# Tandem on train from Brighton



## swansonj (7 May 2016)

Does anyone have experience of getting a tandem on a train from Brighton headed London-wards (actually Merstham or Redhill)? This would be on a Saturday, and I'd have my daughter with me, which is why I'd rather know what the chances are in advance. @srw/@rvw, i'm sure you must have done it after a Friday?


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## srw (7 May 2016)

swansonj said:


> Does anyone have experience of getting a tandem on a train from Brighton headed London-wards (actually Merstham or Redhill)? This would be on a Saturday, and I'd have my daughter with me, which is why I'd rather know what the chances are in advance. @srw/@rvw, i'm sure you must have done it after a Friday?


I believe we have. IIRC, there was no problem at all.

Having said that, I can't actually remember. We've done at least one Brighton ride on the tandem, and I don't _think _we even had to offer to dismantle it. But since arriving at Victoria would have meant riding up to Marylebone, and I don't remember having to blag our past the barriers there I could well be wrong.

The locals (@User13710 or @User or @rich p) might know better.


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## Tim Hall (8 May 2016)

Easy peasy, IME. Rock up, armed with MkI winning smile and in plenty of time, so as you can bag a space before all the other Bloody Cyclists.


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## growingvegetables (8 May 2016)

Depends on theor cycle-carriage policies? Northern Rail have a strict - "2 bikes only per train, no tandems". And joyfully ignore it. I've had (at different times!) 4 bikes, a tandem and a bloddy great trike on a train. And seen a pennyfarthing carried in the disabled space.

+1 for @Tim Hall's winning smile stragegy . (Just don't try it on Virgin!)


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## swansonj (12 Jun 2016)

Well, I can now confirm that it is possible to get a tandem on a train out of Brighton on a busy Saturday afternoon. (It was a sponsored charity cycle in aid of our daughter's school in Brighton, so we rocked up with her and me on the tandem and my wife on a solo, all having ridden down from the outskirts of London and therefore not relishing any prospect of cycling back as well.)

In the event no-one challenged us but we deployed a variant of the @Tim Hall technique anyway - my wife went and asked someone official very nicely. Apparently he was so impressed by a cyclist (a) asking and (b) being polite that he became an instant convert to our cause.


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## steveindenmark (12 Jun 2016)

I find that approach works in any country :O)


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