What does a cycle reservation get me?

Quoted message said:

... on a virgin train from Watford Junction to Lancaster? The
journey is at 7pm on a Friday night. I have the reservation, but
when I asked where my bike goes, was told to just put it
inside the doors on any of the carriages. Er.. after the
train is full from Euston, do I have any chance of getting
on the train? Is it wise to abandon taking the bike?

The Virgin trains around here (Southampton) have a bike section in one
of the end coaches (the other end is first class).

--
Måns Rullgård
[email hidden]

Måns Rullgård said:

The Virgin trains around here (Southampton) have a bike section in one
of the end coaches (the other end is first class).

If there is a yellow rectangle centrally on the train's buffers as it
approaches the station, get ready to hurry to the back of the train
which is where the bike area will be.
If there is no yellow rectangle then that is the end with the bike
space.

However, IMO its best to avoid Virgin trains as they are ofen late and
the staff sometimes less than helpful.

John B

John B said:

Måns Rullgård said:

The Virgin trains around here (Southampton) have a bike section in one
of the end coaches (the other end is first class).

If there is a yellow rectangle centrally on the train's buffers as it
approaches the station, get ready to hurry to the back of the train
which is where the bike area will be.
If there is no yellow rectangle then that is the end with the bike
space.

However, IMO its best to avoid Virgin trains as they are ofen late and

Whenever I go anywhere by train, I get on whichever one arrives first
at the station.

Quoted message said:

the staff sometimes less than helpful.

Staff? Never seen any of those on Virgin.

--
Måns Rullgård
[email hidden]

Måns Rullgård said:

John B said:

Måns Rullgård said:

The Virgin trains around here (Southampton) have a bike section in one
of the end coaches (the other end is first class).

If there is a yellow rectangle centrally on the train's buffers as it
approaches the station, get ready to hurry to the back of the train
which is where the bike area will be.
If there is no yellow rectangle then that is the end with the bike
space.

However, IMO its best to avoid Virgin trains as they are ofen late and

Whenever I go anywhere by train, I get on whichever one arrives first
at the station.

Quoted message said:

the staff sometimes less than helpful.

Staff? Never seen any of those on Virgin.

My experience is that they are generally helpfull and will point you to
the correct point on the platform to wait for the train with the bike.
Then again this was north of Manchester and the Wash..

...d

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

Quoted message said:

... on a virgin train from Watford Junction to Lancaster? The
journey is at 7pm on a Friday night. I have the reservation, but
when I asked where my bike goes, was told to just put it
inside the doors on any of the carriages. Er.. after the
train is full from Euston, do I have any chance of getting
on the train? Is it wise to abandon taking the bike?

A reservation gives you the right to use the bike storage area of the train.
The reservation process should mean that the storage space can not be
overbooked.

Ive not had any problems with any of the train operating companies
and, in fact, have been mostly impressed by the quality of service apart
from Virgin's dreadful voice activated booking system.

Måns Rullgård said:

Whenever I go anywhere by train, I get on whichever one arrives first
at the station.

That must lead to some interesting and unexpected destinations ;-)

--
Tony

"I did make a mistake once - I thought I'd made a mistake but I hadn't"
Anon

In article said:

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

Quoted message said:

... on a virgin train from Watford Junction to Lancaster? The
journey is at 7pm on a Friday night. I have the reservation, but
when I asked where my bike goes, was told to just put it
inside the doors on any of the carriages. Er.. after the
train is full from Euston, do I have any chance of getting
on the train? Is it wise to abandon taking the bike?

A reservation gives you the right to use the bike storage area of the train.
The reservation process should mean that the storage space can not be
overbooked.

Ok. Thanks everyone. I asked the person who gave me the reservation
about a bike storage area and was told there wasn't one. Sorted.

Paul

Tony Raven said:

Måns Rullgård said:

Whenever I go anywhere by train, I get on whichever one arrives first
at the station.

That must lead to some interesting and unexpected destinations ;-)

Well, not really. Almost all the trains follow the same route for the
first few stops.

