How do Bicycle reservations work?

[DaveNewcastle]

Most TOCs insist on a reservation if a pass. wants to take a bike, or as FSR states rather vaguely : only "on long distance services").
Following from Macstaylor's thread about the methodology of the seat reservation system, I'm curious to know if there really is a system which correctly allocates the available bike racks/hooks?

Things that puzzle me include:-
I've never had my reservation ticket checked; If a XC service conists of 2 coupled voyagers then that's 4 cars with bike hooks, (but who would know which car/s have the free spaces?); when I have arrived at a NXEC DVT to collect my bike, the guard has NEVER been aware that I/it would be leaving; XC bike reservation tickets print dots for the Coach and seat number, NXEC's show coach "P" and a seat number! ; seems to me that I could easily put a bike on a train at one station and have someone else collect it at another (without there being a passenger) if the platforms were not barriered.

If I can't be bothered to reserve (or, as is more likely for me, if I just turn up and go on the next service), I can't see that I would ever have caused a problem so far, but I do appreciate that there will be services with no bike space available, and THEN I might have to show my reservation.
Maybe I have it lucky with the vast empty space available in a 225's DVT, but I would like to understand how the reservation system works, please.

 

[FusionRail]

With EMT we just chuck our bikes in the vestibule or behind driver compartment.

 

[rail-britain]

Most TOCs insist on a reservation if a pass. wants to take a bike, or as FSR states rather vaguely : only "on long distance services"

Reservations are required on ALL routes, except most wholly within the SPT area
That might be a better way to word it!

Staff would only check reservations if more bikes turn up than expected
However, if someone has already loaded one on and didn't have a reservation, then that could be fun!

 

[FusionRail]

Cycling by Train in 2008:

A list of TOCS, and whether reservation is required, for future reference!

• Trenau Arriva Cymru: "Reservations Recommended/Not Required"
• c2c: "Not Required"
• Chiltern Railways: "Not Required"
• XC: "Compulsory on most services."
• EMTM: "Compulsory" (Since when?)
• EMTC: "Not Required"
• FCC: "Not Required"
• Worst Late Western: "Compulsory Weekdays"
• First JockRail: "Compulsory on some routes"
• FTPE: "Recommended"
• GatEx: "Not Required"
• Heathrow Connect: "Not Required"
• Hell Trains: "Compulsory"
• Island Line: "Not Required"
• London Midland: "Restrictions apply"
• LOL: "Not Required"
• Merseyrail:"Not Required"
• NATEX EC: "Compulsory"
• NATEX EA: "Compulsory on some services"
• Northerners: ""Not Required"
• Southeastern: "Not Required"
• Southern (Ohh Arr): "Not Required"
• SWT: "Not Required"
• Stansted Express: "Only folded/ready-for-air packed"
• Virgin Trains: "Compulsory"

 

[jopsuk]

Only times I've used a bike reservation, it's been on single-voyageers, and I've had a seat in the car with the bike rack- I think the ticket portion I was supposed to leave on the bike had my seat number on it? Hazy.

First time I used one, actually, I hit the worst possible situation- emergancy Rail Replacement. I was travelling from a a summer job down south to (then) home in Scotland, on the Bournemouth-Edinburgh direct.

Luckily, the coach driver was compliant, and agreed to break their rules.

 

[paul1609]

On the recent Whitby to Scarborough meet. I had reservations from Kings X to Scarborough and from Malton to Kings Cross. The cycle reservation tickets actually tell you where the stowage area is A for an HST and I think N for a class 91 set.
I was asked if i had a reservation by NXEC staff in both directions

 

[TheSlash]

seems to me that I could easily put a bike on a train at one station and have someone else collect it at another (without there being a passenger) if the platforms were not barriered.

Only if you want to risk a bomb scare

 

[eezypeazy]

Here in the North East, I've only needed a bike reservation when travelling on XC and GNER/NExEC services. On NEx, the "system" appears to inform station dispatch staff that there are bikes to be loaded/unloaded from the relevant part of the HST/electric stock.

 

[Mojo]

I saw someone on a CrossCountry service the other day with a bike reservation. The top of the coupon was marked "LEAVE ATTACHED TO CYCLE" (or something like that).

 

[yorkie]

On one extreme you have the likes of Northern who are just "first come, first served". At the other extreme, NXEC demand reservations - but you can book them up to the minute the train departs (time to get from the ticket office to the platform permitting, of course!).

In between you have the likes of TPE who do allow advance reservations, but the reservation system then closes the night before and if space is available it's a "first come, first served" basis, in reality you can only book 2 bikes on TPE but last time we booked 2 bikes on, we put 3 on and someone else turned up with a 4th and all were able to fit.

 

[rail-britain]

I saw someone on a CrossCountry service the other day with a bike reservation. The top of the coupon was marked "LEAVE ATTACHED TO CYCLE" (or something like that).

Why does this give me visions of the station and train staff squabbling and arguing over some method of attaching the ticket to the bike, unable to find any sellotape, and so cancelling the service so as to avoid having to pay out compensation!

 

[DaveNewcastle]

Why am I cynical and still thinking that there isn't REALLY a system operating which "knows" what stock will be on each service and therefore how many bike racks/hooks there will be, and which keeps track of which bicycle spaces have been reserved for each part of the journey?

