A bag left on a train - it costs £24 to get it back

[Adlington]

A Guardian reader is unhappy with the cost of getting his/her bag back:

Travelling from Birmingham to Bristol, I left my overnight bag on the train. I reported it to the train operator (CrossCountry) and station owner (GWR) and was told by both it would likely end up in Bristol. After two weeks it arrived at Birmingham New Street where lost property is managed by the Excess Baggage Company. I have to pay a £24 courier fee plus £5 admin. Why can’t it just be put on the next train to Bristol?

The reply:

EBC says that “no system exists to transfer personal items on board trains” and that the £24 reflects the fact few couriers pick up from stations as two staff are needed – one stays in the vehicle at all times. “We believe the charges are fair and reasonable, and are endorsed by Network Rail, and the operating companies,” it adds.

My question is: why it took two weeks to locate the missing item?

 

[Esker-pades]

It's their own fault for leaving the bag on the train. Pointless story.

 

[theageofthetra]

It's their own fault for leaving the bag on the train. Pointless story.

Correct. Their responsibility then whines to the Guardian about it

 

[Mojo]

Correct. Their responsibility then whines to the Guardian about it

I don’t see anyone whining. They are simply asking a question.

 

[Adlington]

It's their own fault for leaving the bag on the train. Pointless story.

Correct. Their responsibility then whines to the Guardian about it

The reader does not whine about leaving the bag. The issue is whether a £29 fee is reasonable. Nothing to do with "it's your fault".

 

[Esker-pades]

The reader does not whine about leaving the bag. The issue is whether a £29 fee is reasonable. Nothing to do with "it's your fault".

Yes. The fee is reasonable.

 

[Bletchleyite]

At least they got it back. I don't consider it unfair that the costs of operating a lost property service should be borne wholly by those who forget bags, as they are (like speeding fines avoided by not speeding) totally optional and can be avoided by not forgetting your bag.

FWIW I once left a fleece on the train and it was never found. Based on where it was (the far end of Coach A on a nearly empty southbound Pendolino at MKC and not very visible, the last stop before Euston) I reckon the cleaner had it.

 

[Journeyman]

Yes. The fee is reasonable.

Yeah, I'd say it is. First (and only) time I ever left an item of value on a train and had to pay to get it back, I was a bit shocked but stumped up the cash - replacing the item would have cost far more.

Partly because of having to pay to recover it, I've never left anything on a train since.

 

[northwichcat]

What did the bag contain and how big was it? How much a courier charges are dependent on those two variables.

 

[Esker-pades]

What did the bag contain and how big was it? How much a courier charges are dependent on those two variables.

The phrase is "overnight bag" so probably something like a large-ish rucksack or one of those big gym bags.

 

[mrcheek]

They should have done as the passenger suggests, and put it on the next train to Bristol.

and then charged the passenger the standard walk up single fare for that journey.....

 

[Esker-pades]

That'll be £55.90 please!

 

[WelshBluebird]

Of course, I suspect the real reason for the charge isn't because of the cost to the companies involved. I am pretty sure lost luggage never used to be charged for quite like this!
The reality is now lost luggage has been outsourced, so that company need to make their nice little profit. I believe "Excess Baggage Company" is also the same company who run the luggage storage facilities at Birmingham too who seem to charge a fair bit for their services!

 

[northwichcat]

The phrase is "overnight bag" so probably something like a large-ish rucksack or one of those big gym bags.

When I was a student an overnight bag could be a normal size backpack - something not too big or heavy to wear on my back if I was spending the day sightseeing in somewhere like Edinburgh or London. Although, in contrast I've seen people take holdalls, which are obviously at least half empty, on to trains which could well be their belongings for overnight.

 

[Esker-pades]

When I was a student an overnight bag could be a normal size backpack - something not too big or heavy to wear on my back if I was spending the day sightseeing in somewhere like Edinburgh or London. Although, in contrast I've seen people take holdalls, which are obviously at least half empty, on to trains which could well be their belongings for overnight.

Also true.

 

[Adlington]

CrossCountry website says:

CrossCountry do not directly manage any stations, any luggage left on our trains is safely stored at the station where your train terminates.

(my emphasis).

The bag was left on a B'ham-Bristol train. So why did it travel back to Birmingham?

