However, as anyone who has had cause to visit Wingham Railway Station over recent months will attest to, the toilets and waiting room were firmly locked, with roller doors covering the entrances.

The elderly couple, visiting from Port Macquarie, had been sitting at the station alone for two hours, unaware that the train was running late.

Not only was it cold and wet but getting dark, with the lights only being turned on around 6pm.

Ruth, who was there to pick up her daughter, was appalled at their plight. "The picture of it, of her, just curled up with her ... she must have been freezing!" she said.

Apart from being a major inconvenience to travellers, the closure of the toilet has meant that people are starting to use the surrounds of the station as a toilet.

One person, who did not wish to be named, said they had witnessed a male going to the end of the platform to urinate in the garden. The same person said that people are also urinating on the pole in the car park, and it reeks of urine.

The Wingham Chronicle, after being re-routed and transferred eight times, put questions to NSW Transport. Two weeks later, after a second email saying the story was going to press with or without their comment, we received the following reply from a NSW TrainLink spokesperson.

"The toilets and waiting room at Wingham have been temporarily closed due to ongoing vandalism whilst we investigate options moving forward. Customers can access toilets on trains once they arrive.

"There is covered seating under the awning on the platform.

"There is a commuter help phone located at Wingham station. This phone connects to Taree Station during business hours and a help centre after business hours.

"Customer comfort is a big priority so we encourage our customers to provide feedback on our facilities to the Transport Infoline on 131 500 or via www.transportnsw.info."

Mention must be made of the two seats that are under the awning on the platform. As can be seen in the photo, only one of the seats remained dry in the rain when this photo was taken.

Vandalism has admittedly been a big problem at the station, with seats being set on fire and planks ripped from benches and thrown on to the tracks, amongst other things.

However, there are other measures NSW TrainLink could take beside locking facilities away from their paying customers, such as installing aluminium benches and seats and stainless steel toilets. A CCTV camera could be installed to record the vandals. The toilet and waiting room could be unlocked during the day and relocked after the afternoon train had left the station.

No answer from NSW TrainLink was given to the Chronicle regarding these suggestions.

The issue was a hot one at a recent community meeting in Central Park with Member for Myall Lakes Stephen Bromhead.

Quite a few people voiced their anger over the toilet and waiting room at the Wingham Railway Station being permanently locked.

Mr Bromhead requested the concerned people voice their concerns in writing and send them to him, however a call to Bromhead's office more than a month afterward revealed his office had only received one item of correspondence regarding the issue.

On August 12 Mr Bromhead received a reply from the NSW Minister for Transport and Infrastructure, the Hon Andrew Constance MP, stating that he understood the facilities were closed on a trial basis to prevent damage while the station is unattended. The Minister added that "toilets are available to customers on board the train."

On the day of writing this story, the Minister contacted Mr Bromhead to advise that when the trial is over, his "office will be advised of the outcome and what the plan will be in place moving forward."

Those wishing for the facilities at the train station to be reopened should contact Stephen Bromhead in writing, or call, as NSWTrainLink has suggested, 131 500 or visit www.transportnsw.info

UPDATE 1.38pm: After this story went online, the Minister for Transport advised that the decision has been made to trial re-opening the facilities from Thursday, October 8.

In correspondence from Mr Bromhead's office it is stated that "[T]he toilets will be opened in the morning and closed at end of business hours."

It is unclear whether the waiting room will also be unlocked.