Yet Another Cycling Forum
General Category => Rides and Touring => Topic started by: loadsabikes on 06 February, 2015, 02:43:14 pm
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Who is riding Dunwich this year?
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Maybe but probably not.
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Is this the Dunwich Dynamo we are talking about? If so, I would be quite surprised if there were not already a thread about it. Rogerzilla tends to start one pretty much as soon as the previous ride has finished.
Edit: a quick forum search would indicate that such a thread has not been started. May I request that the OP update the title to include the details?
2nd edit: I believe it to be 4th-5th July 2015. I hope to be there - unless I'm in Orkney, of course!
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Done.
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Perhaps. Hopefully I'll have some fitness this year.
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Already in the calendar. Last year we got sensible and went up to Dunwich to camp for the weekend. Train down to London on the night. So nice to finish, breakfast in the cafe and then simply fall asleep. Meanwhile partner had a weekend of bird watching and wasn't tired from having to set out to collect me at a ridiculously early hour.
The nearest thing to a problem was the train in being rammed with fellow Dunrunners. That said the railway folks had anticipated the demand and were very helpful.
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It's in my diary this year as it doesn't conflict with other, non-cycling related, silliness in July.
Tentative plan: from Dunwich, ride to Diss to catch train back to London.
Definite plan: have loads of G&T to hand throughout the ride.
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Tempted, as I'd love to do it one day, but it's a long night out and and even longer trek home. I'd probably have to make a mini-break of it, staying near Dunwich and getting the train back into London to start the ride, but that can get expensive quickly.
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For the first time in a couple year's I'll not be riding the Dynamo.
Cos I is getting married the same weekend and I don't fancy leaving the wedding to ride to the seaside no matter how much fun it is.
D.
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Blimey! That's a bit rash! :P
Congratumalations!
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My very tentative plan at the moment is a very leisurely from Suffolk, taking all day to get to the start . If I haven't got enough miles in my by July I will take the train to the start. ;D
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For the first time in a couple year's I'll not be riding the Dynamo.
Cos I is getting married the same weekend and I don't fancy leaving the wedding to ride to the seaside no matter how much fun it is.
D.
Congrats!!!
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Err - apparently I agreed to do this with some friends while under the influence of alcohol on New Year's Eve. I thought at that time that Dunwich was next door to Brighton! I have now looked at a map and discovered the truth.
Better get some miles in.
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For the first time in a couple year's I'll not be riding the Dynamo.
Cos I is getting married the same weekend and I don't fancy leaving the wedding to ride to the seaside no matter how much fun it is.
D.
Congrats!!!
+1.
I may do this ride this year but then I have been saying that for the last 2 years!
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I think swmbo has already booked the annual holiday around then. This ones been on my radar for a few years being a fenlander myself.
Instead I'll be dealing with Majorcan lumpiness.
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For the first time in a couple year's I'll not be riding the Dynamo.
Cos I is getting married the same weekend and I don't fancy leaving the wedding to ride to the seaside no matter how much fun it is.
D.
Congrats!!!
You could always get a Tandem!
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For the first time in a couple year's I'll not be riding the Dynamo.
Cos I is getting married the same weekend and I don't fancy leaving the wedding to ride to the seaside no matter how much fun it is.
D.
Congrats!!!
You could always get a Tandem!
I think the Hon. Memb. will find that Mr. and the future Mrs. Lodwig are already in possession of such a steed and that it participated with them in last year's Dun Run.
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I'm in; and (as ever) I'll bring tajasel of this parish on the tandem if she isn't otherwise occupied, but previous Dun Runs suggest this is a slim possibility.
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http://www.abelliogreateranglia.co.uk/dunwich-dynamo-restrictions
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http://www.abelliogreateranglia.co.uk/dunwich-dynamo-restrictions
That's going to make it harder for people to do the Dun Run. Last year the Saturday evening train heading to London I was on. was carrying about 30 bikes in a very packed guards van. I think I will try and get enough miles into my legs to ride it both ways. A early start on Saturday morning for a very gentle ride down to London. Hopefully there will be others doing the same. :thumbsup:
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Does intrigue me just who the train companies think they are providing a service for. They need to get rid of 'customers' and bring back 'passengers'. Grrr. No doubt the detail in buried away in a tender document written by a politicised civil servant.
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I read this as:
Due to the growing popularity of the annual Dunwich Dynamo cycle event ... Abellio Greater Anglia will this year introduce partial cycle restrictions on its network on Saturday 4th and Sunday 5th July.
What sort of knob-headed stupidity and corporate bollocknumbness does it take to come up with such ridiculous crap?
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The Abelio Way
Genuine people, innovative in spirit and dedicated to a positive future for travel, this is the Abellio Way.
