Bit of a rant requiring some help:

Been commuting to work for a month now, get on a 7:50 train to Guildford that runs between reading and gatwick airport and has not got a restriction for bikes listed on the website.
Today the conductor ran over when I got on the train and told me to get off as the train was too busy and i'd have to get the next one, it was no busier than normal and there was room in the aisle for my bike, school kids were in the aisle but they always make room when I ask and they did again after the talking down from the conductor….
I refused to get off as the next two are restricted for bikes and I would have had to get a 9 something train, making me extremely late for work, he got quite angry and then told me that I would have to either get a foldup bike (not happening, got over 5 miles offroad to do at the end of train journey) or he would refuse to let me on that train again..
He was actually quite condescending and rude, I should have got his name but by the look of things I may have a chance to get that next time…
There are a few other people that get on with bikes everyday and I didn't see them get any abuse…

Anyone got any idea where I stand with this? Going to get on as normal tomorrow and see what happens…

If there's no restriction in the FGW timetable then he's wrong, unless there's a clause that says 'at the discretion of the on board staff' or anything to that effect.

I was on that train the other day, also getting on at Guildford, weird.

Bikes on trains are at the discretion of the guard and should not be in the aisle anyway – same as luggage should not be in the aisle. There should be some form of bike space on the train tho.

I doubt you have a leg to stand on and you are lucky not to have the transport police called to remove you.

hmm, theres a few people he should have kicked off then, been using the turbodiesel service between reading and guildford at different times for years without issue, always been that you put your bike on the side of the aisle where the door does not open… I think I might be singled out by the conductor for this now…

Delivery of a Road bike to get me out of using the train due in a few weeks so might be interesting until then…

Is there no bike space on those trains? sometimes its a row of seats that lift up. Usually its marked on the outside of the train where it is.

Check with the customer service dept

In reality there should not be anyone standing in aisles or vestibules as this is a safety/evacuation issue. However when I was commuting the 17:31 from Brum to Wolves/Stoke was always packed in the aisles. Always helped that they insisted on trying to provide a trolley service!

I doubt that you will get very far but it's worth at least making a fuss. The only way on train bike transit is if we keep making a fuss. Yeah I'm a romantic dreamer.

Sometimes there is the bike space but not always, its sometimes got a shelf in its place for baggage, if its got the space I do use it…

If you can get two bikes and keep one at guildford station , its a ticket only station so wont have kids running around on it and i think cycle storage is pretty good.

That would save a major hassle ,

PS i dont think we should have to resort to this but integrated public transport is b*****ks

I often take my bike on the national express and southwest trains.

Not had a problem with SW but national express instist on a booking which if you have an open ticket must be done at the station which for me is kingscross with at least 1/2 hour wait. I have argued with them before now and they have let me on but i dont feel that i should have to argue !!!

Totally know where you're coming from. I commuted by train and bike everyday from Jan this year up until the Summer. Most of the time it was fine but occassionally you'd get an arse of a conductor who didn't like bikes and would make life difficult.

With those trains, there was a maximum of 3 bikes per train – absolutely ridiculous given the hundreds of people onboard! So often it was ok and you could squeeze and extra bike or two into the dedicated spot without encroaching into the isle – but like I say, sometimes they'd chuck me or others off because of 'health and safety' (ridiculous when there's plenty of space!)

Then it got much worse – in Spring when they introduced new trains with the bike storage in a middle carriage and provided storage that was near impossible to squeeze the bike into! One side is supposed to take two but only one mtb would fit and if your bike is heavy its really difficult to hang them – most people had to ask for help from other passengers. I swear this cahnge was to discourgae cyclists by making life for them so much harder.

It was extra annoying that there was a massive luggage area which easily fitted two bikes and some of the arsey conductors wouldn't let you put your bikes there because of 'health and safety' even though they are clearly safer tucked away there than anywhere else. Grrrrr, few things make me more angry!

It's such a flippin joke when the Gov are encouraging green travel and then the trains play silly games like this. The sad truth is that nearly all the cyclists I used to catch the train with now drive as they are sick of the hassle! 👿 Some have even resorted to folding bikes 😯

Its the ones that can be for bike and can be for disabled people that get to me , no offence but i bet they wouldn't ask someone in a wheel chair to get off !!!

funny that, theres a girl in an electric wheelchair that gets the same train, got a better excuse than me for taking up a little more space though…

They're due to replace the 166s over the next few years anyway, sure they'll have even less provision for bikes then!

There always seems to be bikes on there, I don't really see the problem, after Guildford all the station platforms are on the left anyway, even if you do stick the bike in the vestibule.

I have asked about the bike / disabled space thing as many of the trains I use have this the answer is the disabled person has priority even to the point that the cyclist would have to get off if a wheelchair user got on after you.

The newest trains I use have a dedicated cycle space with a big sign saying " no luggage in this area" but I sometimes have to remove suitcases to get the bike on. Otherwise its a good arrangement

see below.

http://www.nationalrail.co.uk/passenger_services/2009CyclingbyTrain.pdf

Tel: 08457 000 125
http://www.firstgreatwestern.co.uk
High Speed Train services between
London, South Wales and the West
Country
Free of charge. Reservations compulsory
weekdays on services arriving at London
Paddington 0700 to 1000, or departing
London Paddington 1500 to 1900.
Six cycle spaces per train – on some
services this may be reduced to three
spaces. Tandems can be carried on most
services.
Please visit website for details of
restrictions.
Local services between London,
the Cotswolds and throughout the
Thames Valley
Free of charge. Reservations not
required. Two cycle spaces per train.
Restrictions apply weekdays on services
arriving at London Paddington 0745 to
0945, or departing London Paddington
1630 to 1900.

ah, so officially only 2 spaces, what a load of ****…