Luggage sizes

[MatthewHutton]

The two things I would naturally think of luggage size restrictions for trains are either the luggage rack capacities (80Xs are not particularly roomy, and other trains have problems with the lower sector restricting the floor level space) or emergency evacuation routes being obstructed by luggage. Possibly both.
Certainly on the recent Crosscountry (Voyager both ways) journey from Bristol to Birmingham I made people's cases were poking out of the rack into the aisle both ways. Although people are also incredibly inconsiderate when stacking their cases in the racks if they're first on, which didn't help.

Airline hold luggage sizes are highly variable although interestingly most are bigger than 90x70x30 in at least one dimension: https://horizn-studios.com/en/journal/report/check-in-luggage-sizes/

Airline	Length	Width	Depth	Weight
British Airways	90	75	43	23 kg
Norwegian	250	79	112	32 kg
Ryanair	81	119	119	10/20 kg
Wizz Air	149	119	171	10/20/32 kg

When I looked at the list when I was buying a big case the airlines basically all appeared to have a maximum size of allowing “Large” luggage like the Eastpak Transitr “L”.

Wouldnt be unreasonable for the trains to say a max of one bag like that and one “carry on” size (i.e. the Eastpak Transitr “S” - especially if there is some flexibility around backpacks.

The airlines mostly do a width+length+height under 155cm I thought. So golf bags should be OK.

 

[Bletchleyite]

Wouldnt be unreasonable for the trains to say a max of one bag like that and one “carry on” size (i.e. the Eastpak Transitr “S” - especially if there is some flexibility around backpacks.Can I

That's roughly what LNER say (plus a small underseat bag, because arguing about handbags and laptop bags on a train is silly).

They don't specify a size for the carry on one but the implication is airline size. If they did decide to specify, no sense in it being less than 56x45x25 IATA size, that easily goes in the overhead. But really it doesn't make much sense being too picky - two medium bags might fit better than one very big one and one smaller one. (Notably National Express give you two options - one big or two small - and you can buy up to three - yes, three - more).

 

[Bill57p9]

Back in the early 90s I took a 4 aspect colour light signal head home on the train.

More recently I used the train to transport a military ensign, which is obviously very long but incredibly small cross section. So small in fact that I forgot that I had put it in the overhead luggage rack when I got off and had to recover it from the terminating station later on....

 

[MontyP]

I don't have an objection to them, but they haven't been officially allowed for quite a long time (the "nothing more than 1m long in any dimension" in the NRCoT that has been there for a very long time trips on them), or at least were subject to an Accompanied Animals and Articles fee.

As long as the club heads are protected so can't cause damage I don't see any problem with them as such aside from that they don't fit a regular rack and may be dangerous in the overheads due to being very heavy and hard, hence my suggestion of allowing bicycle spaces to be booked for them.

Curiously, though, while LNER's policy page says 90x70x30 is the absolute maximum it also shows a picture of a golf bag and says to ask staff about space if you've got anything very big! Clear much?

I see people with golf bags all the time on the services I use, particularly on Anglo-Scottish trains (golf obviously being very popular amongst tourists heading to Scotland), but also on local trains here in SW London - I have done it myself between Clapham Junction and Brookwood. Never seen anyone challenged about it.

 

[Doctor Fegg]

Rail industry: we’re going to drastically reduce the number and size of bike spaces on our trains, maybe you should buy a folding bike

Customer: *buys folding bike*

Rail industry: lol it’s more than 30cm wide when folded gtfo

 

[Bletchleyite]

Rail industry: lol it’s more than 30cm wide when folded gtfo

I don't think any folding bikes (apart from those taking-the-mick full size bikes that just fold in the middle and thus take up more awkward space than they would unfolded) are anywhere near 30cm wide, to be honest. On a Brompton the saddle is the widest bit by some significant margin.

It's holdalls and rucksacks which tend to have a squarer/rounder profile than trolley cases and suitcases that might trip the 30cm dimension were it to be strictly enforced.

 

[zwk500]

That's roughly what LNER say (plus a small underseat bag, because arguing about handbags and laptop bags on a train is silly).

They don't specify a size for the carry on one but the implication is airline size. If they did decide to specify, no sense in it being less than 56x45x25 IATA size, that easily goes in the overhead. But really it doesn't make much sense being too picky - two medium bags might fit better than one very big one and one smaller one. (Notably National Express give you two options - one big or two small - and you can buy up to three - yes, three - more).

In a sensible world, overhead racks would be specified to a minimum of the IATA size given that's what the majority of cases will be sized two. We'd also have a standard minimum size of 'large' luggage racks. Then people can have one big, one hand, and one under-seat rucksack as a standard allowance. Not everybody travels with the full allowance so enforcement could be proportional to demand.

 

[Bletchleyite]

In a sensible world, overhead racks would be specified to a minimum of the IATA size given that's what the majority of cases will be sized two. We'd also have a standard minimum size of 'large' luggage racks. Then people can have one big, one hand, and one under-seat rucksack as a standard allowance. Not everybody travels with the full allowance so enforcement could be proportional to demand.

