WoTR - bikes on Northern Rail

[Janeyb]

Doing the Way of the Roses in June and just wondered if anyone has any experience of taking bikes on Northern rail between Leeds & Morecambe and then Bridlington & Doncaster. Official policy is 2 bikes per train. Phoned customer helpline and chap said that in his experience it would have to be a total jobsworth in a bad mood to not allow us on. Especially if we explained we were doing a long distance cycle ride and had connecting trains to catch etc. Anyone had experience with this?

Good news is that we managed to get ridiculously cheap tickets. A grand total of £15.20 each return. That's from Peterborough to Morecambe then Bridlington to Peterborough. That has to be a record!

 

[DCLane]

Northern Rail are usually pretty good.

I'm doing a similar one but in May

 

[vernon]

Northern Rail staff are pretty relaxed about bikes.

i will be depending upon their laiissez faire this coming Saturday when I return to Leeds from Hull after doing a FNRttC

 

[Sara_H]

Doing the Way of the Roses in June and just wondered if anyone has any experience of taking bikes on Northern rail between Leeds & Morecambe and then Bridlington & Doncaster. Official policy is 2 bikes per train. Phoned customer helpline and chap said that in his experience it would have to be a total jobsworth in a bad mood to not allow us on. Especially if we explained we were doing a long distance cycle ride and had connecting trains to catch etc. Anyone had experience with this?

Good news is that we managed to get ridiculously cheap tickets. A grand total of £15.20 each return. That's from Peterborough to Morecambe then Bridlington to Peterborough. That has to be a record!

Hiya Janey - I had to catch a Northern Rail train at the start of my tour last summer. I was only going from Sheffield to Doncaster but missing the train would have meant missing the connecting train to Cramlington.
I lost a lot of sleep the night before for fear of turning up and being the third bike and messing up the whole days travel and ended up arriving at the station about an hour and half before train was due, OH came as back up in case I had to fight for a place on the train!
In the event I watched nervously as several other cyclists arrived, I think there were five bikes on board by the time we departed and another one got on at Rotherham.
Would be nice if you could book a place though - for peace of mind.

 

[wiggydiggy]

Couple tips for you:

Wildings Tea Rooms in Pately Bridge serves exellent Cake and Tea, ask nicely and they'll let you wheel your bike through to the veranda at the back. Just don't hit an old man with your handlebars like one of us did!
Don't expect a warm welcome in Driffield near the end, do expect something from 'The League of Gentlemen' and be asked to pay in advance for your breakfast!

I only cycled the middle section but a friend did it all, very nice. Challenging on the first half, once you hit Ripon its basically flat to the coast.

Good Luck!

 

[mcshroom]

I've never had a problem getting a bike on a Northern train. Virgin on the other hand ...

 

[Bigsharn]

Northern Rail are amazing as regards to bikes, just be prepared to stand in the doorways and move when required if it's full.

 

[ColinJ]

The only time I didn't manage to get on was at Leeds in the evening rush hour when the train was so packed with commuters that it wasn't physically possible! No problem on the following train though.

 

[chrtho]

I've always found Northern Rail staff friendly and helpful to cyclists - they even opened a reserved carriage once when there were more bikes than spaces.

 

[growingvegetables]

+1 on Northern Rail being amazing with bikes.

They don't have a booking system cos they're such nice guys. All they want is a bit of common sense - so if you turn up at a commuter station in rush hour, then you take pot luck.

And for all the times I've turned up with 4 bikes and been taken on board, I'm more than happy to take the few times I've not been able to get on.

 

[Janeyb]

Thank you all so much for replying. Put my mind at rest. We're travelling up on a Sunday afternoon and back on a Thursday night after rush hour so think we'll be ok.

So excited already - just got to start getting some serious hill training somehow which isn't easy in Norfolk. I'll no doubt bore you all with planning questions soon!

Thanks again.

 

[skmc1955]

Couple tips for you:

Wildings Tea Rooms in Pately Bridge serves exellent Cake and Tea, ask nicely and they'll let you wheel your bike through to the veranda at the back. Just don't hit an old man with your handlebars like one of us did!
Don't expect a warm welcome in Driffield near the end, do expect something from 'The League of Gentlemen' and be asked to pay in advance for your breakfast!

I only cycled the middle section but a friend did it all, very nice. Challenging on the first half, once you hit Ripon its basically flat to the coast.

Good Luck!

We,ve just finished WOTR this week and were made most welcome at the Wetherspoons in Driffield, even the Lady Mayoress and her friends donated to our charity collection when they found out what we were doing, really lovely people.

 

[ColinJ]

Another tip - take spare bungee cords to secure your bike(s). The bike compartments I used yesterday had no straps to stop bikes rolling about or toppling over. I had a similar experience on an earlier trip with my bike so now I always carry a bungee when taking my bike by train.

 

[Jo...]

Hi
I had no problem taking my bike from Leeds to Carnforth to do part of the WoTR, but coming back we (2 of us) tried to get on at Settle. After killing an hour an a half waiting for the train we were turned away by a jobsworth type....the next train was not for another 3.5 hours. So we cycled to Skipton in the rain, the cycling probably did us good but it was really frustrating. So don't always take it for granted! I think its easier from Leeds as the train starts there so you have more chance of getting on, especially if you're there early.

I think it would be really useful if Northern rail either provided more than 2 bike spaces, and/or provided a booking service so everyone could guarantee their journeys.....anyone interested in a petition?

 

[MarkF]

Yes, they are very good, the only time I have not got on, was also at Leeds (to Manchester) at rush hour.