Railway Lost Property issues - ongoing discussion, merged posts

[whole diary]

[Chris from Nailsea]

From the Western Daily Press:

Oh no, I've left my drone on the train


Bryony Morgan manager of the Bristol 2015 Lab and Helen Brown of Kecks Clothing are surrounded by items which forgetful passengers have left on First Great Western trains in the past year. The public are now invited to recycle these items and put them to good use or buy them in a jumble sale. Among the more bizarre items left are skateboards, Woody and Buzz Lightyear models and even a drone
PICTURE: BARBARA EVRIPIDOU

Musical instruments, cookery books and even a drone are among the items left behind by careless passengers on First Great Western's train carriages in the past year.

And instead of letting the abandoned belongings fester in a lost and found warehouse, this weekend the public will be able to create works of art from them ^ or buy them to give them a good home. Funds raised from the sales will go to charity.

Bristol 2015 is partnering with First Great Western this weekend to host a series of "ReFound" events, giving people the chance to create their own piece of Train Treasure from lost property found on trains across the region.

Taking place at the Bristol 2015 Lab on the Harbourside, Train Treasure will provide visitors with information on how to restyle and upcycle, as well as giving them the opportunity to take home a few lost gems with a jumble sale in aid of local charities.

More than 400 items of unclaimed property are collected on First Great Western trains each week, with all items taken to the lost property department at Bristol Temple Meads to be logged, sorted and reunited with owners where possible. Items most frequently left behind include cycling helmets, umbrellas and items of clothing, but there are also some weird and wonderful items handed in. The department is currently looking for the owner of a drone.

On Saturday and Sunday, Helen Brown from Kecks Clothing will demonstrate how to create tote bags and dresses with left behind clothing, and designer and sewing tutor Jennifer Mills will show visitors how to refashion, restyle and upcycle.

The lost property available to transform will include microscooters, musical instruments, games, sports equipment, empty wallets, jewellery, clothing and sunglasses.

Children can also get hands-on with the activities. The #leaftoleaf workshop will turn unsellable or damaged books into seed paper, and Elm Tree Farm will host a workshop upcycling old cycling helmets into hanging baskets.

The lost property jumble sale will sell unclaimed items ^ some still with their tags on ^ for as little as ^1, ^2 or ^5 depending on their condition.

All funds that are raised, and any useful items left over from the weekend's activities, will be donated to charities Brandon Trust in collaboration with Elm Tree Farm, Labour behind the Label, St Mungo's Broadway, and the Creative Youth Network.

Bryony Morgan, manager of the Bristol 2015 Lab, said: "We're thrilled to be working with First Great Western to provide a new way of rehoming the many items of lost property found on their trains. Not only will the events give visitors some really useful tips for upcycling at home, but it will also raise much-needed funds for very worthy local causes."

Amie Coppin, head of sustainability for First Great Western, said: "Dedicated to supporting the communities we serve and with a minimum impact on our environment, it is great to find a new home for these lost items. They've been with us for over three months so to be able to upcycle them and create a new lease of life ^ while helping raise money for local good causes at the same time ^ is fantastic."

Train Treasure takes place at the Bristol 2015 Lab from today until Sunday, from 10am until 6pm, and is free.

[TaplowGreen]

..........I'd be interested in folks views on the fairness (or otherwise) of these charges...

http://localbreakingnews.org/news/uknews/road-and-rail-transport/11859626/Lost-property-rip-off-Passengers-charged-to-retrieve-own-items.html

[Timmer]

Nothing new, BR^▸ (British Rail(ways)) used to charge a fee. Someone has to pay for a Lost Property office to be run. However, I think some of the charges are a bit steep but that's because private companies now run them and have to make a profit.

[grahame]

But transport campaigners claim, with passengers already paying ever soaring ticket prices, that lost property ought to be offered for free.

To some extent I'm a campaigner, but I cannot say I support that claim.   Probably because I run a business at which property is sometimes left - I know how administratively expensive the handling of that property is, and how much time it eats up.   And I don't see why the person who never leaves anything behind should in effect be subsidising the person who does so - perhaps quite often;  such an effect comes from a free system.

The article also talks about differential scales for returning different types of property  - 3 pounds for key and 20 pounds for a laptop, for example.   Admin, etc, is going to cost the same for both - let's say 10 pounds.  Problem is that if you had a flat fee (of that 10 pounds), the laptop owner would pay his tenner, but the key person would say "keep 'em", resulting in a loss making lost property operation which would mean putting the charge up to 20 pounds anyway if something were claimed.

