Leeds to Oban trains

[mudsticks]

For a bike or foot passenger it is not really necessary to book and I have never done so. It was necessary to book during the peak of the pandemic due to restrictions on numbers travelling. This caused much local anger as tourists booked weeks in advance but locals with urgent journeys were forbidden to travel. You had to have a printed ticket last time I travelled a couple of weeks ago as they are not yet set up to read from a phone.

I've done multiple island hops, as a foot passenger with a bike and never pre booked onto any of them .

Even with lots of crossing it was really cheap.

More than a few times the person selling the tickets couldn't even quite make it out of his little cubby hole to sell a scant few quids worth of ticket to a cyclist, I guess in truth most of the revenue comes from cars..

And from selling chips and beer 😇

 

[oldwheels]

Last time I was on the Oban train with a bike there was a fellow passenger slightly panicking because it was looking touch and go whether the slightly delayed train was going to get in, in time for the ferry (to Mull on this occasion)

As it was, we got there in time so all was well, but the train manager did say, when she overheard this exchange that its has been known for the ferry to wait, if notified of delayed passengers on the train.


I wonder if it's something about ferries in particular??
Cos when I was having a similar panic about getting to the Santander ferry with my bike due to circumstances, someone here said they would also wait a bit if notified.
Which seemed an astounding notion on such a big boat, but someone (who appeared to know what they were talking about) said it was so...

Agree Oban is a nice place to kick about in for a day waiting for a ferry, good bookshop (hope it's still there) I bought "The loch of the green Corries" there for absorbing , but non spooky tent reading whilst camping it up the Western Isles.

It was very nearly dark when arriving on Barra, but I somehow found a nice clifftop perch for my tent on Vatersay, with the help of some nice people I met along the way..

Oh now I'm all wistful for touring in Scotland again..😳

.

You cannot depend on a ferry waiting as they are penalised for leaving late but the sometimes do wait. Depends on which skipper is on.
Waterstones bookshop is still there.
After being in hospital once I thought to hang about Oban for couple of hours but it was so unpleasant I went for an earlier boat and sat at Craignure for a couple of hours instead. There was not a single local person with a car who would have given me a lift so I had to wait in the sunshine for a bus.

 

[mudsticks]

You cannot depend on a ferry waiting as they are penalised for leaving late but the sometimes do wait. Depends on which skipper is on.
Waterstones bookshop is still there.
After being in hospital once I thought to hang about Oban for couple of hours but it was so unpleasant I went for an earlier boat and sat at Craignure for a couple of hours instead. There was not a single local person with a car who would have given me a lift so I had to wait in the sunshine for a bus.

Good (about the bookshop) it had a really extensive local section..
And there was a very nice deli nearby that I recall, that was good for a few luxe camping snacks..

No I'd not be casual about expecting the ferry to wait neither, I was surprised when the lady said that..

I'm usually pretty chill about most things once I'm on the road, but I do like to be in place for a crucial ferry or train..👍🏼

 

[presta]

I would be inclined to make the booking at a station if with a bike and you can - they are supposed to be able to sell you anything that can be bought online at the same price.

When I went to Braintree station to book an advance ticket from Witham to Penzance they told me their ticket machine won't sell tickets that depart from a different station, so I went 6 miles down the road to Witham where I got a guy who didn't know how to book bikes. After half an hour faffing with the machine and calling supervisors, he told me to go away and pointed to a notice on the wall saying that 'special tickets' won't be sold on a Saturday. So I then had to drive another 10 miles to Chelmsford.

I've never come seriously unstuck taking the bike on trains, but there's always some incident or other which leaves you feeling anxious that you might do. I remember a train where there wasn't enough room to get the bike on and off without taking the panniers off. Having got the bike off, I'm then trying to fight against a tidal wave of tutting passengers who think I'm being an impatient oaf as I try to get back on before my panniers disappear up the line with the train, or the bike gets nicked off the platform.

I remember arriving at Euston once, and by the time I picked up my panniers and walked down to get the bike all the staff had disappeared for their tea break without unlocking the guards van. Cue a 10 minute wait whilst one of the other cyclists goes on a hunt for someone to unlock it. Silly of me not to see the little notice on the guards van wall saying that you must notify the staff where you'll be removing the bike.

