2021 LEJOG

[rareposter]

A quick update, still no sign of my bike from Scotrail.

I would be playing absolute hell with ScotRail at this point. If there's no response on email, time to "talk" to them on Twitter which is obviously public facing. Hope you have some sort of record of the bike being taken by them, the promise made to get it back to you and the details of the people who took it - names / job titles etc? Also the time of the train you were on, platform it left from - anything that allows them to find the staff involved.

[Tiggertoo]

Can this help?

Rail Ombudsman contact details:

Web: www.railombudsman.org

Email: info@railombudsman.org

Twitter: @RailOmbudsman

Post: FREEPOST-RAIL OMBUDSMAN

Telephone: 0330 094 0362

Textphone: 0330 094 0363

[philvantwo]

Don't faff about, contact the top man there, Mr Alex Hynes is the CEO.
His email address is;
Alex.Hynes@scotrail.co.uk

[puffin]

Thanks everyone for your input.
Briefly I arrived from Wick in Inverness to be told my bike booking couldn't be honoured on the onward train. I was rushed onto the departing train by the station manager who gave me an email which didn't work. I immediately contacted Scotrail who said they'd investigate. I had a rotten trip home, having to find alternative routes as I couldn't cycle home at the end.
Over the next few days I was told Inverness wasn't answering the phone . Then for the next days I was told the station master was on holiday. Then I was told there was no courier so I told them simply to contact the excellent John O Groats couriers. I was then told the courier had a seven working day wait before they could take the bike, I contacted the courier who reckoned they could get it back by the weekend!!
I am dealing with a guy from Scotrail who has started contacting me on his personal mobile phone.
Weird. I am being told increasingly outrageous stories.

[thirdcrank]

One thing to remember about ombuddies and toothless watchdoggies is that they almost invariably only take up complaints if a company's own complaints procedures have been exhausted.

Bearing in mind what you have been put through, your composure seems exemplary. Perhaps you are calmer in print than reality. Up to a point, there's always the likelihood of getting a better result by going along with people's efforts to sort it out, but beyond that point anything goes. I'd consider contacting your MP for help. This is not really an MP's territory, but they - or their office - have much more direct access to the top of organisations so if they whip off a brief letter, the witch hunt starts at the top.

[Tiggertoo]

Very frustrating, I suspect at this stage your bike - if it hasn't already been disposed of - could be in the Lost Property office at the station.

It's a bit late now, but Peak Tours would have been at the Inverness station last Sunday with a couple of dozen cyclists with bikes, and could have looked for you. I wish I had thought of that earlier for you. I could have asked them to look.

[puffin]

Yea!!!! A manager from Scotrail has said they're courting my bike back, should be with me on Friday.

[matt2matt2002]

Yea!!!! A manager from Scotrail has said they're courting my bike back, should be with me on Friday.

Keep us updated please.

2 days ago I camped at Achnasheen railway station. Only 3 trains a day from Inverness to Kyle of Lochalsh but as one pulled in I spoke to the guard and asked about bikes.
She said it's best to book them but if room, they had no problems. 2 carriages on that route with space for 2 bikes each.

[puffin]

To Kinross: Would recommend staying or at least stopping at Samye Ling Monastery if you can. Amazing place in an amazing place. Also takes care of the lack of shops after Langholm. Can’t remember seeing any shops between Langholm and the Pub at Yarrow (careful at that crossroads) or maybe even Peebles.

It was shut!

[robgul]

Yea!!!! A manager from Scotrail has said they're courting my bike back, should be with me on Friday.

Make sure you sign for it "unexamined" and then report any issues immediately to both the courier and Scotrail - and if it's boxed take pix of any obvious damage to the box.

[puffin]

Yea!!!! A manager from Scotrail has said they're courting my bike back, should be with me on Friday.

Make sure you sign for it "unexamined" and then report any issues immediately to both the courier and Scotrail - and if it's boxed take pix of any obvious damage to the box.
[/quote
Good advice, will do.

[puffin]

Yea!!! Bike back, we filmed it being unwrapped, looks good so far, huge joy. Thanks everyone for your support and advice.
Here's a funny thing though, and nobody is to laugh, right?? The front wheel was on backwards for the entire trip..in other words the direction of rotation indicator on the tyre was pointing backwards. Sheez. What effect would that have on the bike's performance?

[Tiggertoo]

I suppose there is some structural element in the tyre's constituence, but otherwise I don't believe it makes any difference to the performance of the tyre which direction it rotates. I expect most people have no idea there is a right way.

Anyway, I'm glad you got your bike back, but it really should never have come to this. Poor marks to the rail system for this.

[thirdcrank]

Congratulations on getting the right result. Things are in a state when when getting the minimum expectation - completing a bike tour with your bike - becomes a source of rejoicing.

[puffin]

I suppose there is some structural element in the tyre's constituence, but otherwise I don't believe it makes any difference to the performance of the tyre which direction it rotates. I expect most people have no idea there is a right way.

Anyway, I'm glad you got your bike back, but it really should never have come to this. Poor marks to the rail system for this.

The chevrons on the tyre tread are facing backwards which is the only difference that's visible.