It is our people and our approach that make us different. We know that to succeed as a business, the transport industry must be in good shape. Our way, the Abellio Way, allows our people to have the freedom to be themselves so that they can achieve their full potential, not only while they are with us, but throughout their entire career; this is our commitment to travel as a whole.
Our role in transport extends beyond the journey from a-to-b. With our international heritage and our policy of sharing best practice, not just amongst ourselves, but across the wider transport industry, we provide thought leadership and truly innovative ideas which make a positive contribution to the communities we serve. Our business practices are not exclusively profit driven and we will always work closely and creatively with our clients to achieve the best solutions for our passengers. That's because we are dedicated to our partnerships and take our role as custodians of public transport seriously, for both the short and long term.
We challenge the traditional conventions of travel so that we can provide better quality, safer, more convenient transport services that genuinely benefit our clients and customers, and we do it the Abellio Way.
Got that? Come to think of it, sounds like a tender submission.
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http://www.abelliogreateranglia.co.uk/dunwich-dynamo-restrictions
That's going to make it harder for people to do the Dun Run. Last year the Saturday evening train heading to London I was on. was carrying about 30 bikes in a very packed guards van. I think I will try and get enough miles into my legs to ride it both ways. A early start on Saturday morning for a very gentle ride down to London. Hopefully there will be others doing the same. :thumbsup:
Their blurb gives a limit of 50 bikes per train, Ipswich to london. Dunno about their other restrictions, but 50 > 30, or have I missed something Z?
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http://www.abelliogreateranglia.co.uk/dunwich-dynamo-restrictions
That's going to make it harder for people to do the Dun Run. Last year the Saturday evening train heading to London I was on. was carrying about 30 bikes in a very packed guards van. I think I will try and get enough miles into my legs to ride it both ways. A early start on Saturday morning for a very gentle ride down to London. Hopefully there will be others doing the same. :thumbsup:
Their blurb gives a limit of 50 bikes per train, Ipswich to london. Dunno about their other restrictions, but 50 > 30, or have I missed something Z?
50 bikes on Sunday but only 8 on the Saturday for people travelling to London for the start.
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What sort of knob-headed stupidity and corporate bollocknumbness does it take to come up with such ridiculous crap?
It's a particularly bitter blow given the sensible decision last year to run extra trains with extra stock and cram bicycles in everywhere they could.
ETA: I suspect I may be breaking my promise to myself never to do the Dun Run on a Brompton again.
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Alternately you could do what we did last year and turn it into a 300k and loop back to Downham Market. Quiet trains for the bikes and an excellent pub on the platform. The surreal bit was ending up on course mid-event during a long section of the British 100 mile time trial championships near Swaffham.
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I just might have to spend a couple of days cycling home again.
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What Wow said, just ride both ways.......simples :thumbsup:
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I've done this once starting from London but to be honest Did'nt really like the exit from London. Last year me and some friends set off from Haverhill around 11pm and joined the ride at Finchingfield. Much better. We then rode a different route back to Haverhill. I'll probably be doing the same again this year. If you want to join in then be at B&Q for 11pm.
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That makes a lot of sense. The first 15/20 miles are quite unpleasant, firstly because it's all London sprawl and secondly because it's Saturday evening. For me, the ride proper starts after you pass the Talbot pub in North Weald.
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Given the train issues and the same feelings about the Lunnon bit, if I'm around I'll do Sudbury-Dunwich-Sudbury.
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Which is, of course, accessible by train!
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Just to be different, I think the chaos of the departure from London is a big part of what makes it an event (and one that benefits from a couple of years off). After all, as a fully paid-up member of Team Slow, it's not like I'm going to be arriving at the seaside with the main crowd, and if that's what I'm after a FNRttC or similar coordinated ride is a much better bet.
If I want to spend the night (and let's be realistic, most of the morning) riding on my own, I might as well ride to Aberystwyth or something.
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Just to be different, I think the chaos of the departure from London is a big part of what makes it an event (and one that benefits from a couple of years off). After all, as a fully paid-up member of Team Slow, it's not like I'm going to be arriving at the seaside with the main crowd, and if that's what I'm after a FNRttC or similar coordinated ride is a much better bet.
If I want to spend the night (and let's be realistic, most of the morning) riding on my own, I might as well ride to Aberystwyth or something.
Do you tandem?
I could arrange for a car collection from Dunwich/Darsham for the bike and me and you could get on a train unencumbered by ironmongery.
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Just to be different, I think the chaos of the departure from London is a big part of what makes it an event (and one that benefits from a couple of years off). After all, as a fully paid-up member of Team Slow, it's not like I'm going to be arriving at the seaside with the main crowd, and if that's what I'm after a FNRttC or similar coordinated ride is a much better bet.
If I want to spend the night (and let's be realistic, most of the morning) riding on my own, I might as well ride to Aberystwyth or something.
