Bristol - London - Brighton - with a bike!

[Cruithne3753]

I'm considering a little excursion to London on Saturday 8th of June, and then to Brighton the next day - with a bike!

Ideally I would have liked to stay in Brighton for the night, but checking online all B&Bs etc seem to be all booked that night so I thought somewhere halfway like Crawley (good idea?) might be a better bet.

Saturday
Morning : Bristol to London - (Good ol' FGW HST, should be plenty of room)
Evening: London to Crawley - Southern or FCC?

Sunday
Morning: Crawley to Brighton - Southern or FCC?
Evening: Brighton to Bristol via Fareham - Southern then FGW (158 probably, should be OK)

How difficult is this likely to be? I'm hoping if I can't get on I can wait for the next train.

 

[thelem]

Most Brighton hotels won't take bookings for Saturday night during the summer - you need to book both Friday and Saturday. You might get a bed in a hostel if you're lucky.

You should be fine on the portions around Brighton (can't comment about the Bristol legs). There are restrictions travelling towards London on weekday mornings and returning in the evening, but nothing at the weekend. On a Southern 377 look for the doors with the red panels - that's the wheelchair area which has space for bikes. I don't think it's marked on a 313, but the bike space is one of the doors in the middle coach. The space varies on FCC 319s depending on the subclass, and some don't have any space. Look in the very end portion of each set.

 

[paul1609]

I'm considering a little excursion to London on Saturday 8th of June, and then to Brighton the next day - with a bike!

Ideally I would have liked to stay in Brighton for the night, but checking online all B&Bs etc seem to be all booked that night so I thought somewhere halfway like Crawley (good idea?) might be a better bet.

Saturday
Morning : Bristol to London - (Good ol' FGW HST, should be plenty of room)
Evening: London to Crawley - Southern or FCC?

Sunday
Morning: Crawley to Brighton - Southern or FCC?
Evening: Brighton to Bristol via Fareham - Southern then FGW (158 probably, should be OK)

How difficult is this likely to be? I'm hoping if I can't get on I can wait for the next train.

Youre unlikely to have a problem on Southern as long as you dont try and travel on the weekday restricted trains. If the cycle spaces are full you can put them in the other coaches door vestibles as long as you stay with the bike. Ive seen 12 cycles get off a weekday arrival at Portsmouth before.

 

[DaveNewcastle]

. . . .
The space varies on FCC 319s depending on the subclass, and some don't have any space. Look in the very end portion of each set.

I've interpreted the lack of provision of dedicated space on these services to imply that the missing element is "dedicated" bike space, and not "any space".

I have asked for clarification from FCC by phone and on the platform at Brighton and have consistently been assured that, subject to the published time restrictions at London stations, those 319's will accommodate bikes near the doors. However, you really should sit very close to the bike so that you can move it promptly if it obstructs the opening door at any station.

 

[zoneking]

You could not, of course, do this journey on the weekend of the main London to Brighton bike ride, which is the following weekend.

 

[PermitToTravel]

If taking the Underground between Paddington and Victoria, you would need to use the Circle line, as you would not be permitted to take a bicycle on the deep sections of the Bakerloo/Victoria lines

You could alternatively cycle between the two termini, if you're not afraid of the gyratories at Marble Arch and Hyde Park Corner

 

[tsr]

Ideally I would have liked to stay in Brighton for the night, but checking online all B&Bs etc seem to be all booked that night so I thought somewhere halfway like Crawley (good idea?) might be a better bet.

If I were you, I'd try to save yourself a change of trains and attempt to book somewhere within a short distance of a station which is properly on the Brighton Mainline.

If taking the Underground between Paddington and Victoria, you would need to use the Circle line, as you would not be permitted to take a bicycle on the deep sections of the Bakerloo/Victoria lines

You could alternatively cycle between the two termini, if you're not afraid of the gyratories at Marble Arch and Hyde Park Corner

The gyratories can be bypassed (I do similar routes by bike pretty regularly) - there are "more unavoidable" roads to fear on that route! I suppose the Circle Line may be simpler, if not more comfortable or even much quicker.

