Bikes on Settle & Carlisle trains

[robjh]

Anyone have experience of taking bikes on this line (Carlisle -Appleby-Settle-Leeds) on a summer Sunday? Northern Rail officially allow 2 bikes, with no reservations, but is it likely to be a problem due to heavy demand?

I'm off to the Lake District for a few days and was thinking of getting the train from Appleby back to Leeds on Sunday afternoon, hence the question now.

 

[ColinJ]

I haven't, but my experience doing it in the opposite direction on a summer Saturday morning suggests that it could be a squeeze!

We left Leeds on time. I got space on train for bike. E-bike rider got other space. 5 mountain bike riders standing with their bikes and Carrie will have to stand with hers as well.

We did all get on though. Northern Rail are much more tolerant of cyclists than, say, TransPennine!

 

[wiggydiggy]

If you fancy a ride at the end of your journey (and save some train fare) then get off the train at Keighley, Bingley or Shipley and cycle on the Leeds/Liverpool canal back into Leeds. Its mostly tarmacked and good quality on that section.

 

[Windle]

Anyone have experience of taking bikes on this line (Carlisle -Appleby-Settle-Leeds) on a summer Sunday? Northern Rail officially allow 2 bikes, with no reservations, but is it likely to be a problem due to heavy demand?

I'm off to the Lake District for a few days and was thinking of getting the train from Appleby back to Leeds on Sunday afternoon, hence the question now.

I'm not sure what it's like on a Sunday but having been on the train during the week (without bikes I hasten to add) from Kirkby Stephen to Carlisle and back a few times this year I've never seen any bikes on board at all, despite the trains sometimes being busy. If it's possible to reserve a bike space then that may be the best way just to make sure.

 

[robjh]

A postscript to this thread :
I did indeed take my bike on the Settle and Carlisle line, from Appleby to Leeds on a Sunday afternoon, and had no problem despite there already being three bikes in the space designated for two. I'm not sure what would have happened had there been any more, but with this number the guard didn't bat an eyelid.

The train ride was a reward in itself, as the scenery as it climbed over the moors past Garsdale and Dentdale to Ribblehead was spectacular.