Absolutely - it's the start that makes it fun with all the people lounging around at London Fields - I did it back in 2003 (when I think it may have still been the old C+ Forum) - IIRC there was Fatbloke, Chuffy, Tim, Kathy, Nuttycyclist and various others that are no longer here and Charlotte and LittleWheelsandBig (Dave - who rode a Brompton) who still are ... and probably others. I recollect following Charlotte on some sort of recumbent (her, not me) across the last flat bit into Dunwich.
The first bit also has some nostalgia for me having lived in East London/SW Essex until I was about 23 - the route passes the house we lived in at Buckhurst Hill and passes the hospitals where my daughters were born (Whipps Cross and Epping) - ah, those were the days.
Rob
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Definitely C+ back then. That was a memorable ride with lovely overnight conditions.
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Do you tandem?
Probably best not on the Dun Run. I've only ridden that sort of distance on an upwrong about twice, and neither ended well.
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Definitely C+ back then. That was a memorable ride with lovely overnight conditions.
Was that the Jumbly Bus/Strawberry Bootlace year, or was that 2004? That was the last time I did it!
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Definitely C+ back then. That was a memorable ride with lovely overnight conditions.
Was that the Jumbly Bus/Strawberry Bootlace year, or was that 2004? That was the last time I did it!
Charlotte Bus Tours started in 2004 ... and I think ran for a couple of years? ... and I just remembered that Ravenbait rode in 2003 as well.
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Definitely C+ back then. That was a memorable ride with lovely overnight conditions.
Indeed it was close to perfect - I can remember we passed you in the car as you were heading home from Dunwich.
My cycling pal, Steve the perfect gentleman, had driven to Dunwich on Saturday morning - train to London - met me at London Fields for the ride - when we got to Dunwich there was the usual queue for breakfast - we got in his car, paused on the way home at a Little Chef for coffee and a teacake - onwards and my wife served us chilled Champagne in the garden at about 1300. Just brilliant.
Rob
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Definitely C+ back then. That was a memorable ride with lovely overnight conditions.
Was that the Jumbly Bus/Strawberry Bootlace year, or was that 2004? That was the last time I did it!
Charlotte Bus Tours started in 2004 ... and I think ran for a couple of years? ... and I just remembered that Ravenbait rode in 2003 as well.
The Strawberry Bootlace Incident featured RB as a Significant Participant, as I recall. But I think you're right, it was probably 2004. For which the weather was pretty much perfect.
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Definitely C+ back then. That was a memorable ride with lovely overnight conditions.
Indeed it was close to perfect - I can remember we passed you in the car as you were heading home from Dunwich.
You will remember that the former Mrs LWaB was also on a Brommie and came through her first 200+km ride (and first overnight ride) in better shape than me.
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Just to be different, I think the chaos of the departure from London is a big part of what makes it an event (and one that benefits from a couple of years off). After all, as a fully paid-up member of Team Slow, it's not like I'm going to be arriving at the seaside with the main crowd, and if that's what I'm after a FNRttC or similar coordinated ride is a much better bet.
If I want to spend the night (and let's be realistic, most of the morning) riding on my own, I might as well ride to Aberystwyth or something.
Do you tandem?
I could arrange for a car collection from Dunwich/Darsham for the bike and me and you could get on a train unencumbered by ironmongery.
I attempted to ride to Aberystwyth once and was defeated, I'd be tempted to try again if there are takers.
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What would be the preferred route between Brum and Aber?
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Tempted, as I'd love to do it one day, but it's a long night out and and even longer trek home. I'd probably have to make a mini-break of it, staying near Dunwich and getting the train back into London to start the ride, but that can get expensive quickly.
Hi Dibdib, be happy to share some logistics.
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Definitely C+ back then. That was a memorable ride with lovely overnight conditions.
Indeed it was close to perfect - I can remember we passed you in the car as you were heading home from Dunwich.
You will remember that the former Mrs LWaB was also on a Brommie and came through her first 200+km ride (and first overnight ride) in better shape than me.
I do but I thought it diplomatic not to mention her!
Rob
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No need. We are still friends.
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What would be the preferred route between Brum and Aber?
Not the way I went last time but probably passing through Rhayader stopping to chuck rocks in the reservoir.
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It would be a wonderful ride. It's almost worth taking 3 days over it and taking camping kit.
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It would be a wonderful ride. It's almost worth taking 3 days over it and taking camping kit.
And that's what puts me off doing it inna Dun Run style.
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It would be a wonderful ride. It's almost worth taking 3 days over it and taking camping kit.
And that's what puts me off doing it inna Dun Run style.
So, when are we going to ride it then? Bishop's Castle is, presumably, the first night's stop. :demon:
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It would be a wonderful ride. It's almost worth taking 3 days over it and taking camping kit.
