A grand day out

[sojournermike]

Saw this and thought some here might appreciate

https://player.bfi.org.uk/free/film/watch-cyclists-special-1956-online

[Peter]

Thanks Mike!  A lovely film, if a little depressing - considering how you have to fight just to get your bike on a train now, even with a reservation!  Blissful traffic-free riding, too.

Thanks again.

Peter

[Kim]

I've seen that a few times before, but this time I watched it all the way through and looked beyond the obvious bikes-on-trains aspect.  Fascinating seeing familiar roads with almost no motor vehicles on them.

[Paul]

52 seconds in: Jens Voight!

Whole of the rest of the film: what cars?

[yoav]

I have this on DVD somewhere. I love the clothes. There's even someone in a shirt and tie. So much more authentic than the current fashion for tweed.

[bobb]

I've seen that a few times before, but this time I watched it all the way through and looked beyond the obvious bikes-on-trains aspect.  Fascinating seeing familiar roads with almost no motor vehicles on them.

I too have wathed this a few times before. Wonderful film.

Perhaps we could arrange a YACF reenactment of it?! I'm sure people familiar with the area in question could come up with a route...

[sojournermike]

I've seen that a few times before, but this time I watched it all the way through and looked beyond the obvious bikes-on-trains aspect.  Fascinating seeing familiar roads with almost no motor vehicles on them.

I too have wathed this a few times before. Wonderful film.

Perhaps we could arrange a YACF reenactment of it?! I'm sure people familiar with the area in question could come up with a route...

And clothes?

[Kim]

Excellent idea.  Orange cardboard might be a bit tricky, thobut.

[Polar Bear]

Those Rugby and surrouning area roads are our bread and butter.  A route will be a piece of cake. Might even get a cake stop in!  Perhaps a ride to coincide with the YACF 10th anniversary?

[LittleWheelsandBig]

I thought the first Cyclists' Special was in 1955, not 1956. I was one of the few who rode the Veteran-Cyclist Club's 50th anniversary Cyclists' Special ride in 2005.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=kP1KxPjh4RM suggests it was in 1955 too.

The V-CC ride used few of the original roads, because of increased traffic volumes. Because the West Coast Main Line was being upgraded, the trains weren't working that weekend. I rode to the Rugby start and afterwards could only get a train to Lichfield, instead of Tamworth. Most of the riders had to drive to the start or get the train from London the previous day. That Cyclists' Special ride involved virtually no trains at all!

[Kim]

I thought the first Cyclists' Special was in 1955, not 1956.

Perhaps a discrepancy between the ride taking place and the film being released?

[Paul]

Excellent idea.  Orange cardboard might be a bit tricky, thobut.

Not as tricky as the train bit.

[Cudzoziemiec]

What did train tickets look like in 1955 anyway? I'm sure they weren't orange. I remember the long, red and white ones but what came before that I do not know.

[yoav]

Little rectangles of cardboard, often green, I think but then I'm not old enough to remember either.