Hiya,
Planning a trip – considering going by rail with Virgin Trains from London to Carlisle and taking my mtbike (which I love btw). Have not travelled by train with (or without) a bike for a very long time. I am told their is a rack for four bikes but just wanted to know what the chances are of it
a) getting nicked or
b)getting bashed about
or both
Should I put it in a bike bag or just leave it uncovered? Can’t seem to get an answer from the foreign call center number for info, they have no idea.

I thought this was a new twist of the plane on a conveyor belt thread… turbo trainer on a train?

Its a while since I took a bike oin an english train but I wouldn’t worry about it. Different trains have different arrangements but sit where you can see it or could see if someone unloaded it

You are not supposed to lock them but folk do

Very best of luck with it, LMBL. I did it last summer (from Cheshire to Devon – direct train) and it was a nightmare to organise. I ended up befriending the station manager who did all sorts of murky underhand dealings for me – but still couldn’t guarantee I could get on the train with it…

If, however, you’ve managed to get a booking, you’ll probably find there’s a carriage with 2×2 racks (one pair on either side). You hang your bike up by a wheel and it sort of floats about. I was on my posh roadbike and used a bar bag and my gloves to pad it out to stop it from bashing about too much. I took my panniers off, and chose a seat other than the one I’d had booked so’s I could keep an eye on it over my shoulder. In fairness, once on the train it worked ok, but it was hugely stressful sorting it in the first instance. I had a lock with me as well and there are things you can lock it to once it’s in place.

The guards on the train and station were quite helpful – it just seems to be the system that’s pants.

I put my bike on trains without concern, Often they are away from passengers.

You MUST book though and I’m not sure if you can do online.

Go to the station and get a reservation for virgin/cross country trains, take a small lock that’ll stop oppertunists, but wont piss the guards off taking 10minutes to lock/unlock at each end.

The bike racks are usualy int he quiet coach, best bet is to get a seat somewhere nearby for peace of mind.

You’re supposed to book them on (it’s free) although I’ve managed to wing it before. Depends a bit on how strict the guard/conductor is.
You have to book the bike reservation over the phone, can’t do it online.

Best to use a small cable lock to secure it although I just used to look out the window and make sure no-one was walking off with it at the stations.

We had a trip to Ireland last summer and went to the port on the train.
As others have said, it’s vital to book ahead and reserve a bike space as there are some right jobsworths around.

That said, there were some really helpful rail staff who went out of their way to be helpful too…

Much easier off peak, as you might imagine.
Some trains were much better equipped for bikes too

Would it not be easier just to take it in a bike bag as ‘large’ luggage and not have to worry about that booking nonsense?

Starting from London is one less thing to worry about- it’s the terminus so you can take your time finding out where to put the bike. On the way back ask the platform attendent which end the bike carriage is at, then prepare to run to the other end when the train comes in the wrong way. And definitely get a (free) bike reservation.

Usually can’t take a bike on at rush hour – i.e. before 9am towards London or after 4pm away from London (or something like that). Phone up and ask is best way to find out though.

I’ve booked mine online before but with the now defunct National Express website. However, I did find another operator using exactly the same booking engine so was able to book with them. I think it was their successor http://www.eastcoast.co.uk/ There is an option mid page after selecting a time and class, near seating preferences.

My experience on Virgin trains was mixed. I have a huge bike, and it nearly didn’t fit in their allocated space. I always preferred GNER/NXEC/East Coast with bikes going in the guards van. Never had a problem.

Worst ever train was a local train from Leeds to Todmorden IIRC. Bikes hung in the middle of the carriage, wheels to the wall so saddles and bars stuck into centre of the aisle, nearly blocking the way through. THAT pleased people in suits when my bike was muddy…

Edit – double post

You have to book the bike reservation over the phone, can’t do it online.

This is really, really annoying. I had a moan at Euston about this.

The Virgin fast trains have the bike storage bit at one end of the train. This can often be full of rubbish dumped by the cleaner (I got so fed up on one trip I lobbed two large sacks out onto the platform so’s I could put my bike in propperly) or other junk. As already said, take a little cable lock to deter opportunists.

Provision for bikes on UK trains is generally piss-poor. I spose we should be grateful they at least provide something on some trains…

I haul bikes on trains quite a lot. Virgin aren’t the best, but it’s fine really.