And that's what puts me off doing it inna Dun Run style.
So, when are we going to ride it then? Bishop's Castle is, presumably, the first night's stop. :demon:
And I know a nice campsite in Llanidloes for the second... This should have its own thread.
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Definitely C+ back then. That was a memorable ride with lovely overnight conditions.
Was that the Jumbly Bus/Strawberry Bootlace year, or was that 2004? That was the last time I did it!
Charlotte Bus Tours started in 2004 ... and I think ran for a couple of years? ... and I just remembered that Ravenbait rode in 2003 as well.
I think I did at least one before then. I simply can't remember now. It's always fun when you are lined up at the start and someone asks you if you've done it before and your answer is "maybe 10 times, I'm not even sure any more"...
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ETA: I suspect I may be breaking my promise to myself never to do the Dun Run on a Brompton again.
I'm probably in, and it looks like for the first time I won't be riding a Brompton.
I bought a half-recumbent tandem a few weeks back and j4 (of almost everywhere, but I think not this parish) drunkenly agreed to be the stoker on the front for this year's Dun Run. Now it's just a matter of logistics and making sure she doesn't chicken out!
(Logistical difficulties are a real possibility, of course - me and the tandem are in West Wales)
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Coach tickets now booked, so we're in. Just need to work out how to get the tandem from Lampeter to London Fields now.
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I'm going to tag along again as the ride passes through my part of Essex. I think there is a likelihood some of the Mid-Essex Peloton will do likewise, and ride back too - a round trip of probably about 150 miles.
We could meet up at one of the late-opening pubs along the way, such as the Fox at Finchingfield - maybe catch last orders then await the arrival of the front runners?
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I have a horrible feeling I might have talked myself into doing this on Wednesday night. Damn that Nelson's Blood :facepalm:
Hopefully a grupetto of the Mid Essex peloton can be formed.
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I have a horrible feeling I might have talked myself into doing this on Wednesday night. Damn that Nelson's Blood :facepalm:
Apologies for slight diversion.
Is that a beer? It sounds familiar
Do you recommend it?
Where is it to be found?
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I have a horrible feeling I might have talked myself into doing this on Wednesday night. Damn that Nelson's Blood :facepalm:
Apologies for slight diversion.
Is that a beer? It sounds familiar
Do you recommend it?
Where is it to be found?
It is indeed a beer. It's full name is "A Drop of Nelson's Blood", brewed by Farmers Ales (http://www.maldonbrewing.co.uk/) (aka the Maldon Brewing Company) which is based out the back of the Blue Boar Hotel in Maldon, Essex.
I've seen it in a few Essex pubs, not sure if it gets much further than that.
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The very one.
A nice substantial ale to finish an evening of otherwise mainly summer ales.
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Tomsk, just to check this logic....Hereward the Wake ride on Friday 3rd....get home.....sleep....meet in Finchingfield for another 150 miles of overnight riding....I see a 600 plan coming in here.
Lucky I told Mrs Tipper she wouldn't see much of me in July.
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The early-in-July ones are best for the longer daylight - you don't need "seeing" lights until after 10pm, which means one set of lithium AAs is ample in a Hope Vision One. And the dawn is obviously earlier too, which (in my case) means my digestive system starts working properly again.
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Tomsk, just to check this logic....Hereward the Wake ride on Friday 3rd....get home.....sleep....meet in Finchingfield for another 150 miles of overnight riding....I see a 600 plan coming in here.
Lucky I told Mrs Tipper she wouldn't see much of me in July.
I have a cunning plan.....sometime, probably out on the roads of Normandy/Brittany, you'll all thank me for this. ;D or maybe not.
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It is indeed a beer. It's full name is "A Drop of Nelson's Blood", brewed by Farmers Ales (http://www.maldonbrewing.co.uk/) (aka the Maldon Brewing Company) which is based out the back of the Blue Boar Hotel in Maldon, Essex.
I've seen it in a few Essex pubs, not sure if it gets much further than that.
Ah, different one. The one I was thinking of I had in my local excellent Spoons - Nelson's Blood - appears it comes from a small brewery in Chatham - maybe as well you weren't on that - somewhat stronger. My quick google seemed to find at least 3 beers with "Nelson's Blood" in their names. Curious. And confusing.
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http://www.abelliogreateranglia.co.uk/dunwich-dynamo-restrictions
Apropros of this, I was speaking with Dave Holladay yesterday. He asked me to post on his behalf about the arrangements for bikes on trains.
Hi YACF folk,
Many folks consider doing the Dun Run in the summer, last year worked – but only just, and there were a few issues which did prompt Greater Anglia and Network Rail to apply some stricter regulation of cycle traffic for this year.
