have train tickets, but not for bike

Specific board for this popular undertaking.
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TPAYNE96
Posts: 2
Joined: 26 Aug 2017, 1:15pm

have train tickets, but not for bike

Post by TPAYNE96 »

Hey all,

My friend and I are undertaking a 9 day charity LEJOG starting on the 31st Aug, ending in JOG on the 8th September. I've got a slight problem as I booked trains home on the "split ticketting" website (£££ were saved) and didn't think to book my bike on board - a rookie error, although this came from unfamiliarity as I have never had to do this on my local network, Greater Anglia.

Do you think it would be possible for me to get a bike bag delivered to somewhere in Thurso/JoG, pack it all up before hopping on the train and then just hoping that they let me on? I think Scotrail specify that bags should be no greater than 1m in dimension in any plane, yet most bags I've seen are 120cm to 130cm.

I would greatly appreciate anyone's advice - I most certainly need it right now.

TLDR: Was an idiot, didn't book bike on train, need to get it back to Norfolk from Thurso somehow.

Thanks,

Tommy
Lilyf
Posts: 85
Joined: 26 Feb 2016, 4:12pm

Re: Help needed!

Post by Lilyf »

Have you actually contacted the rail companies on the off chance that there is space for your bike? That's what I would try first. Good luck with it all!
TPAYNE96
Posts: 2
Joined: 26 Aug 2017, 1:15pm

Re: have train tickets, but not for bike

Post by TPAYNE96 »

I contacted them but unfortunately was only able to obtain one for the Thurso-Inverness leg.

Thank you to the moderator who cleared up the title a bit!
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Paulatic
Posts: 7804
Joined: 2 Feb 2014, 1:03pm
Location: 24 Hours from Lands End

Re: have train tickets, but not for bike

Post by Paulatic »

Whatever I am, wherever I am, this is me. This is my life

https://stcleve.wordpress.com/category/lejog/
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bogmyrtle
Posts: 967
Joined: 5 Mar 2008, 10:29pm

Re: have train tickets, but not for bike

Post by bogmyrtle »

Try contacting the bike shop in Thurso.
A bike does more miles to the banana than a Porsche.
mfpnl
Posts: 19
Joined: 20 Sep 2016, 1:00pm

Re: have train tickets, but not for bike

Post by mfpnl »

My son and I completed the LEJOG in June. We did the ride on two Airminal Joeys. Our strategy for getting home to North Lincolnshire was simple - ride from JOG to Wick, fold and bag the bikes and then take the train to Inverness, Edinburgh and so on. The bikes still had there racks attached so they were fairly bulky and awkward to handle.

As we waited in Wick station, we were joined by two young guys who had also just finished the ride, They had an even simpler idea - they just waited for the train - and then put their bikes of the train - no booking, nothing! When the train arrived in Thurso, they had to shift their bikes to make room for a couple who had actually booked their bikes on. But they were not challenged - and they completed their journey.

Looking back at our experience, we found the staff at the station and on the trains to be very helpful and accommodating. We certainly didn't get the sense that there were 'jobsworths' walking round with tape measures.

I think your strategy of getting a bag and putting it on the train makes sense. Maybe we were travelling at a quiet time in the LEJOG season, but I think you'd be very unlucky to encounter someone who was going to throw you off the train because your back was 20cm too big.
the snail
Posts: 334
Joined: 5 Aug 2011, 3:11pm

Re: have train tickets, but not for bike

Post by the snail »

There's always the Japanese approach
https://janheine.wordpress.com/2015/12/ ... in-travel/
mfpnl
Posts: 19
Joined: 20 Sep 2016, 1:00pm

Re: have train tickets, but not for bike

Post by mfpnl »

Thanks for posting that Rinko link -I hadn't come across that phenomena before. I actually put some of those MKS US-B Nuevo Lipless Pedals on my Airminal for our LEJOG. They worked really well.
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