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@BrickMan
yeah, but if you book over the phone, they give you a code which you can write on any surface you like, but it won't matter, as you still have to que at euston like a goon to get the code that you already have, reprinted by them on a spare orange ticket effort.
Then dash like mad to get back past the angry ticket men awaiting you on the platform and then be told by the station bloke to RIDE to the end of teh platform as the train IS leaving, when you arrive there, find you need a J-Key to open the compartment, the train guy has forgotton and as you spin round to head to the next nearest door the doors close and you are out of sight of the station whistle bloke and you miss your train, despite being there 25minutes before time and doing what the station geezer directed you to do.
basically,
virgin/beardy branson trains = great.
ticket system = retarded amounts of un-needed faff
space for bikes = good, but no ability to lock your bike
security = good enough to keep chancers off, but seasoned bike thieves will just carry a screwdriver to open the compartment from teh inside or outside (I now have my own J-key, which is apparently illegal, but fuck it, I'm not standing like a tool on a platform for an extra 2.5hours for nobody).
/rant over.
Smaller trains are pretty much always fine, though trans pennine express will only take 3bikes max per train, regardless of carriages (1,2 or 4) something to do with the H&S or fire certificate relating to a 'train' rather than specific carriages/numbers of bike spaces. Although watch out for chancer thieves in cities.
Just as I was getting off in newcastle I always hang back, I have eyes on the bike while getting up etc. Kid a few doors infront of us fingers the bike, then the saddle, tests it for a lock, then goes to pull it out just as I arrive next to him. No excuse from him as there was no other bikes or gear about to 'oh i was just reaching for' he just turned round and walked off, should have given him a clip, though it could have been curiosity as it was an uber bling mountain bike at the time.