What the Phoenix rail range is
A rail shower is a vertical bar fixed to the shower wall with a hand shower that slides up and down it. Retail guides describe it as the answer for a household with people of different heights and for bathing children, and the detachable handset also rinses the shower walls and floor. This collection holds the Phoenix rail showers: single rails with a handset, twin rails that add a fixed overhead, and a few water-through rails where the supply runs through the rail itself.
The range runs across many named ranges, from the original Vivid to the LuxeXP Ormond and Oxley, and they differ more in rail length, handpiece and flow than in looks. The choices that decide a purchase are wall width, inlet, handpiece, flow and finish. For the general guide to rail showers, see shower on rails. For the whole Phoenix line, see Phoenix showers. The full range across makers sits in showers.
Single rail or twin rail
A single rail has a handset only. It suits a compact shower or an ensuite where you want one outlet that moves, and it keeps the wall simple. A comparison guide says a rail suits compact bathrooms, ensuites, people of different heights, young children and easy cleaning, and that a twin shower suits people who want overhead comfort as well as a handheld, in a larger bathroom, with more components to clean.
A twin rail adds a fixed overhead rose and a diverter, so you switch between the two. The Ormond, Oxley, Cromford, Teva and Vivid Slimline twin rails are in this collection, alongside the single rails. For how the twin sets work, see twin shower heads and compact twin showers.
Vivid and Vivid Slimline
Vivid is the largest family. The Vivid rail shower is a classic chrome rail with a handset on a slider, a smooth hose that wipes clean and adjustable fixing points. Its listing gives five spray functions on the handset, a soap dish and two wall brackets in the box. The TBS listing for the chrome Vivid rail states 3 star at 9 litres per minute, and no maker sheet is attached to that listing. Check the WELS registration number on the listing you are buying, because the rating belongs to the product version, not the name. The Phoenix spec sheets for the Vivid MKII and Vivid Slimline rails give a pressure rating of 150 to 500 kPa and a temperature rating of 1 to 75 degrees C. They say to clean with mild liquid detergent or soap and water and to avoid cream cleaners and citrus based products.
The Vivid Slimline rail shower has a slimline profile and a handset with three functions, rated 4 star at 8 litres per minute, with a separate inlet, and its box lists the hand piece, the rail and a hose. The Vivid Slimline Water Through Rail Shower is the variant where the water enters through the rail, with a top inlet, three functions on the handset and 3 star at 8 litres per minute; its box lists the rail shower, an installation kit and instructions. The Vivid MKII rail shower has a push-button slider, adjustable pillars that let the rail line up with fixings already in the wall, and three spray functions on the handpiece. It connects to an existing half inch inlet, is rated 4 star at 6.5 litres per minute and has an overall height of 740 mm.
Ormond and Oxley: the LuxeXP rails
The Ormond and Oxley rails share the LuxeXP spray design, in which the listings describe a swirling motion in each jet and Tesla valves that maintain flow and pressure. Both are brass and ABS with a three-function handset 125 mm across and a chrome plated finish, rated 3 star: the overhead at 8 litres per minute and the handset at 7.5. The fixing distances are listed, and the Ormond and Oxley fit existing half inch connections with an adjustable bracket for flexible mounting. See Phoenix LuxeXP showers for the full set.
Cromford, Wiltern, Nuage and Teva
These ranges carry a design idea. The Cromford rail has a brass hand piece, bracket and slider, a 65 mm head and a fixing distance of 635 mm. It is rated 4 star at 7 litres per minute, comes in PVD finishes and fits an existing half inch inlet with a combination inlet and bracket. The Wiltern rail takes its cue from Art Deco. It has a single-function handpiece with angle and height adjustment, a twist rotary slider, a durable metal hose and AS 2845.1 compliant dual check valves, with a 983 mm overall height and a 750 mm fixing distance, rated 3 star at 8 litres per minute. The Nuage rail has a push-button slider, a three-function handpiece and an overall height of 804 mm with a 660 mm fixing distance, rated 4 star at 6.5 litres per minute, and it comes in a powder-coated matte white among other finishes. The Teva rail has a brass rail and brackets with a durable metal hose on the hand shower, a separate inlet that fits an existing half inch inlet, and a single-function handset, rated 4 star at 6 litres per minute.
