Getting the train and the shuttle with a buggy and a trolley

[shutthefrontdoor]

Hi all. Apologies if this is covered elsewhere - I have done a search but I can only find similar queries relating to coaches. We have been going to the festival since 2008 and in recent years have taken our kids (now 3 and 6), and have always driven. This year we are getting the train for the first time from Portsmouth with the intention of camping in Wicket, and I am panicking a bit about luggage. We have always taken a double bike trailer which we use as a buggy - both kids sleep in it and the big bike wheels work brilliantly regardless of weather, so its an essential. It does fold up if necessary for the train and shuttle so that's all fine, but my partner will be left transporting our tent, 4 x sleeping bags and mats etc...so in a perfect world we would be able to use our trusty sack trolley too. Does anyone have any experience taking a sack trolley on the train and shuttle? We aren't planning on taking the p*ss and loading it with crates of beer- but travelling with two kids does make it difficult to only bring what you can carry. It feels as though families should be able to get to the festival by train but in reality have we made a massive error?! Any advice welcome, thanks!

[giantkatestacks]

We used to get the train and shuttle to Shambala back in the day but we never attempted a bike trailer and a sack truck. Both adults would have big rucksacks, the 6 year old would be carrying their own sleeping bag/rucksack.

 

I reckon the sack truck will be ok but not the trailer on the shuttle bus. Do you know anyone else going who could take anything down for you in a car?

[shutthefrontdoor]

Thanks for the reply! I haven't been as worried about the bike trailer - its basically a double buggy and it folds flat if needed - I presume that people with small kids are allowed to to take buggies, even if they have to fold them up? The sack trolley was my main concern because the website specifically says that you can't take trolleys on trains. We aren't going from London and I don't think the people at the station here in Portsmouth will think twice about letting us on with it all at 6am on the Wednesday - it'll be very quiet I think. We change at Westbury where I imagine we will be joining lots of other festival goers so they might be stricter there, and I've no idea what the rules are on the shuttle if you get that far with a trolley?!

[Lycra]

1 hour ago, shutthefrontdoor said:

Thanks for the reply! I haven't been as worried about the bike trailer - its basically a double buggy and it folds flat if needed - I presume that people with small kids are allowed to to take buggies, even if they have to fold them up? The sack trolley was my main concern because the website specifically says that you can't take trolleys on trains. We aren't going from London and I don't think the people at the station here in Portsmouth will think twice about letting us on with it all at 6am on the Wednesday - it'll be very quiet I think. We change at Westbury where I imagine we will be joining lots of other festival goers so they might be stricter there, and I've no idea what the rules are on the shuttle if you get that far with a trolley?!

 

This is from the GWR website.

 

Luggage

Our luggage advice for Glastonbury is simple. Please don’t travel with any more luggage than you can carry yourself.

Trolleys, wheelie bins and four-wheeled trucks are not permitted onboard our trains or the free shuttle buses from Castle Cary station to the festival site. The same goes for musical instruments and furniture exceeding dimensions of 30 x 70 x 90 cm – so whether it’s enormous bongos, lengthy didgeridoos or your favourite armchair to lounge in at the festival, we’ve seen it attempted all before. For further details

Edited May 7 by Lycra

[Lycra]

The following is taken from the festival website concerning travel by train:-

 

Please be aware that the train companies will not allow trolleys and carts onto their trains during the Glastonbury Festival period.

 

And additionally concerning the Castle Cary festival shuttle bus:

 

Get onto the bus and load luggage (please be aware that trolleys will not be permitted on this service.)

[HotChipWillBreakYourLegs]

Our car once broke down on the way to the festival, head gasket blew, got towed to a garage and told it was knackered.

 

Got a cab to Bath and West with the trolley and joined a loooooong queue for the shuttle bus.

 

When I tried to get on the bus with the trolley the driver had a go at me about how they weren't allowed, but eventually relented when I said we were still only halfway through a very stressful day and didn't want to be in this situation either!

[shutthefrontdoor]

59 minutes ago, Lycra said:

The following is taken from the festival website concerning travel by train:-

 

Please be aware that the train companies will not allow trolleys and carts onto their trains during the Glastonbury Festival period.

 

And additionally concerning the Castle Cary festival shuttle bus:

 

Get onto the bus and load luggage (please be aware that trolleys will not be permitted on this service.)

Thanks - this is why I am asking really, both the festival and GWR advise that you can't take them but I wondered what people's actual experiences were. I imagine there is a big difference between those that get trains from Paddington with thousands of other people, and those that get onto a comparatively quiet service from elsewhere in the country. The rules on GWR at least confirm that a buggy will be permitted as long as it folds up, which ours does. 

