Audax by train from London

[TigaSefi]

Argh, an unfortunate side effect is that i can see that Steam Ride LOL and Kent Invicta Grimpeur 100 is on the same day! 

Brilliant effort!

[Arry-R]

However many dozen bikes do trains take these days?
 

[inappropriate_bike]

However many dozen bikes do trains take these days?
 

Some companies are strict (Virgin especially) but some are great. I've been on a Southwest train from Dorking (box hill) that was loaded down with enough dentist's pinarellos to equal the gdp of a small African country.

At 5 am very few train operators are going to go out of their way to be award.

[Revellinho]

For the Lakes audaxes in May, you get to sleep on a gym mat for free and I feed you to some extent (might even chuck in a bit of whisky).  Train up from Euston on Friday evening, train back on Sunday morning.  The events cost £6 for the 2 nights, but the train ticket will cost over £100 

It's good riding up here, but not that good!

[Ivo]

For the Lakes audaxes in May, you get to sleep on a gym mat for free and I feed you to some extent (might even chuck in a bit of whisky).  Train up from Euston on Friday evening, train back on Sunday morning.  The events cost £6 for the 2 nights, but the train ticket will cost over £100 

It's good riding up here, but not that good!

That's why I suggested throwing in a few continental rides within easy reach of the Eurostar. That might in the end be cheaper.

[inappropriate_bike]

For the Lakes audaxes in May, you get to sleep on a gym mat for free and I feed you to some extent (might even chuck in a bit of whisky).  Train up from Euston on Friday evening, train back on Sunday morning.  The events cost £6 for the 2 nights, but the train ticket will cost over £100 

You forget that all us lunnoners are so loaded down with cash that we don't carry anything smaller than £500 notes. Makes it a real bugger buying things in shops in the "regions" doncha know.

(In all seriousness, £100 for a train ticket now and then is a lot cheaper than owning a car. When I extend the list to May I'll include a note about your event. Where I've had time I've added info about trains the night before to other events as well.)

[Ningishzidda]

For the Lakes audaxes in May, you get to sleep on a gym mat for free and I feed you to some extent (might even chuck in a bit of whisky).  Train up from Euston on Friday evening, train back on Sunday morning.  The events cost £6 for the 2 nights, but the train ticket will cost over £100 

You forget that all us lunnoners are so loaded down with cash that we don't carry anything smaller than £500 notes. Makes it a real bugger buying things in shops in the "regions" doncha know.

(In all seriousness, £100 for a train ticket now and then is a lot cheaper than owning a car. When I extend the list to May I'll include a note about your event. Where I've had time I've added info about trains the night before to other events as well.)

The smog in England’s capital city is so contaminated with hallucinogens that this poor soul is seeing two ‘0’s after the ‘5’ on his banknote.

A breath of fresh air will do him good.

[Exit Stage Left]

It's surprising that Londoners don't organise their own rides starting from airports. Inverness would be a start.

[Marmitegeoff]

At Geoff's, you have to launch yourself and your bike off the train, over the fence and land safely in the car park.

Geoff never get's his welcome and caution alert speech off in one go. A train interupts as it rattles past. We look round for latecomers landing.

https://yacf.co.uk/forum/Smileys/classic/thumbsup.gif

[TrevA]

Bolsover (Colourful Clumber 31 Oct) is a bit of a slog from Nottingham station. I would have thought that Chesterfield was much closer (or one of the stations on the Robin Hood line - Shirebrook?)

[inappropriate_bike]

Bolsover (Colourful Clumber 31 Oct) is a bit of a slog from Nottingham station. I would have thought that Chesterfield was much closer (or one of the stations on the Robin Hood line - Shirebrook?)

Thanks - updated. I think your route makes it possible to get there on time 

[inappropriate_bike]

I need to update this for 2016/17 but I'm not quite sure when I'll get the time.

I suspect most of the results would be the same as last year.

In the mean time, any feedback on bike travel from London would be extremely welcome.

Mine is:

France / Brittany Ferries
The train from Waterloo to Portsmouth + Ferry to St Malo is fantastic. Get on first, get off first - 15 minutes from docking to exploring. Arriving an hour before the ferry departs is plenty.
Bike storage on-board is variable, but mostly seems to be fine - no damage to my bike. Be prepared to strip your bike of valuables quickly after boarding. You also need to reassemble everything in about 10 minutes if you want to get off first.