--
Måns Rullgård
[email hidden]

David Martin said:

Måns Rullgård said:

John B said:

Måns Rullgård wrote:
>
> The Virgin trains around here (Southampton) have a bike section in one
> of the end coaches (the other end is first class).

If there is a yellow rectangle centrally on the train's buffers as it
approaches the station, get ready to hurry to the back of the train
which is where the bike area will be.
If there is no yellow rectangle then that is the end with the bike
space.

However, IMO its best to avoid Virgin trains as they are ofen late and

Whenever I go anywhere by train, I get on whichever one arrives first
at the station.

Quoted message said:

the staff sometimes less than helpful.

Staff? Never seen any of those on Virgin.

My experience is that they are generally helpfull and will point you to
the correct point on the platform to wait for the train with the bike.

That's the station staff, which is a another matter entirely. I was
thinking staff on the train.

--
Måns Rullgård
[email hidden]

vernon said:

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

Quoted message said:

... on a virgin train from Watford Junction to Lancaster? The
journey is at 7pm on a Friday night. I have the reservation, but
when I asked where my bike goes, was told to just put it
inside the doors on any of the carriages. Er.. after the
train is full from Euston, do I have any chance of getting
on the train? Is it wise to abandon taking the bike?

A reservation gives you the right to use the bike storage area of
the train. The reservation process should mean that the storage
space can not be overbooked.

One thing I don't like about the bike area on the Virgin trains is
that the stands are too narrow for the tires on my mountain bike.

--
Måns Rullgård
[email hidden]

vernon said:

Quoted message said:

A reservation gives you the right to use the bike storage area of the train.

Not quite. They don't guarantee a space. It is still at the discretion
of the guard :-(

Quoted message said:

The reservation process should mean that the storage space can not be
overbooked.

Last night the train I used had the cycle area full of two cases a child
in a pushchair and two commuters. I don't think they had reservations.

John B

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

Quoted message said:

... on a virgin train from Watford Junction to Lancaster? The
journey is at 7pm on a Friday night. I have the reservation, but
when I asked where my bike goes, was told to just put it
inside the doors on any of the carriages. Er.. after the
train is full from Euston, do I have any chance of getting
on the train? Is it wise to abandon taking the bike?

If it's a Voyager you get this:

http://www.simonmason.karoo.net/bristol2.jpg

--
Simon Mason
http://www.simonmason.karoo.net

Simon Mason said:

If it's a Voyager you get this:

http://www.simonmason.karoo.net/bristol2.jpg

A smart road bike, just for making a reservation? Bargain! ;-)

Pete.
--
Peter Clinch Medical Physics IT Officer
Tel 44 1382 660111 ext. 33637 Univ. of Dundee, Ninewells Hospital
Fax 44 1382 640177 Dundee DD1 9SY Scotland UK
net [email hidden] http://www.dundee.ac.uk/~pjclinch/

Quoted message said:

If it's a Voyager you get this:

http://www.simonmason.karoo.net/bristol2.jpg

A free bike with every ticket?

What a service!

John B said:

vernon wrote:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

The reservation process should mean that the storage space can
not be overbooked.

Last night the train I used had the cycle area full of two cases a
child in a pushchair and two commuters. I don't think they had
reservations.

IMX the booking means nothing. If there are bike spaces they let you
on, if the bike spaces are full they don't. This is regardless of any
pre-booking.

If you can't find any special bike places just carry your bike on as
best you can. If there is really no bike provision you will be fine. If
it's just been camouflaged so you couldn't locate it in the 30 seconds
available prepare for some verbal abuse from the "train manager". You
are risking the lives of everyone in the carriage. Bikes carried in
this way are dangerous except, of course, on trains where there is no
special bike provision. The laws of physics, I imagine, are relaxed a
little in this case.

--
Dave...

Måns Rullgård said:

One thing I don't like about the bike area on the Virgin trains is
that the stands are too narrow for the tires on my mountain bike.

Deflate tyre, insert in stand, inflate tyre to wedge it in ;-)

~PB