Author Topic: Tandems on Trains  (Read 50396 times)

Kim

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Re: Tandems on Trains
« Reply #75 on: 29 January, 2017, 03:27:25 pm »
Last year we sucessfully took our tandem on Virgin Pendolino's on the west coast line on a couple of trips to Preston and to Glasgow.  We were planning to take our tandem on a train to Oxenholme in April but yesterday we went to the station to find out which services were Pendolino we were told that Pendolino's are no longer being used on that route.  I'm wondering how I can get conformation of this?

http://www.opentraintimes.com/ will tell you the type of rolling stock for a given train.

DaveJ

  • Happy days
Re: Tandems on Trains
« Reply #76 on: 09 February, 2020, 01:02:14 pm »
Anyone taken a S&S coupled tandem on a GWR AET?  I'm guessing that if I make two bike reservations, and take it apart, that should be fine?  But it would be reassuring to know that someone else has done it.

bhoot

  • MemSec (ex-Mrs RRtY)
Re: Tandems on Trains
« Reply #77 on: 09 February, 2020, 05:49:46 pm »
I would be interested in that too, in fact any experience of tandems split in two and hung up. I think it does depend on where the couplers are though. Looking at ours the other day I don't think they are in the best place to facilitate safe hanging (as in avoiding potential frame damage). So photos particularly welcome! There is one in the latest Tandem club mag, but it was a different arrangement to ours. We keep meaning to have a practice run with the hooks on the garage wall!

Re: Tandems on Trains
« Reply #78 on: 10 February, 2020, 07:06:44 pm »
Anyone taken a S&S coupled tandem on a GWR AET?  I'm guessing that if I make two bike reservations, and take it apart, that should be fine?  But it would be reassuring to know that someone else has done it.

I haven't taken a tandem, but I have been on one and had a look at the bike storage... It's woeful, you would struggle to get a normal bike in, let alone two halves of a tandem, especially as it's also the overflow luggage compartment.
Somewhat of a professional tea drinker.


Re: Tandems on Trains
« Reply #79 on: 10 February, 2020, 07:34:16 pm »
Each half of a tandem is considerably smaller than one solo bike, surely?

Phil W

Re: Tandems on Trains
« Reply #80 on: 11 February, 2020, 07:33:19 pm »
Since the bike spaces are split across carriages on Azuma. How do you know which carriage to get on, does it tell you in the bike booking?

Re: Tandems on Trains
« Reply #81 on: 11 February, 2020, 08:19:59 pm »
You don’t. If you’re getting on at a terminus hopefully the guard will point you in the right direction. Otherwise you need to find one yourself and hope isn’t occupied.

They are at least marked on the outside of the train these days, which they weren’t when they first appeared on GWR.

Phil W

Re: Tandems on Trains
« Reply #82 on: 11 February, 2020, 08:38:32 pm »
Which is rubbish isn't it, as you won't have time to get on and off carriages unless at a terminus before a train leaves.

Kim

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Re: Tandems on Trains
« Reply #83 on: 11 February, 2020, 09:17:57 pm »
Which is rubbish isn't it, as you won't have time to get on and off carriages unless at a terminus before a train leaves.

Normal for most UK trains, thobut.  Sometimes advanced train-spotter knowledge can be employed to give you a clue.

Phil W

Re: Tandems on Trains
« Reply #84 on: 11 February, 2020, 09:59:38 pm »
Which is rubbish isn't it, as you won't have time to get on and off carriages unless at a terminus before a train leaves.

Normal for most UK trains, thobut.  Sometimes advanced train-spotter knowledge can be employed to give you a clue.

Not normal where you need a booking tho but and there should be a free bike space.

Kim

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Re: Tandems on Trains
« Reply #85 on: 11 February, 2020, 10:01:21 pm »
Which is rubbish isn't it, as you won't have time to get on and off carriages unless at a terminus before a train leaves.

Normal for most UK trains, thobut.  Sometimes advanced train-spotter knowledge can be employed to give you a clue.

Not normal where you need a booking tho but and there should be a free bike space.

Have you never used CrossCountry[1]?


[1] I'm probably suffering from a degree of Rolling-stock-holm Syndrome, and consider it inevitable that all long-distance train services will become as shit for cyclists as the CrossCountry Voyagers.

Re: Tandems on Trains
« Reply #86 on: 11 February, 2020, 10:17:10 pm »
The IEP bike slots do have numbers (seat 96-99 IIRC) and even reservation displays*, so it could be done more sensibly, but I’ve never seen a number or coach letter on a bike reservation printout.

(* at ceiling height, because accessibility regs can FRO)

Tim Hall

  • Victoria is my queen
Re: Tandems on Trains
« Reply #87 on: 11 February, 2020, 10:44:57 pm »
Rolling-stock-holm Syndrome
<applause>
There are two ways you can get exercise out of a bicycle: you can
"overhaul" it, or you can ride it.  (Jerome K Jerome)

Phil W

Re: Tandems on Trains
« Reply #88 on: 13 February, 2020, 04:45:36 pm »
Which is rubbish isn't it, as you won't have time to get on and off carriages unless at a terminus before a train leaves.

Normal for most UK trains, thobut.  Sometimes advanced train-spotter knowledge can be employed to give you a clue.

Not normal where you need a booking tho but and there should be a free bike space.

Have you never used CrossCountry[1]?


[1] I'm probably suffering from a degree of Rolling-stock-holm Syndrome, and consider it inevitable that all long-distance train services will become as shit for cyclists as the CrossCountry Voyagers.

