Tony Raven said:
Caught the train today to Stansted Airport. As the door opened there
were loads of people waiting to get off with the doorway totally blocked
by a woman with double buggy and pile of suitcases. Virtually every
person apologised as they got off for climbing over the buggy and when
she apologised to someone for blocking the exit the reply was "Don't
worry, its not your fault". I wonder if I would have gotten the same
reaction if I had blocked the door with a bike?
Three instances - to show how variable service can be...
Once at Waterloo I had got into the vestibule of a fairly full train
with the folded Brompton.
There was also a couple with two large suitcases, a lady with a big
buggy with youngster and with bags hanging from handles, and a couple of commuters.
The guard approached me and asked for my reservation. (good start here
I thought). Of course I said that one was not needed for a folding bike,
which seemed to annoy her.
She then said it was a health and safety hazard and would need to go in
the bike 'area'.
By now the train was going and there was no way I could squeeze down the
aisle with the Brommie. As I had begun to ignore the guard she huffed,
muttered something about cyclists and went off checking tickets.
On another occasion i had two reservations for two laden bikes to
Exeter. The normally six carriage train had been reduced to just three
carriages, ie one narrow cubbyhole for two bikes max. It was standing
room only (sardines only) and the bike space was already occupied by a
fully laden unreserved bike, several cases and a drum of all things.
I forced the bikes on to much cursing from other passengers and they
were put in the very narrow corridor
On showing my reservations and by directing my ire at SWT the other
passengers calmed down and instead also started cursing the railway and
how it didn't cater for passengers at all - whether they had bikes or
not.
The guard was never seen - hiding I reckon.
Last week I was travelling with bike from New Milton to Basingstoke. On
arrival at NM the five hanging bike spaces on the Wessex Electric were
already full. The guard was very helpful and let me put my bike in his
cab, despite a 'safety notice' saying no more than 5 were to be allowed.
Throughout the journey he juggled the bikes as others got on and off,
all without any of the usual SWT grunts and groans. He did his best to
be helpful and to accommodate all passengers.
He was a true gent.
What is clear from trying to take bikes on the railways is that it is
nigh on impossible to be certain of what will happen. So much depends on
what side of bed the guard got on or whether the bike area has been
commandeered by anyone else - a large wheely bin was in it last week.
It really is a case of pot luck.
So in answer to your question - who knows :-(
John B
