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#41
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Booking Bikes on Virgin - Easy
On Thu, 22 Jul 2004 13:05:34 +0100 someone who may be Mike Ellwood
wrote this:- I never liked the sound of the "hanging" arrangements with the new Virgins. In my view these are designed by people who have never used them, except perhaps on a stationary empty train with a mountain bike they borrowed. I imagine that in the back of their mind is a thought process like, we have to do something for these dammed cyclists who we don't want on our trains, otherwise they will make a fuss, so we will get them out of the way as much as possible to make space for real passengers. The real killer is if the bike is loaded and you need to climb stairs :-( Wouldn't be that difficult or expensive to provide ramps to help with this. As stations are modified to provide wheelchair access ramps (or lifts) are provided. In addition lifts which were only for staff use are being opened up to passengers. Birmingham New Street is an example of this. -- David Hansen, Edinburgh | PGP email preferred-key number F566DA0E I will always explain revoked keys, unless the UK government prevents me using the RIP Act 2000. |
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#42
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Booking Bikes on Virgin - Easy
On Thu, 22 Jul 2004 13:05:34 +0100, Mike Ellwood
wrote: Anyway, IME, it's far from bliss, but usually do-able. Barriers make it slightly more of a pain than it need be :-( The real killer is if the bike is loaded and you need to climb stairs :-( Wouldn't be that difficult or expensive to provide ramps to help with this. Many DB stations have a metal "trough" (for want of a better word) on one side of the staircase, in which the wheels can roll while you push your bike up. Neil -- Neil Williams in Milton Keynes, UK To e-mail use neil at the above domain |
#43
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Booking Bikes on Virgin - Easy
"David Hansen" wrote in message ... I never liked the sound of the "hanging" arrangements with the new Virgins. In my view these are designed by people who have never used them, except perhaps on a stationary empty train with a mountain bike they borrowed. I imagine that in the back of their mind is a thought process like, we have to do something for these dammed cyclists who we don't want on our trains, otherwise they will make a fuss, so we will get them out of the way as much as possible to make space for real passengers. Much better than leaving them scraping around on the floor of a DVT. The hanging arrangement is quite convenient and very space-efficient. Perhaps tricky for weak people though. Richard |
#44
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Booking Bikes on Virgin - Easy
On Thu, 22 Jul 2004 23:30:08 GMT someone who may be "Richard"
wrote this:- Much better than leaving them scraping around on the floor of a DVT. DVTs can be fitted with proper stands. The hanging arrangement is quite convenient and very space-efficient. Not that much more space efficient than placing suitable luggage racks above cycle space. Perhaps tricky for weak people though. Bikes are designed to be supported by the wheels. Those with expensive wheels don't like the idea of hanging their expensive bike from an expensive wheel and thinking of the bike then swinging around on a Voyager, crashing into another bike and the side of the coach. For an Identikit cyclist with a cheap mountain bike vertical hanging might be acceptable, for those able to lift their bike up high enough before the train sets off. I doubt if it is safe to try and do this while the train is weaving over the throat of a major station. Neither do I think it is safe to take the bike down while the train is weaving over the throat. Those with removable luggage have to take it off before they hang the bike up, which can be quite a performance. By this time the train will have set off and they are trying to hang their bike up while the train weaves over the station throat. On DVTs with vertical hanging and where cyclists must leave before the train starts this will delay the train. On arrival, after waiting for it to be safe to take down the bike or gaining access to the DVT, those with removable luggage must either re-fit it or make several trips to and from the train. Either way the train may well be delayed. Those with non-removable or semi-removable luggage will need to take everything out before lifting the bike up, if the contents are heavy. This process also needs to be reversed. The train may again be delayed. One cannot hang a Bike Hod from a hook designed for mountain bikes, but they fit easily in sensible bike spaces. Here the 156s have vertical hanging for six bikes. I cannot recall ever seeing a cyclist use this contraption. They sensibly leave their bikes on their wheels. Neither have I heard a cycling organisation praise these contraptions, though they may sometimes not criticise them which is rather different. I stand by what I said about the people who come up with such contraptions. -- David Hansen, Edinburgh | PGP email preferred-key number F566DA0E I will always explain revoked keys, unless the UK government prevents me using the RIP Act 2000. |
#45
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Booking Bikes on Virgin - Easy
Richard wrote:
