Bikes on Trains

[Paulus]

Scotrailseems to be the only train operation company to really take cyclists seriously.
They have converted 5 carriages and in insert them into the class153 units. There will be space for 20 bikes and will operate on the West Highland line.
These trains are older models where extra carriages can be added without having to reconfigure onboard computers for the extra vehicle and length, these being relatively short trains to start with.

"First look inside ScotRail’s active travel carriages | ScotRail" https://www.scotrail.co.uk/about-scotrail/news/first-look-inside-scotrail’s-active-travel-carriages

 

[DRM]

The days of guards' vans are long gone. All modern British trains - and this is true for most comparable railway systems too - run in fixed formation, where there is no shunting or question of adding extra wagons for particular needs. Cycle capacity has to be inside trains and therefore at the expense of seats. There are some modern units that manage this quite well such as the Greater Anglia class 755s, and others such as the Hitachi 800/802 series on GWR and LNER which have abominable cycle storage.

So why not do away with 1st class carriages, the things seem to be usually as near as makes no difference to empty, and make the seating available for all, that could free up space for a bike and luggage carriage for travelers/bike commuters.

 

[Baldy]

Scotrailseems to be the only train operation company to really take cyclists seriously.
They have converted 5 carriages and in insert them into the class153 units. There will be space for 20 bikes and will operate on the West Highland line.
These trains are older models where extra carriages can be added without having to reconfigure onboard computers for the extra vehicle and length, these being relatively short trains to start with.

"First look inside ScotRail’s active travel carriages | ScotRail" https://www.scotrail.co.uk/about-scotrail/news/first-look-inside-scotrail’s-active-travel-carriages

I travelled on Scotrail last week and that new carriage is not the norm. The train I was on could only take two bikes, which had to be booked in advance. The rack that bikes had to be strapped to didn't fit my bike or the other bike travelling on the same train. So they stuck out and partially blocked the corridor.

 

[ebikeerwidnes]

And, of course, you have to stop people who get on before the bike owner just seeing the empty space and dumping their cases in it.

I have seen people saying that some of the bike storage involved lifting the bike up and hanging it up - which they say is quite high so is a problem for shorter people - especially if you have an ebike.

 

[BrumJim]

I travelled on Scotrail last week and that new carriage is not the norm. The train I was on could only take two bikes, which had to be booked in advance. The rack that bikes had to be strapped to didn't fit my bike or the other bike travelling on the same train. So they stuck out and partially blocked the corridor.

Only available on the West Highland line.

 

[BrumJim]

Scotrailseems to be the only train operation company to really take cyclists seriously.
They have converted 5 carriages and in insert them into the class153 units. There will be space for 20 bikes and will operate on the West Highland line.
These trains are older models where extra carriages can be added without having to reconfigure onboard computers for the extra vehicle and length, these being relatively short trains to start with.

"First look inside ScotRail’s active travel carriages | ScotRail" https://www.scotrail.co.uk/about-scotrail/news/first-look-inside-scotrail’s-active-travel-carriages

Sort of.

Class 153 units have been converted to carry bikes and walkers. They have been added to Class 156 units which were designed to operate with Class 153 units attached. 153s will also operate with some very modern units too, such as Class 170, maybe 172 too. The main advantage is that they are single car units, so are useful if you only want 1 more carriage. Most trains will work with extra carriages as long as they are compatible, but usually the minimum size is 2 carriages which can be a bit too much.

 

[Hover Fly]

I can’t see it being anymore than “new trains after *some date in the distant future* should have x places for cycles”. Adding an extra carriage to Northern’s class 195s for instance would be ridiculously expensive.

 

[BrumJim]

Nice if it turns out to be true. I will reserve my praise until I actually see these newly-commissioned trains with greater cycle capacity.

Don't hold your breath on the new trains front. There was an explosion of orders recently, and with the changes afoot I can't see any new trains being ordered for a year or two now. Those already ordered and due for delivery are too far down the line for any changes, and it takes a good few years for a train order to result in new trains going into service. And then they will go into service in one particular area, and if you don't live there...