The details are on this web page:
https://www.abelliogreateranglia.co.uk/dunwich-dynamo-restrictions
Last year, there were some significant delays - not just to the trains delayed by the large number of bikes boarding, but the return trips for those services, and the trains than held up by the late running ones. Abellio gets 'fined' per minute per train delayed, at around £200 per minute.
Last year there were additional carriages and trains used to boost the normal Lowestoft line 2-hourly service, running an extra train out and back at the southern end of the route. This wasn't possible this year.
Last year at Darsham the queue to get on to the platform had people queuing back on the level crossing - which of course prevented the trains from running (doh! - foot shoot?). There was reportedly a bad reaction/lack of reaction from a few individuals when told to get off the crossing so the trains could run. Expect this detail to be closely watched, especially after the idiots on Paris Roubaix refusing to stop at the lowered barriers (and the organiser not planning to eliminate that crossing from the route).
The good news though is that GA has worked to provide the best capacity they can from Ipswich to London by putting a longer stopping time in for the express services, and planning to get up to 50 bikes in the DVT vans. I believe that one service is close to fully booked already.
Arrangements for London-Southend and London-Cambridge planned to be as previous years.
This may also reflect on other operators.
DH
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OK, we have not yet managed to gather together a Team Slow, so I will make an attempt.
I really want to do the Dun Run this year. I wanted to do it last year, but fortunately (with hindsight) grandparental duties got in the way and by the time I was even ready to start thinking about it, it was about 7pm on the Saturday evening and there was very obviously a large thunderstorm happening in the direction of Chelmsford. So, for the first year in 7 I stayed at home.
Two years ago, Jane and I camped and rode home over 2 days. This year, that's not an option for me as I will be teaching on the Tuesday afternoon. Since trains are totally embuggered I will need a lift from Suffolk, and at the moment the best bet looks like Woodbridge. Dez has agreed to meet me and put the bike in the car. Woodbridge makes sense as there is an electric car charging point there.
I therefore have two options: solo machine to Dunwich then cycle to Woodbridge for my lift, or, tandem to Dunwich and cycle to Woodbridge for my lift, stoker taking the train back to London without bicycle, and therefore not falling foul of the AGA restrictions on cycle carriage. My one proviso is that if the forecast is really crap I won't be doing it. For me to enjoy it, it has to be fun, and 14 hours of pissing rain are not that, no matter how good the company is.
So who is in and who, potentially, could be my dry-weather stoker?
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Never ridden a tandem so cant be a stoker, but I can arrange a ride to southend I may well do this run.
I will be slow so am happy to join your team if you will have me!
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The more the merrier, really. Dez is available to give me a lift, plus 1 bike. That bike can be either a solo or a tandem. There won't be room for a second passenger.
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I spoke to My Pal Terry Who art in Sibton this evening. He is expecting me and had offered electrons for Dez. It turns out that his niece is also doing the Dun Run - a first time for her. She works for an outfit called Green Man Gaming, and it seems that a number of her colleagues are into cycling. I shall be removing all unnecessary bits from the bike and hopefully keeping up a reasonable moving average. I'll still be slow though!
Tandem offer still open. Stoker to return by train, without a bike.
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Never ridden a tandem so cant be a stoker
That's not necessarily a barrier, by the way. I joined the Stokerised By Wowbagger Society with a 10 minute test round a leafy bit of That LonDon as a test ride (to make sure I could reach the pedals!), then the next go I got was riding from meeting Wow at Liverpool Street to Hackney Fields, complete with a pannier full of caik. Then the Dun Run, an hour or so later.
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I'm in for some team slowing... :)
I think I'll be on the roadified 80's MTB, or maybe the 60's Moulton, having ridden it on both in the past, and I plan to bivvy/camp by the beach and make my way to Diss and then train into London on the Monday.
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Never ridden a tandem so cant be a stoker
That's not necessarily a barrier, by the way. I joined the Stokerised By Wowbagger Society with a 10 minute test round a leafy bit of That LonDon as a test ride (to make sure I could reach the pedals!), then the next go I got was riding from meeting Wow at Liverpool Street to Hackney Fields, complete with a pannier full of caik. Then the Dun Run, an hour or so later.
And a marvellous experience it was too! If you ever want a repeat performance, say the word...
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Tomsk, just to check this logic....Hereward the Wake ride on Friday 3rd....get home.....sleep....meet in Finchingfield for another 150 miles of overnight riding....I see a 600 plan coming in here.
Lucky I told Mrs Tipper she wouldn't see much of me in July.
I have a cunning plan.....sometime, probably out on the roads of Normandy/Brittany, you'll all thank me for this. ;D or maybe not.
It's very lucky I trust you so much :o I'll tell Mrs Tippers it's Oaky's idea
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And... we have a stoker!
