Luggage on Trains

[Techniquest]

Going back to the OP I would suggest that some sort of two-part dongle where one is put inside the luggage and the other carried on the person. If one is taken further than 20m or so away it sets of an alarm on both. Would also help the forgetful should they wander off without their bags

There's a problem with that idea. What if you forget the dongle in the first place? As a bit of a forgetful chap, I know that would just happen to be the one time I'd find it useful!

The amount of times I've left stuff behind and not realised until it was too late is unreal. Had it happen to me a while ago when I was travelling from Trowbridge to Hereford. Got off 158957 at Bristol to get 67019 up to Newport for a train to Hereford, as I needed 67019 and it was the reason I didn't want to go through to Newport on the 158. About half an hour after getting off the 158, I realised I was supposed to have my backpack and laptop bag. I only had my backpack with me, realising then I'd put the laptop bag on the luggage rack, out of the way whilst I updated my moves book. Ended up paying about £37 all in all getting it back (£25 for the laptop and £12 fare to get back to Newport on another day when the LPO was open), an expensive error on my part!

Plenty of other instances when I've done similar things, but I'll not bore you all with the details. As for luggage on trains, I'm certainly paranoid these days that I'll either forget what I've put on the racks or someone will walk off with it. That said, I'm a paranoid ol' boy anyway when it comes to a lot of stuff.

As for locking luggage to a rack, as others have said that's not the way to deal with the issue. I've been fortunate in that I've never had my bag nicked, although I'll always worry about it!

 

[EM2]

There's a problem with that idea. What if you forget the dongle in the first place? As a bit of a forgetful chap, I know that would just happen to be the one time I'd find it useful!

See my post at the bottom of p.1. The part that goes on the luggage would be a normal-looking luggage tag, the other part would go on your keyring.

 

[Chris Butler]

For your info, the new E259s on the Narita Express (Tokyo) have combination locks and cameras watching the luggage. I never use the locks, nor do most people - perhaps because the chances of theft in Japan are pretty damned low !

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/E259_series

 

[j0hn0]

we need a concierge service at each long distance station

You arrive at say Euston and go to the baggage desk. Hand them your bag, pay the money, get a ticket, and they load it into the guards van onto a trolley especially labelled for your stop. (A luggage trolley for each stop en route)

When the train arrives at the destination, that particular trolley is taken out and given to the concierge at that station. You get off the train, go to the desk, hand them your ticket and there is your bag. A new trolley is loaded from that station for the next load of passengers and bags are appropriately loaded into the trolley for the destination

Lugging a suitcase onto a train is very problematic, especially when there are many people waiting to get on, there needs to be a solution to this.

Workable, unworkable? But could be a good earner

 

[Greenback]

I don't think I'd pay for such a service, but there may well be quite a few people that would!

Back to the original question, I keep an eye on any luggage or put it above my head and have no real worries about theft. I keep valuables with me so all any teif would get would be a bag of dirty washing...I don't think it's a big problem these days.

 

[hairyhandedfool]

....You arrive at say Euston and go to the baggage desk. Hand them your bag, pay the money, get a ticket, and they load it into the guards van onto a trolley especially labelled for your stop. (A luggage trolley for each stop en route)

When the train arrives at the destination, that particular trolley is taken out and given to the concierge at that station. You get off the train, go to the desk, hand them your ticket and there is your bag. A new trolley is loaded from that station for the next load of passengers and bags are appropriately loaded into the trolley for the destination....

Is this not essentially what the airlines do? Do we know the figures relating to how many items don't end up in the same place as the passenger?

 

[Techniquest]

See my post at the bottom of p.1. The part that goes on the luggage would be a normal-looking luggage tag, the other part would go on your keyring.

Problem for me is that I don't use keyrings, so that wouldn't work for me.

However, it is an interesting idea.

 

[j0hn0]

Is this not essentially what the airlines do? Do we know the figures relating to how many items don't end up in the same place as the passenger?

well yes, but after years and years of flying, I have only had my luggage lost once, and that was fairly recently. It was flown over on the next available flight.

 

[Flamingo]

we need a concierge service at each long distance station

You mean something like this?

http://www.firstgreatwestern.co.uk/Content.aspx?id=1872

 

[Mojo]

I very rarely have luggage so large that it does not fit under the seat or in the racks and when I do I usually end up in the seat next to the large rack. However the last time I took a big suitcase on a train the seats by the racks were occupied and I had to sit in the middle of the coach.

I was constantly having to turn around to make sure nobody had stolen it or was damaging it, particularly at stations. I am not sure that your proposed solution would have helped though, as the rack was full.

