Had an interesting bike (train) trip on Melbourne Cup week-end. My wife and I decided that the kids were old enough for a biking adventure and so it was that we arranged to spend the weekend riding the Murray to Mountains rail trail from Wangaratta, staying in Beechworth for 2 nights and then back to ****. We wanted this to be a car free holiday so we planned to ride to nearest station (Blackburn) catch train to Southern Cross, hop on V-Line train to **** and then the reverse on the way home. We did ultimately manage to complete the trip as planned, and our kids (12, 10, 7 and 4) can boast, especially the 7 year old, of completing 100 km's by bike for the trip.
The trip almost finished before it started due to some train problems we had at Southern Cross. As the train pulled into the station, we occupied the last 2 doorways. I was in one doorway with my bike and heavily-laden trailer. My wife and the kids were at the other. As we were getting off, the doors closed on the wheel of my trailer and I had to drop my bike, force the doors open and then heave the trailer/bike onto the platform. As I was doing this, the train started to pull away from the platform. I then look up to see the train departing with my 10 year old daughter's bike stuck in the rear doors. When the doors closed, they had closed on my daughters bike, with her trapped inside the train, and the rest of us on the platform. My wife managed to get the doors open enough for her to get out, but not the bike. My daughter fell to the ground hurting her knee in the process, and we then all watched as the train departed, smashing her bike against the fence at the end of the platform. Trip barely started, 1 bike down and its early Sunday morning. The bike was stuffed, and after much stuffing around in ****, finally bought a K-Mart bike (do not try truing the wheels of these junk bikes!). Bike wise, the rest of the trip went off without too many hitches (the 4 year old managed 12 k's on his 16" bike for the w/e- 6 k's out of ****, and 6 on the return). Despite the return train being cancelled, us having to squeeze 6 bikes + smashed bike and trailer onto replacement bus, then 4 year old vomiting everywhere over, him, me bus seats, floor) things worked out pretty well. Connex now in possession of very angry letter asking how a train can leave the platform in this state, with someone trapped onboard and bikes stuck in 2 doors. Very much looking forward to their response.
Pat
The trip almost finished before it started due to some train problems we had at Southern Cross. As the train pulled into the station, we occupied the last 2 doorways. I was in one doorway with my bike and heavily-laden trailer. My wife and the kids were at the other. As we were getting off, the doors closed on the wheel of my trailer and I had to drop my bike, force the doors open and then heave the trailer/bike onto the platform. As I was doing this, the train started to pull away from the platform. I then look up to see the train departing with my 10 year old daughter's bike stuck in the rear doors. When the doors closed, they had closed on my daughters bike, with her trapped inside the train, and the rest of us on the platform. My wife managed to get the doors open enough for her to get out, but not the bike. My daughter fell to the ground hurting her knee in the process, and we then all watched as the train departed, smashing her bike against the fence at the end of the platform. Trip barely started, 1 bike down and its early Sunday morning. The bike was stuffed, and after much stuffing around in ****, finally bought a K-Mart bike (do not try truing the wheels of these junk bikes!). Bike wise, the rest of the trip went off without too many hitches (the 4 year old managed 12 k's on his 16" bike for the w/e- 6 k's out of ****, and 6 on the return). Despite the return train being cancelled, us having to squeeze 6 bikes + smashed bike and trailer onto replacement bus, then 4 year old vomiting everywhere over, him, me bus seats, floor) things worked out pretty well. Connex now in possession of very angry letter asking how a train can leave the platform in this state, with someone trapped onboard and bikes stuck in 2 doors. Very much looking forward to their response.
Pat