004


Oh yes,this is a tribute to my beloved Queen's Road East Public Toilet.Before I knew Jubilee Street Public Toilet,this was my favourite public toilet.

Even though Jubilee Street Public Toilet is my favourite now,it still can't take over the place of this toilet.

The photos you see here were taken in December 2003.When I took these photos,I didn't know it was going to be the very last time that I will ever see this toilet again.


I discovered this toilet in December 2002,on my way down from The Peak.I decided to explore the old Wan Chai Market Public Toilet and ended up here.

What you see here is the 1st model of squatting VICTORY.What was fun about this toilet is that it had a variety of brands.

The dominating brand and model is this.But you can also find Armitage Shanks(Singapore Model) and American Standards here.


There are about 10 cubicles in this toilet.The majority is squatting VICTORY 1st model.Unlike Jubilee Street Public Toilet,this toilet has variety.

It's fun to flush each and everyone of them and hear all the different flushing sounds.A symphony is being created as all of them are being flushed.

The photos are a bit on the blur side because they were taken in a rush.Back then I didn't know how to disable the flash.

There was someone in the toilet and he was kind of shocked by me taking photos.I had to quickly finish taking my photos and buzz off.

It's a pity that there's no video on this toilet.When taking these photos,I thought I would have another chance of going back.I would probably go back later when it was less crowded.But sad to say...the chance never came.:(

When I went back again in 2004,nothing was left there.I thought I was at the wrong place.BUT...my toilet was gone forever.I was pretty upset that day.:(

However...the memories will live on forever.

Squatting Victory 1st Model,Earliest Batch,Almost Extinct


As promised in the previous post,you will see the first model of squatting VICTORY in this post.

The first model of squatting VICTORY dates back to the 1970s.To be exact,the mid to late 1970s.

What you see here is Diamond Hill Crematorium.It's build in 1979.When I visited it back in December 2004 and March 2005,it still had the 1st model VICTORYs.

I don't know if you are still able to find them now.

It's a pity that I didn't have a Video Phone back then.When I was there in December 2004,my camera ran out of memory so I wasn't able to take any photos.

I made another trip there in March 2005 and managed to get the pictures you see on your left.

It was pity,the lights were spolit when I went there.Luckily I used flash on my camera,if not you won't be able to see the images so clearly.




The following pictures are from Mongkok Market.Mongkok Market is one of the old markets that have yet to undergo renovation.


The photo you see on the left was taken in December 2004.As you can see,the 2nd cubicle has been changed to the 2nd model of VICTORY.

The difference is that the 1st batch is slightly elongated.You can see the water in the 1st model.For the 2nd model,it's only a hole.











The 2nd picture gives a clearly view.The brand logo of the 1st model is a lot smaller.


Right now it's really difficult to find the 1st batch.Probably a good place to look are cemeteries and crematoriums.
I've almost visited all the crematoriums in Hong Kong.The only one that I have yet to explore is the Cheung Chau Crematorium.

The only one with this model is Diamond Hill Crematorium.But when I visited it in March 2005,they seem to be renovating the whole place.I don't know if the toilet will still be around.

When I visited Hong Kong in 1993(my first visit),I was able to find this model in Mongkok Eating Houses.Especially those old shophouses.

In 1996,the Belchers' Street Public Toilet was also this brand.There were many cubicles.But sad to say,it has been renovated.The currently brand is Kimware.Back then I had no camera.If not I would have taken photos of it.Right now,the only thing left are memories of it in my mind.:(

The flushing sound of this model is similar to the 2nd model.In fact all VICTORYs have a similar flushing sound.Including the Singapore model.

I will try to get videos of this model.But it will not be an easy job.It's very tough to find this model in Hong Kong.I'll probably try Cheung Chau or some cemetery in Hong Kong.Hopefully you'll have a chance to see it on video.

Sunday, April 29, 2007

Squatting Victory 3rd Model,Cheung Chau Market Public Toilet,Hong Kong



Today you will be looking at the latest batch of Victory squatting toilets.

What you are about to see is something pretty rare.It's the very first time this model of Victory is seen.


This design is pretty much like those China style toilets.Recently there are a lot of them in Hong Kong.Especially those toilets renovated after 2005.


I'm still not sure which country is Victory from.Is it from China?Or some western country?I'm still trying to find out.