When you're down this end of the country there an extra level of complication on the underground. You're not allowed in the deep tunnels, so you need to know which lines are which (eg: Euston tube is verboten, but Euston Square isn't)

 

[KnittyNorah]

WRT Northern Rail
Here's the bike space in a tiny two-carriage train on the single-track Preston - Ormskirk line; it's at the opposite end of the train to the wheelchair entrance/spaces.


There's a sort of seatbelt thing to secure your bike but they often don't work properly so you'll want to have a bungee thing with you. You can usually sit in a folding seat on the opposite side if you want to keep a close eye on panniers etc
They say 'two bikes max' per train but in reality there is space for at least four and as long as you are pleasant and cooperative with the staff, they will - in my experience, anyway - be pleasant and cooperative with you.

 

[oldwheels]

I was not correct on a ticket point for Calmac ferries. They have now started accepting etickets at most ports including Oban and Craignure. Personally I prefer to get a printed version to collect at the ticket office until the system has any bugs sorted out and it gives me more flexibility on date and time of travel particularly just now with frequent disruptions due to weather and/or breakdowns.

 

[oldwheels]

I've done multiple island hops, as a foot passenger with a bike and never pre booked onto any of them .

Even with lots of crossing it was really cheap.

More than a few times the person selling the tickets couldn't even quite make it out of his little cubby hole to sell a scant few quids worth of ticket to a cyclist, I guess in truth most of the revenue comes from cars..

And from selling chips and beer 😇

The food on most boats is pretty good, particularly breakfast. Most locals here head straight for the cafeteria when off on an early boat.

 

[oldwheels]

Good (about the bookshop) it had a really extensive local section..
And there was a very nice deli nearby that I recall, that was good for a few luxe camping snacks..

No I'd not be casual about expecting the ferry to wait neither, I was surprised when the lady said that..

I'm usually pretty chill about most things once I'm on the road, but I do like to be in place for a crucial ferry or train..👍🏼

The deli you refer to is now closed. We used it often as there was a good cafe upstairs.

 

[Blue Hills]

When I went to Braintree station to book an advance ticket from Witham to Penzance they told me their ticket machine won't sell tickets that depart from a different station, so I went 6 miles down the road to Witham where I got a guy who didn't know how to book bikes. After half an hour faffing with the machine and calling supervisors, he told me to go away and pointed to a notice on the wall saying that 'special tickets' won't be sold on a Saturday. So I then had to drive another 10 miles to Chelmsford.

I've never come seriously unstuck taking the bike on trains, but there's always some incident or other which leaves you feeling anxious that you might do. I remember a train where there wasn't enough room to get the bike on and off without taking the panniers off. Having got the bike off, I'm then trying to fight against a tidal wave of tutting passengers who think I'm being an impatient oaf as I try to get back on before my panniers disappear up the line with the train, or the bike gets nicked off the platform.

I remember arriving at Euston once, and by the time I picked up my panniers and walked down to get the bike all the staff had disappeared for their tea break without unlocking the guards van. Cue a 10 minute wait whilst one of the other cyclists goes on a hunt for someone to unlock it. Silly of me not to see the little notice on the guards van wall saying that you must notify the staff where you'll be removing the bike.

When you're down this end of the country there an extra level of complication on the underground. You're not allowed in the deep tunnels, so you need to know which lines are which (eg: Euston tube is verboten, but Euston Square isn't)

not all london stations can sort it - you often have to go to a mainline station, though Bromley South appears to be able to do it, if you get the right person. One heroic woman there once sorted me - went above and beyond including checking with folk. I have the impression that the manual bike booking system is a right old lashed together pig from the dark ages of computing/systems integration. If anyone is near Skipton I can heartily recommend their staff.

 

[mudsticks]

The deli you refer to is now closed. We used it often as there was a good cafe upstairs.

Oh boo.. I'm sure covid made it tricky .

High, time for another one to open up then .

... Edited to add a question for a 'proper' local, it seems the Outer Hebrides allegedly got more 'properly' renamed 'The Western Isles' a few years back


But I don't know it that came from a local initiative, or somewhere else.??

'The Outer Hebrides: seems more specific, as 'Western Isles' will slightly depend on 'West' of where exactly..?

Anyway, it's not that important, just more a curiosity around proper naming really..

 

[oldwheels]

Oh boo.. I'm sure covid made it tricky .

High, time for another one to open up then .

... Edited to add a question for a 'proper' local, it seems the Outer Hebrides allegedly got more 'properly' renamed 'The Western Isles' a few years back


But I don't know it that came from a local initiative, or somewhere else.??

