• Our booking engine at tickets.railforums.co.uk (powered by TrainSplit) helps support the running of the forum with every ticket purchase! Find out more and ask any questions/give us feedback in this thread!

Most unusual luggage you’ve travelled with or seen on a passenger service?

Status
Not open for further replies.

Ken H

On Moderation
Joined
11 Nov 2018
Messages
6,272
Location
N Yorks
There are often large plants carried on buses and trains after the last day of the Chelsea Flower Show when there is a sale of exhibits.
do they have a sign saying 'Heavy Plant Crossing'?

Coat
 
Sponsor Post - registered members do not see these adverts; click here to register, or click here to log in
R

RailUK Forums

Ken H

On Moderation
Joined
11 Nov 2018
Messages
6,272
Location
N Yorks
Slightly off topic, I went from leeds to Durham on the train. this was when the route via Ripon was still open. We had to change at Northallerton.
They used to convey baskets of racing pigeons in those days. Mum looked in one of the baskets and saw an egg. She then fantasised about the possible orphan
 

marks87

Established Member
Joined
23 Jun 2010
Messages
1,609
Location
Dundee
I took a rolled up carpet on a Brussels tram once. unrolled it was about 5' x 4'

I also, with the missus, took 2 5' tall plants in pots on the tram there too (from the Sunday market by Bruxelles Midi)

You saying that reminded me of the time I had to take one of those pack away display stands on an Amsterdam tram. It was like one of those ones you see Virgin and Sky sales reps standing at in shopping centres, with a podium that everything goes in.

I got some very strange looks and (having never used the tram system there before so wasn’t sure how strict things were) sheepishly asked the person manning the ticket desk* if I could exit by the entrance...

*for those not familiar with Amsterdam trams, there’s a ticket desk on board.
 

Chris M

Member
Joined
4 Feb 2012
Messages
1,057
Location
London E14
On the District Line this evening - and unfortunately it wasn't mine.
70122987_10162151637165655_2272353869306527744_n.jpg
 

EM2

Established Member
Joined
16 Nov 2008
Messages
7,523
Location
The home of the concrete cow
Two fairly large folding chairs from Bruges to Slough, in the days before Eurostar. We saw them while there on holiday, and decided that they were just what we needed!
 

Ianno87

Veteran Member
Joined
3 May 2015
Messages
15,215
Now that Meridian Water has an all-day service, I wonder how long it'll be before a flat pack IKEA wardrobe ends up on a train....

Ampere Way tram stop (next to Croydon IKEA) can sometimes be 'interesting'
 

lxfe_mxtterz

Member
Joined
3 Mar 2018
Messages
817
Location
Sarahdale (West of Emmerdale)
The only time I've travelled by train bearing an "unusual" object was on my way back from an amusement fair a few years back. I had won an enormous orange stuffed lion (which admittedly happened to look a bit more like a cow!) on the basketball toss game, and the only way to get it home was to prop it up on the seat next to me. Thankfully, the train was sparsely loaded so it didn't cause any capacity issues, however I did get a few strange looks. :lol:
 

AlbertBeale

Established Member
Joined
16 Jun 2019
Messages
2,695
Location
London
Now that Meridian Water has an all-day service, I wonder how long it'll be before a flat pack IKEA wardrobe ends up on a train....

Ampere Way tram stop (next to Croydon IKEA) can sometimes be 'interesting'

I've managed to get an item of furniture (a table) from IKEA onto a tram there (the real difficulty started when trying to interchange to a train at Wimbledon...), but I imagine far more exciting things have been known...
 

charley_17/7

Member
Joined
1 Sep 2006
Messages
195
Location
Milton Keynes Central
Once took home a hot pink/gold leaf armchair from the Ideal Home Show. Went for the direct Southern service between West Brompton and Milton Keynes, but we either just missed it or it was cancelled (can't remember which)! So we had to take LO as far as Willesden Junc, then a Bakerloo tube to Harrow & Wealdstone, before changing yet again at Watford Jn before finally getting back to MKC. From there we took it the final two miles home on an Optare Solo.

I recall back when I was a Piccadilly Conductor, a family moving house between Hadfield and Glossop, using GM Day Ranger to travel up and down, they even brought their 3-piece suite on board at one stage. Didn't charge them AAA however.
 
Joined
22 Aug 2019
Messages
12
Location
Naestved Denmark
Waterloo lost property office had a washing machine unclaimed for quite a while some years ago...…. whilst I did not see that on a train, that is where it was left behind !!
 

