Bikes on Central Trains

Pauline said:

Please excuse me delurking and asking and bringing up the old 'bikes on trains' chestnut. I would
have tried the CTC site but it's offline at the moment.

Just how many bikes can fit on a single long distance type of train operated by Central Trains?
I'm trying to book a trip to East Anglia over Easter for two of us, but every single train on 3
different days I've checked on thetrainline.com will only accept one bike.

A good link for bikes on trains is the a2b sie: atob.org.ukBike Rail.htmlOpen ↗

Sorry to bring bad news, but it seems they only take two on long distance trains :-( If Trainline is
only allowing one then perhaps the other space is already booked. Certainly Central Trains
reservations should be able to tell you or try the national bookings number.

But "should be able to' in trainspeak often means can't be bothered.

Quoted message said:

The Central Trains hotline person didn't know the answer

See above re trainspeak

Quoted message said:

and could only suggest turning up and trying to get on the train.

Pathetic response. Push for an answer.

Cannot you travel by Anglia Trains? - they are far more cycle friendly

John B

"Pauline" <[email hidden]> wrote in message "]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Please excuse me delurking and asking and bringing up the old 'bikes on trains' chestnut. I would
have tried the CTC site but it's offline at the moment.

Just how many bikes can fit on a single long distance type of train operated by Central Trains?
I'm trying to book a trip to East Anglia over Easter for two of us, but every single train on 3
different days I've checked on thetrainline.com will only accept one bike. The Central Trains
hotline person didn't know the answer and could only suggest turning up and trying to get on the
train. Maybe they only allow one space to be booked so as to leave room for the on spec customers?
Anyone got any experience of this? I'm almost thinking that Virgin aren't all that bad...

so far we've done nottm to boston, sheff, leeds, matlock, and all points between.

and back again.

we're keen to do Liverpool & Manchester in the next few weeks...

the worst reaction we've ever had was from a load of skegness holiday returnees that seemed to think
bikes were for kids and were in the way.

Easter could be a nightmare due to the three evils of not much rolling stock, Easter and East Anglia
(middle of nowhere with sand at the terminus)

top tips:

go for it ! just turn up, turn up early and try to suss the trains stopping point. the very front
and rear carriages have good space for 2 bikes and some of the carriages have room for 4+ on a quiet
route, off peak you'd be more likely to find that latter. forget the cycle carriages. 4 bikes + one
seat and a loo= waste of carriage space.

one of you must get on the train immediately to secure a table seat with a clear line of sight view
of your bikes whilst the other one waits until all the other travellers get on the train. I usually
'occupy' 2 of the seats with me and 2 with baggage then swap places with mrs albert who watches /
sorts bags.

one table *back* from the toilets is advisable 🙂

stand firm ! you have every right to travel with 2 bikes and 2 large rucksacks, the guard isn't that
bothered and the other 'victims' just want not to crash.

take fluids, foodstuffs and something to read. delays are the only regular feature on central trains
network. take some wet wipes for when yo get off as most of the trains are *filthy* (optional
in-travel pods and boi-haz suit)

take your time, allow at least 4 extra hours and bask in the warm glow of a fact that you're not
like them !

Albert

Well, a local CTC member uses Anglia Railways and looked extremely surprised when I asked if she had
to book in advance or had any problem gettig her bike on an Anglia train - she said she didn't
pre-book & never had a problem. Go figure!

Cheers, helen s

~~~~~~~~~~
Flush out that intestinal parasite and/or the waste product before sending a reply!

Any speeliong mistake$ aR the resiult of my cats sitting on the keyboaRRRDdd
~~~~~~~~~~

Quoted message said:

Well, a local CTC member uses Anglia Railway

Oops - misread "Anglia" to mean Anglia Railways. Sorry!

