Recumbents on trains?

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?

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" wrote in message
ups.com...
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?

On Sun, 15 Jan 2006 02:05:08 -0800, Pedaldog wrote:

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 wrote:
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" wrote in message
ups.com...
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:
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:

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 he
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" wrote in message
oups.com...
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:

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

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/re...&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