Cambus731

Member
Joined
19 Jul 2013
Messages
1,121
Back in either 2000 or 2001 a mate gave me a replacement prop shaft for one of my Cortinas. He also kindly securely wrapped it up in copious amounts of bubble wrap for me. I felt vety conspicuous taking that on the train from East Tilbury to Fenchurch St. And on the train from Luverpool St to Cambridge. Not to mention walking through the City of London carrying this long bubble wrapped package. Probably just as well this was before 9/11, as people weren't so aprehensive about somone carrying odd looking packages through London back then.
 

RLBH

Member
Joined
17 May 2018
Messages
962
Very nearly got a lectern which had been 'liberated' through student hijinks on to a Virgin CrossCountry train from Lancaster. Perhaps fortunately, service was badly disrupted, and the rightful owners showed up on the platform before the train did.
 

DarloRich

Veteran Member
Joined
12 Oct 2010
Messages
29,182
Location
Fenny Stratford
A few years ago two gentlemen got on my train at Wigan NW and joined me in my compartment (I said it was some time ago). They sat side-by-side and seemed a bit grumpy.

A little later I noticed the handcuffs.

Does that count?

(Even more years ago I recall watching a patient on a stretcher being loaded onto a train at Norwich. Some Corridor Composites (CK) carriages had hinged compartment windows to allow loading. Those compartments were notoriously leaky and draughty.)

I have seen several people in handcuffs on the train, often with a coat over them. I assume they were prisoners either off to health appointments/funerals or being moved between lower category prisons.

I once sat on a train in the half buffet car talking to a man with a yellow caged bird with him. Only after about 30 minutes did he tell me he was an armed robber at the end of his stretch moving prisons! He was a nice bloke ( at least when he wasn't pointing a shooter at someone) and he was very keen to stress he never hurt anyone or did over old grannies and only robbed banks and sub post offices not like the junkie scum. He had done 10 + years mind so wasn't a soft touch. He told me about his art and his education in prison and how he wasn't going back to jail.

I hope he went straight.
 

ComUtoR

Established Member
Joined
13 Dec 2013
Messages
9,399
Location
UK
2 fully assembled Ikea 'Billy' (CD) book cases
Moped
6ft painting that was bigger than the bench ! (left on the platform)

Over the years. They are the ones that have stuck in my mind.
 

Dr Hoo

Established Member
Joined
10 Nov 2015
Messages
3,912
Location
Hope Valley
I have always (perhaps unwisely) had a somewhat relaxed view about taking bulky items or large amounts on trains, particularly in the days of brake vans. The key was always to think ahead and choose trains that were likely to be quiet. I would always introduce myself to the guard as 'rail staff' and any problems seemed to diffuse.
The biggest task was shifting an entire student disco kit (estate car packed full amount) full from Beeston to Birmingham New Street via a change of trains at Derby. Staff helpfully got a BRUTE trolley. Have also travelled on various occasions with a large wheelbarrow, swivel chair, a couple of bar stools as well as large TVs on a trolley.
The nearest I came to coming unstuck was moving two baulks of timber eight feet long for a building project. This involved the brake van of an old Class 304 EMU. Unfortunately it was tipping with rain and the guard and I nearly prodded the soaking timber onto the live pantograph (which sat on the flat 'dropped' roof of the brake). Taught me a very valuable lesson, which I still remember when people are claiming that modern generous electrical clearances at stations are 'un-necessary'.
 

Essan

Member
Joined
22 Feb 2017
Messages
518
Location
Evesham / Lochailort
After travelling back from Scotland on an overnight train, I was once on the underground during rush hour with a rucksack on my back, to which was tied a red deer skull complete with a nice display of antlers. Got a few interesting looks/comments .....
 

parkender102

Member
Joined
21 Dec 2010
Messages
421
Although not particularly unusual but for sheer bulk alone. In 1989 my girlfriend and I travelled on the Trans Siberian Railway between Moscow and Beijing (Trans Manchurian). It was November and many Chinese Students studying in Moscow were on the way home for Christmas. I can only assume that electronic goods were a lot cheaper in Russia than China. One group of 4 sharing a 4 Berth Compartment had brought a variety of boxed electrical goods on board – TV’s, Video Recorders etc. By the time they had filled their Sleeper Compartment there was only enough room for one person to sleep at a time. For the next 6 days they slept in shifts whilst the remain 3 passengers of the sleeper compartment sat in the corridor on pull down seats attached to the wall or in the dining car! It must have been a very long journey for those 4 friends………..
 
Last edited:
Status
Not open for further replies.

Top