This latest model of Victory is found at Cheung Chau Market Public Toilet.There is only ONE cubicle with this toilet.

As you can see from the picture,the toilet doesn't fit into the floor tiles properly.This is a sign that the toilet has been renovated.

I did a check around the toilet.The original toilet is supposed to be squatting INAX.

Inax is a japanese brand.There are currently 2 models of inax in Hong Kong.The first model looks like Armtage Shanks and Johnson Suisse.It's square.I'll include the photos of this toilet in another post.

Back to this toilet...

This toilet is flushed by stepping on a pedal protruding from the wall.If you look at the upper right corner of the photo,you'll see a pedal there.This type of flushing system is actually a variation of the pulling cistern system.

In this system,there's a string attached to the pedal and the cistern.The cistern is hidden in the wall behind.By stepping on the pedal,the string will start pulling at the handle of the cistern,which will flush the toilet.

I noticed that there's a technique in flushing this type of toilet.As the flushing power is not that strong,you need to step in succession.Meaning to say that you got to keep stepping.It's ok if you don't understand it.Just view the video and you'll know what I mean.

The stepping flushing system is very common in Hong Kong.Surprisingly,all the public toilets I explored in Cheung Chau uses the stepping flushing system.The other brands of toilets on Cheung Chau include Kimware 1st batch and Armitage Shanks latest batch.

I did not take any photos of the other Public Toilets in Cheung Chau because they were pretty common.There wasn't enough time to explore all the main public toilets.I think I'm still short of 1.

There are 2 types of Public Toilets in Hong Kong,especially in the New Terrotories.The first type is the main Public Toilets.These are usually bigger,consisting of 2 or more stories.Some even include a bath house,which is usually located on the 3rd level.

The second type are the small ones.These usually belong to the rural villages.These small ones have only 3 cubicles and are very cramp.The brands are pretty standard.Usually 1 Sitting Lexa and 2 squatting American Standard.

The reason why they use American Standard is due to its compact size.I'll do a post on American Standard in the future.

I shall end this post with a video of the toilet you see in the above photo.Next post you will be looking at the very 1st model of squatting Victory.

Thursday, April 26, 2007

Squatting Victory,2nd Model,Later Batch



As promised,this post and the next few posts will be entirely on VICTORY.You have read in the previous post the differences of the old and new batch of the 2nd model of squatting VICTORY.


In this post,you will be able to compare them side by side.Look at the photo on the left...the 2nd cubicle from the left is the new batch.Notice that you can't see the brand logo from this view.

Now look at the 3rd cubicle from the left.This is the old batch.You can see the brand logo from here.


In order to make it clearer,I've posted 2 photos below.The one on the left is the new batch.On the right is the old batch.


Obviously the 2 photos below are from different toilets.The newer one on the left is from the Tuen Mun Pier Public Toilet.It is situated beside the Bus Terminus.I went there in December 2004.


The photo on the right is from the same toilet as above.This toilet is at Fo Tan,Sha Tin.It's at the hawker center near the Bus Terminus.Actually there are 3 public toilets.1 of them is under the Food & Enviromental Department.The other 2 are under the hawker center.

One of them has already been renovated.When I went there in 1996,it was still the good old squatting Victory.But now,it has become Johnson Suisse.Luckily,there's still one which retained it's original form.


I'll probably do another post specifically on this toilet.As the current post in on Victory,I didn't include the other photos of this toilet.

















A picture is really worth a thousand words.Now you can see the difference between the 2.By the way,I visited the toilet on the right in March 2006.I don't know if it's still the same.If you are a Victory fan like me,it's worth a visit.

Take the KCR to Tai Wai Station and change to KMB bus 85.Take it all the way till Fo Tan Bus Terminus.Then walk along the hawker center till you reach the other end.You'll be able to see this toilet.

To end this post,you'll be seeing a video of the new batch of Victory.You've already seen the old batch in the previous post.So sit back and enjoy.I'll see you again in the next post.

Thursday, April 19, 2007

"The Dream Toilet",Jubilee Street Public Toilet,Central,Hong Kong


At last,I'm able to write this post.It was tough trying to get all the pictures in place.Anyway,what you see here is known as "The Dream Toilet" to me.Why?Read on...