'The Outer Hebrides: seems more specific, as 'Western Isles' will slightly depend on 'West' of where exactly..?

Anyway, it's not that important, just more a curiosity around proper naming really..

All a bit confusing.
The local council area covers the whole Outer Isles group and is administered from Stornoway which is not well regarded in the southern isles. I will not attempt the gaelic name but it is called the Western Isles Council in English but covers the whole Outer Hebrides. I have no idea who thought up that name.
They were in the dark ages called the Southern Isles when ruled from Norway.
An uncle of my late wife was the Council Convener and boasted that under his administration it became possible to drive from the Butt of Lewis to Vatersay and back in one day. He demonstrated this by doing it himself {by council limo of course} using the new causeways and a couple of ferries.
Western refers to those on the western side of the Minch as opposed to the Inner Hebrides to the east and Southern Hebrides obviously further south.
I think Coll and Tiree are as far south as the Inner Hebs go and Islay, Jura and Gigha are Southern.

 

[Kingfisher101]

You'll just have to go with the flow and avoid early morning rush hours to start. You wont get it on, the train will be so packed and book where you can. I've taken my bike on trains loads of times and only have had a couple of really bad experiences when people wouldn't move to let me get off and I had to ram the bike into them. I wasn't going miles out of my way because people wouldn't shift.
Stay with your bike at all times or with it in view otherwise someone could pinch it as well.
People often put all their luggage in the bike bays as well leaving nowhere for your bike. You'll just have to play it by ear.
Leeds station has a large information/booking office.Ask them there which trains you need to book on.
You wont have to book on the Ferry you can just pay and take it on.

 

[mudsticks]

All a bit confusing.
The local council area covers the whole Outer Isles group and is administered from Stornoway which is not well regarded in the southern isles. I will not attempt the gaelic name but it is called the Western Isles Council in English but covers the whole Outer Hebrides. I have no idea who thought up that name.
They were in the dark ages called the Southern Isles when ruled from Norway.
An uncle of my late wife was the Council Convener and boasted that under his administration it became possible to drive from the Butt of Lewis to Vatersay and back in one day. He demonstrated this by doing it himself {by council limo of course} using the new causeways and a couple of ferries.
Western refers to those on the western side of the Minch as opposed to the Inner Hebrides to the east and Southern Hebrides obviously further south.
I think Coll and Tiree are as far south as the Inner Hebs go and Islay, Jura and Gigha are Southern.

Thanks for clearing that one up 🤔

the inner outer and southern Hebs, was how I always used to know them..

But I didn't want to get left behind the times..

Using proper names for individual ones is probs safest in the meantime, for a deep southerner like me 👍🏼

 

[scotsbikester]

This is excellent, thanks so much for the feedback and info.

Just so you know, I know the southern part of the Outer Hebrides very well, including cycling there on holiday, but not cycle touring. So I've got a fair bit of experience of the geography, facilities, and especially Calmac ferries.

But I've never taken a bike on a train, and don't actually know anything really about trains around the north of England.

I don't think I can get onto a ferry in Oban, quite, in a day. Maybe I can, but only with tight connections and all the stress that involves. Mallaig might be doable.

So my plan would be to do three trains, with nice "safety" intervals between them, and stay overnight in Oban, ready for the ferry the next lunchtime.

So to avoid morning rush hour (I'm planning on Friday) I'd hope to get the 5:57 am Leeds to Preston. Even though I'll end up in the rush hour, at least if I've boarded that early (!) I'll have me and my bike on the train. Then breakfast on Preston station, mid morning train to Glasgow, lunch in Glasgow, leisurely train to Oban. Type of thing. I'd come back on the sleeper from Inverness. Does that sound like a reasonable plan?

 

[scotsbikester]

Oh, and another question. It seems difficult to see when trains start and stop their journeys. Or maybe I'm just dense at reading trainline.com

Whatever, obviously the least stressful thing would be to get on a train at it's originating station, and get off at the final one.

And somebody did comment up thread about having to force their way off a train in the rush hour, with a bike.

Does the Leeds-Preston train start at Leeds and/or finish at Preston?

Doest the Preston-Glasgow train start at Preston? I think not. Though I'm fairly sure it terminates at Glasgow.

And of course Glasgow-Oban is the complete journey, yes?