Much better than leaving them scraping around on the floor of a DVT. The hanging arrangement is quite convenient and very space-efficient. Perhaps tricky for weak people though. Richard Your surname isn't Branson by any chance? I think it is much worse than sitting them on the floor. First, I have been unable to get my mountain bike tyre onto the top hook (too fat - the tyre not me) so it had to hang on the lower hook which was not high enough above the floor. Its virtually impossible to lock it to anything around unless you have a long cable lock so it sits there by the open door at all the stations ready to be stolen. If you can get a seat facing the right way in the carriage to watch it its quasi acceptable but if you are travelling in first at the other end of the train you have to put your faith in human nature. Then because its hanging it swings with the train motion so persistently bangs into the bike next door or the carriage wall. That's presuming you have the strength to lift it up there having taken off any panniers and other bags that get in the way and weight a lot. Tony |
#46
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Booking Bikes on Virgin - Easy
On Thu, 22 Jul 2004, Richard wrote:
Much better than leaving them scraping around on the floor of a DVT. The hanging arrangement is quite convenient and very space-efficient. Perhaps tricky for weak people though. Well, yes ... cycling is well-known for strengthening the LEGS! :-) -- mike at ellwoods org uk |
#47
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Booking Bikes on Virgin - Easy
On Thu, 22 Jul 2004, Neil Williams wrote:
Many DB stations have a metal "trough" (for want of a better word) on one side of the staircase, in which the wheels can roll while you push your bike up. Yes, that's the sort of thing I had in mind ... thought I had seem them in Germany ... thanks for confirming. What I remember more clearly in some stations were the neat little side-of-stairs escalators for ordinary luggage. Very nice. (Cyclists could put their heavy panniers on these and then carry the bike up fairly easily). -- mike at ellwoods org uk |
#48
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Booking Bikes on Virgin - Easy
Jon Senior wrote:
I once travelled in the same carriage as a pair of train guards who (With regard to Virgin) remarked: "Who wants to use a train service that doesn't go all the way?". Jon Well I'm just in the middle of my Virgin journey. No first class seats left when I booked earlier in the week so I got a normal seat reservation. Sat here cramped up for five hours in a seat which has a socket to power my laptop but not enough room to open a laptop up!. Train is packed and many are standing all the way. So for twice the price of doing the same journey by car I have a cramped uncomfortable noisy seat instead of a comfy car seat where I can relax, listen to the radio, stop when I want to have a coffee (no chance here, too crowded in the aisle to get there and they are announcing they have no change in the on-board shop so no payment with notes) This is one of the new Voyager trains so we can't expect the situation to improve with new rolling stock Ah well, never again Tony |
#49
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Booking Bikes on Virgin - Easy
Tony Raven writes:
Jon Senior wrote: I once travelled in the same carriage as a pair of train guards who (With regard to Virgin) remarked: "Who wants to use a train service that doesn't go all the way?". Jon Well I'm just in the middle of my Virgin journey. No first class seats left when I booked earlier in the week so I got a normal seat reservation. Sat here cramped up for five hours in a seat which has a socket to power my laptop but not enough room to open a laptop up!. Train is packed and many are standing all the way. So for twice the price of doing the same journey by car I have a cramped uncomfortable noisy seat instead of a comfy car seat where I can relax, listen to the radio, stop when I want to have a coffee (no chance here, too crowded in the aisle to get there and they are announcing they have no change in the on-board shop so no payment with notes) You can pay by card, of course. IME the coffee's very good. This is one of the new Voyager trains so we can't expect the situation to improve with new rolling stock I heard they were still hoping to lengthen the trains. Ah well, never again Definitely an all round sucky experience, but don't forget it's the first weekend of the school holidays. Actually, light is just dawning that I may not be able to get my bike where I want to go tonight. Let's hope I can. A |
#50
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Booking Bikes on Virgin - Easy
On Fri, 23 Jul 2004 18:53:53 GMT, "Richard"
wrote: Do you not use the retaining strap? Mr. Branson Doesn't stop it being nicked. The best solution for bikes these days is IMO the way fNW went about it on their 150 and 142 refurbs, namely to provide a wide luggage rack (taking the space of about a bay and a half of seating) with an upper level in each coach, or maybe every other coach. This has a "top shelf" for luggage, and a bottom bit with retaining clips for bikes and heavy luggage. This allows two bikes per coach in full view of their owners, plus decent luggage space. However, VT don't have that kind of space to "waste" in the Voyager, and as such I suspect the only reason why there's bike space at all is that passengers are not permitted in the bit at the end of the vehicle due to the top speed being over 100mph, so it had to be used for something. Indeed, ISTR it's meant to be locked out and inaccessible to passengers while in motion, though I'm yet to see one that isn't locked open. Neil -- Neil Williams in Milton Keynes, UK To e-mail use neil at the above domain |
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