 

[northwichcat]

They should have done as the passenger suggests, and put it on the next train to Bristol.

and then charged the passenger the standard walk up single fare for that journey.....

That'll be £55.90 please!

"I bought an advance ticket for my bag"

"But your bag missed the booked train"

 

[father_jack]

CrossCountry website says:
(my emphasis).

The bag was left on a B'ham-Bristol train. So why did it travel back to Birmingham?

XC provide their own cleaners who should check the train but if it was a Bristol TM terminator and the bag ended up at Birmingham it was probably the 1907 arrival from Manchester that forms the 2000 to Birmingham and I rarely see XC cleaners at that time of the evening.

 

[Dougal2345]

I left my suitcase on a late evening train at Fort William a few years ago... in my defence, I was very tired after a long day's journey up from the south coast, including a rail replacement bus part of the way from Queen Street.

Realising my mistake as I was sauntering to the Premier Inn, I dashed back to the station but the train had already continued on. Explained the predicament to a member of staff, was told to come back in the afternoon the next day - I did, and my suitcase was in the ticket office waiting for me, nothing to pay! A happy outcome.

 

[Mag_seven]

I don't consider it unfair that the costs of operating a lost property service should be borne wholly by those who forget bags

Agreed - I was on an Easyjet flight last week and before disembarking an announcement was made to the effect that everyone should check they had their personal belongings with them as Easyjet would charge for the recovery of any lost property. Perhaps similar announcements could be made on board trains?

 

[PeterC]

Why can’t it just be put on the next train to Bristol?

Presumably in the guard's compartment along with the parcels, mail bags and newspapers.

 

[Esker-pades]

Agreed - I was on an Easyjet flight last week and before disembarking an announcement was made to the effect that everyone should check they had their personal belongings with them as Easyjet would charge for the recovery of any lost property. Perhaps similar announcements could be made on board trains?

Virtually every train I've been on since 2010 has had some form of "please remember to take all your belongings with you when leaving the train".

 

[Mag_seven]

Virtually every train I've been on since 2010 has had some form of "please remember to take all your belongings with you when leaving the train".

Yes I know - what I mean't was supplementing that announcement with a statement about being charged for the recovery of any lost property.

 

[Esker-pades]

Yes I know - what I mean't was supplementing that announcement with a statement about being charged for the recovery of any lost property.

Ah. Sorry.

 

[AlterEgo]

I let an iPad at Heathrow Airport security and was charged £10 to pick it up the next day. It seems a fair charge, given it was my fault for leaving the thing.

 

[AM9]

Yes I know - what I mean't was supplementing that announcement with a statement about being charged for the recovery of any lost property.

So would them saying that they would charge you for returning your property make any differenc as to whether you accidentally left it behind? I doubt it.
The whole issue of lost property (let's call it abandoned items) has changed enormously since the '70/'80s. Way back before then, a bag/rucksack would be seen by most as a wanted possession that somebody mislaid. More recently, we have seen malicious devices disguised as lost property used to commit acts of terrorism. The majority of the travelling public might feel wary of moving it, (unless they wanted the seat to sit in) so it is left to end of line/shift staff to do something about it. Not so long ago, it meant bringing in the bomb disposal teams to make things safe. In some areas, the act of neglecting to remove possessions carried a penalty so "I genuinely forgot" is no defence.
In simple terms, leaving posessions (whether wanted or not) in modern times is an act of extreme irresponsibility and to comolain about being charged for its safe recovery is at best ungrateful, - at worst, it is antisocial.

 

[Bletchleyite]

I let an iPad at Heathrow Airport security and was charged £10 to pick it up the next day. It seems a fair charge, given it was my fault for leaving the thing.

You're lucky someone didn't just nick it, to be honest.

 

[Mag_seven]

So would them saying that they would charge you for returning your property make any differenc as to whether you accidentally left it behind? I doubt it.

Well it might make people check a bit more and it would mean people would have no complaint about a charge if they knew it existed in the first place!

 

[island]

CrossCountry website says:
(my emphasis).

The bag was left on a B'ham-Bristol train. So why did it travel back to Birmingham?

Probably because it was only detected on the trip back?

 

[AM9]

Well it might make people check a bit more and it would mean people would have no complaint about a charge if they knew it existed in the first place!

I doubt it. Surely if they value the item enough to want it back, then it is better to not be careless anyway as there is no gaurantee that it would be returned to them.