I have, just the once for the AUK reunion , didn’t realise they’d split bike provision across multiple carriages as well.

Cudzoziemiec

  • Ride adventurously and stop for a brew.
Re: Tandems on Trains
« Reply #89 on: 13 February, 2020, 05:04:41 pm »
Added to which, IEP bike space provision – and seat provision – is often effectively split across two trains on one service, due to the annoying 2x5 layout.
Riding a concrete path through the nebulous and chaotic future.

Kim

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Re: Tandems on Trains
« Reply #90 on: 13 February, 2020, 05:21:40 pm »
Which is rubbish isn't it, as you won't have time to get on and off carriages unless at a terminus before a train leaves.

Normal for most UK trains, thobut.  Sometimes advanced train-spotter knowledge can be employed to give you a clue.

Not normal where you need a booking tho but and there should be a free bike space.

Have you never used CrossCountry[1]?


[1] I'm probably suffering from a degree of Rolling-stock-holm Syndrome, and consider it inevitable that all long-distance train services will become as shit for cyclists as the CrossCountry Voyagers.

I have, just the once for the AUK reunion , didn’t realise they’d split bike provision across multiple carriages as well.

Only when they couple two sets together.  But the fundamental problem of knowing exactly where to stand on the platform so you can get to the bike space before people fill it with luggage remains.

Kim

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Re: Tandems on Trains
« Reply #91 on: 13 February, 2020, 05:22:39 pm »
Rolling-stock-holm Syndrome
<applause>

I can't take credit for that.  It was someone onna podcast explaining Pacers to leftpondians.

Re: Tandems on Trains
« Reply #92 on: 20 August, 2020, 11:25:35 am »
Here's a couple of photos from our recent experience using Transpennine Express Class 800's.

Newcastle to Liverpool, no problems
IMG_20200816_075126982 by Joe B, on Flickr

Leeds to Newcastle, not so good.
IMG_20200819_185459012 by Joe B, on Flickr

Re: Tandems on Trains
« Reply #93 on: 20 August, 2020, 11:31:52 am »
I've had to stand with my bike (I had reserved a bike space) on a Leeds to Newcastle train because a "lady" wouldn't move from the tip up seat in the bike space to a vacant one.  The problem is that the trains are so rammed (I think that they start at Manchester, probably even the airport) and the conductor doesn't even try to walk down the train.  Did your first train actually start from Newcastle?

Glad you made it along the canal to Leeds!

Peter

Cudzoziemiec

  • Ride adventurously and stop for a brew.
Re: Tandems on Trains
« Reply #94 on: 20 August, 2020, 01:26:45 pm »
The Leeds to Newcastle photo demonstrates two things: It's not only GWR who have messed up the bike cupboards, and (presuming this was recent) some trains are still busy – or else some people are taking a huge amount of luggage.
Riding a concrete path through the nebulous and chaotic future.

Kim

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Re: Tandems on Trains
« Reply #95 on: 20 August, 2020, 07:26:12 pm »
It's not only GWR who have messed up the bike cupboards

No, that was the DFT.

Re: Tandems on Trains
« Reply #96 on: 20 August, 2020, 08:03:08 pm »
The Leeds to Newcastle photo demonstrates two things: It's not only GWR who have messed up the bike cupboards, and (presuming this was recent) some trains are still busy – or else some people are taking a huge amount of luggage.

The train was actually very quiet, all that luggage belongs to one very large family.  They were a decent bunch though.

I've had to stand with my bike (I had reserved a bike space) on a Leeds to Newcastle train because a "lady" wouldn't move from the tip up seat in the bike space to a vacant one.  The problem is that the trains are so rammed (I think that they start at Manchester, probably even the airport) and the conductor doesn't even try to walk down the train.  Did your first train actually start from Newcastle?

Glad you made it along the canal to Leeds!

Peter


We were on a Newcastle/Liverpool train in each of those photos so boarding/alighting in either of those stations is fairly simple. Getting on at Leeds was the problem.

Re: Tandems on Trains
« Reply #97 on: 21 August, 2020, 02:09:26 pm »
OK, Joe.  Maybe I just attract trouble!  (It has been said.....)

bhoot

  • MemSec (ex-Mrs RRtY)
Re: Tandems on Trains
« Reply #98 on: 21 August, 2020, 02:40:11 pm »
Interesting pics. We have couplers in our tandem but in the back part of the frame, rather than in front of the stoker seat tube like these. We haven't actually needed to use them in anger so far (generallly we have travelled by trains that are OK for a fully assembled bike and by ferry which is fine). I suspect we didn't really get them in the best place as we are concerned about damage to the frame if we were to hang the two halves with quite long effectively unsupported tubes sticking out. We need a gallery of split tandem pictures to get ideas!

Re: Tandems on Trains
« Reply #99 on: 21 August, 2020, 03:31:54 pm »
Mine have 2 sets of S&S couplings (total 6 couplings), such that you end up with the front half (which includes the pilot's saddle & stoker handlebars), the rear triangle (includes stoker saddle), and then 3 loose tubes. The result of this is that if in a real bind, you can take the wheels off, produce your handy bin bags and fit everything into 3 bin bags (front half; back section; wheels and random tubes) which suddenly ceases to be a bike and goes in a luggage rack or behind some seats. I've used this to get it on a bus, when even a regular bike wouldn't have got on.

Tkae a look at this website for pros and cons of different coupling positions - http://www.sandsmachine.com/tandem.htm