I'll get me coat,

Cheers, helen s

~~~~~~~~~~
Flush out that intestinal parasite and/or the waste product before sending a reply!

Any speeliong mistake$ aR the resiult of my cats sitting on the keyboaRRRDdd
~~~~~~~~~~

"John B" <[email hidden]> wrote in message "]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Pauline said:

Please excuse me delurking and asking and bringing up the old 'bikes on trains' chestnut. I
would have tried the CTC site but it's offline at

the

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

moment.

Just how many bikes can fit on a single long distance type of train

operated

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

by Central Trains? I'm trying to book a trip to East Anglia over Easter

for

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

two of us, but every single train on 3 different days I've checked on thetrainline.com will only
accept one bike.

A good link for bikes on trains is the a2b sie: atob.org.ukBike Rail.htmlOpen ↗

Sorry to bring bad news, but it seems they only take two on long distance trains :-( If Trainline
is only allowing one then perhaps the other space is already booked. Certainly Central Trains
reservations should be able to tell you

or try

Quoted message said:

the national bookings number.

But "should be able to' in trainspeak often means can't be bothered.

Quoted message said:

The Central Trains hotline person didn't know the answer

See above re trainspeak

Quoted message said:

and could only suggest turning up and trying to get on the train.

Pathetic response. Push for an answer.

Cannot you travel by Anglia Trains? - they are far more cycle friendly

John B

Thanks for the AtoB link.

I'm trying to get from Brum eastwards, so Anglia Trains are not an option.

Like you said, the AtoB link shows that there are two bike spaces per train. The weird thing is that
I have checked a dozen or so different train times on the Brum New St-Ely route using thetrainline
and every single train seems to have exactly one bike space already booked. The only one that would
allow me to book 2 bikes turned out to be rail replacement bus service on Easter Sunday and I don't
fancy our chances with that option.

Why does it have to be so hard? It looks like are choices are down to :
(a) take separate trains,
(b) travel via London including getting from Euston to Liverpool St (cycling it fills me with fear -
is it possible to get bikes in London taxis?)
(c) even worse option, hire a car

Pauline

In article <[email hidden]>, [email hidden] says...

Quoted message said:

Like you said, the AtoB link shows that there are two bike spaces per train. The weird thing is
that I have checked a dozen or so different train times on the Brum New St-Ely route using
thetrainline and every single train seems to have exactly one bike space already booked. The only
one that would allow me to book 2 bikes turned out to be rail replacement bus service on Easter
Sunday and I don't fancy our chances with that option.

My other half and I once ended up on a replacement bus service with two fully loaded tourers. We had
booked and were a little alarmed to see that the train had been replaced. However, the coach driver
was very helpful and we got both bikes into those big under-floor luggage areas. He didn't bat an
eyelid when two more bike users turned up without reservations but complete with trailer bikes. He'd
have got those in too if the couple hadn't had a massive argument and decided to go elsewhere.

Though I accept that a bus isn't something you'd like to rely on for such a booking.

Colin

Thus spake "Pauline" <[email hidden]>

Quoted message said:

Why does it have to be so hard? It looks like are choices are down to :
(a) take separate trains,
(b) travel via London including getting from Euston to Liverpool St (cycling it fills me with fear
- is it possible to get bikes in London taxis?)

Might be possible but the Metropolitan or Circle Line (from Euston Square, across the road) would be
cheaper. Bicycle may be taken on the Metropolitan, Circle, Hammersmith & City, and District lines.
They can also be taken on overground sections of othe Underground lines. Bikes can't be taken on the
Underground during the rush hour.

--
Helen D. Vecht: [email hidden] Edgware.

"Pauline" <[email hidden]> wrote in message "]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

"John B" <[email hidden]> wrote in message "]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Pauline said:

Please excuse me delurking and asking and bringing up the old 'bikes

on

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

trains' chestnut. I would have tried the CTC site but it's offline at

the

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

moment.

Just how many bikes can fit on a single long distance type of train

operated

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

by Central Trains? I'm trying to book a trip to East Anglia over

Easter

Quoted message said:

for

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

two of us, but every single train on 3 different days I've checked on thetrainline.com will
only accept one bike.