Pina, NX, Lexi and Rush
The Pina rail shower is a single-function handpiece set sold as a builders range. It adjusts for angle and height, the brackets adjust so the rail can work around existing wall fixings, and the rail is 644 mm long, in lead-free brass with an electroplated finish, rated 4 star at 6 litres per minute. The NX Quil rail comes with a soap dish, and the NX Orli rail has a 100 mm handheld, a brass slider and a concealed hose connection. The Lexi Deluxe rail follows the angular Lexi style and is rated 3 star at 8.5 litres per minute. The Rush rail has an integrated soap dish and three functions on the handset, with a separate inlet. See Phoenix NX showers and Phoenix Lexi showers.
Reading a Phoenix rail name
The names carry the specification, once you know the code. Vivid Slimline is described in its listings as a slender profile of the Vivid range, and MKII is a later Vivid design with a push-button slider. Water Through means the supply runs through the rail itself, and Twin means an overhead and a handset on one frame. The finish is the last word, so the same model appears once per finish. A name such as Vivid Rail Shower can cover more than one generation, which is why the WELS registration number on the listing is the thing to check.
A rail or a hand shower on a bracket
If you only want a movable handset, there are two ways to get one. A rail lets every person set the height with a slider and moves the handset anywhere along the bar. A hand shower on a bracket holds the handset at one position, which suits a bath or a shower that already has an overhead. A rail needs more wall and more fixing, and it gives more flexibility. A comparison guide puts it simply: choose the rail where the household has mixed heights or young children, and the bracket where one fixed position will do. For the bracket versions, see hand held shower heads.
Heights and positions
Guides put a fixed wall head at 2000 to 2100 mm above the finished floor, and the top of a rail at about 1800 to 1900 mm. A rail guide gives the bottom of the rail at about 950 to 1100 mm and the top at 1600 to 1800 mm, and a wall mixer at 1000 to 1100 mm. A rail offset of about 300 mm to the side reduces hose tangles, and a seat, if one is planned, puts the handset within about 400 mm horizontally. Where a twin rail has an overhead, it sits at the top of the frame, so the overall height of the listing sets where it lands. The Wiltern is 983 mm tall overall, the Nuage 804 mm and the MKII 740 mm, so a twin set will sit higher on the wall than a single rail, and the plumber needs both outlet heights before the linings go on.
Hoses and daily use
The hose takes the most daily handling. Retail guides note that a handset on a hose has more joints, so more potential leak points, and that hoses wear over time, so inspect the hose and its connections now and then. The Phoenix rails use a smooth hose that wipes clean, and the Teva and Wiltern use a durable metal hose. A metal hose resists kinking and wear better than a plain one, but it is stiffer to handle. Rinse soap off the hose, avoid twisting it around the rail and replace it if it splits.
Children, mixed heights and mobility
The case for a rail is clearest in a family bathroom. A rail article says it suits bathrooms used by people of different heights and family bathrooms with children, and a tapware retailer adds that the detachable handset gives more control for cleaning. A manufacturer guide lists handheld heads as useful for rinsing, bathing children and seated or reduced-mobility use. If mobility is a main reason for the purchase, an accessible rail set with a grab rail is a different product, and the accessibility requirements are for a building certifier, not this page. For standard family use, a slider rail with an adjustable handpiece is enough.
Will the rail fit your wall?
Three measurements decide it. The first is the fixing distance, the gap between the rail's wall fixings. In this collection the listings give 635 mm for the Cromford, 660 mm for the Nuage and 750 mm for the Wiltern, and the Pina rail is 644 mm long. The second is the wall width, and a retailer guide advises at least 600 mm of wall for a rail. The third is the old holes. Adjustable pillars, adjustable brackets and a combination inlet and bracket let the rail line up with fixings already in the wall. That is why many of these listings call the product a retrofit.
