Had a bit of a scary journey between Bridgeton and Glasgow Central today. There must have been some sort of cycling carry-on happening in Glasgow Green, so tons of people had their bikes with them on the train. I was crushed up against the doors and these two cyclists wouldn't move their bikes away from the door (they ignored my first request even though it was right in their ear). Unbelievable.
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How many bikes can a train legally hold?
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R
RailUK Forums
I don't think there's a legal limit to how many people, or any other item, can be taken on board a train, but if there's a safety issue the guard (or another member of staff, as appropriate) can of course ask people to leave the train. So, I think the answer is likely to be "there isn't one". If you felt there was a safety issue I would have recommended you speak to a member of staff.
First class
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No legal limits are set, but:
dk1
Veteran Member
14 around the disabled toilet/doorway on a 2-car 170 is my personal record on a Sheringham-Norwich service after West Runton.
Travelling on a LM Scud on the 17.45 Plymouth-Exeter SD recently, the guard allowed a total of 10 bikes on board on departure & where joined by 2 more at Ivybridge. These have less bike space than those allocated to Crown Point so was quite an interesting journey on a busy train with a very happy-go-lucky conductor.
Travelling on a LM Scud on the 17.45 Plymouth-Exeter SD recently, the guard allowed a total of 10 bikes on board on departure & where joined by 2 more at Ivybridge. These have less bike space than those allocated to Crown Point so was quite an interesting journey on a busy train with a very happy-go-lucky conductor.
krus_aragon
Established Member
I've only ever been refused permission to take my bike on board once: a FGW London service from Swansea: it already had a full load of six bicycles in coach A when I got there.
A train will hold as many bicycles as it takes the guard to say it's full. Other than that, I guess it's like asking how many people a train can legally hold: it's as many as you can cram on...
A train will hold as many bicycles as it takes the guard to say it's full. Other than that, I guess it's like asking how many people a train can legally hold: it's as many as you can cram on...
dk1
Veteran Member
Mind you 14 was my record on a MU. 25+ is not uncommon in a GEML DVT 
millemille
Member
Er, No....
Each class of passenger carrying rolling stock has type approval for a "crush loading" maximum number of passengers, so that is the legal limit.
A certain TOC in the south forgot this when they were trialling various alternative seating layouts on an EMU and it had to be hurriedly withdrawn from service after it was realised that, whilst the reduced seating arrangement (2+2 vice 3+2) did as intended and gave more floor space resulting in greater passenger capacity, the increased crush loading took the gross vehicle weight to a point where the vehicle was no longer capable of stopping within the RGS defined parameters
DaveNewcastle
Established Member
A train of 30 containers could, at a quick estimate, probably carry about 10,000 bikes.
A passenger train configured for normal service may still be able to hold 50 or so if it has a dedicated goods carrying space without inconvenience to the passenger accomodation. I've certainly seen about 40 in a DVT on the ECML (by prior arrangement, of course, not restricted to the reservable spaces on the 8 racks) and I'm sure more could have been accomodated with a few precautions.
The available space in an HST is of course smaller but (and again I'm disregarding the hooks provided) depending on which design of goods area is provided, I'd expect up to 20 or so should present no problem if secured. The XC HSTs seem to still have the full capacity of the original HST parcels area.
A passenger train configured for normal service may still be able to hold 50 or so if it has a dedicated goods carrying space without inconvenience to the passenger accomodation. I've certainly seen about 40 in a DVT on the ECML (by prior arrangement, of course, not restricted to the reservable spaces on the 8 racks) and I'm sure more could have been accomodated with a few precautions.
The available space in an HST is of course smaller but (and again I'm disregarding the hooks provided) depending on which design of goods area is provided, I'd expect up to 20 or so should present no problem if secured. The XC HSTs seem to still have the full capacity of the original HST parcels area.
merlodlliw
Established Member
Excuse my silly intervention, perhaps a few war babies will know what I am getting at, Rhyl was a garrison town since the first world way to about 1960s
the camp was Kinmel Camp, between St Asaph & Abergele, but then it was different type of bike the soldiers met at Rhyl station, I am sure other garrison towns were the same
Note I said met. The header " How many bikes can a train legally hold" made me smile
the camp was Kinmel Camp, between St Asaph & Abergele, but then it was different type of bike the soldiers met at Rhyl station, I am sure other garrison towns were the same
Note I said met. The header " How many bikes can a train legally hold" made me smile
DaveNewcastle
Established Member
Well, you've made me giggle!
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