Tandem transport on Scottish Railway

[Tandemoz]

I am planning a tandem end to end trip for this UK summer, but I believe that the trains from Thurso do not take tandems. Has anyone recently done this trip by tandem, how did you manage the transport from Thurso.

[Ron]

GNER trains operate from Inverness to the south and they carry tandems. I cannot offer any advice on transport to Inverness, but you could cycle it in 2 days.
Just to confirm, First Scotrail who operate the train service south from Thurso do not carry tandems.

[Cunobelin]

Never understood why GNER are one of the few who carry tandems, but the only one that does not carry recumbents!

[Ron]

I doubt if you would get on Scotrail with a recumbent, although they may not have them on their banned list.

[Cunobelin]

I did!

Took my Street Machine on the sleeper and have also travelled between Edinburgh and Glasgow without any problems.

[Ron]

I did!

Good to hear , although the Sleeper does have a "proper" goods compartment.

[Cunobelin]

Sleepers certainly do.

Now I have a suggestion....Could we expand on this fine example?

Why not allocate a large open area or a seperate small carriage to storage of large items. This could then be called a "Guard's Van" (Or in these modern days a "Railway revenue collection supervisor and on-train customer service operative's Van)

We could then put virtually unlimited numbers of bikes on trains

However I suspect this idea will not catch on.

[Ron]

Why not allocate a large open area or a seperate small carriage to storage of large items. This could then be called a "Guard's Van"

I do wish you would move with the times Cunobelin, next thing you will be looking for a supplier of acetylene lighting systems for bikes.

[Cunobelin]

Nah, I'm not into this new technology nothing wrong with a candle!

[Rob Archer]

Whilst Scotrail doesn'r carry tandems on their trains, they do provide a road van between Thurso and Inverness to carry bikes (including Tandems). I don't know if it's still the case, but it used to be an undertaker's van returning from delivering coffins to Orkney! On one famous occasion two bikes were carried in a hearse!

try www.firstscotrail.com for info.

Rob