Exeter to Penzance cycle spaces

[Holdsworth]

Hi all,

In my planning for my LEJoG in August I have hit a stumbling block. I simply cannot reserve a space for my pride and joy on the Exeter St. Davids to Penzance rail journey. First Great Western unhelpfully inform me that the seats are unreservable on this journey and as such a bike space cannot be booked either.

I am travelling down on the 2nd August and leaving St. Davids at 09:28 for Penzance and arriving at 12:37. I booked dead on the 12 weeks deadline and couldn't reserve a seat then. On the other hand Arriva Trains Wales were very helpful and are in the process of booking me a seat and cycle space for my intended journey as we speak.

I am unsure what to do and where I'd stand with an advance ticket and all the bike spaces full when I board.

 

[ColinJ]

I had the same problem when I went down a few years ago. In the end, I got an old bike box from my LBS, cut it down a bit to the smallest size that I could fit my bike in with wheels, bars, saddle and pedals removed, then got a courier to deliver the bike to my g/f's sister who lives in the town.

I have been on trains where I had a bike reservation but found unreserved bikes occupying all the spaces in the bike compartment. The 'train manager' just shrugged when I pointed out the problem. OTH, when I travelled to Preston a couple of weeks ago, the train manager made an announcement that an unreserved bike would be taken off the train at Crewe unless its owner went and spoke to her immediately!

 

[wintonbina]

Parcelforce to Local Post Office?

 

[Jimbob312]

we've literally just completed LEJOG and one way car hire with enterprise was cheaper than the train for two of us and they even dropped us at lands end

 

[Jerry Atrik]

Ive cycled from Newton Abbot to Penzance numerous times for a day out and just got on the train no problem . In fact 5 of us set out 2 weeks ago with booked tickets and bike places but I pulled out at Truro after 90 miles as I wasn't feeling good and hopped on a 2 carriage train and changed at Plymouth as free as you like , but that is just my experience .

 

[vernon]

Hi all,

In my planning for my LEJoG in August I have hit a stumbling block. I simply cannot reserve a space for my pride and joy on the Exeter St. Davids to Penzance rail journey. First Great Western unhelpfully inform me that the seats are unreservable on this journey and as such a bike space cannot be booked either.

I am travelling down on the 2nd August and leaving St. Davids at 09:28 for Penzance and arriving at 12:37. I booked dead on the 12 weeks deadline and couldn't reserve a seat then. On the other hand Arriva Trains Wales were very helpful and are in the process of booking me a seat and cycle space for my intended journey as we speak.

I am unsure what to do and where I'd stand with an advance ticket and all the bike spaces full when I board.

Bike space booking varies with the train operating companies. Some simply don't offer a reservation service First Great Western is one such franchise. In reality, this doesn't make much of a difference as the train managers are normally helpful and accommodating. I used to be intimidated by the lack of bike reservation facilities especially on mission critical journeys i.e. travelling to a ferry terminal where lateness has a major consequence. Arriva might well have problems reserving you a bike space on a service where reservations are not available. As a banker, you might consider the 12:43 train as it is run by Cross Country Trains where reservations can be made.

 

[Richard Fairhurst]

The 09.28 is a little Sprinter rather than an eight-carriage HST. These have slightly informal bike spaces - basically as many bikes as you can cram into the space. So just turn up with your bike (half an hour before the train if you can) and you'll more than likely get on.

The train starts its journey at Exeter, so you can load your bike as soon as it arrives in the platform. Look for the little bike symbol by one of the doors. Make sure to take your panniers off so that you've got a better chance of fitting it in - I'd suggest unhooking them on the platform so you can just lift them off when you get into the vestibules. Bike spaces on these trains are within the normal seating carriage so you should be able to sit right next to your bike.

Failing that, there are HSTs (six bike spaces in Carriage A) one and two hours later. These have reservable spaces, but even if you leave it to chance, you'd be unlucky not to find space on one of these.

Seriously, though bikes on trains can be stressful, I think you'll be fine in this case.

(I wrote a set of pages about cycling on trains the other week: http://cycle.travel/advice/cycling_by_train)

 

[Holdsworth]

Thanks all.

I have so far contacted London Midland, who I booked with, to see if I could change my booking, with a fee of course. Unfortunately the web system has developed a glitch which means the system won't allow me to change my booking. I am currently at the mercy of customer service and the web support team to get this issue sorted.

If worst comes to worst the 5:00 Arriva Wales service should be relatively hassle-free because it is so early in the morning so I should be able to slip on early and find a space. I don't know if the service starts in Crewe though.

The 9:28 service is looking alright though, if it does indeed start at Exeter than I have likely 20 minutes or so to board as my train comes in at 9:07. Hopefully no delays there.

 

[Holdsworth]

Okay since it was so long to get the web issue sorted the alternative tickets went up vastly in price and then ran out all together so I will be trying my luck on my current booking.

I will just try to get the train as soon as my connection pulls into the station to give me the best chances of getting on.. Now just 2 weeks and 2 days to go...