– Definitely have a reservation, it’s just not worth the anguish; and

– ask staff where on the platform you need to be before the train gets in if you’re not getting on at the terminus;

would be my tips. 🙂

Doesn’t sound too bad! Yes i will definitely reserve the bike – east coast seems to be the same train as the virgin one but there is a reservation option-thanks. Think I’ll take some bubble wrap for the bike, try and figure out how to book a seat near it or sod it I’ll just stand near it for 3.5 hours! It’s a really early train so maybe it won’t be too busy. Many Thanks.

You’re not allowed to lock the bike up. But you’d have to be out of your mind to let it out of your sight unlocked. The guards on the trains I’ve used totally understood this though, and were happy as long as it wasn’t causing anyone else a problem (I saw someone put a bike onto the end of one of the racks on a glasgow-edinburgh train, which are like a car rack with up to 3 or 4 bikes on a single rack, then lock it- when the owner of one of the middle bikes wanted to get off halfway along the line they weren’t too pleased)

The only bit that gave me bother was managing bikes + luggage, worth really going out of your way to make all your kit easily moved- big rucksack rather than carry bag or suitcase frinstance. Some of the bike handling on some trains is very fiddly (on the fort william train coming home, the corridor leading to the bike store was so narrow I had to undo the bars)

Beware that if you’re traveling from Euston, as well as a bike reservation reference (discussed above), they insist on you getting a “voucher” from the ticket office. I turned up with my reservation reference number and was not allowed on the train (even though there was space – obviously – I had a reservation!). I had to take my reservation reference number to the ticket office, to get a “voucher”, that was acceptable to the train manager.

— now if you think about this: I had been refused boarding the train for which I had a reservation. Now they were giving me a “voucher” that allowed me on the next train (one hour later) for which I did not have a reservation. Crazy. Also BTW I had lost my seat reservation so had to sit on the floor by the door.

The Indian call centre seemed very confused about the difference between “booking reference” and “voucher”, so no help there. Worried about my return journey, I arrived nice and early at Oxenholme (with my bike booking reference), to get my voucher. They had no idea what a “voucher” is. So it must be only at Euston that this is necessary.

So: For now at least, and only at Euston: Turn up good and early, with your bike reference number, ready to queue at the booking office for a “voucher”.
I hope this helps somebody.

It’s a horrible system that varies from train operating company to train operating company, and just hope that your journey doesn’t involve a change of trains… Some TOC’s insist that bikes are booked in advance, some insist that this is only so during peak hours. I’ve yet to find a TOC that is able to handle a bike booking online. Trying to book at a station or over the phone, I’ve had to reserve a seat on the train before they could tell me that they didn’t have space for my bike. So you either throw the ticket away, or pay to have it amended to a different train. Of course, that train may or may not have space to take the bike either, but they couldn’t tell me until after I’d reserved a seat.

On a positive note, it’s been a while since I’ve been (directly) charge to take a bike on a train. First Great Western used to add £3 each way on a return ticket if you wanted to take a bike with you…

I’ve only had one refusal in the dozen or so long distance train journeys and that’s with a trailer.

the crosscountry trains stick bikes in the guard room so you’ll not be able to see it unless someone grabs it and makes off with it at a station, book it on to the train to avoid refusal, though if someone like me has jumped on with a bike and trailer, here may be no room left(only room for about 6 bike, well placed).

Some trains have small bike racks in the main carriage sections, these are better if a little awkward to get wide bars and fat tyres to the fixing hook, but at least you can be near it and keep an eye on it at each station.

Not sure about locking them, i’ve always travelled with faith and 4″ knife to hand, never needed the blade 🙂

If it’s going in the guard room, it will get knocked ,bashed, rubbed against so defo need to wrap it or even better, bag it.

Have a great time, despite all the initial hassles, it’s better than driving and being part of the various congestions en route.

S

if it gets nicked, there’s no need to worry about it being bashed about, so that’s 2/3 of your worries solved anyway.

some general stuff from a pamphlet on the ctc site that gives a list of probably what the different train co’s rules are

http://www.nationalrail.co.uk/system/galleries/download/misc/CyclingbyTrain.pdf go to page 2

with virgin i think bikes go vertical in a rack by the door so i would lock it and advance booking is essential
personally i’ve never been successful at getting a booking online and you need to waste quite some time at a station and be nice to get all the right bits of paper – check timetable in advance so you don’t have to do any changes if at all possible

I travel on the fast train between sheffield and Leeds 4 times a week.
Never book or anything just walk on, some trains have a carrige with a bike symbol on, these allow up to 3 bikes to be stored stood upright.

Others have space in the front or rear of the train, usually next to the quiet coach. This is a larger general space were they let bikes be kept, you don’t have access to the bike though so make sure you are quick with unloading/loading to not annoy the operator.