[/johnarlott] :thumbsup:
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I have finally committed to doing the DunRun this year. :thumbsup:
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I'm coming, although I'm dithering over whether I would rather ride 100 miles on a clown's bike, take enough gear to kip on the beach then ride to Ipswich, or find a B&B/hotel equipped to deal with someone who wants to arrive at midday and go to sleep then.
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I'll be away, neatly sidestepping the issue for another year ;D
I really ought to do it again but logistics are difficult now.
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I have finally committed to doing the DunRun this year. :thumbsup:
How very splendid!
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I have finally committed to doing the DunRun this year. :thumbsup:
Are you going to drop into the American household by the pub like you did last time you rode on the 4th of July?
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I have finally committed to doing the DunRun this year. :thumbsup:
Are you going to drop into the American household by the pub like you did last time you rode on the 4th of July?
;D
If they're having a party, definitely! :thumbsup:
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It somehow seems inappropriate that, on Independence Day of all days, you should be stoking a tandem. Should I borrow Tokamak's colonialist pith helmet for the occasion?
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Just committed to this one having had a blast las year on my first one. Train tickets up from deepest darkest Zummerset booked including returns from Darsham, via Ipswich.
Learnt hard lesson last year thinking that they sold tickets on Abiello trains from Ipswich, they don't on a sunday at least and I very nearly was charged an exorbitant fee plus fine that would've run into 3 figures. When the 'muppet' asked for ID and I showed him my military ID card his terseness changed and talk of fines disappeared but still ended up paying a ridiculous one-way max fare.
Looking forward to weaving through the crowds drinking at the 2 pubs in Moreton and then stopping at the Fox in Finchingfield.
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I have finally committed to doing the DunRun this year. :thumbsup:
Are you going to drop into the American household by the pub like you did last time you rode on the 4th of July?
I remember that! ... and the seemingly endless supply of G&T.
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Just committed to this one having had a blast las year on my first one. Train tickets up from deepest darkest Zummerset booked including returns from Darsham, via Ipswich.
Learnt hard lesson last year thinking that they sold tickets on Abiello trains from Ipswich, they don't on a sunday at least and I very nearly was charged an exorbitant fee plus fine that would've run into 3 figures. When the 'muppet' asked for ID and I showed him my military ID card his terseness changed and talk of fines disappeared but still ended up paying a ridiculous one-way max fare.
Looking forward to weaving through the crowds drinking at the 2 pubs in Moreton and then stopping at the Fox in Finchingfield.
Except you wont be allowed to put a bike on the train at Darsham....
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Did see a lot of riders waiting on Darsham station platform last year for the first train, all with bikes, and when we got on at Ipswich there was a proper guards van just for bikes!! But I'll call ahead and see what the score is and if no bikes at Darsham then I'll cycle down to Ipswich direct.
It was ridiculously cheaper to book from Darsham direct home through London than separate Darsham to Ipswich/London and then Waterloo to Somerset. I'll never understand the idiosyncrasies of our train system ??? ???
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There are massive restrictions on bikes this year. Abellio Greater Anglia are being gits.
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There are massive restrictions on bikes this year. Abellio Greater Anglia are being gits.
I took it up via Railfuture and got a reply to the effect that:
1) we did something sensible and practical last year but
2) there were some teething problems so
3) this year we are going to do nothing at all.
It's a bit crap, really.
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Given the near-impossibility of doing this by train, I'm thinking of doing it as Dunwich-Finchingfield-Dunwich, staying 2 or maybe even 3 nights somewhere on the Suffolk coast. What sort of time do riders first hit Finchingfield?
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Bah humbug. I'm out. >:( Being off work on the Monday creates complications... which was a key part of my plan... so looks like I'll be doing the Oxford to Lahndon overnight ride on the Fri instead. :)
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From alexb
Except you wont be allowed to put a bike on the train at Darsham....
Yup he's dead right Abellio Greater Anglia have stopped most services Sat and Sun taking bikes :hand:, see here Abellio (https://www.abelliogreateranglia.co.uk/dunwich-dynamo-restrictions); however there are 50 bikes out of Ipswich every 30mins, so another 50km from Dunwich to Ipswich will be on the cards.
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I'm coming, although I'm dithering over whether I would rather ride 100 miles on a clown's bike, take enough gear to kip on the beach then ride to Ipswich, or find a B&B/hotel equipped to deal with someone who wants to arrive at midday and go to sleep then.
Or break a bloody toe a week beforehand. I suspect I am not coming.
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Commiserations, Damerell!
I have just seen a forecast for Saturday. 27 C during the day, minimum of 16 C overnight , 12 mph tailwind, no rain. That's for Sudbury.
Stick!
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What sort of time do riders first hit Finchingfield?