[shutthefrontdoor]

27 minutes ago, HotChipWillBreakYourLegs said:

Our car once broke down on the way to the festival, head gasket blew, got towed to a garage and told it was knackered.

 

Got a cab to Bath and West with the trolley and joined a loooooong queue for the shuttle bus.

 

When I tried to get on the bus with the trolley the driver had a go at me about how they weren't allowed, but eventually relented when I said we were still only halfway through a very stressful day and didn't want to be in this situation either!

This sounds like a nightmare! 

 

I think the shuttle is where we would most likely get challenged so potentially its not worth it. Starting to regret the train decision a bit! 

[Lycra]

1 hour ago, shutthefrontdoor said:

Thanks - this is why I am asking really, both the festival and GWR advise that you can't take them but I wondered what people's actual experiences were. I imagine there is a big difference between those that get trains from Paddington with thousands of other people, and those that get onto a comparatively quiet service from elsewhere in the country. The rules on GWR at least confirm that a buggy will be permitted as long as it folds up, which ours does. 

 

The problem is that once policy has been set and published by both GF and the train company you only need one person who actively enforces the rules and you're festival is buggered. There will always be some who've risked it and got away with it. They will be saying do it. Those who got stopped in the main tend to stay silent out of embarrassment.

[mrfunk]

Im just resercting this, as I have broken my shoulder, so can't carry anything.. -- "Our luggage advice for Glastonbury is simple. Please don’t travel with any more luggage than you can carry yourself"

 

Im also travelling down Monday morning before the start of the festival. 

 

Do you think I would get away with this, my arm will be in a sling BTW.

[Alan_C]

I've bought something similar to this just to help carry some beer. Are they strict with taking this type of thing these days? It would be a bit of a struggle carrying crates of beer from Gate A to the campsites without wheels with everything else we need to carry. They never used to have a problem with it a few years ago. 

[Lycra]

3 hours ago, Alan_C said:

I've bought something similar to this just to help carry some beer. Are they strict with taking this type of thing these days? It would be a bit of a struggle carrying crates of beer from Gate A to the campsites without wheels with everything else we need to carry. They never used to have a problem with it a few years ago. 

 

No trolleys on trains and the Castle Cary shuttle bus is the rule if you're intending to travel by that means and you wouldnt be able to travel with a folded trolley if it's loaded with cans. Also I've seen many a trolley of this type fall victim to Glasto's rough terrain, broken and abandoned. They are not strong enough.

[Alan_C]

21 minutes ago, Lycra said:

 

No trolleys on trains and the Castle Cary shuttle bus is the rule if you're intending to travel by that means and you wouldnt be able to travel with a folded trolley if it's loaded with cans. Also I've seen many a trolley of this type fall victim to Glasto's rough terrain, broken and abandoned. They are not strong enough.

How do people carry cans down then without using a trolley? 😄

[Lycra]

1 hour ago, Alan_C said:

How do people carry cans down then without using a trolley? 😄

 

By carrying them 💪 or go without.

 

Trolleys are banned from trains calling at Castle Cary for the duration of the festival and the connecting shuttle bus will not carry them.

 

Official info concerning trains, shuttles & trolleys is found on this link:-

 

https://www.glastonburyfestivals.co.uk/information/getting-here/by-train/

[cerv]

I've seen people with trolleys get on the shuttle bus from Bath show ground a few times but once they reached the front of queue they had to wait for the next empty bus to appear which they may let you on. This was at quiet-ish times with trolleys that weren't crazy overloaded.

 

Your best bet to avoid any awkwardness is to make sure you can easily split the load on the trolley so there's no problem throwing all pieces on the bus. Anything that requires two people to lift with some serious effort and could only possibly fit into the disabled area of a bus definitely runs the risk of being turned away.

[Lycra]

2 hours ago, cerv said:

I've seen people with trolleys get on the shuttle bus from Bath show ground a few times but once they reached the front of queue they had to wait for the next empty bus to appear which they may let you on. This was at quiet-ish times with trolleys that weren't crazy overloaded.

 

Your best bet to avoid any awkwardness is to make sure you can easily split the load on the trolley so there's no problem throwing all pieces on the bus. Anything that requires two people to lift with some serious effort and could only possibly fit into the disabled area of a bus definitely runs the risk of being turned away.

 

Believe small Trolleys, baby buggies, etc are allowed on the shuttle bus from B&W showground.