This is my favourite Public Toilet in Hong Kong.Reason is because it has my favourite brand,the squatting VICTORY.Not only that,there are 20 of them in this toilet.

Why is it called "The Dream Toilet"?Because sometimes I do dream of very big and spacious toilets containing all of my favourite brands.




This toilet is the only one that comes closest to what I see in my dream.

Anyway,that was a little off tangent.Let me talk about the background of this toilet.It's probably the only public toilet that's not renovated.

Nowdays,it's almost impossible to find squatting VICTORYs in public toilets.You probably can find them in old cafes or restaurants.Those that have not been renovated yet.






I guess the reason why this toilet is not renovated is because the Hong Kong government is planning to sell this plot of land to real estate developers.

This toilet is part of the Central Market.It has been here since 1939.But I believe that this toilet is not as old as that.Squatting VICTORYs belong to the 1980s era.

But compared with the others like Kimware,American Standard and Twyfords,it's considered pretty old.


This toilet may be closed down or worse,demolished.It depends on what the goverment wants to do with this plot of land.

I have not talked much about VICTORYs.Let me share more about this brand...

This used to be Hong Kong's domineering brand in the late 1970s to late 1980s.You can find this brand almost anywhere in Hong Kong.

There are currently 3 models of squatting VICTORY.What you see here is the 2nd model.

There is another earlier model,it's slightly longer than this one and you can see the water instead of a hole.

I will post photos of the 1st model of VICTORY in the next post.

This 2nd model has 2 batches,old and new batch.The flushing sound is slightly different.The older batch sounds better.

I will post the videos so that you can compare the sounds.The old and new batch looks the same,except the brand logo is at different places.

For the older batch,when you look at it from front view,the brand logo is facing you.Look at the picture above,the 2 that are facing you directly are the older batch.

For the new batch,you can only see the brand logo from the top view.

I will do another post mainly on VICTORYs.

Now let's talk about the 3rd model...the 3rd model is the latest model.



It resembles the imported toilets from China.I don't really like those from China.They don't sound as nice and they all look similar.

But the good news is that the latest VICTORY model sounds good.

VICTORY can also be found in Singapore.In fact,it was very popular in the late 1960s in Singapore.

The VICTORY from Singapore are totally different from those from Hong Kong.Their only similarity is their flushing sound.
I have a photo of a squatting VICTORY from Singapore,but I don't know if I'm able to take a video shoot of that toilet.I'll try to do it sometime soon.Hopefully that place has not renovated their toilets.

Right now,I'm going to share with you my favourite toilet video.I took this video during my trip to Hong Kong in March.I will always visit Jubilee Street Toilet when I go to Hong Kong.I don't know when...but I know it's days are numbered.

Just hope that the toilet will stay there longer.This video was taken in memory of my favourite toilet.Just in case one day when I go there,it's no longer around...

OK,enjoy it.

Monday, April 16, 2007

Hong Kong's One & Only Underground Toilet,Weillington Street Public Toilet,Central,Hong Kong Island


Wellington Street Public Toilet used to be one of my favourites before 2002.It's extremely rare to find this type of toilet in Hong Kong.

But it wasn't the main reason for being one of my favourites.The main reason I used to like this toilet because it used to be squatting Victory 2nd batch.

The 2nd batch of squatting Victory is my favourite brand of toilet in Hong Kong.I'll post it once I get all the photos and videos in order.

Back to this toilet.As mentioned in my previous
post,this toilet has the Push-Button Flushing System.

In fact,the majority of Hong Kong's Public Toilet

has this configuration.i.e. Squatting Kimware 1st batch with Push-Flushing System.

Initially I didn't like this type of toilets.Because they have replaced my favourite Victory.This is one of them.Another one is Belcher Street Toilet.


The flushing sound of this configuration sucks big
time.As it is,I'm already not really fond of Kimwares.The push-button flushing system makes it worse.


There's no video for this type because I didn't bother recording them.Perhaps on my next trip to Hong Kong,I'll record it and post it here.

There's a whole lot of this type of toilets.See below for the list...

1.Star Ferry Multi-Storey Car Park Public Toilet,Central,Hong Kong Island.

2.Lok Ku Road Public Toilet,Western District,Hong Kong Island.

3.Belcher's Street Public Toilet,Western District,Hong Kong Island.

4.Spring Garden Lane Public Toilet,Wan Chai,Hong Kong Island.

