Three of us are planning to travel from York to Ravenglass by train so we can start the Hadrian's Wall cycle route.
There are a number of possible routes all with multiple train changes
York->Manchester->Barrow or Lancaster->Ravenglass
York->Leeds->Carlisle (via Settle-Carlisle line)->Ravenglass
York->Newcastle->Carlisle->Ravenglass
The problem is that all of these involve going on trains which officially only take two bikes at a time. In my experience most guards are usually pretty flexible about this and will allow more on if there is room, though you do occasionally get a guard who is can be really difficult.
Does anyone have recent experience of travelling with bikes on any of these routes. Are there any which we should avoid because there is genuinely limited cycle space, lots of cyclings, or a preponderence of difficult guards.
There are a number of possible routes all with multiple train changes
York->Manchester->Barrow or Lancaster->Ravenglass
York->Leeds->Carlisle (via Settle-Carlisle line)->Ravenglass
York->Newcastle->Carlisle->Ravenglass
The problem is that all of these involve going on trains which officially only take two bikes at a time. In my experience most guards are usually pretty flexible about this and will allow more on if there is room, though you do occasionally get a guard who is can be really difficult.
Does anyone have recent experience of travelling with bikes on any of these routes. Are there any which we should avoid because there is genuinely limited cycle space, lots of cyclings, or a preponderence of difficult guards.