 

[thelem]

If I were you, I'd try to save yourself a change of trains and attempt to book somewhere within a short distance of a station which is properly on the Brighton Mainline.

You're right that using Crawley station adds a change, but you can use Gatwick airport station instead which is also in Crawley.

None of the towns are particularly exciting. If I had to choose one for a night it would probably be Haywards Heath, but your choice of accommodation is probably more important.

 

[tsr]

You're right that using Crawley station adds a change, but you can use Gatwick airport station instead which is also in Crawley.

None of the towns are particularly exciting. If I had to choose one for a night it would probably be Haywards Heath, but your choice of accommodation is probably more important.

Hotels nearer to the airport will probably charge a premium - slight or otherwise - though things are easier with a bike in terms of access to hotels in slightly further parts of the town, of course.

 

[Cruithne3753]

Crawley just caught my eye for historical reasons (The Cure started out there!). Considering somewhere in the vicinity of Three Bridges station, so it's on the route.

 

[61653 HTAFC]

Just a thought. If you want to avoid the Underground or cycling in central London (or if you fancy an adventure!) you could change at Reading for Clapham Junction and services to Brighton/Crawley/Wherever.

 

[oversteer]

You could alternatively cycle between the two termini, if you're not afraid of the gyratories at Marble Arch and Hyde Park Corner

It's quite a pleasant cycle between the two, through Hyde Park and the quieter parts of Knightsbridge; you wouldn't need to go on any main road, except perhaps briefly around Paddington.
15-20 mins?

 

[paul1609]

If I were you, I'd try to save yourself a change of trains and attempt to book somewhere within a short distance of a station which is properly on the Brighton Main line.

Crawley Town Centre is about a mile from Three bridges Station about 10 mins by bike but hotels will be pricey because of the proximity to Gatwick. Somewhere in South London such as Croydon will most likely be much cheaper especially at the weekend.

 

[tsr]

It's quite a pleasant cycle between the two, through Hyde Park and the quieter parts of Knightsbridge; you wouldn't need to go on any main road, except perhaps briefly around Paddington.
15-20 mins?

At fast-ish pace, yes. Leave 30 if the area is unfamiliar or as insurance against obstinate traffic lights at Hyde Park Corner (etc.).

Crawley Town Centre is about a mile from Three bridges Station about 10 mins by bike but hotels will be pricey because of the proximity to Gatwick. Somewhere in South London such as Croydon will most likely be much cheaper especially at the weekend.

Yes, Croydon may be a better bet. It's a bit tricky getting a balance between convenience of the BML and airport hotel pricing! That said, a lot of the hotels really close to Gatwick and its station will be the most expensive.

(And also... I do actually know where Crawley is in relation to its local stations )

 

[cjp]

I'm considering a little excursion to London on Saturday 8th of June, and then to Brighton the next day - with a bike!

Ideally I would have liked to stay in Brighton for the night, but checking online all B&Bs etc seem to be all booked that night so I thought somewhere halfway like Crawley (good idea?) might be a better bet.

Saturday
Morning : Bristol to London - (Good ol' FGW HST, should be plenty of room)
Evening: London to Crawley - Southern or FCC?

Sunday
Morning: Crawley to Brighton - Southern or FCC?
Evening: Brighton to Bristol via Fareham - Southern then FGW (158 probably, should be OK)

How difficult is this likely to be? I'm hoping if I can't get on I can wait for the next train.

You might like to consider booking to say Bristol to Seaford via Brighton.
It seems to be the same price, and opens more possibilites for both travel and overnight break.

 

[Cruithne3753]

Train tickets and B&B at Three Bridges booked... just hope there's room for the bike on the train! Mananaged to reserve a space on the way to London, not sure after then.