On NEx, the "system" appears to inform station dispatch staff that there are bikes to be loaded/unloaded from the relevant part of the HST/electric stock.

Maybe dispatchers are informed about bikes (as they are about wheelchairs), but I have NEVER seen evidence that train staff are informed.
And if we can book right up to departure time, does it really refuse the reservation if all the spaces are already booked for a part of the journey?

Here's a good example of it working badly if there IS a system: I got a seat reservation at the completely opposite end of a NXEC Cl91 from the DVT where my bike was booked to travel, which meant that I would walk down the full length of the train before finding the guard with the key to the DVT. By the time I got there, he was well ready to despatch the train and had no idea that I would then be wanting him to open up!

 

[devon_metro]

• Worst Late Western: "Compulsory Weekdays"

I asume you refer to FGW, That is not the case - only peak hour services require a bike reservation and with 2 powercars and a TGS worth of space on High Speed trains there is ample room for about 15 bikes.

 

[yorkie]

And if we can book right up to departure time, does it really refuse the reservation if all the spaces are already booked for a part of the journey?

Yes it does

Here's a good example of it working badly if there IS a system: I got a seat reservation at the completely opposite end of a NXEC Cl91 from the DVT where my bike was booked to travel, which meant that I would walk down the full length of the train before finding the guard with the key to the DVT. By the time I got there, he was well ready to despatch the train and had no idea that I would then be wanting him to open up!

How did you book? On a HST book the quiet coach, on a 91 specify to be near the restaurant. It may have been a set-swap that caused the chaos as they are at opposite ends on the respective stock.

There's no way I'd walk down the length of the train at the station stop!!! I'd walk through - at least to the buffet - before the stop, and very possibly walk through FC (depending on how practical that was).

 

[DaveNewcastle]

Yes it does

Well, it must be a proper reservation system after all!
Is it the same system for all the TOCs that accept reservations?

How did you book?

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I'd booked the seat online first, then added the bike at the station on the day.

It may have been a set-swap that caused the chaos as they are at opposite ends on the respective stock.

Nope, it was the last Glasgow (17:50) - KGX of the day, which is always a Cl91 (a "regular" of mine).

But I must be honest - I knew I was pushing the system - I wanted to see what it would do:- I was travelling EDB - NCL where the dwell times are not long. If I waited at the DVT stop at EDB and promptly strapped the bike in securely, would there still be time to walk along the platform to the opposite end where my booked seat was? and at NCL, if I wasn't the first out from my booked coach, would there still be time to walk up to the DVT?
Well if I was a less savvy pass. then probs not!

Interestingly, different parrts of the NR website give different advice re bikes on NXEC - one says bookings are fine right up to departure time (which is consistent with my view that on-board staff would NOT be informed) and another says bookings must be made at least 24 hrs B4.

So I'm still not persuaded that the bike reservation system is sophisticated enough for some situations.

 

[Mojo]

I asume you refer to FGW, That is not the case - only peak hour services require a bike reservation and with 2 powercars and a TGS worth of space on High Speed trains there is ample room for about 15 bikes.

Also local services operate as "first come first served" all day (even in peaks).

 

[yorkie]

Well, it must be a proper reservation system after all!
Is it the same system for all the TOCs that accept reservations?

There is a national reservation system. But different TOCs have different rules on when the reservations close. Some trains are non-reservable and that includes bikes.

I'd booked the seat online first, then added the bike at the station on the day.

Well they're completely seperate then!

But I must be honest - I knew I was pushing the system - I wanted to see what it would do:- I was travelling EDB - NCL where the dwell times are not long. If I waited at the DVT stop at EDB and promptly strapped the bike in securely, would there still be time to walk along the platform to the opposite end where my booked seat was?

Probably not! Walk through the train instead is my advice.

and at NCL, if I wasn't the first out from my booked coach, would there still be time to walk up to the DVT?

I really don't recommend that.

Interestingly, different parrts of the NR website give different advice re bikes on NXEC - one says bookings are fine right up to departure time (which is consistent with my view that on-board staff would NOT be informed) and another says bookings must be made at least 24 hrs B4.

Up to departure is correct.

BTW, are you interested in cycling former railway lines in the North? We did a trop to Whitby a while back and have more planned - possibly in the Newcastle/Durham area.

 

[DaveNewcastle]

There is a national reservation system. But different TOCs have different rules on when the reservations close.

Thanks for explaining that !

I'm still curious though about a) how accurate its info is on the no of bike spaces (eg if a service is made up of 1 or 2 Voyager sets) and b) if and how train crew can be informed of these reservations (incl at which stops to unlock the DVT on a Cl91) c) What are train crew expected to do when a pass with bike reservation finds that no spaces remain? And what can the pass do (eg if its on the last service of the day by that TOC and they have a TOC specific ticket?)

BTW, are you interested in cycling former railway lines in the North? We did a trop to Whitby a while back and have more planned - possibly in the Newcastle/Durham area.

Great idea! There's some interesting routes and impressive bridges. Just need better weather!

 

[yorkie]

... What are train crew expected to do when a pass with bike reservation finds that no spaces remain?..

Just put it anywhere it will go! for example on NXEC once the TGS was full of luggage so I got to put it in the power car.