Cycle space on trains

[Mick F]

On the Tamar Valley Line ....... runs between Gunnislake and Plymouth ......... we are supposed to book our bikes in accordance with Great Western's Ts and Cs.

You cannot book either seats or bikes on this line (reservations are required though on the mainline IETs). Even if you have a reservation for say Paddington, you might not get your bike on at Gunnislake.

I agree.
I agree you can't book a bike space or a seat, but the Ts+Cs don't specify which trains are exempt.
Also I agree, you may not be able to get a bike on at Gunny, even though you have a booking to Paddington.

[recumbentpanda]

On a recent tour, I was pushing the bike up a miserable steep hill in the p*ssing rain when I saw a webbing strap with a loop on the end lying by the side of the road. While one half of my brain asked in disbelief ‘what are you doing that for?’ The other half made me pick it up and tuck it into the rack. Some hours later, boarding a Cross Country train into whose vertical ‘wheel hook’ bike storage my slightly longer than the average bike recumbent would not quite fit, I realised what the strap was for. A quick slip knot, and the bike was secured to the hook the front wheel could not otherwise reach!

On the GWR Hitachi’s, perversely, I found the front wheel reached the hook fine, and the cieling was just high enough to accommodate my chainring. Getting the bike in and out however, especially if there was another bike in the next door rack, required an almost supernatural understanding of three dimensional space.

Incidentally, I fit a ‘nosebag’ Over the pedals and chainring when taking the bent on trains which appears to make it magically invisible to most train staff.

[Cowsham]

I thought the government wanted to promote green travel and more exercise -- how can we commute to work by bike when we can't get on a train in the morning -- I don't need the train as my work place is 15 miles from home so I can use the bicycle but it's not fair for the ones that have longer commutes.

[horizon]

I thought the government wanted to promote green travel and more exercise --

[Cyril Haearn]

The Grauniad has an article about this, hooks to hang cycles are provided, females and those with heavier or bulky cycles are disadvantaged, plenty of fit males could not lift a cycle onto a hook, could be quite difficult once the train is moving
I think the cycle space should be distributed, space in each carriage, not just in the first or last coach

[merseymouth]

Hi all, Smug old fool I am, but I am quite able to cajole my way on to the vast majority of trains, Scotrail excepted, by the simple expedient of flashing my "Disabled Person's Pass", that way my tricycle becomes a "Wheelchair"! Woks for me. TTFN MM

[Vorpal]

Hi all, Smug old fool I am, but I am quite able to cajole my way on to the vast majority of trains, Scotrail excepted, by the simple expedient of flashing my "Disabled Person's Pass", that way my tricycle becomes a "Wheelchair"! Woks for me. TTFN MM

I know a disabled cyclist who has had trouble with that. Even with a note from a doctor (which says her trike is a mobility aid) & disabled person's railcard, she has been told that she cannot bring her trike on trains to & from London a few times.

[StephenW]

Hi Recumbent Panda

I have hung my recumbent by the rear wheel on Crosscountry Voyagers. It just fits. Perhaps if you use the rear wheel then you don't need the strap?

[LinusR]

I thought the government wanted to promote green travel and more exercise

There are. It's just that they are not bothering to legislate to regulate the rail industry to enable it. They are just promoting it as a good idea.

The odd train company has got better (although I can only think of one at the moment). The new Thameslink trains running out of London are a vast improvement for cyclists and travellers with mobility aids. GWR (as has been mentioned above) is absolutely hopeless. A huge step backward with their new rolling stock compared to the old 125 trains which had a dedicated compartment for cycles.

[Vorpal]

I thought the government wanted to promote green travel and more exercise

There are. It's just that they are not bothering to legislate to regulate the rail industry to enable it. They are just promoting it as a good idea.

They've been trying to get people to cycle more that way for decades. [sarcasm]It has been so effective, they're transferring it to other modes of transport [/sarcasm]

[axel_knutt]

The new Stadler and Bombardier trains that are currently being rolled out across East Anglia look quite nice. There are up to six spaces on some trains, with the bikes floor-standing. They haven't arrived on the Braintree line yet, but I had a look round a virtual train online, and it seems OK.

I was using the Hitachi trains around Oxford as a foot passenger this summer, and all the bikes I saw were left on the floor, one of which had deep section rims that wouldn't fit the hooks. I saw a girl leave her bike on the floor, she said she always leaves it like that and hasn't had any problems, but that doesn't really offer much security against a jobsworth guard getting uppity just when it's most inconvenient.

[mjr]

I thought the government wanted to promote green travel and more exercise

There are. It's just that they are not bothering to legislate to regulate the rail industry to enable it. They are just promoting it as a good idea.

The odd train company has got better (although I can only think of one at the moment). The new Thameslink trains running out of London are a vast improvement for cyclists and travellers with mobility aids. GWR (as has been mentioned above) is absolutely hopeless. A huge step backward with their new rolling stock compared to the old 125 trains which had a dedicated compartment for cycles.

Which is ironic because the new GWR rolling stock is some of the most regulated on the network, having been specified and backed by the DfT with some aspects allegedly against GWR's wishes (such as inability to use the kitchens to supply the catering trolley or first class at-seat service, inability to carry surfboards and other oft-requested holiday large luggage and so on).

[horizon]

... because the new GWR rolling stock is some of the most regulated on the network, having been specified and backed by the DfT with some aspects allegedly against GWR's wishes (such as inability to use the kitchens to supply the catering trolley or first class at-seat service, inability to carry surfboards and other oft-requested holiday large luggage and so on).

This is what I have heard too from train staff: I rant about GWR but they just shrug their shoulders and say, it's not us, guv, it's the gov. Our focus needs to be on the DfT.

[merseymouth]

Hi all, Only once have I had a problem getting my trike on a train, Liverpool bound from Oxford. One stroppy guard. I spoke to the station master, helpful got on the next train.
Scotrail is a total No-Go, I must remember to write to "Wee Nicola"?
But I recall the halcyon days of the guards van, now 40 years ago? About 40 cycles of all types in the van going home from York Rally! The guard lft us to it, loading & unloading planned by order of exit. Bliss IGICB MM

[chriskurton]

The West Somerset preserved railway (Bishops Lydeard - Minehead) has a fantastic guards van, just like those of old. £2 per journey for a bike. Passengers fares a little steep, but fantastic for a one way ride back from the sea-side over not so flat roads! Or cycle to Minehead and train back!