Oversize luggage

[whole diary]

[eightf48544]

To get back to the topic of oversize luggage niether the Vomiters or 180s have enough space for luggage oversize or not, considering they are used on routes where people are likely to have luggage. Also being underfloor engined units they are bound to be far noisier, with added vibration, than a Mark 3 with a loco one or both ends.

EMUS (Pendolino) possibly, underfloor DMUS for longish distances no!

Lets get the wires strung.
 

[Btline]

Are the bike lockers on 180s ever used for luggage?

[IndustryInsider]

Are the bike lockers on 180s ever used for luggage?

In exceptional cases (often involving cases!) they are - such as the School Sports championships that happened last weekend in Somerset/Avon. Though you have to keep a clear route available to the traincrew in case of emergency, so there's not as much room as you might imagine. The Power Cars storage space on HST^▸ (High Speed Train (Inter City class 43 125 units))'s was also used in some cases for that event.

[6 OF 2 redundant adjunct of unimatrix 01]

Staff vs Passenger...

Its a no brainer, clearly...

customers always rite...until they are out of hearing range!!

[G.Uard]

Staff vs Passenger...

Its a no brainer, clearly...

customers always rite...until they are out of hearing range!!

Having spent far too many years on the operational side of the package holiday industry, it is my personal opinion that many of our problems are down to lack of communication...on both sides.  Whilst it is easy to understand that customers are frustrated by  seemingly pointless delays or last minute platform alterations; it is equally infuriating to be asked for information by a  passenger, only to see the enlightened traveller wander off in the wrong  direction to ask another staff member the same question.

In my admittedly short railway career, I have come across few if any staff who actively dislike the average passenger.  Scrotes, (railway slang for persistent fare dodgers), are universally loathed, but in general,  the attitude is one of pride in running the best possible service for our customers.  This is not always easy, given the nature of the job.

Safety remains paramount, but from the high customer service content of my recent training course, it appears that FGW^▸ (First Great Western) is aware of these issues. For example, the ticketing course is designed to improve geography and thus ensure that customers receive quality travel and pricing  information/options.  Much stress is also laid on PA^▸ (Public Address (broadcast loudspeaker announcements) or Passenger Assist (railway staff providing physical assistance to passengers with mobility issues), depending on context) announcements and 'visibility' of staff during journeys. 

There will always be niggles, on both sides of the divide, but I have so far found the vast majority of the travelling public to be reasonable and friendly.  I only hope that I come across in the same manner.

And...before the cynics ask if I have been around when something goes badly 'tits up', the answer is a big fat yes. 

[Worcester_Passenger]

The maximum size of luggage, as limited by the National Conditions of Carriage, has now turned up on the CrossCountry website as part of their "Guide to travelling with us over the Easter Holiday". See http://www.crosscountrytrains.co.uk/Find_a_train/Travelling_over_Easter.aspx. Does this suggest that they're getting worried about luggage volumes? Are they about to copy Ryanair and start charging for excessive luggage?

[Andy W]

First's primary expertise is as a bus operator. When they run a coach from London - Devon / Cornwall they provide a huge amount of luggage space due to the nature of their customers.

It would be nice to see then use some of that understanding & expertise on their trains, particularly as they refreshed them not so long ago removing a good amount of luggage space between the seat rows that originally were back to back.

[paul7575]

I blame wheels. Before wheels cases and grips had to be carried. This put a natural limit on their size, I nearly always carried a smallish case and a grip - a balanced load.  Now you see cases and grips that would get in everyone's way even walking through Heathrow Terminal 5, and that airport baggage handlers would approach driving a small forklift .

Pax then try to wheel them up the steps into trains, and all the way down the gangway to the vacant seat they've just spotted (which is probably reserved anyway).  Even if there was space between the seats these cases wouldn't go in there, or on the racks.  Where do these people imagine they are going to put them, as they are packing the kitchen sink for the weekend?   Perhaps they think their last journey by modern train was an odd one and next time there will be a few luggage vans in the rake of carriages, as they saw in Brief Encounter (to quote an earlier poster )...

Paul

[devon_metro]

The maximum size of luggage, as limited by the National Conditions of Carriage, has now turned up on the CrossCountry website as part of their "Guide to travelling with us over the Easter Holiday". See http://www.crosscountrytrains.co.uk/Find_a_train/Travelling_over_Easter.aspx. Does this suggest that they're getting worried about luggage volumes? Are they about to copy Ryanair and start charging for excessive luggage?

The shopless voyagers no longer have luggage stacks inside the carriage. The only luggage storage is where the shop used to be and I don't blame people for not using it for fear of theft.!!

[Btline]

The maximum size of luggage, as limited by the National Conditions of Carriage, has now turned up on the CrossCountry website as part of their "Guide to travelling with us over the Easter Holiday". See http://www.crosscountrytrains.co.uk/Find_a_train/Travelling_over_Easter.aspx. Does this suggest that they're getting worried about luggage volumes? Are they about to copy Ryanair and start charging for excessive luggage?

The shopless voyagers no longer have luggage stacks inside the carriage. The only luggage storage is where the shop used to be and I don't blame people for not using it for fear of theft.!!

Oh for goodness sake. How can that work?

So not only will their be a crush next to the doors, there will also be two queues of people crushing into the old shop to dump their cases!

How often will that space be full of standing commuters? And how will the trolley fit through?

I thought that H&S^▸ (Health and Safety) said that you must keep your luggage under view at all times!?

[eightf48544]

How about having a coach with eight bays of eight seats with tables all aligned to windows. With luggage bays at the end, luggage racks and space between the seats of each bay.

Then run them in trains of 10+ with a big box on the front providing power. Preferably a box with a thingy on the roof to suck in the juice
(87s), not pumping out a stream of grey/black smoke (47/8).

Oh dear I've just reinvented the WCML^▸ (West Coast Main Line) before Pendolinos and XCs^▸ (Cross Country Trains (franchise)) before Voyagers

[r james]

The other carriages on the refurbished voyagers with the shop removed still have luggage stacks in them from what I saw on my recent trip to Birmingham on one that had no shop anymore.  Though there is also the further luggage space created in the old shop area. 

[Andy W]

How about having a coach with eight bays of eight seats with tables all aligned to windows. With luggage bays at the end, luggage racks and space between the seats of each bay.

Then run them in trains of 10+ with a big box on the front providing power. Preferably a box with a thingy on the roof to suck in the juice
(87s), not pumping out a stream of grey/black smoke (47/8).

Oh dear I've just reinvented the WCML^▸ (West Coast Main Line) before Pendolinos and XCs^▸ (Cross Country Trains (franchise)) before Voyagers

Spot on

[paul7575]

The other carriages on the refurbished voyagers with the shop removed still have luggage stacks in them from what I saw on my recent trip to Birmingham on one that had no shop anymore.  Though there is also the further luggage space created in the old shop area. 

Also, contrary to the earlier post there's still a luggage stack at the opposite end of the former shop coach as well. I was fairly sure that the shop area wasn't the only luggage stowage in coach C, but thought I'd keep quiet - and then one actually turned up for a visual check at Southampton today...

Paul

[devon_metro]

Well maybe there are some, however when I travelled I noticed that the whole coach consisted of airline seats and I didn't notice any luggage racks.

I try to avoid Voyagers like the plague so either travel on a 142/143/HST^▸ (High Speed Train (Inter City class 43 125 units)) instead.