I'm travelling with Scotrail between Dumfries and Glasgow soon and i've booked my bike onto the train, but there's a few things I couldn't find out from the details on the website.

Will the bike be stored elsewhere or just with me at my seat? (I just stand with my bike in the main carriage on my local trains.

If it's stored somewhere else, how much security will I need? I'm packing quite light so will a small cable lock be enough?

Much appreciated,
Dave.

If some wikipedia articles and scotrail's website are correct, you'll be on a train that looks like this.

http://www.scot-rail.co.uk/page/Class+156+FSR+Refurbishment+07

The First Scotrail sprinter type trains have dedicated cycle spaces within the carriages – 2 spaces per train IIRC. You can usually sit near them, but a light cable lock would not be a bad idea.

You can normally sit by the bike – depends on the train. You will normally see a bicycle sticker on a window of one carriage – that is the one with the bicycle space which might be anything from a fold up seat to a dedicated bike rack depending on the train.

Personally if I can't sit next to my bike I go and stand next to it at every station. Its a pain but its better than someone else getting off the train with my bike.

never had an issue on scotrail – sit near or with your bike and watch it at stations. only issues have come from either drunk scotch eggs or groups of annoying middle aged women on stag do's who seem to think they are god's gift to humour.

Great stuff – thanks everyone. Seems like a bit of common sense and a small cable will be all I need!

Do 'scotch eggs' have a culinary predispostion to nicking bikes?

Relax – it's all you can do to engage your bike in SR's carrier things far less nick it at the next stop. The Sleeper has a 'secure' compartment – again very difficult to manhandle the bike in to and back out of

Do 'scotch eggs' have a culinary predispostion to nicking bikes?

Well he did include Glasgow in the OP 😯

not in the slightest heather bash, more that they tend to give you grief for bringing a bike on the train, stumble onto it while it is resting against other bikes, and seem to think that other peoples property is a good thing to support themselves – ime they tend to enjoy sitting on your bike while its rested against others scratching both yours and other passengers bikes.

never once felt like my bike was liable to be nicked, more that i'd rather someone not damage it. and it tends to be the drunks who do this.

🙂

I got the train from Glasgow to Dumfries to ride Mabie a few years ago. Assuming the trains are still the some, they use the ones as shown in the link above where you bike hangs vertically on a rack at the end of the carriage. That means you don't sit right beside it, but you can sit reasonably close and just pop your head out into the aisle at stations.

travel most days with a bike on scotrail and never had a problem, even travelling late after a night ride. occasionally people will leave luggage/prams/golf clubs in the bike space, but as long as you ask nicely they will move them if needed. presuambly the bike watchers keep their wallets in their undercrackers and their house keys in their "special place". 😉

2 spaces per train IIRC
depends on the service (and type of train). the commuter train i get towards edinburgh in the morning normally has room for 8 officially on a 6 carriages. 3 carriage trains normally have 4 official spaces these days. guards are very good IME and unlikely to take action where more than 2 bikes unless the cyclists are being tits.

just in case that sounds like a Scotrail love-in – they're still a bit shit at getting their trains to run on time. 🙂