Central Wales Line Cycle Coaches.

[a.twiddler]

I was recently on a train from Crewe to Shrewsbury with Transport For Wales and it happened that the train was a 2 car class 153 set, one of which was one of their recently converted cycle coaches. At the moment, it doesn't seem to be possible to tell in advance which services will have the converted coach attached. Perhaps in the future when more have been converted there will be a scheduled service with them. This train was going on to Swansea.

I took a couple of photos. I'd read that it was going to be possible to book a tandem on this service (which might be useful for recumbent riders with longer than average bikes like, er, me, or trike riders), and sure enough in the second photo is a long space on the right hand side opposite a bike space and luggage rack.

The bike accommodation takes up about half the coach, though there are some fold down seats in the first bay too. All the accommodation seems designed to let you keep your bike on its wheels and secured with a strap to the side. None of that hanging in a cupboard stuff here.

 

[mjr]

Yes, I believe not all "active travel" trains for the full scheduled service are in service yet, so it's not advertised fully yet.

 

[wiggydiggy]

Bloody Welsh taking over our travel, Crewe and Shrewsbury aren't even in Wales

Love that carriage, can get lots of bikes on there.

 

[a.twiddler]

It's ironic that since the great cull of provincial lines in mid Wales in 1962 (pre-Beeching) it's easier for residents of Aberystwyth to get to Birmingham international airport than to Cardiff airport. Aberystwyth to Birmingham is a Transport for Wales route, too!