Recumbents on trains?

HI

I haven't tried using my recumbent trike on UK trains, but have successfully
taken it across Ireland in a guards van and also through Spain when I just
rotated it through 90 degrees and strapped the chainwheel to a grab rail .

I think that the best technique in Spain was to just get on with it rather
than enquiring how to do it.

I also travelled down part of the Duero in Portugal for about 10miles on a
train where the gorge had no easy road access. This was done just by putting
the trike in the train and smiling at anyone who came past.

Hopefully this will work in the summer when I plan to fly out to Mardid and
catch a train to Cuenca so that I can cycle down the Tajo to Lisbon.

Best regards

Rod King

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

Quoted message said:

Anybody have any experiences, good or bad, about booking a cycle ticket
on a train and rolling up on a recumbent?
What sort fo reactions did you get from Guards etc, did they have any
worries about the shape/size compared with a traditional upright bike?

Pedaldog said:

Anybody have any experiences, good or bad, about booking a cycle ticket on
a train and rolling up on a recumbent? What sort fo reactions did you get
from Guards etc, did they have any worries about the shape/size compared
with a traditional upright bike?

I've taken mine on Anglia/One without any trouble.

Mike

Pedaldog said:

Anybody have any experiences, good or bad, about booking a cycle ticket
on a train and rolling up on a recumbent?
What sort fo reactions did you get from Guards etc, did they have any
worries about the shape/size compared with a traditional upright bike?

A couple of friends and I took 3 bikes (including a Street Machine and a
Speed Machine) on a 2-bike train from Bristol to Gloucester last summer
with no problems. I think a certain amount of luck was involved, though:
<URL:http://www.colyer.plus.com/danny/cycling/ridereports/gloucester05.html>

The guards we encountered were friendly and helpful, but on the first
train H&S regulations would have prevented them from allowing the bents
on if the bike carriage had been at the front of the train rather than
the back.

You'll probably be OK if you travel off-peak and if your plans allow you
to wait for the next train if you're unable to get on the intended train.

--
Danny Colyer <URL:http://www.colyer.plus.com/danny/>
Subscribe to PlusNet <URL:http://www.colyer.plus.com/referral/>
"He who dares not offend cannot be honest." - Thomas Paine

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

Quoted message said:

Anybody have any experiences, good or bad, about booking a cycle ticket
on a train and rolling up on a recumbent?
What sort fo reactions did you get from Guards etc, did they have any
worries about the shape/size compared with a traditional upright bike?

There on GNER'S list of evils and specifically banned.

Bob Watkinson twisted the electrons to say:

Quoted message said:

There on GNER'S list of evils and specifically banned.

However last September, I took a Streetmachine from York to Whitehaven
(and then from Newcastle back to York) whilst doing the C2C. I went on
GNER (both their electric trains and their HSTs) and had no problems at
all. Indeed, in the case of their electric trains there's loads of space
in the DVT with 6 (or was it 8?)bike rails.

I had no problems at all on the Newcastle -> Carlise and Carlise ->
Whitehaven sections, nor earlier in the year when I brought the bike back
from Manchester to York ...

According to Velovision, GNER are letting someone try some recumbents on
their trains at Edinburgh at the end of january ... Hopefully their
policty will then get changed, at least for 2-wheeled 'bents.

Incidentally, it seems it is possible to get a Streetmachine on a Virgin
Voyager (and thus probably on MML Meridians and Hull Trains?) :-
http://www.flickr.com/photo_zoom.gne?id=58919897&size=m
--
These opinions might not even be mine ...
Let alone connected with my employer ...

Not taken a recumbent on GNER. I'm surprised at another reply
suggesting they are banned as GNER do take tandems (you simply make two
free cycle reservations).

See GNER website for info re cycle booking. I can confirm that the
space is very generous and GNER deserve a lot of support from cyclists.

I have found GNER staff consistently helpful re bicycles - both onboard
staff and station staff who'll help you get well positioned to board
quickly.

Pedaldog a ecrit:

Quoted message said:

Anybody have any experiences, good or bad, about booking a cycle
ticket on a train and rolling up on a recumbent?
What sort fo reactions did you get from Guards etc, did they have any
worries about the shape/size compared with a traditional upright bike?

