Going away for a week and was planning to take two bikes, mine and my SO's so we can do a bit of riding up north on the train. Called Virgin and after what seemed forever a nice lady informed me that she had booked two bike spaces on our journey out, and two bike spaces for half our return journey (birmingham to watford) but only one bike space from Manchester to Birmingham! Which is a bit pointless.

So any ideas, could I just do it regardless and hope nobody will say anything in Manchester? Or should I just abandon my plan 🙁

I think you will be fine. As long as you get the bikes on ok. Nobody will bother you. Enjoy your break.

Well given that the train manager has to open the door and there are only 4 bike spaces per train I wouldnt want to end up forced to leave a bike on the train station or pay hundred pounds to buy another ticket.

Once you are on you are fine. He won't be able to find you at the station when he realises

Guess it depends on whether you need to change trains, if you don't then once your on you're not going to get kicked off.

Not sure what will happen to one of the other bikes for which there won't be room for…

This is what I am saying I need to change to Birmingham. The Birmingham to Watford has space for two bikes but the one from Manchester to Birmingham only one. If I show up in Manchester with two bikes do they check that it is only supposed to be one? :p

Can you get hold of a bike bang and take your bike to bits or is it a full suss with loads of bits?

If you can get it in a bike bag -wondering if they will take it as luggage but more to wrestle with on your journey.

Full susser not worth it really. I just checked and there is a train from Manchester to Bham a bit earlier for only 15£ if they have one bike space available on that one maybe one of us will have to take that train instead.

Did a trip last month and on the way up it was just me holding the bike in the corner. On the way down it was hung on a wall in the guard's carriage.

Both times as soon as they saw me on the platform a guard jumped down and escorted to where the bike should go. Both times they checked the ticket reservation before I got on the train.

The first time I 'may' have gotten away without it if I had known which carriage to use and had the bottle to ask people to move off the flipperty up seats – like the guard did, but the second time no chance.

There were 4 of us and we had to stagger trains because they can only take two at a time!

Ah – If you are changing trains you're at the mercy of the guard. Worth a try still I would say.

Hm I am not sure I will want to chance it if I cant reserve one more bike space from manch to bham one of us will have to travel on the earlier train. Thanks for all the advice !

are there any "slow" trains on the same route? my experience has been that the virgin voyagers are crap for bikes, but if you can get a two carriage local train the guards tend not to care. Most has been 6 on one two carriage train.

And you are sure there will be a train, not a rail replacement bus?