Faster ones come through past my house in Dunmow around 11pm, so not much later at Finchingfield. After that probably a good hour and a half for the rest of the pilgrims to pass through.
Going to be a Dun-Dun-Dun Run for me again, cheating I know, but a 160 mile round trip, no train hassles, back home for lunch probably :thumbsup:
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What sort of time do riders first hit Finchingfield?
Faster ones come through past my house in Dunmow around 11pm, so not much later at Finchingfield. After that probably a good hour and a half for the rest of the pilgrims to pass through.
Going to be a Dun-Dun-Dun Run for me again, cheating I know, but a 160 mile round trip, no train hassles, back home for lunch probably :thumbsup:
Dunwich - Haverhill - Finchingfield - Dunwich for me then. Pleasant time for a depart, perfect time for mid-ride refuelling in Haverhill, join the crowds, frolics on the beach, then pootle home without train hassles.
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If anybody is looking for some relaxation and entertainment before setting out on the Dun Run I can recommend this (https://yacf.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic=91281.0).
It's on at Limehouse town Hall courtesy of Mr. Valiant's helpful generosity. The show begins at 5 and lasts for one hour. There will be non-alcoholic beverages and light snacks available. I also understand that Valiant intends to make it over to London Fields to see of the Dunrunners afterwards so it must be feasible. :)
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Hi I'm riding the Dun Run on Saturday night and wondered if anyone is doing the return leg home? I fancy sharing some of the work....
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Parrish Cheeses in Dunmow are doing a pop-up roadside stall in the High Street on Saturday night/Sunday morning - cheese baguettes & drinks for a small charge.
On the left after the mini roundabout at the start [Ongar Road end] of the High Street, just before the traffic lights in the centre of the town.
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Sounds like a good idea. I shall be bringing Marmite butties and possibly a pre-cooked pack of finest sausages.
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I have half a plan to be there and will (try to) keep my eyes peeled for YACFers. What sort of time do people intend to set off ?
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I suspect Andrij and I will be there from 6.30 and I don't want to set off a lot before 9. Earlier than that and you are in a huge logjam of cyclists all trying to use the same tiny bit of road.
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OK. I will hopefully see you there. If the other half of the plan goes OK I will have about 12 hours to get from Acton to the DunRun start without getting done for vagrancy.
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We could meet up at one of the late-opening pubs along the way, such as the Fox at Finchingfield - maybe catch last orders then await the arrival of the front runners?
I'll keep an eye out for you, Tom :)
EDIT: Although I'm aiming to start near the back and spend all night *hopefully* catching and passing lots of blinky lights to boost my morale a bit after a couple of tough 200s recently, so I expect I'll see you at breakfast instead :thumbsup:
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Cambridge — London Fields — Dunwich — Cambridge for a sneaky pre-PBP 410km round trip :thumbsup: ;D Onna Brompton, of course (http://www.16inchwheels.uk/) ::-)
If anyone wants a route sheet, I've put an audaxy-stylee one together here, GPS files too (http://camaudax.mac/rides/dunwich-dynamo/). But there's probably no need for such a comfort blanket, just enjoy the ride ;)
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It's a measly three miles between Limehouse Town Hall and London Fields so I'll make a last pitch for some pre-DunRun entertainment and relaxation.
Come and see Augustus and the Holy Grail at Limehouse Town Hall. It starts at 5p.m., light refreshments will be available and it's a retiring donation show so if you don't enjoy it you don't have to pay a penny!
The Town Hall is a nice old building worth a visit all on it's own and you'll even get the chance to meet Valiant and myself. Oh, maybe that's not such a sales pitch. ;)
linky (https://yacf.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic=91281.0)
Hope to see lots of you guys there. :thumbsup:
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I have just been fettling the tandem's front wheel. I changed the tyre because the Marathon Plus had a split in it and trued the wheel. It's been a bit wobbly since the Northumberland weekend when we broke a spoke, and picked up the flint that caused that split and dogged us with deflation pretty much throughout the second half of the ride.
Tomorrow I will lube the chains and pump the back tyre up. Raring to go!
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Having read through this thread again, there are plenty of people making positive noises about doing the Dun Run, but few firm commitments. Is the honour of flying the Team Slow flag to be placed firmly on the shoulders of Andrij and me? Or are there still others to commit?
I have placed the route on the Garmin and am charging AA batteries. This time tomorow night I expect to be somewhere near Moreton, drinking ale.
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I might come and see you ride through Sudbury, but I won't be riding myself as I'll have been up all through tonight driving home from Atlanta.
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I might come and see you ride through Sudbury, but I won't be riding myself as I'll have been up all through tonight driving home from Atlanta.
Does Commander Shore know?
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I might come and see you ride through Sudbury, but I won't be riding myself as I'll have been up all through tonight driving home from Atlanta.
