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[Closed] Bike on train, Bristol - Reading question

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I'm hoping to take the bike to Reading next week and ride back along the tow path / cycle track. Anyone know, do I need to book, any restrictions. The train web site is awful.............


 
Posted : 19/08/2014 8:39 am
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Worth giving First Great Western a ring to find out which trains have bike storage.

I did this recently for a ride and booked a space which turned out to be unnecessary. That said, the storage was full within a couple of stations and I was on a 8.00 am train on a Sunday.


 
Posted : 19/08/2014 8:49 am
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It depends on the train type, but if you go from Bristol there are about 6 spaces on the old 125's, and it's first come first serve - and you just have to go to the right end of the platform and speak to the guard. It will depend on the time of day, so really avoid anything before 9 - 9:30.

Just a word of advice on the towpath conditions: I rode from Great Bedwyn to Reading the other day, and some parts of the towpath are quite overgrown and narrow (more than they normally are), so it'll be slow going in parts. Quite a few paths are just dirt, so are quite bumpy and rough, but not too muddy. You may already know, but don't expect nice gravel towpath the whole way. Enjoy it!


 
Posted : 19/08/2014 8:57 am
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I'm hoping to take the bike to Reading next week and ride back along the tow path / cycle track. Anyone know, do I need to book, any restrictions. The train web site is awful.............

Book through East Coast - you can do cycle reservations online. Normally, no-one checks but better to be safe than sorry. As above, all the Bristol - London Paddington trains are the old Intercity trains so have loads of bike space, in front of coach A.


 
Posted : 19/08/2014 9:08 am
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Cheers
I did the Bradford on Avon to Devizes bit and that was a tad overgrown and narrow. I used the fixed track bike with slicks. So it'll be fixed Pompino with cyclocross type tyres this time.....


 
Posted : 19/08/2014 10:33 am
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Looking at the milage, it'll be an "interesting" day...........


 
Posted : 19/08/2014 11:28 am
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It sure will on a fixie! Plenty of nice pubs en route to ease the pain though..


 
Posted : 19/08/2014 11:32 am