Me and 3 other forum members were on a train last Saturday which was almost delayed because someone had chained their bike to the emergency ladder!

 

[jon0844]

It's not necessarily the bags themselves, but their contents sometimes. Bikes are worse, I was speaking to a bloke just the other week who had his bike stolen from on board a train. He was looking at it most of the time, too!

I wonder if it was stolen or merely taken off the train and left on the platform?

When some people block the doorways with their bikes and don't move them at a station, I have been tempted to do this myself. Not that I ever have, I might add. But it's a real PITA trying to squeeze by a bike to get off a train.

And is it illegal to chain a bike to part of the train? If so, someone should tell a few commuters that do this with their bikes (albeit folding bikes that are folded). I wonder if revenue staff are aware to tell them?

Finally, where do you put a bag like this? (The thing is, I've seen bags that are almost as big as this regularly at King's Cross and Hatfield)

 

[stut]

And is it illegal to chain a bike to part of the train? If so, someone should tell a few commuters that do this with their bikes (albeit folding bikes that are folded). I wonder if revenue staff are aware to tell them?

On my route, they tend to use bungee cord. A couple of people started out, others noticed, and now it's everywhere and works a treat! Bikes are upright and out of the way.

(On the 365s, though, the luggage racks are at the carriage ends, and the vestibules midway down. Normally, it's pretty easy to manoeuvre a foldybike up there, but in rush hour, it seems to be the done thing to leave your massive briefcase/bag in the middle of the aisle, making it nigh on impossible to get anything of any size past...)

 

[90019]

Finally, where do you put a bag like this? (The thing is, I've seen bags that are almost as big as this regularly at King's Cross and Hatfield)

View attachment 3134

Tow it behind the train?

It's wide enough that if you put flanges on the wheels it would fit anyway

 

[Flamingo]

Finally, where do you put a bag like this?

View attachment 3134

http://www.met.police.uk/history/brighton.htm
Well, sometimes you need something big enough to put a body in!

 

[Geezertronic]

I thought most people just put their luggage on the seat next to them these days!

What if the person sitting next to you doesn't want your luggage on their lap? Maybe I just travel on busy trains all of the time where luggage seats are not available

 

[jon0844]

People do love their hard cases, but I have a very nice rucksack that is suitable on an overhead rack (on a train, or plane) and can easily fit between my legs or go under the seat infront (or behind, as appropriate). It can take 2-3 days of clothes, toiletries, my laptop, leads/chargers and other bits and bobs.

A rucksack is much easier to squeeze into tight spaces than these hard cases that people seem to love taking with them.

And I always wonder what is in the huge bags that are too heavy for people to carry, such that they stand around until someone offers to carry it up the steps for them. Lord knows what they'd do if they were on their own!

 

[LE Greys]

People do love their hard cases, but I have a very nice rucksack that is suitable on an overhead rack (on a train, or plane) and can easily fit between my legs or go under the seat infront (or behind, as appropriate). It can take 2-3 days of clothes, toiletries, my laptop, leads/chargers and other bits and bobs.

A rucksack is much easier to squeeze into tight spaces than these hard cases that people seem to love taking with them.

And I always wonder what is in the huge bags that are too heavy for people to carry, such that they stand around until someone offers to carry it up the steps for them. Lord knows what they'd do if they were on their own!

I've been tempted to put a towing harness on my trunk sometimes, especially at end-of-term runs when it carries all my clothes, a big stack of textbooks and a load of other stuff (sometimes including kitchen utensils, bed linen and various electrical gadgets). The trunk itself weighs ten pounds, and the stuff in it is way over the airline restrictions (getting on for seventy pounds sometimes - almost half my weight). I always keep my camera on me (which weighs about fifteen pounds if you include all the lenses, and a bit more with the tripod). The problem is that you have to clear out the room at the end of the year. The good thing about this is that I usually travel with EC, so the trunk can go in the van. On one occasion, I had to change at York, and the thing nearly stayed on board because the DVT door was locked. I nearly got back on board (non-stop to King's Cross with a Stevenage ticket) but the guard spotted me and rescued the thing.

You learn to value disabled access with something like that. It's possible to slide it downstairs like a sledge (carefully) but upstairs takes a long time. It would be OK if the weight was balanced, but it's all on one side, so you have to notch it up one step at a time. I've learnt to travel light much of the time, but sometimes you have to move your whole life at once.

 

[jon0844]

I've learnt to travel light much of the time, but sometimes you have to move your whole life at once.

I get the sometimes bit, but look around at King's Cross and most of these people haven't finished three years at uni or something - they're probably on a day trip to London!!

