Cycling Related

Does anyone know where the bike carriage is on the Southwestern trains from Waterloo to Exeter via Honiton? It says registrations are compulsory and there are only two spaces, which makes me think it's a designated carriage rather than just the nearest vestibule, and we're joining at an intermediate station, so I don't fancy finding ourselves at the wrong end.

Yet again, one is mortified by the gulf between bikes on trains in say France or the Netherlands and here.

It is a hanging up space opposite a toilet but, as for specific carriage, I don't know.

FWIW, South Western Railway isn't consistent on carriage order on shorter routes.

There will be a bike sign by the doors, so if you stand in the middle of the station and watch as the train pulls up you will soon know which direction to walk in. That's what I do anyway.

Yeah, thanks, I've done the last minute dash along the platform before (as we all have) and I'm sure it will be OK. But I confess to getting unhealthily stressed by these things so you'll have to bear with my worrying

You could always ask the platform staff, some of them do know what they are talking about.

LowlifeDes wrote: ↑

4 years ago

You could always ask the platform staff, some of them do know what they are talking about.

That's what I do.

So do I, if there are any that is, but they don't always know unless the bike space is also where the disabled space is.

Ask first platform attendant at Clapham Junction. It depends whether it's a 10 or a 12 he says. He looks it up on his system. It's a 10. So go to the front he says. Thread bikes along to platform to front. Wait for train. Oh, says different platform attendant, it's a 5, you need to be at the back. Rush back along now crowded platform with train waiting. But who cares, we're on holiday.

JohnToo wrote: ↑

4 years ago

Ask first platform attendant at Clapham Junction. It depends whether it's a 10 or a 12 he says. He looks it up on his system. It's a 10. So go to the front he says. Thread bikes along to platform to front. Wait for train. Oh, says different platform attendant, it's a 5, you need to be at the back. Rush back along now crowded platform with train waiting. But who cares, we're on holiday.

So pretty much as I said.

LowlifeDes wrote: ↑

4 years ago

You could always ask the platform staff, some of them do know what they are talking about.

I think, to be fair, both of them gave correct advice based on the information available to them...

Even though getting bikes anywhere on trains in the UK is stressful (and I apologise for having shared my stress with you guys), I'd just like to reassure you all that it is still worth it...

This is not just any old stretch of grass on the edge of Dartmoor, this is Sustrans Route 27. So clearly this particular stretch of grass has some hidden quality lacking in all the other stretches...

My wife and I plan a short, gentle cycling holiday in July. Bikes on train to Bath, Kennet and Avon route back towards Reading. Only it turns out there are about 20 trains from Paddington to Bath pus two from Waterloo on the relevant Saturday, and according to the online system, on every single one of them, all the cycle spaces are already booked. Likewise trains to Bristol. Likewise on the Friday the day before and the Sunday the day after. So we're going to drive down instead and leave the car with a friend. Ho hum.

(Actually, I'm not sure that I believe that every single cycle space is taken by cyclists - really? Every single one on every single train? I wonder if they've decided they don't like taking bicycles and have just blocked them all off instead of making it official.)

With the caveat that I've only been on a train once in 15 months so it might not be representative, I needed to book a day return to Cardiff with a bike last Thursday evening. Online the train I wanted was not only showing as fully booked for bikes but was highlighted with dire warnings about capacity and advice to travel on a different service. I went to see the brilliant woman at the station and told her what my timing window was and that it had to be with a bicycle. She picked out the very same train as best and booked me on it. I was the only person in the carriage and had the only bike in the four storage spaces near me. There was no seat number on the reservations. I don't think the online status reflects reality at the moment. Do you have helpful staff at your ticket office?