Travelling to the Grand Depart 2014 by train

[Soltydog]

A bit of a heads up for anyone wanting to travel to watch the TDF by train with your bike. Travelling by train with a bike can be hard at the best of times & I've been asking at work what contingency plans they are coming up with for the Grand Depart. All the TOCs that operate round the area are having meetings & discussing options & at present the options are;
a) increase bike capacity
b) stick rigidly to the company limit on bikes (2 per train on Northern)
c) ban all bikes over the weekend
Keep an eye out on the relevant TOCs websites for info

 

[ianrauk]

I would think they would go for C.
They did in London the last time the tour visited.

 

[classic33]

Well with B, there's a train every 17 minutes in either direction.
Stick some of the older rolling stock(Northern) and they should manage 8 per train, so long as people co-operate. First are a little bit picky about the number of bikes they let on.
Council are looking at trying as get as many people to the area as is possible on the day. So there might be extra local sevices run on the day.

 

[nickyboy]

And every year, when thousands of people with bikes need to get home from Brighton after the BHF ride and you'd think the train companies would be happy to cash in.

You would, wouldn't you? However, it seems that the TOC company structures are set up to maintain services within a regulatory framework, rather than to take advantage of commercial opportunities

 

[Soltydog]

Council are looking at trying as get as many people to the area as is possible on the day. So there might be extra local sevices run on the day.

Working in the industry I would say extra services is highly unlikely due to staffing, ie no spare staff to work extra trains. I think best that can be hoped for is strengthening of services

 

[classic33]

Working in the industry I would say extra services is highly unlikely due to staffing, ie no spare staff to work extra trains. I think best that can be hoped for is strengthening of services

Local sevices round here, run from York to Manchester, via Leeds & Hebden Bridge. One thing needed would be an extra stop at Hebden Bridge, as not all trains stop there at present.
What would it cost to include an extra stop at a station?

 

[Soltydog]

Local sevices round here, run from York to Manchester, via Leeds & Hebden Bridge. One thing needed would be an extra stop at Hebden Bridge, as not all trains stop there at present.
What would it cost to include an extra stop at a station?

I used to work that line 10 years ago & everything used to stop there, unlike Sowerby Bridge
To stop at an additional station would probably take maybe 3 mins, which could cost a few hundred pound unless its pre agreed/planned with network rail

 

[classic33]

I used to work that line 10 years ago & everything used to stop there, unlike Sowerby Bridge
To stop at an additional station would probably take maybe 3 mins, which could cost a few hundred pound unless its pre agreed/planned with network rail

Hebden Bridge is the last station before the line splits for Blackpool and Manchester, hence all trains stopping there.
Balance that out against the possible loss of revenue, because other means have been chosen to there, and its a win for them to allow more on. Possibly even allow the extra stop.
Leeds to Hebden Bridge is another service, that tends to be run more in the morning in either direction

 

[classic33]

For those planning on getting to the Calder Valley area.
Council will be closing all roads on the route at 8am, on the day.
No ifs, no buts.