Friday Night Ride to Somewhere Random 29/10/10 Whitby Weekender

[Aidan]

No trains from Scarborough on Sat, Aidan. All bus replacements.

I think I'd have to take the same option as Jogler. Some of my family might come over to Whitby for the day, but I'm not sure if my bike will fit in the car.

Thanks, looks like  a ride all the way home, or from Pickering maybe, if only so I get a ride on the Puffer train

[Aidan]

I've been talking to folk on the Velo Vision forum, and the word is that the cyclepath surface between Whitby and Scarborough is dreadful in places....

Its never been too good

[mrcharly-YHT]

I think the whitby trains are running - I was confused by the offerings on TransportDirect.

8:52 is running.

If my family aren't driving over, I might grab breakfast and wellie it back to York asap.

[Kim]

I'm thinking steampr0n, but will ride all the way if needs be.  I've done sillier things.

[jogler]

Pickering to York is approx 45km AIUI.
Not knowing a definitive route or the terrain (uppy-bits IYSWIM) is it reasonable to allow 3 hrs for the ride?
I am contemplating which train to catch from York to Derby

[Deano]

Three hours should be more than enough - you're out of the Moors once you get to Pickering, so it's a considerably flatter route to York.

I'll probably ride back to Darlo, unless our lass fancies a day out in Whitby.

[jogler]

Thanks for the second opinion.Looks like the 1825 or 1844 then from York to allow some slack for "latent issues"

[damerell]

I've been talking to folk on the Velo Vision forum, and the word is that the cyclepath surface between Whitby and Scarborough is dreadful in places....

Absolutely abominable. I would not recommend it at all.

One goth weekend I decided to make a definite test. I rode from Scarborough to Whitby on NCN1 on Thursday - fresh, with a tailwind, on railway gradients (it follows the old line to the other Whitby station - curse you, Doctor Beeching). I rode back on the road with a hangover, after a week of debauchery, with a headwind, on... distinctly non-railway gradients.

It was still quicker to ride on the road.

From stuff mentioned upthread - it's worth noting if there are Malton->York trains then Pickering-Malton is 8 miles and dead flat to boot.

[mrcharly-YHT]

From stuff mentioned upthread - it's worth noting if there are Malton->York trains then Pickering-Malton is 8 miles and dead flat to boot.

Doesn't look like it. Don't think there are any trains running between scarborough and york on that day.

[Arch]

Thanks for the second opinion.Looks like the 1825 or 1844 then from York to allow some slack for "latent issues"

It goes without saying that if I'm slowing down by then like I was from Scarborough, people are welcome to speed on ahead.

It would be very jolly to have company on the train and return ride.

[CrinklyLion]

Jogler - you can get a relatively cheap advance fare from Whitby to Derby, changing at Middlesborough and Darlo.  £31 quid, which is only a couple of quid more than the NYM fare to Pickering+the cheapest advance from York to Derby.  It's not fast, but it is probably faster that the steam train!

[Arch]

Jogler - you can get a relatively cheap advance fare from Whitby to Derby, changing at Middlesborough and Darlo.  £31 quid, which is only a couple of quid more than the NYM fare to Pickering+the cheapest advance from York to Derby.  It's not fast, but it is probably faster that the steam train!

It may be faster, but it won't smell of steam and hot engineering oil... Mmmmmmm

 

[jogler]

Jogler - you can get a relatively cheap advance fare from Whitby to Derby, changing at Middlesborough and Darlo.  £31 quid, which is only a couple of quid more than the NYM fare to Pickering+the cheapest advance from York to Derby.  It's not fast, but it is probably faster that the steam train!

Thanks for the info CL.
The novelty of a ride on a steam train is a strong attraction & "fast" is something I have managed to avoid, when riding a bike, for a long time.There's no need to change that particular habit

[damerell]

Jogler - you can get a relatively cheap advance fare from Whitby to Derby, changing at Middlesborough and Darlo.  £31 quid, which is only a couple of quid more than the NYM fare to Pickering+the cheapest advance from York to Derby.  It's not fast, but it is probably faster that the steam train!