A rail needs a solid fixing. A manufacturer guide says a sliding rail protrudes from the wall and needs solid fixing, and a buying guide says rail systems require wall fixing and proper sealing to avoid leaks behind tiles. Check what is behind the tile first. A rail guide gives the bottom of the rail at about 950 to 1100 mm and the top at 1600 to 1800 mm, and other guides put the top of a rail at about 1800 to 1900 mm. Confirm the height at rough-in or before tiling.
Handpieces and flow
The handpiece is the part you use every day. The listings give single-function handpieces on the Cromford, Wiltern, Teva and Pina; three functions on the Vivid Slimline, Vivid MKII, Nuage, Ormond, Oxley and Rush; and five on the Vivid. A single function has fewer parts to clean and a set spray, and several functions give choice. A face size of 100 to 125 mm is typical of these rails.
Flow ratings run from 3 to 5 star. Lower flow saves water, and a buying guide counts more than 5,000 litres a year from 9 down to 7.5 litres per minute. Some instantaneous gas hot water systems need a higher flow to fire and may not cope with low-flow heads. If you have one, check before choosing a 4 star rail. Phoenix listings state an operating pressure of 150 to 500 kPa. A simple check at home is the bucket test: a 10 litre bucket that fills in under 60 seconds under the shower points to good pressure.
Inlet and plumbing
Most Phoenix rails take a separate inlet, so the rail is a handset on a slider and the water arrives from your existing outlet or mixer. The water through rail has the supply running through the rail itself, which removes the separate inlet. The twin rails use a top inlet and a built-in diverter. Several listings state AS 2845.1 compliant dual check valves, which keep shower water from flowing back into the household supply. The mixer is a separate purchase. See shower mixers, and note that a retailer guide says a rail with an overhead still needs a mixer with a diverter or a combination outlet.
A like-for-like swap onto an existing outlet is a simple job. Moving an outlet, adding a diverter or changing the wall plumbing is not. Rules vary by state. In Western Australia the building regulator allows an owner or occupier to maintain, repair or replace a shower head, and leaves other water supply plumbing to a licensed plumber or permit holder. A retailer fitting guide gives the sequence for a rail. Mark the holes with a pencil and spirit level, check behind the wall with a detector, drill with the right bit and fit the bracket. Then put tape on the nuts, seat a washer in each hose end and flush the line for a minute.
What is in the box
- The Vivid rail: the hand piece, the rail, a hose, a soap dish and two wall brackets.
- The Vivid Slimline rail: the hand piece, the rail and a hose.
- The Teva rail: the hand piece, the rail, a hose, an installation kit and instructions.
- The Pina rail: the hand shower, the hose, the rail, an installation kit and instructions.
- The NX Quil rail: the hand piece, the hose, the rail, a soap dish and installation instructions.
If a listing does not name a hose, a bracket or a mixer, treat it as not included, and buy it with the rail so the finish matches.
Finishes and care
The finishes include chrome, brushed nickel, matte black, brushed gold, brushed brass, brushed carbon and gunmetal, and the listings use chrome plate, electroplating and PVD. A retailer help page describes PVD as significantly harder and more durable than traditional plating. For care, use warm water, mild soap and a soft cloth, rinse and dry, and avoid abrasives and strong chemicals. A retail guide notes that the hose takes the most daily handling and should be inspected regularly. In hard water areas, wipe the rail and handset and dry them after use. For finish-led browsing, see chrome showers, brushed nickel showers and black showers.
How to choose a Phoenix rail
- Decide single rail or twin rail.
- Measure your wall: the width, the old fixing holes and the fixing distance you need.
- Choose the handpiece: single function for simplicity, several functions for choice.
- Check the star rating and flow against your hot water system, and confirm the WELS registration number on the listing.
- Check the inlet: separate inlet, top inlet with a diverter, or water through.
- Check the box for the hose, brackets and soap dish.
- Pick a finish, and book a licensed plumber if the outlet changes.
The wall measurements settle the rail before any other detail does, because the fixing distance has to match the holes you have or the wall you are drilling. If you are replacing a rail in an existing shower, take the old fixing distance with you and match it to the listing before you order.