West / GWR main line

If you have aero-bars fitted your bike may not fit in the bike rack. Retract them as far as possible before getting on the train. The wheel slots into the rack, so anything sticking out the front too far is a problem.
Take your own bungee strap to hold the bike in place as most of theirs are broken.

Wales / Arriva Trains Wales

Why offer bike reservations on trains with no bike spaces?  Be prepared to hold onto your bike in a doorway for two and a half hours as your train crawls across Wales at walking pace. But cycling in Wales is worth the effort of getting there.

[LiamFitz]

As an organiser, I am always happy to hang around for a bit of people tell me they will arrive a wee bit after the event starts.  Most of my events have had a couple of stragglers.  They don't get extra time though.

It's all about communication.  Entrants can ask and, provided the request is reasonable, will often get the nod through.  Organisers rarely seek to put barriers in the way of people doing rides.  Many think through logistics like can people get to the start by train.  But it is one of many considerations.

+1

[Bairn Again]

The Auld Alliance 400km (not on the AUK calendar yet) starts from Corstorphine in West Edinburgh at 21.00 on Friday 2nd June 2017.

*Just about* reachable from London by train (lovely journey on the East Coast)   

[Phil W]

The Auld Alliance 400km (not on the AUK calendar yet) starts from Corstorphine in West Edinburgh at 21.00 on Friday 2nd June 2017.

*Just about* reachable from London by train (lovely journey on the East Coast)

Not as daft as it sounds and you can get direct trains with free wifi for a relaxing trip up and down.

[Frank9755]

I've done it before and would recommend it.  Best to err on the cautious side with booking your return train time.

[aidan.f]

It's surprising that Londoners don't organise their own rides starting from airports. Inverness would be a start.

Our SR series: start@Kirkley is a 20 minute bimble from Newcastle Airport. Not far from Newcastle Central Station either.

[Frank9755]

I've done that too and it also works well!

[Deano]

The Peculier Old 200 starts about two miles from Darlo station, has a Travelodge next door, and the last train back is 19.33 on Saturday, which is plenty of time to have a relaxed ride around and still catch the train...

http://www.aukweb.net/events/detail/16-352/

[fuaran]

You could get the sleeper from London to Newtonmore, arriving in time for the start of the audax at 0800. Then you have about 13 hours to get around, before getting the train back.

[jsabine]

The Auld Alliance 400km (not on the AUK calendar yet) starts from Corstorphine in West Edinburgh at 21.00 on Friday 2nd June 2017.

*Just about* reachable from London by train (lovely journey on the East Coast)

Not as daft as it sounds and you can get direct trains with free wifi for a relaxing trip up and down.

This is particularly straightforward from London if your parents live five minutes walk from the start. If they happen to have an appropriate bicycle in their garage, it's as easy by  plane as by train.

[Bairn Again]

The Auld Alliance 400km (not on the AUK calendar yet) starts from Corstorphine in West Edinburgh at 21.00 on Friday 2nd June 2017.

*Just about* reachable from London by train (lovely journey on the East Coast)

Not as daft as it sounds and you can get direct trains with free wifi for a relaxing trip up and down.

This is particularly straightforward from London if your parents live five minutes walk from the start. If they happen to have an appropriate bicycle in their garage, it's as easy by  plane as by train.

now in the calendar.  Start / finish at The White Lady (Spoons based).   

[mattc]

You could get the sleeper from London to Newtonmore, arriving in time for the start of the audax at 0800. Then you have about 13 hours to get around, before getting the train back.

That would be about the mot stressful 13 hours of my life.

(Luckily I dont live in London, so finances would prevent me taking such madness.)

[fuaran]

You could get the sleeper from London to Newtonmore, arriving in time for the start of the audax at 0800. Then you have about 13 hours to get around, before getting the train back.

That would be about the mot stressful 13 hours of my life.

(Luckily I dont live in London, so finances would prevent me taking such madness.)

Most people could probably get around the audax in 10 or 11 hours, so not too stressful.
I've just realised the sleeper doesn't run on Saturday nights, so you would need an overnight stay afterwards anyway. There's the option of doing an easy ride on Sunday, before getting the sleeper that evening.

[LiamFitz]

[/quote]
That would be about the mot stressful 13 hours of my life.

[/quote]

I thought that was when you helped me try to hunt out a new control a couple of years back...