Bromptons need a bag for Eurostar.

[croyde]

I somehow missed that when I booked a ticket for today 2 months ago.

I knew that Bromptons wouldn't be charged extra, unlike a full size bike.

Kind of ruined my little adventure of cycling from Rotterdam Centraal to my Mum's up in Delft for her birthday. Plus having use of my bike whilst over there.

Apparently the Dimpa bag from IKEA would have sufficed but I took the bike out of it back at home when I cycled to my local station this morning

So after lugging the damn thing through the tube network it's now at the Eurostar office until I pick it up next week.

Well that was a pointless exercise and there's a train and bus strike next week in Holland. Ah well, it's only a 10 mile walk.

[Weejus]

Surely just a black refuse bag would have been sufficient, you could have bought one in the train station or got one from the station cleaning crew using some charm. It would have saved a 10 mile walk .??

[RotorRambler]

The Dimpa bags are perfect as you say.
Funny that they are sold as Brompton bags on auction sites, at multiples of the Ikea price!

[croyde]

Weejus said:

Surely just a black refuse bag would have been sufficient, you could have bought one in the train station or got one from the station cleaning crew using some charm. It would have saved a 10 mile walk .??

Was looking but was running out of time. Got through security just as they were boarding the train.

Doubt I'll use the Eurostar again, it was a rammed and uncomfortable journey and with the getting to St Pancras and getting to Delft, I've done it far quicker driving and I can chuck the bike in the back, as well as pick up tons of booze in France on the way back

Letting the train take the strain! What a load of twaddle

How come Michael Portillo gets virtually a carriage to himself whilst I get a fat mum oozing into my space and 2 youths opposite taking up my legroom.

I've been more comfortable on Ryanair.

[DaveyBoyWonder]

Sounds like you got unlucky + school hols? Last time we did it was May half term but whilst it wasn't dead quiet, it wasn't rammed...

[croyde]

DaveyBoyWonder said:

Sounds like you got unlucky + school hols? Last time we did it was May half term but whilst it wasn't dead quiet, it wasn't rammed...

Yeah, it was the first weekend of the summer hols but as I'd booked it months ago I got the return for £89, so I shouldn't really complain

Now having a beer and meatballs in a nice cafe near Rotterdam station before my return journey.

I wonder if the Brompton is still in St Pancras..

[Weejus]

most probably be in lost property, waiting for collection, ha ha ha..
Glad you enjoyed your trip anyway.

[croyde]

Cheers

I got it back and cycled from St Pancras to Waterloo during the rush hour.

The last time I was on 2 wheels in the city I was a motorcycle courier in the early 80s.

I know cycling in London is now popular but I was gobsmacked. There's even dedicated cycle lanes and your own traffic lights, as in Holland.

But in Holland it's all pretty well ordered but this was mayhem, more akin to cities in the Far East.

It was fun in a sort of death defying way

[Sporky]

croyde said:

How come Michael Portillo gets virtually a carriage to himself whilst I get a fat mum oozing into my space and 2 youths opposite taking up my legroom.

I've always booked the single seat.

[The Mad Monk]

RotorRambler said:

The Dimpa bags are perfect as you say.
Funny that they are sold as Brompton bags on auction sites, at multiples of the Ikea price!

For no very good reason, I have just bought 3 Dimpa bags from Amazon.

So, 1 for the Bromp, what to do with the others?

[croyde]

Start renting them out at St Pancras.

[troc]

Yeah, I’d say you were unlucky, we do delft to London in the train a couple of times a year and it’s always been great except the bunfight at St Pancras.

[hidetheelephants]

croyde said:

Well that was a pointless exercise and there's a train and bus strike next week in Holland. Ah well, it's only a 10 mile walk.

Hardly, just hire a bike; fortunately you're in the country that is the easiest place in the world to do that.

[pitchinginaporsche]

croyde said:

Weejus said:

Surely just a black refuse bag would have been sufficient, you could have bought one in the train station or got one from the station cleaning crew using some charm. It would have saved a 10 mile walk .??

Was looking but was running out of time. Got through security just as they were boarding the train.

Doubt I'll use the Eurostar again, it was a rammed and uncomfortable journey and with the getting to St Pancras and getting to Delft, I've done it far quicker driving and I can chuck the bike in the back, as well as pick up tons of booze in France on the way back

Letting the train take the strain! What a load of twaddle

How come Michael Portillo gets virtually a carriage to himself whilst I get a fat mum oozing into my space and 2 youths opposite taking up my legroom.

I've been more comfortable on Ryanair.

I have taken my Brompton on the Eurostar before sans bike bag, but it just depends how busy it is and which member of staff you encounter I suppose. I haven't travelled standard on there for a long time now. Going Standard Prem (less seats/less grotty people /a bit of food and drink) or the Newhaven Ferry are my choices for France travels nowadays.. it really is that bad in standard, particularly in holiday times. Hoping that Eurostar will up their game in general once their monopoly finally ends.. fingers crossed

[benp1]

Out of interest, would a cover have worked? Or do they check it's a bag?

I have a Brompton cover which folds up nicely, and makes it look like a bag, but the bottom is open. You carry the whole package by the seat. I've used it for hotels and places that are funny about having a bike with you

[croyde]

They were saying that it was so the x-ray machine doesn't get damaged.

The guys sorting the queues were telling me to just find a shop open that had big plastic bags, and carry the bike through by the frame.

But it was early and nobody open yet.