Train Engineering works and bikes HELP!

Page may contain affiliate links. Please see terms for details.
Having spent far too much planning and organising my Bike Tour of Holland I have just discovered on East Coast Trains website that my return leg home is effected by engineering works over the weekend and bus replacement is in service. What do I do? How do I get home? My bike is not allowed on the bus, is it?
Some of you may suggest just cycle but Harwich to Edinburgh is a bit too far my old legs!
 
Location
Midlands
I assume you mean the Harwich - Liverpool St leg - This has happened to me several times going to Hoek from Harwich - I actually reversed my tour and finished at Stavager instead of Harwich once - last year I got lucky and came home a day earlier than I had planned

Check where the rail closure is - last time the rail bus was between Harwich and Colchester - The cycle to Colchester is pretty easy or possibly you could catch an Ipswich to London train from Maningtree if the closure is nearer Harwich

If the closure is somewhere further south the above is complete rubbish and please ignore
 
Location
Midlands
What was the whole route

I do not know how it affects cost but when I came back from Stavanger to Newcastle I had to make a big loop through Manchester to avoid a closure on the ECM

could you do Harwich - London Liv - Manchester -Preston Edinburgh

I tell you from experience that it is not a fun way to spend a day
 
Location
Midlands
snorri said:
Have you investigated the possibility of taking the Ijmuiden to Newcastle or Zeebrugge to Rosyth ferry instead of Hoek to Harwich?

Sounds more logical than anything I said - the post made me relive my stupid journey - came out in sweat
 
OP
OP
Turdus philomelos
Location
West Lothian
Snorri -the Harwich - Hoek of Holland return ferry is already booked it was alot cheaper than from Newcastle. Like a lot of services in Scotland, the Rosyth ferry was far to expensive aswell. You know what, I've always fancied a cycle round the Broads, will just have to find a cheap B&B for two nights.
 
Location
Midlands
Turdus philomelos said:
Snorri -the Harwich - Hoek of Holland return ferry is already booked it was alot cheaper than from Newcastle. Like a lot of services in Scotland, the Rosyth ferry was far to expensive aswell. You know what, I've always fancied a cycle round the Broads, will just have to find a cheap B&B for two nights.

A man after my own heart - out of adversity comes triumph - and another couple of days touring
 

andym

Über Member
It depends on the type of bus. If it's a double-decker/single-decker bus then you are stuffed, but if it's a coach with luggage space then (in my experience) you should be OK. Worth giving the train company a call.
 
Location
Midlands
andym said:
It depends on the type of bus. If it's a double-decker/single-decker bus then you are stuffed, but if it's a coach with luggage space then (in my experience) you should be OK. Worth giving the train company a call.

Trouble is the "rules are" and the bus driver I wrote to the rail passenger regulator last year about this and got an answer that more or less said no chance of this changing in the future
 
"Full size cycles may not be carried on replacement
bus services during engineering work or service
disruption, but it should be possible to carry folding
cycles on replacement bus services provided they are
folded and covered."

Latest pamphlet thingy covering cycling vs rail.

East Coast seem to have the most sensible cycling policy though (IIRC), so it might be worth giving them a call. Get whatever confirmation that you are allowed the bike on the train in writing (if possible) and wave under nose of driver. Don't think you'll get any unfortunately...
 

andym

Über Member
All I can say is that I have carried a bike on a rail replacement coaches on at least a couple of occasions without any problem. On one journey the driver even lifted the bike out of the 'hold' for me. There's plenty of space. If the replacement service uses a coach then you have a pretty good chance. OK you might get a jobsworth driver, but most drivers are reasonable people and won't leave you stranded. To my mind it's worth considering whether or not to take the risk.
 
Top Bottom