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Self Storage Lockers at Railway Stations

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mralexn

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Can you name some stations that have this facility ?

What i mean is, those lockers where you pay so much and you can put your bags in there and collect them later on.

I hardly know any stations that have adopted this, but it is something, that for me, would be very useful.

Do you think that they should be more widely adopted at railway stations?
 
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MidnightFlyer

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Fort William has them IIRC.

I doubt their role-out will be successful at a time when terrorism fears are so high in railway officials.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
Preston does and I agree, it seems useful.

Where are the lockers at Preston?
 

WestCoast

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They are limited in number because of terrorism related concerns, the Excess Baggage Company and similar firms satisfy the authorities by storing baggage at manned offices where bags can be x-rayed.

I know of two stations where this facility is available nearby, although not within station premises. York station is near the NRM which has lockers for luggage and Meadowhall has lockers provided for the shopping centre (although these are around 5 minutes walk from the station).

Traditional lockers are still very common at major stations in mainland Europe. There's a sophisticated system at Cologne Hbf, where you enter your luggage into a deposit machine and it is automatically taken away for storage underground. You are then given a ticket with a barcode to retrieve it. :)
 

gordonthemoron

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I hardly know any stations that have adopted this, but it is something, that for me, would be very useful.

most bıg statıons used to have them, removed due to 'terrorısm threats', strange they stıll have them ın many european countrıes, ıncludıng those wıth ıncıdents of terrorısm, e.g. Istanbul
 

Greenback

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most bıg statıons used to have them, removed due to 'terrorısm threats', strange they stıll have them ın many european countrıes, ıncludıng those wıth ıncıdents of terrorısm, e.g. Istanbul

Yes, I remember big banks of lockers on platforms 2 and 3 in Swansea during the 1970's!
 

Yew

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Maybe they could be useful at sleeper termini?
 

DarloRich

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looking at the pictures there appears to be a mistake on the link i provided. Unless they have changed since the pictures were taken there appears only to be toast rack style bike storage.
 

Mutant Lemming

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So all a terrorist need do is stuff the carriers on a bike full of explosives and leave it in a cycle store.
 

mralexn

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You mention terrorism is the main cause, but i have used one of these before and the storage area you put your bag is similar to that of a safe, so surely they must have to be constructed to "blast proof" say if someone was to try and put something dangerous in one.

Personally I think it is a very good idea. I carry a laptop in a bag around with me for when im on the train, and (for example) when I go to penzance, I do not really want to lug it with me on a nice walk along the sea wall.

Anyway, I think if they can make them "blast proof" or whatever, then they would be very useful and well, im sure Very well used!
 

LE Greys

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You mention terrorism is the main cause, but i have used one of these before and the storage area you put your bag is similar to that of a safe, so surely they must have to be constructed to "blast proof" say if someone was to try and put something dangerous in one.

Personally I think it is a very good idea. I carry a laptop in a bag around with me for when im on the train, and (for example) when I go to penzance, I do not really want to lug it with me on a nice walk along the sea wall.

Anyway, I think if they can make them "blast proof" or whatever, then they would be very useful and well, im sure Very well used!

If something "blast proof" could be packed solid with explosives, the shrapnel effect would be devastating. X-raying cases before they go in might be better, but would be expensive. The other option is to put them somewhere out of the way.
 

PaxVobiscum

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They are limited in number because of terrorism related concerns, the Excess Baggage Company and similar firms satisfy the authorities by storing baggage at manned offices where bags can be x-rayed.

I know of two stations where this facility is available nearby, although not within station premises. York station is near the NRM which has lockers for luggage and Meadowhall has lockers provided for the shopping centre (although these are around 5 minutes walk from the station).

I was sure I had used left luggage facilities in York Station itself less than 2 years ago so I had a look at the station facilities on NRE:
Left luggage
Yes

Operated by Autohorn

Opening Hours

Monday-Saturday 0800-2030

Sunday 0900-2030

Unhelpfully, it's not actually marked on the NRE station map, but I remembered crossing to platform 1 and sure enough if you mouse over the Europecar bit it shows "There are luggage storage services available here." (photo below)
Might have to do a bit of detective work in other stations then.
 

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infobleep

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Is the terrorism threat in the UK greater than in Europe? I guess it must be.

On a related note. You get the ridiculous situation where for some years Guildfod station did by have any bins due to the terrorism threat. Well right outside the back entrance of Guildford station on the public pavement was and js a double bin complete with another compartment for dog mess. Not see through.

Now they do have clear plastic bags at the station these days but still this bin is there at the back. No clear plastic bags here. I can't see how an explode right outside the back entrance of Guildford station isn't going to impact on the station itself just because it's not on station property. It may not hit the platforms but people pass through and even work at the back entrance.

If the threat is so small, it's worth worrying about then you start to wonder if proper bins can't be used all over the station.
 

Mike395

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If travelling into BHM, there used to be some self-service lockers at the Bullring, no idea if they still exist however :)
 

sbt

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On a related note. You get the ridiculous situation where for some years Guildfod station did by have any bins due to the terrorism threat. Well right outside the back entrance of Guildford station on the public pavement was and js a double bin complete with another compartment for dog mess. Not see through.

The key point is that it isn't where large numbers of people congregate, especially during Rush Hour. That is why Station Platforms are attractive targets for terrorists, especially places like Guildford that have, or had, a fairly large amount of military personnel passing though them.

WRT Bicycles, yes Bicycle Bombs have been used. As far back as 1939 an IRA Bicycle Bomb killed 5 in Coventry. Last year a bomb was placed on a childs bike in Northern Ireland as part of an attempt to kill police officers. They are being used today in Afghanistan.

Again, bombs in Left-Luggage were used as far back as 1939 (Tottenham Court Road, Leicester Square, Kings Cross & Victoria Underground Stations, 1 Killed, 7 wounded).

You will note that Cast Iron and similar thick walled metal bins are being retired from the streets. This is because they produce shrapnel if a bomb goes off inside them.
 

Smethwickian

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If travelling into BHM, there used to be some self-service lockers at the Bullring, no idea if they still exist however :)

They did last time I walked in that way about ten days ago. Just inside the entrance between Boots/Debenhams, immediately opposite the rear station exit (left hand doors as you come through ticket barrier and straight across the pelican crossing).

If we're extending this to ones reasonably close to stations, the new Museum of Liverpool had some last time I looked, two minutes' walk or so from James Street station.

Both the above, obviously, are only accessible during the appropriate opening hours (though with Bullring that's a reasonable 8pm weekdays) and apart from the Liverpool ones being a refundable £1 coin-deposit type when I saw them, I can't vouch for the cost.
 
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