Taking a bike on a train

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The fat commuter
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Taking a bike on a train

Post by The fat commuter »

How easy is it to take a pushbike onto a train?

Having read through another thread on here, I'd like to visit a bike shop in Wigan (Winstanley's). I could drive over but sitting on a train reading or simply looking out of the window is preferable to driving over The Snake Pass and then travelling around the M60.

The train station is about two and a half miles away on the Sheffield side, similar on the Wigan side. It would be much easier if I could just get on my bike and do the short journeys either side on bike.

So, is it simple? I've never taken a bike on the train before and can't say I've seen many other people do it. Is your bike kept safe or is it recommended that one stays with it? I'd likely be travelling outside peak hours during the week.
drossall
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Re: Taking a bike on a train

Post by drossall »

Depends on the railway company. Check their site or ask at the station. For example, Northern Rail. Looks as though it's generally OK, but you could get caught out if other cyclists turned up too.

As a generalisation across companies, you can often just put the bike on, generally in the door area. In peak hours and with some companies, only folders are allowed.
nosmarbaj
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Re: Taking a bike on a train

Post by nosmarbaj »

As drossall says, it depends on the rail company, and it also depend on the type of train.

The company will probably have a cycle policy on their website, you may or may not be expected (or indeed able) to book, and there may or may not be bans on non-folding cycles at peak times.

Also, with some trains (usually the larger intercity ones) you put your cycle in a dedicated compartment (what would once have been called the guard's van); sometimes you put it in designated space in the train (there's usually a cycle symbol on the approprate door/s); sometimes you just put it in the door area of any carriage. If unsure, arrive at the station a few minutes early and ask platform staff where you should stand to be ready for quick loading. If it's a long train with only one place to put cycles you do not want to be at the wrong end of the platform and have to run to the other end with bike, dodging the other passengers, while the staff are trying to get the train away a.s.a.p.

FWIW I quite often use First GW (not relevant for the OP I know) and have never had any problems with taking a bike.
The fat commuter
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Re: Taking a bike on a train

Post by The fat commuter »

Yeah, I did have a read of the websites and they all say roughly the same - best to book in advance and there should be two bike spaces on a train. That's the theory - I was just wanting to know how it compares with practice.

That's a good tip about finding out where the bike carriage is in advance. Will give the train company a bell to see what they say - there's a change at Manchester but it's the same train company (Trans Pennine Express) for both trains.
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Paulatic
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Re: Taking a bike on a train

Post by Paulatic »

If it's a TP then the bike bit is under the pantograph.
I think that's what it's called (the bit that connects it to the overheads) [emoji3]
I've only ever used TP and Virgin but never had a problem. Very important to be at the right end with Virgin as its behind the drivers cab depending on direction of travel.
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Re: Taking a bike on a train

Post by mjr »

http://www.atob.org.uk/bike-rail/uk-bik ... vel-guide/ for general principles; http://www.atob.org.uk/bike-rail/uk-bik ... trictions/ for specific companies. Try http://www.traintimes.org.uk/live/ or wikipedia to see who serves a station.
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cheesypeeps
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Re: Taking a bike on a train

Post by cheesypeeps »

Only last year I had my first experience of bikes on trains. I'm based in scotland so can't comment on your exact train company. But what I can say is... I had to get two trains and gee they were a totally different experience. The first train... Fabulous... A designated bike bit so I could secure my bike and sit close by. Easy. The second train was a total nightmare and in hindsight Id have rather just cycled the 20odd miles. No designated bike bit. Had to stand wi bike in the doors section. Buggies. Prams. Ignorant people. Panicking people. Constantly having to move the bike to accommodate all of the above. Not a pleasant experience at all.
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TrevA
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Re: Taking a bike on a train

Post by TrevA »

Generally, if you travel off-peak it's OK, but you can get busy trains all the time going to certian destinations like airports. Then you sometimes find the bike space is full of suitcases. Also, avoid Friday afternoons, when students are travelling home for the weekend with large cases, rucksacks, etc.
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pal
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Re: Taking a bike on a train

Post by pal »

Transpennine are quite flexible on bikes. In theory I think they ask for reservations, but in practice I've never yet been asked to show that I've got one. The downside of that is that you can't always guarantee that there'll be (physical) space for your bike on the train: those routes can get very crowded, so the advice above to try to travel off-peak is definitely worth following. (You could go with Northern from Manchester to Wigan too. They're generally very cycle-friendly: no reservations needed, and -- unless you happen to run into a grumpy guard -- a generally common-sense attitude to letting as many bikes onto a train as will comfortably fit. Their rolling stock consists of a random selection of the rest of the country's cast-offs, though, so it's very hard to predict what sort of bicycle storage area there'll be, or where it'll be located.)
axel_knutt
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Re: Taking a bike on a train

Post by axel_knutt »

I once got on the train and found that I couldn't put the bike down because the space was full of luggage, and I couldn't move the luggage because I was standing in the aisle holding the bike while a queue of passengers stood behind tutting.