This will largely depend on the bike you plan to travel with: while a
short wheel based one is hardly longer and wider than a loaden touring
bike a long wheel base one, a recumbent tandem, a trike, or a faired
machine like a Quest might be challenging. A picture of a small
velomobile in a train can be seen here:
<http://www.velomobile.de/bahn28.JPG>
<http://www.velomobile.de/D/Quellen/Alltagstauglichkeit/Bahntransport/bahntransport.html>
This said I never had problems taking my ZOX on trains here in Germany.
It fits the train's bike stands and is just a few cm longer than my
upright bikes.
I would never ever ask the staff before travelling mentioning the
recumbent. Rather I just show up on the train station relying on the
common sense and good will of the people. Works for me.

Günther

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

Quoted message said:

Not taken a recumbent on GNER. I'm surprised at another reply
suggesting they are banned as GNER do take tandems (you simply make two
free cycle reservations).

See GNER website for info re cycle booking. I can confirm that the
space is very generous and GNER deserve a lot of support from cyclists.

I have found GNER staff consistently helpful re bicycles - both onboard
staff and station staff who'll help you get well positioned to board
quickly.

This link shows the policy regarding recumbents
http://www.gner.com/gner/yourjourney/cycles+on+gner.htm

"We do not carry motorcycles, mopeds, motor scooters, motorised cycles, rann
trailers, tricycles or recumbents"

Alistair Gunn wrote, in response to Bob Watkinson:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

They're on GNER'S list of evils and specifically banned.

Quoted message said:

According to Velovision, GNER are letting someone try some recumbents on
their trains at Edinburgh at the end of January ... Hopefully their
policy will then get changed, at least for 2-wheeled 'bents.

David (laid-back) and I intend to try out access for our recumbents,
courtesy of Graham at GNER. As mentioned in the VV thread
(http://www.velovision.co.uk/forum/read.php?f=1&i=1135&t=1135), in the
summer last year we took four recumbents on a GNER HST from the Highlands
back to Edinburgh, and we didn't have any problems with the train or
platform staff, though access to the train's storage space was a little
tight. The revised policy seemed to be published around September-time.

Assuming I can figure out the transport, I shall be attempting to bring on
board my Speedmachine and Windcheetah trike.

Becky

Pedaldog said:

Anybody have any experiences, good or bad, about booking a cycle ticket
on a train and rolling up on a recumbent?
What sort fo reactions did you get from Guards etc, did they have any
worries about the shape/size compared with a traditional upright bike?

The year before last I saw two riders put bents on a Virgin train to York.

One was a fully laden Trice, too.

John B

I thank you for all the responses so far!
I am only particularly interested within the U.K. at the moment as
finances wont let me go too far this year.
Looking at getting the New Streetmachine for March or thereabouts so
ready for the summer.

I've been OK with a Speedmachine on GNER trains on the east coast main
line as they usually have a luggage van and the guards don't mind at
all, however a couple of month back they introduced new rules and regs
explicitly banning recumbents, but TBH I'd be surprised if any of the
guards knew what on earth a recumbent was.

'One' trains in east anglia have absolutely no provision for bikes on
trains but don't prohibit them unless the train's going to london at
peak times. Best thing is to do is to pick the sets of doors at the far
ends of the train and put the bike there.

Alex

Quoted message said:

Anybody have any experiences, good or bad, about booking a cycle ticket
on a train and rolling up on a recumbent?
What sort fo reactions did you get from Guards etc, did they have any
worries about the shape/size compared with a traditional upright bike?

Pedaldog said:

Anybody have any experiences, good or bad, about booking a cycle ticket
on a train and rolling up on a recumbent?
What sort fo reactions did you get from Guards etc, did they have any
worries about the shape/size compared with a traditional upright bike?

I've taken my Hurricane on the commuter trains here in SE London a few
times, no problems. It's not much different from a normal bike in size
though. I once took a Burley trailer too, folded up.

LSMike said:

Pedaldog said:

Anybody have any experiences, good or bad, about booking a cycle ticket
on a train and rolling up on a recumbent?
What sort fo reactions did you get from Guards etc, did they have any
worries about the shape/size compared with a traditional upright bike?

No problem with either a Streetmachine (with front & rear fairings) or an Optima
Baron on the Hull-Liverpool line. This was a few years back however.

Alexander Rice said:

'One' trains in east anglia have absolutely no provision for bikes on
trains but don't prohibit them unless the train's going to london at peak
times. Best thing is to do is to pick the sets of doors at the far ends of
the train and put the bike there.

