Bikes and Trains don't mix

So since I've been unemployed I'm looking for more work. It may come soon, however I'm waiting on an interview to be had on Thursday for an Admin role at the college so watch this space. Yesterday was good fun. Beccy and I went for a cycle around the fylde area, to Inskip then Elgin or something then Roseacre and Wharles. We didn't stop in the pub called the Eagle and Child although I hear it is "interesting". mmm.

I got on the train home and chatted delightfully about not much to the conductor while he checked my ticket and due to a stroke of luck the uber swishy pendolino to Oxenholme in the Lake District pulled in to Preston as I did. So a hop skip and a jump and hopped on, of course querying the whereabouts of the bike rack to the changing staff. "At the front" the new train manager gestured with an added "have you got a reservation".

"No"

"Well where are you going?"

"Lancaster"

"Get on where the driver is"

I legged it down the platform and the new driver gestured to jump aboard, I olbliged willingly, strapped my bike down and found a seat.

My suspicions were arisen by a notice on the door through which I'd entered into the carriage from the bike racks which said "STAFF ONLY". I hesitated momentarily but the driver wouldn't let me throught the door would he?

The door did open and I untied my bike and waited for the train to halt in the station. It did and a beeping noise began to indicate the door was ready to open. I searched around, perhaps the door automatically opened? No there's a button somewhere. Frantically I scanned the area. Nothing. I opened the door into the carriage and shouted "Does anyone know how to open this door!" Nobody looked round. There was only one option, I'd have to go through the carriage.

I hiked the bike on to it's back wheel and ran down the aisle shouting to the passengers to get out of the way. They did so obligingly. I battled with the swishy touch button door and disembarked onto the platform hurriedly as the door beeped shut behind.

"You said Oxenholme!" shouted the train manager from somewhere down the platform.

I proceeded to have a discussion with the platform supervisor. I won't go into further details he told me I shouldn't have been on the train without a reservation. I said "well the train manager let me on". I asked if I could get a reservation on the day and he told me that "it's unlikely because they're all coming back from Glasgow in the Summer". At one point he asked for my ticket, which I couldn't find, and later remembered I had slotted it in my GQ at the point up to which I had read. I fumbled around and found the 1st part of my 2 part return. He pointed out that it was a day return. I had bought it from the booth on friday and had assumed, as it was 1650 that I had been sold an open return. I hastened to the exit and he followed me saying something about I didn't have a valid ticket and I shouldn't have been on the train. Escaping quickly I jumped on my bike and pedalled away!