Sometimes the door/lobby is too small to get the bike through without taking the panniers off. Watch out the train doesn't disappear off up the line with your bags while you're unloading the bike and then fighting your way back onto the train against a tide of disembarking passengers who all think you're an impatient git who won't wait to embark.

Sometimes they will tell you that if you want to book you need to do it 24 hours in advance.
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horizon
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Re: Taking a bike on a train

Post by horizon »

The fat commuter wrote:... sitting on a train reading or simply looking out of the window is preferable to driving over The Snake Pass and then travelling around the M60.

The train station is about two and a half miles away on the Sheffield side, similar on the Wigan side. It would be much easier if I could just get on my bike and do the short journeys either side on bike.



So you have this vision. A beautiful, simple one. Of ease and environmental harmony. Of man respecting nature but economically and simply going along his way. Of joy without harm, without excess. A simple, beautiful notion.

And then you come back to reality. You mention it to a railway man and ask again, "How possible is it?". Suddenly you are surrounded by barking, shouting men and women in uniform threatening you, calling Security, berating and embarassing you in front of all the other passengers, or waving tickets and booking conditions in your face, telling you it's impossible, telling you to leave your children with their bikes at home, laughing at your tandem. Two bikes only they scream, two bikes only. And so you turn, grim faced back home, angry and astounded, disbelieving.

So next time you know better. You make yourself inconspicuous. You push, negotiate, argue. You are quick, quicker than they are. You are like a refugee on the last train out of a war zone but you make it. And you look at their false-smiling glib publicity photos of happy passengers in their smart clothes and you know you have joined an underworld of intelligent, different but unheard people.

Sorry, your question was...?
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TrevA
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Re: Taking a bike on a train

Post by TrevA »

horizon wrote:
The fat commuter wrote:... sitting on a train reading or simply looking out of the window is preferable to driving over The Snake Pass and then travelling around the M60.

The train station is about two and a half miles away on the Sheffield side, similar on the Wigan side. It would be much easier if I could just get on my bike and do the short journeys either side on bike.



So you have this vision. A beautiful, simple one. Of ease and environmental harmony. Of man respecting nature but economically and simply going along his way. Of joy without harm, without excess. A simple, beautiful notion.

And then you come back to reality. You mention it to a railway man and ask again, "How possible is it?". Suddenly you are surrounded by barking, shouting men and women in uniform threatening you, calling Security, berating and embarassing you in front of all the other passengers, or waving tickets and booking conditions in your face, telling you it's impossible, telling you to leave your children with their bikes at home, laughing at your tandem. Two bikes only they scream, two bikes only. And so you turn, grim faced back home, angry and astounded, disbelieving.

So next time you know better. You make yourself inconspicuous. You push, negotiate, argue. You are quick, quicker than they are. You are like a refugee on the last train out of a war zone but you make it. And you look at their false-smiling glib publicity photos of happy passengers in their smart clothes and you know you have joined an underworld of intelligent, different but unheard people.

Sorry, your question was...?


Not personally experienced the above, but I've witnessed it. I was catching a train from Leicester to Nottingham. It's a sprinter-type train and about half full, not packed. A lad gets on with a bike and the guard tells him to get off saying "I'm not having him on here with that bike". The platform manager joins in, telling him to get off and get on the train behind (An intercity going to Derby!). The lad is travelling to Nottingham. He tries to argue but then gets off the train with a look of frustration on his face. To my shame, though I thought about it, I didn't jump to his defence.
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Postboxer
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Re: Taking a bike on a train

Post by Postboxer »

I think this just shows where public transport falls down, I reckon once you own a car, driving always seem to work out cheaper, a lot more convenient and often quicker too. That's before you take into account all the time taken researching the cheapest tickets and whether or not it's possible to take a bike with you to actually be able to get where you want at the other end.
The fat commuter
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Re: Taking a bike on a train

Post by The fat commuter »

The last few posts are my worries. Whilst the theory is all fine and good, what happens if, despite me booking a space, this 'reservation' is lost. The number of times I've booked seats only to find that the seats did not have reserved cards on them.

I did wonder about maybe cycling down to the Sheffield station, locking up my bike, getting the train to Wigan and then hiring a bike in Wigan - there is cycle hire in one of the stations. That would cost a tenner though. Add that to the train fare and it's over £30 for a 130 mile trip. Compare this with under three gallons of diesel at whatever that costs nowadays. When I was in my teens and twenties I wouldn't think twice about driving anywhere but now I do like to just sit back and let someone else take the strain (not that driving's a strain).

EDIT
Saw this thread after a Google search:

viewtopic.php?f=1&t=46108

I can hire a Brompton Bike from work - could then cycle into work and store my bike securely there. Then, pick up the Brompton, cycle to the station in Sheffield (about half a mile from work), fold up, stick in the luggage rack on the train, enjoy my journey, cycle across Wigan (only about two miles - ten miles once I get lost), then repeat going back.
Ron
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Re: Taking a bike on a train

Post by Ron »

The fat commuter wrote:How easy is it to take a pushbike onto a train?

Usually it's very straightforward although there are regional variations with different operating companies having different rules regarding cycle carriage. Check in advance with the company providing the service you wish to use, in particular ask about the days/times you wish to travel.
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