Bikes on trains in the UK

GWR today. Didn't even bother trying to get it in. Had the usual put it in the hooks chat with the buffet guy. Three of us said they don't fit. He said they should. We said they don't. That was that.

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what was on the buffet?

3 cans of stella for a tenner

Oh, and your mum.

Good deal that.

GWR from Cardiff; those frigging hooks.

Good job I had advance warning and brought a couple of toestraps, and that only two of the 4 “spaces” were reserved. Conductor said “those hooks are terrible aren’t they?” Yes they are.

Rocked up to Edinburgh Waverley unaware that you needed a bike reservation for LNER. Jobsworth on the platform wouldn’t let me on, despite the fact there were no other bikes on the train and I only wanted to go one stop. Queue for the ticket office was 10 deep and I missed the train.

Anyway, shout out to the wonderful lady at the ticket office who sorted me out with an explanatory note and then ran across the station with my reservation (which wouldn’t print initially).

Faith in humanity restored somewhat.

Yeah, it sucks but you can’t just rock up to a station in the uk without checking the need for bike reservations these days.

If it’s a national route (however far you’re going) you probably need a reservation, if it’s a local commuter train you’re probably fine.

Only been caught out once before when both spaces were already reserved and the bikes and their owners on the train. Not the case here.

That came out more passive-aggressive that I intended. Apologies.

I wasn’t aware a reservation was mandatory on LNER, unlike other services where spaces are allocated on a first come, first served basis.

Stupid as I am, I am endeavouring to travel to Windermere on Avanti West Coast next week.

Having patiently waited for their reduced timetables to be published and bookable, I bought a ticket and used their online form to try and reserve a bike space.

Got this back in an email:

Thank you for contacting Avanti West Coast to request a bike reservation on one of our services.

Due to strike disruption, reduced timetables and suspending ticket sales, we are unable to make bike reservations until 11/09/2022, as these will most likely not be honoured. I apologise for the inconvenience caused. Please speak to our station or onboard teams for further assistance on your day of travel.

WTF does that mean?

Print that out and chance your luck I reckon. I wouldn’t count on getting any clarification.

I've been travelling on greater Anglia during strike days, the trains have been nearly empty and running bang on time, just fewer of them...

I don't know if Avanti is the same but the threat of strikes has kept passenger numbers very low , so there's a chance that it will be fine. Can you recce Euston station to gauge busyness before you travel?

why didn't you call them? always the easiest way

I will call them but I'm overseas til Monday.

CBA to waste holiday time on hold to a TOC.

I never have to wait more than a minute tops to speak to someone

From Euston? On occasion I get Avanti from Manchester to Macc or vice-versa. I speak to someone at the ticket counter and ask to reserve a bike on the next service and they do it there and then. Go to the very front of the train and the conductor will let you into the bike/luggage area, you can the go into the carriage next to it for the journey.

Then hope he remembers where you're getting off.

To me that reads as, we don't actually know how bad the strike impacts will be so we can't guarantee that we can take your bike.

I doubt you'd get any better clarity from that speaking to anyone. Odds are that you would be fine unless you're going at a peak time.

Yeah, that's what I take from it too.

I've changed my ticket to reduce changes, travelling slightly later than I originally planned to.

Hopefully it will be fine.

Now to wait and see if I can book a return train, or else it'll be an impromptu introduction to audax.

And hope this doesn't happen again
https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2022/aug/18/inquiry-after-avanti-passengers-scale-7ft-spiked-fence-to-leave-station-lake-district

If you're traveling with Avanti it probably means we'll be cancelling your train at the last minute so a bike reservation will be the least of your worries.

Well, the whole point of the new time tables and massively slashed services is so that they don't cancel trains.

Supposedly...

Yeah. I know.

LNER from Edinburgh to London has hooks with a fair bit more room than GWR. That's a 47mm and could fit quite a bit bigger. Issue for mtbs maybe more likely to be wheelbase and handlebar width .

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