Hoping, from a cyclist and professionally, that they will start modifying existing trains soon to improve bike storage. Particularly the Hitachi units.

 

[BrumJim]

I think the only actually practical way to increase bike capacity would be to remove/rejig seating in existing stock. Even that would be very expensive I'd guess. Unless there is some already unused "guards van" style storage that could be pressed into service.

Not too difficult, but would result in the loss of some precious seat capacity. In a numbers game ("today we are introducing another 2400 seats per day on the line to address overcrowding" = removing toilets and adding 10 seats on a 10 minute service) seats are king.

 

[BrumJim]

Are all trains really at platform max? Or how about they just add "the extra scummy cyclist" carriage to those services that aren't at sardine levels of packing. Or put us cyclists off the end of the short platforms but make the access to the nearest platform door easy, or maybe have those able to walk simply move a carriage to platform (it's everyone's planet that needs saving after all) so as long as the less abled folk are using the carrriages towards the middle then we're all good.

Some are. Some are occasionally, say a five-car train sometimes doubles up to form a 10-car train. Six is possible, but 12 isn't, which prevents you from doubling capacity when needed.

Having trains longer than platforms is regarded as a bit risky - sometimes tolerated for minor stations but not encouraged as a regular thing.

 

[BrumJim]

On the subject of "guards vans" about 4 years ago I got a Virgin train from Milton Keynes to Euston with my bike. I definitely put my bike in a "guards van" - ie a storage area separate from (but accessible via a door from) the seating areas. I remember this because they omitted to open the platform door from the "guards van" when we got to Euston and I had to wheel my bike down inside the seating area to get it off the train. I was very tempted to try riding it ... but resisted. It was a modern train, not a bit of old rolling stock.

It reminded me of the "old days" (late 70s/early 80s) sitting on the wooden floor of a guards van next to my bike.

Yes. They are probably the best trains for bike storage. They will even take tandems.

 

[robjh]

On the subject of "guards vans" about 4 years ago I got a Virgin train from Milton Keynes to Euston with my bike. I definitely put my bike in a "guards van" - ie a storage area separate from (but accessible via a door from) the seating areas. I remember this because they omitted to open the platform door from the "guards van" when we got to Euston and I had to wheel my bike down inside the seating area to get it off the train. I was very tempted to try riding it ... but resisted. It was a modern train, not just some old rolling stock.

It reminded me of the old days (late 70s/early 80s) sitting on the wooden floor of a guards van next to my bike.

Yes, those trains, and the old HSTs, did have a dedicated section for bikes separate from the passenger areas, but they were integral to the train and not a separate (or separable) wagon. They dated back to the days when intercity trains were expected to carry parcels traffic.

 

[robjh]

Yes. They are probably the best trains for bike storage. They will even take tandems.

But woe betide you if you were waiting at the wrong end of the platform when the 11-coach behemoth drew in for its planned two minute stop!

 

[Blue Hills]

On the subject of "guards vans" about 4 years ago I got a Virgin train from Milton Keynes to Euston with my bike. I definitely put my bike in a "guards van" - ie a storage area separate from (but accessible via a door from) the seating areas. I remember this because they omitted to open the platform door from the "guards van" when we got to Euston and I had to wheel my bike down inside the seating area to get it off the train. I was very tempted to try riding it ... but resisted. It was a modern train, not just some old rolling stock.

It reminded me of the old days (late 70s/early 80s) sitting on the wooden floor of a guards van next to my bike.

Not a guards van four years ago surely? I think you mean the area just behind the cab - yes you need the external door opening for you. I also got forgotten for a while once on arriving at Euston.
West coast is generally excellent for bikes - proper area has has been said in post below yours - no need to take panniers off etc. Helpful staff.
By the by if doing the exciting journey Milton Keynes to London again you can also use london northwestern - good with bikes themselves in their rather different way - tickets can be very cheap.

 

[Blue Hills]

But woe betide you if you were waiting at the wrong end of the platform when the 11-coach behemoth drew in for its planned two minute stop!

Staff on the west coast line generally excellent. You should always make contact with the staff member on the platform before the train rolls in - you will then be fine - assuming you have a booking of course.