Key to get off Avanti train.

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Tail End Charlie

Well, write it down boy ......
When travelling on Avanti trains, (where you have to be let on and off with your bike), despite booking a cycle place and informing the guard where you're getting off, I find there's usually a fraught time on arrival where I'm not sure if the doors will be opened. I could do with one of the keys to open the door. They seem to have a square top to them.
Anyone know if they have a name and where I could get one?
Failing that I'll just measure the gap next time I travel.
 

classic33

Leg End Member
Something like this you mean?
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Antique-...458818?hash=item1f16db5402:g:s7EAAOSw4ApelHMI

3/8" square section steel, tapered for ease of use, is just as good.
 

Shreds

Well-Known Member
On modern trains, the doors now have central door locking and are therefore released usually by the guard. The T key may open up the guards switch compartment, but the doors will be interlocked with other systems, for safety and are recorded in the ‘black box’ and CCTV systems, so you might as well be patient and save your money from ebay.
 
Location
London
Highly irresponsible to start tinkering with a train's systems.
I can see serious consequencies from trying it.
I use Avanti quite a bit and find them very good.
And on my last trip was conscious of the door lock being released remotely - I heard it unlock.
It does help if getting on/off at Preston - they change drivers there.
After a fraught period where Virgin screwed up the online bike booking, Avanti are now excellent. At least on the Pendolinos.
(tho they did send me a mail about a supposedly flashy new web update the other day - i sure hope they haven't screwed it up)
 
OP
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Tail End Charlie

Tail End Charlie

Well, write it down boy ......
Thanks for your considered responses guys. A T-key looks just what I need.

It'll save the two situations recently :- 1. I was told there would be someone waiting on the platform to let me off, and if there wasn't to hammer on the driver's door. There wasn't anyone waiting so I knocked on the door and I heard him call for someone to come and let me off. An Avanti train.
2. Worse still, before the one above, the doors weren't opened and the train set off and I had to get off at the next stop and cycle home. "we didn't know you wanted to get off" despite having a booking and telling the guard.

On Avanti trains the doors to the bike compartment are opened with a key, but on my last trip I noticed a cyclist pull hard on the door and it then opens. It might seem trivial but getting a touring bike off the train, where invariably you've had to remove panniers etc, takes a bit of time and I've had staff complaining I'm holding the departure up (not helped when you are not let into the compartment till the train has stopped to then find another bike is in front of yours). I'm just trying to speed things up.

I'll argue the toss regarding any interference with a train stuff.
 

Boopop

Guru
Unless they've modified the door to where the bikes are stored since it switched to Avanti, I've never needed a key to access my bike (Pendelinos or Super Voyagers). For obvious reasons I haven't been on a train since Christmas however so they may have changed it. I hope not as I'm not very keen on having to ask someone to let me access my bike.
 
Location
London
On the Pendolinos there is a sign saying that you have no access to the bike storage compartment between stops. But you do, thank god. I like to keep an eye on it at stops, check that if someone else gets on my bike will be on the outside at my planned stop. I have also never had to remove my panniers and the ton of racktop junk I usually carry, not even when the train was carrying the maximum of four bikes. This is why I use Avanti west coast rather than East coast - used to use them but I now gather that they are unusable with a loaded or even unloaded bike. I also had a bad experience with them last time just before renationalisation when they tried to blame me for making their train late - complete *****. They made me feel like a real pariah when we hit london. I should have given them hell.

I find avanti also very good at checking that anyone with a bike has a reservation for it.
 
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OP
Tail End Charlie

Tail End Charlie

Well, write it down boy ......
https://www.cps.gov.uk/legal-guidance/transport-offences



You could end up with a lot of 'leisure time' to argue the toss with. :rolleyes:
I'm aware of those, but fail to see which offence I could possibly commit. I'm not endangering anyone, the door should be opened, what difference does it make who does it?
I felt worse when I had to knock on the driver's door to get him to let me off (as I had been told) when there's a sign saying don't distract the driver.
 
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