Bikes on trains in the UK

I did this once. At Warwick parkway... the guard was adamant. No bike. When he took a step away from his open door to signal to the driver 'clear to go' I threw my bike on and jumped aboard. He was fucking furious. He closed his door... Had no choice...and there was nowt that could be done. Only then did I realise I was in the buffet car! Fricking chaos to Marylebone non stop. Everyone climbing round my bike and me and my gear to get a bacon roll. I made some new friends. The guard wasn't one of them.

ha! great story

Swindon

'nuff said.

Why were you in my own personal hell, anyway?

Pdlouche. I live in N London now. Used to live in Letcombe Regis near Wantage. Rode on and around the Ridgeway for years and miss it loads. So I train to Reading and mtb the Ridgeway and it's many offshoots to Swindon or vice versa depending on the wind direction!

And now my wife has accepted a new job. Based... in...........Swindon!!! Wahey. No plans to move. Yet.

I'm so, so sorry. Time for a divorce? Trial separation?

Divorce? First wedding anniversary next weekend! Enforced separation Tuesday thru Friday from September 1. Any chance Swindon could raise its game between now and then?

Unlikely.

Congrats btw! On the marriage, not the Swindon thing.

Thanks pd. Love conquers all.

What's your excuse anyway?

I wouldn't know where to begin

Anyone tried to take a bike on SWT service from/to Waterloo during the "no bike" times? Because of ferry times I'd have to take the train at 17:30 on a Friday from Waterloo to Portsmouth and they say on the website "no bike on train leaving Waterloo between 16:45 (I think) and 19:00".

Can't you just take an earlier train?
I find especially on a Friday even if it's during the "bikes allowed" time, it's pretty difficult in late afternoon as so many people leave work early. Not familiar with that line, but I'd be surprised if it's possible unless you want to dismantle and bag up your bike.

Taking the train at 17:30 is already stretching it work-wise. An earlier train would require to take half a day off more. I can do it but if I can avoid it that's better. Thanks for the feedback :)

I'd be unconfident about getting through a mainline terminus at that time. The staff will be on full alert and used to turning people away.

I would try joining the service further down the line if I had to do this but I still wouldn't rate your chances.

Alright, thanks all for the advices. I'll make sure to travel outside of the no-bike zone!

http://road.cc/content/news/225264-virgin-trains-east-coast-‘working-’-online-cycle-reservations

Bit late but yes - take both wheels off and try and make it look like a folding bike, and keep it in the vestibule.. Convinced a guard that my Vigorelli was a folding bike.

Peak trains are also less busy on a Friday.

Aha, nice one on the vigorelli! Thanks, in the end I took a different ferry and thus a different train. 6:30am was proper empty!

Just had the joy of booking a bike onto a train home to London from my folks' house in Newcastle.

That article was some time ago now, and the bicycle reservation feature is nowhere to be found on the new site. Had to spend 10 minutes on the phone to an outsourced call centre, and I can't even print the reservation at home.

The whole thing is a farce.

An og forumenger has done a video with National Rail introducing PlusBike.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_XQ5RY0uEh4

Looking to ride from London to Edinburgh next month. This will mean getting a train back on Sunday to Kings Cross with Virgin East Coast. I haven't been on a train with my bike in quite some time and can't recall putting the bike in the carriage. How secure is the bike carriage? More concerned about the bike being scratched/damaged than theft....?

They probably have a separate bike carriage which is fairly spacious, Either sit where you can observe the relevant bit of platform or a quick bit of stretchy lock.

I have used the Virgin East Coast Kings Cross/Edinburgh train a lot with my bike. I have never had an issues of theft or damage. You need to make a bike reservation at the time of booking. When you print your tickets at the station you will get a bike reservation ticket as well. Some platform staff ask to see this to confirm the reservation.

They have a separate bike carriage that can only be accessed by the train guard. The only people who will be able to access it are the guard and people putting their bike in or taking it out at stops. It does say not to lock your bikes, but you could quickly put a small ulock or cable lock on, as long as the guard doesn't see you. Usually they wait outside the carriage while you go inside with your bike.

Make sure you let a member of the platform staff know you have a bike reservation so they can arrange the train guard to unlock the carriage for you. He/she will open the door, let you put your bike in, then lock it behind you.

The bike stands in the carriage are these ones:

They have a single strap (a car seat belt material) with a plastic buckle. This attaches around your top tube. There is also a metal channel on the floor for the wheels. The is potential for the front wheel/handle bars to sway abit. If you are worried about scratches I would wrap the frame with inner tubes.

I always walk to the bike carriage end of the train 5mins before my stop. The train guards 'office' is usally the same end as the bike carriage. So he/she will see you and remember to unlock the bike carriage at the stop. This isnt an issue as Kings Cross will be the termination point. But it does mean you will be there as soon as the bike carriage doors open.