 

[Greenback]

I much prefer to travel light, but sometimes it just isn't possible! try going on a cruise from Southampton with the wife, loaded down with a different outfit for every night, formal, semi formal and casual! It's not so bad for men, we can just take two suits and wear them over and over again!

No wonder Southmapton Central is such a wonder to behold when the cruise ships are embarking and disembarking!

 

[Zamracene749]

Perhaps a system similar to that used on Lothian buses airlink Deckers would be worthwhile?

Here a CCTV camera is focused on the large luggage rack downstairs, with the pictures relayed to a monitor at the front upstairs.
Whilst this would never prevent a snatch and grab theft, at least passengers have the reassurance of being able to watch their stuff when it's at risk, wherever they are seated? I'm sure this system could be easily adapted to rail coaches.

PS -I often travel long distance (Durham to Wool) to visit or pick up my two young kids- this normally involves lots of luggage too large to fit in the overhead racks and yes it is a worry, particularly if the allocated reserved seats are in the centre of the coach. Realistically keeping an eye on them on packed trains when throngs of people are alighting then boarding is as good as impossible.

PPS - I have been a victim of theft once on railway property- some git nicked my jacket from between the handles of my holdall whilst i turned my back to buy a coffee on York station- best of luck to the little scrotes in trying to sell an almost worn out 4XL coat in the local pubs for smack lol

 

[jon0844]

The Dublin Air bus (748), operated by First, that we used last week had monitors upstairs that did that.. When stopped, it switched to a close up of the luggage area and filmed face-on everyone leaving the bus. I guess if someone DID snatch a bag and run, there would be a very clear image of them for the police.

I must admit though, until you said that, I hadn't even realised the significance of it!!

 

[smr07]

Unfortunatley I didn't read these posts before i took a train journey and my sister's little red suitcase was stolen off the First Great Western train from Reading to Hereford on Friday 12th Nov, this is a long shot, but if anyone was on that train and saw a suspicous person please reply to this or contact the British Transport Police.

Thanks

 

[MidnightFlyer]

Unfortunatley I didn't read these posts before i took a train journey and my sister's little red suitcase was stolen off the First Great Western train from Reading to Hereford on Friday 12th Nov, this is a long shot, but if anyone was on that train and saw a suspicous person please reply to this or contact the British Transport Police.

Thanks

Further details would help - what time was the train at, and/or do you know what type of train it was?

I don't think all FGW trains have CCTV, so you may have to rely upon people seeing something, there coming forward, but the trouble is that if the suitcase was taken normally by someone or by accident, witnesses aren't going to think any different, I can rule myself out, but good luck in finding it and having getting it back .

 

[moonrakerz]

Whilst having sympathy with anyone who is a victim of crime I feel that we are over-worrying about a very minor problem - I'm sure a lot more ladies get their handbags snatched than people get their suitcases nicked on the train.

As for BTP not wanting suitcases chained to the rack - the mind boggles ! Yet another absolutely stupid and pointless so-called security measure. So - would be bombers are ONLY going to chain their bombs the the luggage rack are they ?
How many bombs have we had on trains in the UK ? - how were they carried/planted/activated ?

 

[smr07]

Further details would help - what time was the train at, and/or do you know what type of train it was?

I don't think all FGW trains have CCTV, so you may have to rely upon people seeing something, there coming forward, but the trouble is that if the suitcase was taken normally by someone or by accident, witnesses aren't going to think any different, I can rule myself out, but good luck in finding it and having getting it back .

i think the train left Reading around 17.50, due for arrival at Hereford around 8.30pm, but it was delayed and arrived in Hereford about 8.50pm. With regards to what type of train it was, all I know is that it looks kinda old.

Do most train stations have CCTV?

Thanks

 

[Flamingo]

Whilst having sympathy with anyone who is a victim of crime I feel that we are over-worrying about a very minor problem - I'm sure a lot more ladies get their handbags snatched than people get their suitcases nicked on the train.

As for BTP not wanting suitcases chained to the rack - the mind boggles ! Yet another absolutely stupid and pointless so-called security measure. So - would be bombers are ONLY going to chain their bombs the the luggage rack are they ?
How many bombs have we had on trains in the UK ? - how were they carried/planted/activated ?

Suitcases being stolen from trains is a problem in South Wales at the moment, with a few people targeting Cardiff.

A major problem with padlocking suitcases to the luggage racks is the delays caused waiting for them to be unlocked (also the main reason bikes are not to be locked). Also, as a TM I often re-arrange the luggage racks to pack them more efficiently (how often do you see one suitcase flat on a rack when it would hold four on their sides). This would not be possible if they were locked.