Pardon? I've used "One"'s trains several times a year for the past 5
years, and all have had bike provision. The local trains have 4 bike
places, cunningly disguised as a place to put heavy luggage as far as
most pax are concerned, and the longer-distance trains, eg Norwich-London,
have a guards van. The guards on the local trains have always been
happy to see a cyclist, no matter whether upright or recumbent, and the
mainline guards are certainly OK about it. The only snag is guessing
which end of a long train the guards van is going to be. Failure
results in a long run down the platform with the bike.

One (& Anglia, an earlier trading name for part of the network) have
always been very good when they have problems because of rail
infrastructure problems, including once a taxi just for me because my
bike wouldn't fit into the replacement coach's luggage bins.

Mike

Hmmn, it must depend on the line and the rolling stock, going from
Cambridge to Lonson, Peterborough or Stevenage it has always been a
little short formation and definitely didn't have a guards van. I asked
platform staff and was told just to put it in the vestibules, I shall
have to have a hunt for the bike spaces next time.

Alex

Quoted message said:

Alexander Rice said:

'One' trains in east anglia have absolutely no provision for bikes on
trains but don't prohibit them unless the train's going to london at peak
times. Best thing is to do is to pick the sets of doors at the far ends of
the train and put the bike there.

Pardon? I've used "One"'s trains several times a year for the past 5
years, and all have had bike provision. The local trains have 4 bike
places, cunningly disguised as a place to put heavy luggage as far as
most pax are concerned, and the longer-distance trains, eg Norwich-London,
have a guards van. The guards on the local trains have always been
happy to see a cyclist, no matter whether upright or recumbent, and the
mainline guards are certainly OK about it. The only snag is guessing
which end of a long train the guards van is going to be. Failure
results in a long run down the platform with the bike.

One (& Anglia, an earlier trading name for part of the network) have
always been very good when they have problems because of rail
infrastructure problems, including once a taxi just for me because my
bike wouldn't fit into the replacement coach's luggage bins.

Mike

Bob Watkinson said:

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

Quoted message said:

Anybody have any experiences, good or bad, about booking a cycle ticket
on a train and rolling up on a recumbent?
What sort fo reactions did you get from Guards etc, did they have any
worries about the shape/size compared with a traditional upright bike?

There on GNER'S list of evils and specifically banned.

I've taken a 3.3 metre recumbent tandem on a GNER - I can't remember
whether it was a 125 or a 225 (one of them has a bigger luggage
compartment). There was loads of space and it was the only thing being
carried - which normally seems to be the case.

They are specifically banned on Virgin trains but mine fit the rack
(it's probably shorter than most and fit with only mm to spare) so the
guards have all said it was fine.

I've taken it on Arriva (wales + northeast), Scotrail and Dover trains
and the few times when guards have objected have mostly been because I
had a bicycle at all, rather than the fact that it was a recumbent (the
booking systems aren't the best even if you use them). I think their
biggest worry is the potential delay getting the bikes loaded onto the
train so if you're prompt and work out where to wait on the platform
then they're happy whatever.

I only had a problem once, after I'd been for a day ride about 50 miles
away and was going home so it's probably not a good idea to get the
last train of the day - though I did eventually persuade the guard to
let me on.

Kit

kit said:

I've taken a 3.3 metre recumbent tandem on a GNER

<snip>

Quoted message said:

They are specifically banned on Virgin trains ...

What are? Tandems, recumbents, or recumbent tandems?

I've been on a Virgin train with a Street Machine and a Speed Machine,
no problems.

--
Danny Colyer <URL:http://www.colyer.plus.com/danny/>
Subscribe to PlusNet <URL:http://www.colyer.plus.com/referral/>
"He who dares not offend cannot be honest." - Thomas Paine

Danny Colyer said:

kit said:

I've taken a 3.3 metre recumbent tandem on a GNER

<snip>

Quoted message said:

They are specifically banned on Virgin trains ...

What are? Tandems, recumbents, or recumbent tandems?

Sorry - I think I must have edited out the crucial bit of my mail
before posting it. Recumbents are (or at least were) banned on the
East-coast line. I only ever took the tandem on a GNER train. It is my
ordinary recumbent (M5 28/20) that I took on all the other trains.

Quoted message said:

I've been on a Virgin train with a Street Machine and a Speed Machine,
no problems.

--
Danny Colyer <URL:http://www.colyer.plus.com/danny/>
Subscribe to PlusNet <URL:http://www.colyer.plus.com/referral/>
"He who dares not offend cannot be honest." - Thomas Paine