I dunno. The ancient diesels that do the Whitby - Middlesborough leg are not appreciably faster than steam over the moors.

[Arch]

Well, I've had a reply from NYMR - it simply says that bicycles or tricycles can be carried, in the guards van, subject to space being available, at a cost of £2. (it looked like a bit of a cut and paste answer to me).  So I guess that's a yes then.  If there are many of us, we just make sure we're at the station early enough to beat any other prospective cycling passengers to the van.

I did ask if I needed to make a reservation, but they haven't said anything specific, so I assume it's ok to just buy a ticket on the day.  I know it's Goth weekend - are Goths likely to be inundating the local steam railway? Or is 'Goth'/'Steam Enthusiast' one of those Venn diagrams with very little overlap?

[damerell]

Well, I've had a reply from NYMR - it simply says that bicycles or tricycles can be carried, in the guards van, subject to space being available, at a cost of £2. (it looked like a bit of a cut and paste answer to me).  So I guess that's a yes then.  If there are many of us, we just make sure we're at the station early enough to beat any other prospective cycling passengers to the van.

The NYMR have old rolling stock. The guard's vans are vast affairs occupying most of a carriage. I would be totally amazed if it was an issue.

I did ask if I needed to make a reservation, but they haven't said anything specific, so I assume it's ok to just buy a ticket on the day.  I know it's Goth weekend - are Goths likely to be inundating the local steam railway? Or is 'Goth'/'Steam Enthusiast' one of those Venn diagrams with very little overlap?

Typically when we go on the NYMR we see half a dozen or so other goth weekenders, so I can't see it being super rammed.

[Arch]

Excellent.  Forgive me if I seem to be over preparing, but I'm a born fretter.

I get it from my Mum.  I didn't tell her about the Scarborough ride until after I'd done it.  I won't mention this one either...  She knows it's daft, but she would just lie awake all night worrying about me.

[Deano]

Nae harm in over-preparing - I'm much more laissez-faire, so I'm pleased to have someone around who complements that!

I'd hope you can all get on one or other of the steam trains, as otherwise I'd be worried about how people are getting back to York.

[Arch]

Nae harm in over-preparing - I'm much more laissez-faire, so I'm pleased to have someone around who complements that!

I'd hope you can all get on one or other of the steam trains, as otherwise I'd be worried about how people are getting back to York.

Well, if the worst came to the worst...

We'll all have bikes with us... 

[TimO]

Well, if the worst came to the worst...

We'll all have bikes with us... 

That's the "if all else fails" approach.  The various alternatives to cycling the entire way back still seem to involve another 30 miles or so of cycling.

I must remember to contact the cattery, since I'll be gone long enough that it would probably be unfair to expect Talisker to tolerate being left to his own amusements for that long (plus he'll need his medication).

[Deano]

I'll probably ride back to Darlo, but I'm planning it with the knowledge that there's a train if I'm knackered, or the weather's shite.

If anyone does feel the need to prove something, I can suggest a route back to York via Chimney Bank

[mrcharly-YHT]

Don't forget the Carlton Bank route.

I have done York - Carlton - York before, with a 4 hour break standing in the pouring rain. It wasn't too bad.

[Deano]

Aye, but from Whitby to York would mean going down Carlton Bank.  Mind you, that's not an especially soft option.

[mrcharly-YHT]

Aye, but from Whitby to York would mean going down Carlton Bank.  Mind you, that's not an especially soft option.

eh?

Carlton Bank - from Carlton on the north side of the moors - goes up onto the moors when heading south.

Maybe I have the name wrong and there is another Carlton Bank.

[Deano]

We probably are talking about the same place - I imagined riding along Eskdale, through Ingleby Greenhow, up Clay Bank and the Bilsdale road to Chop Gate, then going down Carlton Bank and down to York through Thirsk.  If you went around through Great Broughton and up Carlton Bank, you'd be doubling back on yourself.  Either way, it adds about 25 miles to the ride to York, so only a hardened nutter would be going back that way!

This the one?

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