How to manage getting panniers and trike on train prior to start of a tour?

[Binka]

I'm wanting to do the Hadrians cycle way this year on my Ice trike, which folds up nicely so should be allowed on a Northern train ok.  I'm planning on leaving my car in Newcastle and getting a train to Ravenglass.  I am going to have to somehow (and in my own) get my trike and all my gear on the train at Newcastle, off the train at Carlisle and then onto another train.

I'm going to camp so will have my backpacking tent, sleeping bag and air mat plus clothes, some bike tools.  Now I do minimal quite well so can pack light from a clothes point of view.  Lightweight waterproofs, fleece, micro towel, spare undies, couple of tops, gloves, t shirt and leggings to sleep in......think that's about all I will need.

I currently have from a pannier point of view the really small Ice racer bags which I think are 2x 12.5 ltrs.  But even with minimal clothing I can't fit everything in my bags.  Ive also got some normal Ortlieb style panniers and my trike has a rack on it so I can add a pannier on the rack.  Which is a shame because from a balance and wind resistance pov I would have preferred not to.

ive never had my tent and sleeping bag and Mat on the bike before but should be able to get my sleeping bag in tne pannier and then lash the tent and Mat to the top of the rack.

But at the train statio how do I carry my double racer bags (can probably sling over a shoulder), a pannier bag, tent and mat, recumbent seat and drag the trike along???   

Some ideas ive had so far is get a massive ikea bag and see if I can ram everything in there then I would just have that, recumbent seat and the trike and I can chuck the ikea bag away at Ravenglass.  Other idea is to use a fairly big (55ltr) rucksack to put stuff in and then I can either post the rucksack home or keep the tent in the rucksack and lash it to the top of the rack.

Other option is to buy some expensive banana racing bags which would do away with the need for the pannier but at about £220 they're pricey for something I might not need again.  But then I might get the touring bug and get lots of use out of them.   .

Even if I had one bag, a trike and the seat do you  think it's manageable?

And any general advice about trikes being allowed on trains gratefully received!  I'm a bit nervous they might not let me on but their t&c says two cycles per train and unlimited folding cycles.

[Kim]

Tricycles aren't usually allowed on trains (though Northern don't seem to have an official policy:  http://www.atob.org.uk/bike-rail/uk-bike-rail-restrictions/), which means you need to dismantle the trike and put it in a bag, so it becomes Luggage.  Which leaves you with a heavy amorphous blob of trike that's a two-person lift for any kind of distance, plus all your touring luggage.  Then you need to reassemble the trike and do something with the bike bag at the other end.

Basically, unless you're hoping to rely on luck, it's ride the whole way, or use a car.

[Binka]

Poo, that doesn't sound very good.  I Was hoping if I fold it before I enter the train station they just might not realise it's a trike???  Do you think trikes not been allowed on is the same for folding trikes?  I can understand a non folded trike not being allowed on.

[Kim]

It's all about the attitude test, unfortunately.  After a couple of disasters, barakta and I have given up trying to get her ICE trike on trains.  (We have the additional problem that she can't lift things because of her disabilities, so it comes down to me to load and unload her trike, my bike and nearly all the luggage.  The whole thing is too risky for us.)

The ICE fold doesn't comply with the conditions of carriage's 30x70x90cm luggage size limit, so you'd have to take the wheels off and shorten the boom anyway, at which point you might as well bag it.

[Binka]

I live near to Hull.  Maybe I would be better off just getting a ferry over to Holland and touring over there.  Shame, I really quite fancied a Coast to Coast.  Thanks.

[CrinklyLion]

Northern are splendidly pragmatic about bikes thobut.  It'll likely be a bus on rails, they sometimes have humungous and very easy bike spaces and sometimes it's a bit fiddlier.

[Binka]

Ive just emailed Northern with a photo of my folded up trike.  So will see what they say.  If they say yes I will print the email off and take it with me.  If they say no I think I will have to make my own circular tour up.  Ive heard that Northern are quite good, Virgin are a definite no supposedly for trikes.  Which is why I wasn't going to attempt the main East Coast line up to Newcastle.

[mcshroom]

If you are lucky there's occasionally trains that run straight through from Newcastle to Ravenglass. Otherwise there's a buggy that runs around Carlisle that might be able to help, or you're likely to have a long enough connection to move your stuff in a few goes.

The train on the Carlisle-Ravenglass leg is likely to be either a sprinter or a Loco hauled service (which has a massive guard's van), though if you are unlucky you'll get a pacer railbus on both legs

[Binka]

Hubby has had a good idea which might work.

Get to Whitehaven early morning one day having booked a b&b for that night picking one which says secure bike storage.  Leave trike and bags.  Drive to Newcastle and leave the car.  Get train back to Whitehaven and spend the night at b&b.  Set off the next day with trike and all my gear.  Car will be waiting at the far end.  Bit of a faff but should work.

[Deano]

Ah, the foxes-chicken-grain solution...

How about looking at one of the companies running support for coast-to-coasts and seeing if they can help out? You could hop onto one of their regular runs. I'm aware of the Sherpa Van Co, there must be others:

http://www.sherpavan.com/baggage/newbagsrc.asp

[Binka]

Thanks Deano.  I had no idea that there were organisations that would move your bike.  Ive emailed a few now asking if they can do a trike.

[Pedaldog.]

Binka.
Cycleman is the one to ask about trikes and public transport. Shove a pm to him and he'll be worth asking.

[cycleman]

I take my trice by train taken in a bag. I never ask the train company if I can travel as they usually say no but the station staff are usually helpful. This may be because I am disabled however. I have used national express coach's in a similar way but I nearly got stranded in Lancaster once when the caoch turned up with not enough hold space for the trice. So it is possible to use public transport but you can not rely on this. 

[Phil W]

You could try these guys as well. They use mini buses and sprinter vans so no reason why not.

http://www.600600.co.uk/bike-transport/