Tandem on train - London to Dover

[Zipperhead]

I was thinking of going away for a few days this week with my daughter.

Does anybody know if the trains from London to Dover will take a tandem? We were thinking about getting a ferry to Calais or Boulogne and cycling down to Le Touquet (not very far, but I have to provide most of the pedal power!)

[Jurek]

Officially? No, they won't.
Especially where Southern are concerned. They just Don't Like Bikes.

I do believe, however, that our very own Wowbagger has managed to get his tandem aboard - albeit, that may not have been on the Dover route.

[Butterfly]

It's south eastern. You probably won't have a problem so long as you go when it's really quiet. They have the same sort of units as Southern ones. You can fit it between the doors if you can't get in the official bike space. 

[Zipperhead]

I was thinking of going after the rush hour, and coming back on Saturday afternoon, so hopefulyl alright.

[L CC]

/threadsurrection

We are thinking of bring our tandem back from Dover onna train onna Sunday.

Should we unthink?

[arabella]

scratches head hard
Dover-London you can either get the HS1 and change at Stratford or the slower one and change at London Bridge - short walk/ride to L St

I've never found the goodsvan/cyclespace/whatever on the HS1 so can't recommend
iirc the slower train is the sort with a long thin space next to the large loo/babychange, so would fit a tandem  (like the Ipswich-London ones)
I don't recall Dover ever being overrun with staff onna sunday to say no to you.  you may have to drag tandem over the footbridge though if it doesn't fit in the lift.

[Toady]

iirc the slower train is the sort with a long thin space next to the large loo/babychange, so would fit a tandem  (like the Ipswich-London ones)

Yes, you do rc.

 I got a train from Dover recently on a Saturday and it was one of these.  Can't remember the terminus, I got off before that.

[Kim]

I've never found the goodsvan/cyclespace/whatever on the HS1 so can't recommend

It's (invariably) at the other end of the train.  Carriage with lots of pairs of general-purpose foldy seats: wheelchairs, buggies, bikes, etc, for the stowing of.  Unfortunately, while space is abundant, the combination of grab rail spacing and general lack of things to secure bikes to renders it mildly annoying with a SWB recumbent.  An upright tandem is going to be more annoying, and will be limited to the bit opposite the toilet door, if it fits at all.