[didcotdean]

I have a recollection from one of the many recent railway documentaries of the admin fee being waived on an item as it had only just been brought in (and probably hadn't been booked into the system).

The radio interview I heard suggested to me the particular 'campaigner' was more concerned with it being a private company administering it.

I think there is scope for improving the lost property system to reunite more people with their items and having accessible databases but that will cost money to implement.

[JayMac]

I wonder what the charges are at Lost Property offices run directly by TOCs^▸ (Train Operating Company), such as GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway)'s at Bristol Temple Meads.

I've managed to get items back from there for free (ticket wallet, bicycle*) although told I should really be charged.

*Yes, I once 'lost' a bike on a railway station. Left it outside the Bristol TM^▸ (Train Manager, or possibly Ticket Machine, depending on context) booking office while I made an enquiry, then went straight to my train. I'd planned to take the bike with me. Only when I was halfway to Taunton did I remember!

[phile]

I wonder what the charges are at Lost Property offices run directly by TOCs^▸ (Train Operating Company), such as GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway)'s at Bristol Temple Meads.

I've managed to get items back from there for free (ticket wallet, bicycle*) although told I should really be charged.

*Yes, I once 'lost' a bike on a railway station. Left it outside the Bristol TM^▸ (Train Manager, or possibly Ticket Machine, depending on context) booking office while I made an enquiry, then went straight to my train. I'd planned to take the bike with me. Only when I was halfway to Taunton did I remember!

Don't you have to make contact on FGW^▸ (First Great Western) via a Call Centre in India.   The number of the LPO in Bristol TM is hush hush, isn't it ? Not to be disclosed.

[the void]

For the last two years FGW^▸ (First Great Western) have chosen to ignore the convoluted ATOC^» (Association of Train Operating Companies see - here) pricing bands and have charged a flat rate of ^2 to retrieve an item of Lost Property. With the rebrand to GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) this fee has been dropped altogether and there will no longer be a charge at all. In addition, GWR have partnered with www.missingx.com and from next week, customers will no longer have to contact the call centre to register and search for lost items as this can be done online instead.

[TaplowGreen]

For the last two years FGW^▸ (First Great Western) have chosen to ignore the convoluted ATOC^» (Association of Train Operating Companies see - here) pricing bands and have charged a flat rate of ^2 to retrieve an item of Lost Property. With the rebrand to GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) this fee has been dropped altogether and there will no longer be a charge at all. In addition, GWR have partnered with www.missingx.com and from next week, customers will no longer have to contact the call centre to register and search for lost items as this can be done online instead.

A commendable decision.

[phile]

Not for the poor 80 something old lady who inadvertently leaves something on a train and has no access or even possesses computer sills.

[TaplowGreen]

Not for the poor 80 something old lady who inadvertently leaves something on a train and has no access or even possesses computer sills.

"can be done online", not has to be - phone is still an option?

[the void]

"can be done online", not has to be - phone is still an option?

Phone is of course still an option. Searching through MissingX is in addition to, not instead of...





Edit note: Quote marks fixed, for clarity. CfN.

[ChrisB]

No sympathy, frankly...if you don't like the fees/procedure etc etc, simply don't forget your belongings! Its quite easy & not at all rocket science.

The security aspect in items transferring across the rail network takes staff time and a degree of organisation, all of which costs money. Yes one way or another, the customer will pay, its the customers property, so why not?

^20 is a piffling amount for a ^600 phone or laptop

[Timmer]

It's not as if we aren't told at every station stop "please take a moment to check that you have all your personal belongings with you before leaving the train".

[grahame]

It's not as if we aren't told at every station stop "please take a moment to check that you have all your personal belongings with you before leaving the train".

We are ... sadly, I've heard it so often, I find it's lost its effect on me.   And I find myself thinking I can't take "all my personal belongings" because I've left a lot of them at home.  It's a very serious announcement made for a purpose ... I don't know how it's best to do it.

On the charge / amount ... we have our own little "Lost Property" at the hotel and I can confirm what a nightmare it can be.  Yet we can usually tied it to a particular guest quickly, and we have mobile phone numbers and/or email addresses of everyone who stays.   We don't usually charge, but we do take steps to minimise (our) costs by checking room as soon as people leave and as we usually know which businesses in the town our guests will be at - so they can collect at the end of the day.   I really would NOY want the rail job!