5.Warren Street Public Toilet,Wan Chai,Hong Kong Island.

6.Moreton Terrace Public Toilet,Causeway Bay,Hong Kong Island.

7.Morrison Hill Road Public Toilet,Wan Chai,Hong Kong Island.

8.Southorn Center Public Toilet,Wan Chai,Hong Kong Island.

9.Kam Wa Street Public Toilet,Shau Kei Wan,Hong Kong Island.

10.Nam On Street Public Toilet,Shau Kei Wan,Hong Kong Island.

11.Hoi Ning Street Public Toilet,Sai Wan Ho,Hong Kong Island.

12.Tong Shui Road Public Toilet,North Point,Hong Kong Island.

13.Wing Hing Street Public Toilet,Fortress Hill/Tin Hau,Hong Kong Island.

14.Market Street Public Toilet,Yau Ma Tei,Kowloon.

15.Gascoigne Road Public Toilet,Yau Ma Tei,Kowloon.

16.Middle Road Multi-Storey Car Park Public Toilet,Tsim Sha Tsui,Kowloon.

17.Luen Wan Road Public Toilet,Mongkok,Kowloon.

18.Nelson Street Public Toilet,Mongkok,Kowloon.

19.Lai Chi Kok Government Offices Public Toilet,Mei Foo,Kowloon.

20.Tonkin Street Public Toilet,Sham Shui Po,Kowloon.

21.Yen Chow Street Public Toilet,Sham Shui Po,Kowloon.

22.Dyer Avenue Public Toilet,Hung Hom,Kowloon.

23.Kowloon City Road Public Toilet,Kowloon City,Kowloon.

24.San Ma Tau Street Public Toilet,Kowloon City,Kowloon.

25.Baker Street Public Toilet,Hung Hom,Kowloon.

26.New Hung Hom Ferry Pier Public Toilet,Hung Hom,Kowloon.

27.Pui Ching Road Public Toilet,Kowloon City,Kowloon.

28.Choi Hung Bus Terminus Public Toilet,Wong Tai Sin,Kowloon.

29.Shung Yan Street Public Toilet,Kwun Tong,Kowloon.

Yeah,it's a long list.But the majority of them are from Kowloon and Hong Kong Island.There are some in New Terrotories,but those are flushed by stepping.

Lung Kong Road Public Toilet,Kowloon City,Hong Kong,Squatting Kimware 1st Batch

Kimware may not be my favourite toilet in Hong
Kong.Because there are only 2 photos for this particular toilet and 1 video,I decided to post it first.

Some background of Kimware.Kimware started appearing in Hong Kong in 2002.The first batch lasted till 2003.What you see now is the first batch.

There are a few different types of flushing system.What you see here is the cistern with the pulling handle.

The most common type of Kimware flushing system in Hong Kong is by pushing a button.This will be shown in the next post.Of course,the cistern flushing system sounds the best.

Kimware is very common in Hong Kong.It can be found in 80% of the public toilets.If you are looking for the type shown here(flushing with cistern),you can find it in the few locations below...

1.Chai Wan MTR Station,Ning Foo Street Public Toilet,Hong Kong Island.

2.Ice House Street Public Toilet,Central,Hong Kong Island.

3.Sai Yee Street Public Toilet,Mongkok,Kowloon.

4.Portland StreetPublicToilet,Mongkok,Kowloon.

5.Gilles Avenue South Public Toilet,Hung Hom,Kowloon.


6.Lai Yip Street Public Toilet,Kwun Tong,Kowloon.

7.Yan Oi Court Public Toilet,Kwun Tong,Kowloon.

8.Robinson Road Public Toilet,Mid-Levels,Hong Kong Island.

9.Kennedy Road Public Toilet,Mid-Levels,Hong Kong Island.

10.Mui Fong Street Public Toilet,Western District,Hong Kong Island.

11.Cross Lane Public Toilet,Wan Chai,Hong Kong Island.

12.Oil Street Public Toilet,North Point,Hong Kong Island.


All those listed above are those that I've personally visited.There may be others which I have yet to visit.Sad to say,some of these toilets were once my favourite VICTORY before renovation.


They are mostly renovated in 2002.In the next post,you will see the push-button flushing system.But before that,you'll see the video of this toilet.I took it during my March trip to Hong Kong this year.