The solution is, at every stop, get up and observe the bag until the train starts moving again. A pain, I know, but less of a pain than losing it, I would submit.

 

[DaveNewcastle]

Whilst having sympathy with anyone who is a victim of crime I feel that we are over-worrying about a very minor problem - . . . .

I couldn't agree more.

For every fear of a "possible risk" there are probably many more actual risks we face, more severe, more frequent, and with little to help us to recover from the hazard.
But when thre are "products" available to buy, sold by enhancing fear levels by highlighting a possible risk, then people will (incorrectly in my opinion) respond to that unlikely risk by buying the product, and not to the statistically more probable risks (eg walking across a live road whilst speaking on a mobile phone).

Is it statistically more beneficial for a passenger to know how to deal with a heart attack or to know how to guard their laptop? More beneficial to know how to assist a childbirth or guard their wallet? More beneficial to know how to assist an epilleptic or to keep your bike in view?

(See the theme here? - its the balance between being able and ready to help people in need vs. being obsessive about accumulating and keeping objects)

As for me; I'm not interested in the OP's product idea - though I'm positive it will sell well, things that let people cling to their objects usually do.
But I do detest train gangways being obstructed with cases, and no, I show my own trust by walking away from my posessions after putting them in luggage racks, and if I'm in a frame of mind to be worried and anxious on a train journey, then its not going to be anxiety about the objects I brought on board.

 

[ainsworth74]

Do most train stations have CCTV?

Can be a bit hit and miss as to stations having CCTV. If you have any idea which station it went missing at or at least which stations were called at it would help. Once you know which stations it would probably be worth asking FGW to review the CCTV footage (if available) of the stations the train called at.

 

[Flamingo]

I couldn't agree more.

For every fear of a "possible risk" there are probably many more actual risks we face, more severe, more frequent, and with little to help us to recover from the hazard.
But when thre are "products" available to buy, sold by enhancing fear levels by highlighting a possible risk, then people will (incorrectly in my opinion) respond to that unlikely risk by buying the product, and not to the statistically more probable risks (eg walking across a live road whilst speaking on a mobile phone).

Is it statistically more beneficial for a passenger to know how to deal with a heart attack or to know how to guard their laptop? More beneficial to know how to assist a childbirth or guard their wallet? More beneficial to know how to assist an epilleptic or to keep your bike in view?

(See the theme here? - its the balance between being able and ready to help people in need vs. being obsessive about accumulating and keeping objects)

As for me; I'm not interested in the OP's product idea - though I'm positive it will sell well, things that let people cling to their objects usually do.
But I do detest train gangways being obstructed with cases, and no, I show my own trust by walking away from my posessions after putting them in luggage racks, and if I'm in a frame of mind to be worried and anxious on a train journey, then its not going to be anxiety about the objects I brought on board.

Well, in five years on-train I've lost count of the number of lost / stolen objects I've been asked about, but I've never seen an MI, or delivered a baby, and have only had one epileptic fit to deal with (not counting the apoplectic fits when I tell someone the cost of the Full Open as their advanced ticket is out of time! )

However, I really don't follow your argument. Luggage theives are out there, they view the railway as a source of easy pickings, and normal sensible people who wouldn't dream of leaving their front door open, or leaving their car unlocked when they go to pay for petrol, will walk off to the buffet or toilet leaving several thousand pounds worth of laptops, ipods and mobile phones sitting on a table or a luggage rack in a carriage surrounded by literally hundreds of strangers without a second thought. I see it every day.

It's not the fact that bags get stolen on trains that surprises me any more, it's that not more get taken.

Example. A while ago, late train out of London, walking down the train, I found a handbag, open on a seat, purse in full view with £10 notes sticking out the top of the purse. iPhone sitting beside it. I covered them up with the coat that was also on the seat, and as I was walking away a young lady came into the (busy) carriage on her way back from the buffet. When I asked her was it her bag, she said yes, but she wasn't worried as she knew she would be back before Reading. When I said what if it was stolen, or the purse taken, she said she'd have found me, and I could have searched the (approx 100) passengers leaving the train at Reading. Now I agree that she probably shouldn't be allowed out on her own, but a lot of people have a similar attitude.

 

[Greenback]

I used to worry about losing my luggage, but I am less concerned now. I make sure I place any large items where I can see them, and don;t leave any valuable items in them at all.

The best thing to do is to ensure that your bags are so heavy that it's not possible to either pick them up or carry them off without causing a great deal of noise and fuss! After all, I'm sure thieves prefer small, light and valuable items to a huge case full of dirty clothes!