A good link for bikes on trains is the a2b sie: atob.org.ukBike Rail.htmlOpen ↗

Sorry to bring bad news, but it seems they only take two on long

distance

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

trains :-( If Trainline is only allowing one then perhaps the other space is

already

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

booked. Certainly Central Trains reservations should be able to tell you

or try

Quoted message said:

the national bookings number.

But "should be able to' in trainspeak often means can't be bothered.

Quoted message said:

The Central Trains hotline person didn't know the answer

See above re trainspeak

Quoted message said:

and could only suggest turning up and trying to get on the train.

Pathetic response. Push for an answer.

Cannot you travel by Anglia Trains? - they are far more cycle friendly

John B

Thanks for the AtoB link.

I'm trying to get from Brum eastwards, so Anglia Trains are not an option.

Like you said, the AtoB link shows that there are two bike spaces per

train.

Quoted message said:

The weird thing is that I have checked a dozen or so different train times on the Brum New St-Ely
route using thetrainline and every single train

seems

Quoted message said:

to have exactly one bike space already booked. The only one that would allow me to book 2 bikes
turned out to be rail replacement bus service on Easter Sunday and I don't fancy our chances with
that option.

Why does it have to be so hard? It looks like are choices are down to :
(a) take separate trains,
(b) travel via London including getting from Euston to Liverpool St

(cycling

Quoted message said:

it fills me with fear - is it possible to get bikes in London taxis?)
(c) even worse option, hire a car

Pauline

The online ticket booking system appears to be flawed when it comes to bikes - I just had the same
problem with booking 3 guys and 3 bikes to go to Southport from Brum

- the answer is the good old telephone !

Call the booking service and do it that way - don't take no for an answer when it comes to the bikes
- and here's another tip ... never mind that they are not the obvious choice book with GNER's call
centre and get immediate sense rather than the voice recognition rubbish that The Trainline inflicts
on you (go to GNER's website for the number)

Good luck

RG

Off the subject slightly, the booklet detailing what each train company allows has a couple of
useful statements such as:

"Space for bikes is very limited" and "No booking is possible".

Plan your trip around that information!

Peter

"wafflycathcsdirtycatlitter" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Well, a local CTC member uses Anglia Railways and looked extremely

surprised

Quoted message said:

when I asked if she had to book in advance or had any problem gettig her

bike

Quoted message said:

on an Anglia train - she said she didn't pre-book & never had a problem.

Go

Quoted message said:

figure!

Cheers, helen s

~~~~~~~~~~
Flush out that intestinal parasite and/or the waste product before sending

a

Quoted message said:

reply!

Any speeliong mistake$ aR the resiult of my cats sitting on the

keyboaRRRDdd

Quoted message said:

~~~~~~~~~~

"al_Mossah" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Off the subject slightly, the booklet detailing what each train company allows has a couple of
useful statements such as:

"Space for bikes is very limited" and "No booking is possible".

Plan your trip around that information!

Peter

"wafflycathcsdirtycatlitter" <[email hidden]> wrote in

message

Quoted message said:

"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Well, a local CTC member uses Anglia Railways and looked extremely

surprised

Quoted message said:

when I asked if she had to book in advance or had any problem gettig her

bike

Quoted message said:

on an Anglia train - she said she didn't pre-book & never had a problem.

Go

Quoted message said:

figure!

Cheers, helen s

~~~~~~~~~~
Flush out that intestinal parasite and/or the waste product before

sending

Quoted message said:

a

Quoted message said:

reply!

Any speeliong mistake$ aR the resiult of my cats sitting on the

keyboaRRRDdd

Quoted message said:

~~~~~~~~~~

What makes planning even more confusing is that if you use a online booking system such as trainline
it asks how many bikes you are taking which naturally makes you think that you CAN book your bike on
the train. Same story using the Central trains hotline number - the call centre operative was going
to make a single bike reservation for me. My partner spoke to a 'real' person at Central who said
that there is no bike booking possible whatsoever. We just have to take our chance. Great.