Non-standard Bikes on Trains

[Mick F]

Hi guys, and sorry for not being on here for a while.

The last time I took a bike on an inter city train was in the summer of 2018 coming back to Plymouth from Taunton after riding with the LEJOG Wimps.

I plan on riding from here to Exeter in a date yet to be decided. Later this year, when the weather settles down.
In order to buy a ticket, I have to book a seat, and have to book the bike too. I can't remember if I did that in 2018.

Now, here's my question.

From what I know about bikes on trains - not local ones or two-carriage ones - the bikes have to be hung up on hooks. Done that a few times long distance over the years. What happens in this modern day and age with heavy big electric bikes? What happens if you can't even lift your mechanical bike?
Just coz you're strong and fit enough to pedal, doesn't mean you have the upper body strength to heave your bike up onto a hook.

My (sort of) plan is to ride my Moulton the 40odd miles to Exeter, but it's a devil to lift as it's heavy and unwieldy and difficult. Bad enough lifting up steps at my age! I can ride it happily, but man-handling it is hard.

Advice please.

[Jdsk]

There are lots of reports in the archives on problems with putting bikes on hooks: weight, awkwardness, etc. Many have found that they have to remove luggage.

I'm not sure what journey you're planning. If you can add that we can identify the operator and type of carriage and storage and probably find some photos.

Recent discussion:
viewtopic.php?p=1827775#p1827775
viewtopic.php?p=1818399#p1818399

Jonathan

[PH]

Are you going via Plymouth? If so check out if the SWT trains on that route have more suitable bike spaces than the GWR.

[rareposter]

From what I know about bikes on trains - not local ones or two-carriage ones - the bikes have to be hung up on hooks. Done that a few times long distance over the years. What happens in this modern day and age with heavy big electric bikes? What happens if you can't even lift your mechanical bike?
Just coz you're strong and fit enough to pedal, doesn't mean you have the upper body strength to heave your bike up onto a hook.

It depends on the rolling stock - it's all different. Some trains are fine, no hooks or lifting required. Some trains are a total pain with badly designed and ill-fitting cupboards where nothing other than a road bike will ever hang. Anyone trying to shoehorn a MTB or touring bike with panniers into it will be very disappointed.

If you can find out the train operating company on your route and then look at the rolling stock (it's all listed online, just type the train operator into a search engine and somewhere within the results will be a list of the trains they operate on their various routes), someone will be able to tell you what the bike storage situation is. If not on here then phoning their customer services should get you someone able to describe the bike carrying facilities.

You could always do a dummy run without the bike as well to assess the trains and the stations for things like step-free access, size of lifts etc.

[Mick F]

Hi guys, and I know there's another tread on here about trains, but this is a specific question regarding hanging a bike when you can't lift it.

Go to BR Times.
https://www.brtimes.com/!home

Check out the Local Train at 1525 from Plymouth on Wednesday next week. Random day to test the idea out. It starts at Cardiff.

Go to the GWR website to book it, and you get this.

Yes, I need to check this train out and see what the bike stowages are like.
Maybe take the train to Exeter, have a couple of pints and a lunch, then get the 1525 back. If I did that, I'd be wiser eh?

All I want, is for some knowledgable person with recent experience to tell me what the stowage is like.
I cannot be the only "older person" who rides a bike who can't physically lift it high.

[Jdsk]

Hi guys, and I know there's another tread on here about trains, but this is a specific question regarding hanging a bike when you can't lift it.
...

The two linked posts upthread are about space on specific operators and carriages which are relevant to your journey.

Operators on your journey appear to be GWR and CrossCountry. IIRC there are recent photos and experiences of both in the archives.

Jonathan

[Paulatic]

That train is

Starts as Class 80x on electric, changes en route
Planned for 125mph max
First & Standard class seating
Reservations recommended

I’ve no idea what 80x cycle stowage is though

[Mick F]

Exactly.

Photos on the linked threads DO NOT HELP with my question.

I need to chat to Mrs Mick F to see if she wants a lunch stop at the Mill on the Exe pub just up from Exeter St Davids.
https://millontheexe.co.uk

We could get the train 11:19 from Gunnislake and change at Plymouth for the train to St Davids. Gets there at 13:13.
Short walk to the pub, and get the 15:25 back, and arrives at Gunnislake 17:24 in time for tea.

Meanwhile, I can (personally) check out the stowage and ask some pertinent questions of the staff about help to lift awkward bikes onto silly hooks.

Wednesday 13th March seems a good day to me. Mrs Mick F is busy, so I'll ask her later ............. over a glass or two of wine.

[rareposter]

I’ve no idea what 80x cycle stowage is though

A cupboard at one end of one of the carriages.
It might not be the 80x intercity, they run 158's along that route too and they're just the basic stopping service ones with a lean-to area for bikes.

[JohnR]

I’ve no idea what 80x cycle stowage is though

A cupboard at one end of one of the carriages.

On the 80X it's small cupboard designed to take two suitable bikes hung vertically from hooks (and vulnerable to people putting other items into that space). Judging by the comments at https://cycle.travel/advice/cycling_by_train/intercity the Cross Country Voyager trains may be similar but there's a comment about using the luggage space if not otherwise occupied. The class 158 has 2 spaces per train https://www.southwesternrailway.com/tra ... ith-a-bike. It's unclear whether these are horizontal on the SW trains but they are elsewhere.

Train formations are shown at https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk.

[Mick F]

Good morning.

Thank you John, very good bit of info there.
Quite dismal though.

Is there staff available to help lift a heavy bike that the rider cannot lift?
Are the stowages capable of taking a non-standard bike?

It would seem that the only way of finding out, is to go and ask.

[PT1029]

If you have mobility problems and/or are disabled (appreciate you are not Mick), you can get assistance at each end of the journey and at changes en route. Staff meet you when the train arrives, help you about the station with wheel chair etc. The parents in law used this once and found it good.
So my point is, it might be worth asking if this service extends to hanging your bike. Probably unlikely, and also has the risk at a short station stop of not getting you bike unhoked/off the train in time (possibly).

Often with bike storage areas, your bike has to compete with general luggage that other people have left there. One solution to this metioned on here previously was to leave your bike on the floor and wait for the train manager to wander along and get him to sort, so saving you annying other passengers who don't want their luggage moved.

[Lazybird]

I recently did a trial run of Exeter to Plymouth and back with my bike. GWR on the way, Cross Country on the way back. Both had hooks to hang bikes. I had to move a pushchair to get my bike in my reserved space on GWR, the two compartments were empty on Cross Country. A chap on the Plymouth to Exeter train just had his bike on the ground, half in and half out of the compartment but he was standing with it by the doors. He hadn’t bothered to reserve a bike space and told me he brought his bike on regularly with no problem. I guess time of day and year will be critical.

[mjr]

Is there staff available to help lift a heavy bike that the rider cannot lift?
Are the stowages capable of taking a non-standard bike?

No, no staff are authorised to lift bikes.

Those trains have no spaces for unusual bikes. This is disability discrimination and so the Department for Transport acted illegally when specifying those trains. I think it was during Failing Grayling's reign.

[Jdsk]

...
All I want, is for some knowledgable person with recent experience to tell me what the stowage is like.
I cannot be the only "older person" who rides a bike who can't physically lift it high.

Has the discussion about operators and space gone as far as it can without knowing the date and time?

For the vertical compartments with hooks: have you already decided that you can't lift the Moulton up to the hook on your own? Or is that still an open question? That still leaves issues of which wheel to hook and wheel sizes on the hooks.

Jonathan