This is exactly what LNER publishes, quite possibly for exactly that reason! (Lumo, as it lacks enough big stacks, only offers the latter two, though in one dimension slightly bigger than IATA 56x45x25 and in another slightly smaller). It's probably also how enforcement works (the golf bags mentioned above for instance, compared to the other one quoted above of a large group of people being told off for having bags well within the published allowances). Presumably Lumo's policy is intended such that everything fits the overheads or under the seat in front*.

All new stock has overheads that will fit an IATA trolley (i.e. all CAFs, Hitachis, Desiros and Aventras), some other not quite so new stock does as well e.g. Pendolinos, and I think you can just about squash a bag 25cm thick in on a Voyager, though maybe not a hard sided one. Very small overheads were an early-2000s thing, the 175 being the worst offender and the 170 not much better (just about the only really bad feature of these very useful all-rounder DMUs).

Unfortunately, though, a lot of people are too bone idle to put their IATA size case up despite being happy to do this on a plane - this is a big cause of the stacks being crowded out.

I suppose one could conclude LNER has things about right, as they do about a lot of things except fares policy, aside from the 30cm dimension which is just a little bit too small (40 would be fine, though). I would personally officially allow a second large bag (perhaps at a fee payable in advance) though. There are times when this would be useful, e.g. transporting Christmas presents or students moving back home.

* I don't think enough is made that it should be the seat IN FRONT, not your own seat, as taking someone else's legroom with your bag (or dog**) isn't acceptable. The original Pendolino/Voyager seats have a metal frame to prevent this, but away from aircraft I've not seen it on other seats.

** Had this on Friday. I personally love dogs and would have happily stroked it for most of the journey if it was OK with that, but the woman sat next to me was terrified and it's unfair imposing that on someone else.

 

[Doctor Fegg]

I don't think any folding bikes (apart from those taking-the-mick full size bikes that just fold in the middle and thus take up more awkward space than they would unfolded) are anywhere near 30cm wide, to be honest. On a Brompton the saddle is the widest bit by some significant margin.

G Line - 8-speed

Folding Bikes, Fold Up City Bicycles, Mens & Ladies Folding Road Bikes | Brompton Bikes

www.brompton.com

Folded Size​

28.3" / 72cm (D), 26.2" / 67cm (H), 16" / 41cm (W)

 

[swaldman]

For anyone saying that passengers aren't taking liberties - I'm sure many rail staff can tell you of the sights they've seen with students moving across the country, the bales of bin bags going to Skegness etc.

People are using public transport for things it was never designed to facilitate - just this morning, I saw someone with a huge TV in a massive box and then sticking it on the train in a doorway etc, causing at least 2 mins of delay in the process. The bloke was kicking off that station staff weren't assisting.

"Students moving across the country" : if trains can't handle that, then frankly what are they for? And as for "never designed to facilitate" - just look at what trains used to carry before cars were common. If students can't move across the country on trains, then I guess they will do it on buses? It's a sad thing if you have to have a car, or a parent with a car, to go to university.

Nobody is actually suggesting that we should return to the days of luggage vans and porters, but as somebody else has said, if trains can't handle large but reasonable amounts of luggage that people want to carry, then it is the trains that are at fault.

Starting to enforce luggage sizes would be just another item in the growing list of "Railways doing their best to remove the advantages that they have over air travel".

 

[bspahh]

G Line - 8-speed

Folding Bikes, Fold Up City Bicycles, Mens & Ladies Folding Road Bikes | Brompton Bikes

www.brompton.com

That is a new model of Brompton with 20" wheels.

A C Line Explore is a more traditional Brompton with 16" wheels. It is 25.3' H' x 23'' W x 10.6'' D (64.3cm H x 58.4cm W x 26.9cm D)

 

[Doctor Fegg]

Yes, I know. That’s the point. Most folders other than commuter-specific Bromptons have 20in wheels.

I’m taking my Bike Friday bagged up on the TGV and Eurostar tomorrow… might do a quick measurement to see how wide it is.

 

[sprunt]

Starting to enforce luggage sizes would be just another item in the growing list of "Railways doing their best to remove the advantages that they have over air travel".

If they do want to do this stupid thing and initiate airline style regulation of baggage, they're going to need to make sure that either there are no more unstaffed stations with DOO trains calling at them, and they're going to need to do a much better job of publicising the limits. While there may be existing rules, people are largely unaware of them (I don't imagine the number of people who actually read the NRCoT when buying their tickets is large), and someone getting on a local connection to a mainline station unchallenged would have every right to be angry if they were not allowed to join their subsequent train.

 

[dk1]

Excellent amount of luggage space on the GA 745/755 fleet overhead racks. Convincing the punters is another matter however

 

[Elecman]

It's interesting that the changes to the Pendolino and LNER 80x luggage space (and Avanti's spec of their 80x from the start) is just putting it back to roughly what BR had on the Mk2 and Mk3. Funny, that, it's almost like BR had it all worked out already!

called Brake vans

 

[Tazi Hupefi]

Excellent amount of luggage space on the GA 745/755 fleet overhead racks. Convincing the punters is another matter however

The same GA that must be the only TOC with template letters to personal injury solicitors relating to luggage racks?

