Is this the only train operator that insists you have ‘reservation’ for your bike?

I frequently travel on trains across SW and up to NW and have never been refused entry with bike.

I was travelling from Kings X to Stevenage last week and wasrefused acess to train because i did not have reservation for the bike.
The guard acknowledged that there was space (in fact there were no other bikes on the train) but she steadfastly refused to relent. ‘They are the rules’ she proudly boasted.
Anyone else fallen foul of this ridiculously rigid protocol?
Incidentally, they do not explicitly state that this is an absolute requirement on their website.

Last time I was on an East Coast train with my bike, the nice driver explained that they nearly always managed to fit folk in whether they’d booked or not. I suspect you got a Jobsworth

Thanks. I have written to complain, asking specifically whether it is a strict policy. If not, then i suspect you are rightand i would be interested in their response.

I like East Coast as they are one of the few (only?) operators that let you book your cycle space online. Every other one I’ve dealt with requires that you phone them.

I have found that they can be very inflexible about accepting unbooked bikes, even when there has been an empty guards van. The guard said his manager had given strict instructions about this.

Yes I have had that before, but as above they are the only train operator that I know of that will let you book a space online.
I’ve had a space “reserved” for me within the 5 minutes it took the train to arrive at the station.
I’ve also had to wait about 2hrs on Doncaster station because of this…
Every company will have jobsworths, sometimes you complain and get free stuff, sometimes you don’t.

It’s not quite as much fun as taking a bike between Kings Cross and Victoria on the tube 🙂

Theyre the only fully natioanlisied train operationg company in the uk, until somebody takes them over again.

So i would write to the controler of trains the department of transport.

FWIW I use them everyday and was taking a bike down to London only this morning. When I booked the space on Friday afternoon the bloke at the local station (who always lets on about stuff) told me they’re getting very fussy about bike bookings. He couldn’t work out why either…not in a sensible world anyway 😕
…But I have turned up and ‘booked’ it 10 mins before the trains arrives sometimes. Guess I was lucky. Especially seeing as 90% of the time there is maximum 1 other bike in 6/7 spaces…

Is this some pre-Olympic crackdown?

My son and I cycled 82 miles and ended up at Alnmouth in time for the train at about 8pm on a Saturay night. It was October and quite cold, my son was only 10 and quite small. The near empty train pulled up about 20 mins late. We scurried along to the guards van. “Have you booked?” me- “No, sorry, didn’t realise you had to”. We had a slight stand off while we looked up and down the deserted coaches and she stood in the warm looking at us and her watch. Eventually she said “go on then, I didn’t see you” Needless to say we didn’t have tickets either, along with most folk who got on on the way to Newcastle, but we did make sure we bought some once we’d got off – I felt it was the least I could do. 🙂

Virgin have a strict “must book” policy. I have managed to book only an hour in advance though (although the person at the desk initially told me it wasn’t possible, the supervisor overheard and showed her how to do it).

Northern tend to be very good about letting people on.

To be honest, on the long distance routes I prefer the ones like Virgin that provide the ability to book, rather than trans-pennine express, who don’t, and can leave you with no idea if you’ll be able to get on the train or not.