I struggled yesterday getting on an LNER at Arbroath (bound for London). It was my hardtail with 2.25 tyres and wide straight handlebars.
The cupboard doors had only been half unlocked and it was virtually impossible to get the front wheel over the hook (already a difficult task) without the pedals or handlebars catching on the half-opened doors.
Certainly no-one else would have been able to put a second bike in there.
On the way north my bike was on the inner hook. Someone had managed to get theirs on the outer hook (the doors were fully open on that journey making things easier), so when I got to my stop I had to take their bike out, rest it in the vestibule (tricky on a moving train), take mine out, rest it in the vestibule (tricky on a moving train especially when there is another bike there already), then put theirs back. AAArgghh.
I could suggest they replace the two hooks with one, make the hook a lot bigger (why the *** is it so small - what possible advantage does that bestow anyway), coat the hook with some rubber-type padding so it doesn't scratch my expensive rims to **** with 6 hours of metal vibrating against metal (there isn't room on the existing hooks to use your own padding) , and open up the other bloody cupboards which I know exist but they seem loathed to use.