Possibly would have more luck convincing them, when they're not suffering from a concussion!

 

[Horizon22]

The same GA that must be the only TOC with template letters to personal injury solicitors relating to luggage racks?

Possibly would have more luck convincing them, when they're not suffering from a concussion!

Probably because they are so large (and therefore lower) passengers are getting injured!

 

[jammmmmsssssss]

Excellent amount of luggage space on the GA 745/755 fleet overhead racks. Convincing the punters is another matter however

I've seen a lot of 755s with the luggage racks above the raised seated areas removed

 

[dk1]

I've seen a lot of 755s with the luggage racks above the raised seated areas removed

Yes only at the raised areas where they should never have been. The rest are excellent for larger luggage items.

 

[Doctor Fegg]

I’m taking my Bike Friday bagged up on the TGV and Eurostar tomorrow… might do a quick measurement to see how wide it is.

By the rudimentary measure of measuring it against a sheet of A4, it’s over 30cm wide. Not vastly - I think 34cm/35cm, depending exactly how you pack it - but over nonetheless. If there has to be a limit, I would tend to agree with @Bletchleyite that 40cm would be more appropriate.

 

[Bletchleyite]

Talking of Lumo, it's quite interesting that if you look at the pictures on their website:

Onboard Train Luggage Policy | Lumo

We understand our customers wish to keep their luggage close by but depending on the size, this may not always be possible. Read our onboard luggage policy here.

www.lumo.co.uk

...it appears to show a load of noncompliant (with their rules) bags!

If you're going to be strict it helps to be consistent!

(Note, I've not quoted text in this post as the text isn't relevant to the discussion)

 

[apinnard]

I was at York yesterday and witnessed three suitcases wheel themselves out of the open door of an XC voyager and onto platform 5a. The dispatcher chucked them back on the train but I could see the vestibule full of luggage. It’s a bit dangerous imho and I am all for tocs enforcing a sensible limit.

 

[Bletchleyite]

I was at York yesterday and witnessed three suitcases wheel themselves out of the open door of an XC voyager and onto platform 5a. The dispatcher chucked them back on the train but I could see the vestibule full of luggage. It’s a bit dangerous imho and I am all for tocs enforcing a sensible limit.

XC has a particular problem because of small overheads (though the "van area" helps). It's disappointing that the upcoming heavy refurbishment of the Voyagers doesn't include changes to that provision. Because of the large overheads Lumo probably has more useful luggage space per person than XC.

 

[dk1]

Virgin Trains once had posters displaying that when it comes to luggage only bring what YOU can carry.

 

[zwk500]

Virgin Trains once had posters displaying that when it comes to luggage only bring what YOU can carry.

A particular issue for XC is that often passengers are often faced with either abandoning luggage in the vestibule while they sit down or camping with it as the luggage racks routinely fill up. Each passenger may only have had 1 bag, but the Voyager's luggage capacity is rather small for the demands of the kinds of journeys XC carry with them.

 

[apinnard]

A particular issue for XC is that often passengers are often faced with either abandoning luggage in the vestibule while they sit down or camping with it as the luggage racks routinely fill up. Each passenger may only have had 1 bag, but the Voyager's luggage capacity is rather small for the demands of the kinds of journeys XC carry with them.

And that’s just the luggage capacity. Don’t even get me started on the passenger capacity!

 

[Harpo]

And that’s just the luggage capacity. Don’t even get me started on the passenger capacity!

Corridor class?

 

[Bletchleyite]

A particular issue for XC is that often passengers are often faced with either abandoning luggage in the vestibule while they sit down or camping with it as the luggage racks routinely fill up. Each passenger may only have had 1 bag, but the Voyager's luggage capacity is rather small for the demands of the kinds of journeys XC carry with them.

The vast, vast majority of passengers don't have huge amounts of luggage in my experience. It's just that provision on some trains is grossly inadequate.

It's notable that doubling the size of the racks on Pendolinos seems to have solved the problem there.

 

[PauloDavesi]

If the rail industry wants passengers to use trains to get to airports, and other destinations, it is reasonable to expect that a passenger is able to carry the luggage they would be taking on their flight, which is usually one large case, a second hand lugage size bag or case and a smaller, underseat, sized "persoanal item. If not able to do that it would prevent the use of the train, and most people will drive or get a lift to the airport.

 

[Bletchleyite]

If the rail industry wants passengers to use trains to get to airports, and other destinations, it is reasonable to expect that a passenger is able to carry the luggage they would be taking on their flight, which is usually one large case, a second hand lugage size bag or case and a smaller, underseat, sized "persoanal item. If not able to do that it would prevent the use of the train, and most people will drive or get a lift to the airport.

Again, that's exactly what LNER's policy is (and I suspect is likely to become GBR's) - the only problem being that 30cm dimension which a lot of otherwise reasonably sized non trolley bags exceed due to their shape. It usually isn't exceeded by much.