If the form book is anything to go by it will already be light by the time we get there.
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We are planning to ride this, but will also ride home... last did this in 2013 as a final pre LEL ride. Haven't thought through times etc yet, toying with the idea of missing the London Fields start which is fun but manic and heading up to Dunmow or thereabouts directly
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The tyres are lubed and the chains pumped up. Batteries currently charging. I shall start to think about food soon.
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We are planning to ride this, but will also ride home...
Hopefully we'll bump into each other on the route somewhere :thumbsup:
We're forecast a tailwind and a mostly clear night — it's going to be a hoot, no kidding! 8)
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Have a good ride everyone! I'm going for a well-earned snooze.
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Enjoy the ride :thumbsup:
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We are planning to ride this, but will also ride home...
Hopefully we'll bump into each other on the route somewhere :thumbsup:
We're forecast a tailwind and a mostly clear night — it's going to be a hoot, no kidding! 8)
Despite this, I have packed a waterproof and an extra layer. The Dun Run weather forecasts have form...
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Just off to London Fields to say hello to the Dun Runners. Not riding it this year (too much on on Sunday and Monday), but it's good to see the riders assembling at the start. Are people assembling at the usual YACF enclosure?
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Have a good and safe ride everyone :)
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I'm planning Witham -> Finchingfield -> (hole up in pub until closing time) -> needham Market -> Witham for a nice round 100 miles.
Probably the Fox in Finchingfield, depending on who I manage to run into :)
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Hope you all have a pleasant ride. I want to do it again within the next two years.
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Not a full ride report but the tailwind and lack of rain saw most riders fly to Dunwich. I got there at 4 am in time to see the sun come up. Waited for an hour and a bit then set of for Ipswich I must have been fine as it took just 2hrs to get there but 5=10 minutes to find the railway station. Then I thought I'd try and get on an earlier train but no joy. My ticket was only valid for the one I'd booked, but then the mullet behind the counter tried to sell me a ticket for the earlier train whilst telling me that I'd probably not get my bike on as all reservations had gone!!
Oh well sitting in McDonald's waiting for the later one.
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There will be a ride report after I have had a shower and some sleep.
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Having been hors concours last year, a result of grandparental duties and weather, I was determined that I would participate in this year's Dun Run. However, I didn't want to ride that distance on my own, and given that I am considerably lardier than I have been at any point since resuming cycling almost 10 years ago, a lardiness borne in the first instance of inactivity through injury, I felt that riding on the tandem would be the best idea. Given that Abellio Greater Anglia were severely restricting the number of bicycles that they were allowing to be put on trains, the tandem idea had even greater appeal: I could drop my stoker, whomsoever it might be, at Darsham station, they could catch the train back to London unencumbered by velocipede, Dez could meet me at the abode of My Mate Terry Who Art in Sibton, and everyone would live happily ever after. The only other condition that needed to be met was that it would not be pissing down all night, and when the forecast was nigh on perfect, everything was tickety-boo.
As has been mentioned above, Andrij volunteered to be my beautiful stoker. He too has been rather short of miles and, although he wanted to ride to Dunwich, his lack of cycling fitness and the difficulties in returning to London with the said bike meant that he didn't want to ride solo, so my plan fitted in very well with his. Thus it was that a fortnight ago we had a 40-mile trial run from Wickford station and declared that a success, so there we were. Jane was the only other worthy on the ride with whom I had ridden much previously, so when her charges from Lewsiham Cyclists did just that, the three of us progressed in company, and it was Good.
The above rail restrictions, as well as a decline in the number of places on the returning buses organised by Southwark Cyclists, seemed to confirm the impression that numbers were considerably down on two years ago, when I last rode, and about 9.15, just after one of the Lewisham contingent had discovered that he had a puncture and had mended it, off we went. Progress over the first mile or two was definitely quicker than I remembered it being previously, and at Mildenhall Road there was Felix Ormerod and family, Felix freshly retired and looking very well on it. We made some vague commitments to riding together again at some stage in the not too distant future and then we were away.
The Lea Bridge Road and the road through Epping Forest were unremarkable save for the fact that they were unremarkable. We crossed the North Circular, the M25 and the M11 and after North Weald village the rural tranquillity began. The moon rose, the sun continued to illuminate and we cycled north at a respectable pace. Having resorted to the Jurek Manoeuvre to reach Moreton, we all made use of the facilities and Jane and I each had a pint: Jane's was lime and soda, mine Timothy Taylor Landlord. Andrij had brought 4 litres of pre-mixed gin and tonic with him, and spent a good deal of the ride as a kind of mobile toast to US Independence, complete with a small flag flying, which had been attached to one of the panniers.
At 00.02 hours, just as we entered Fyfield, we passed a sign indicating that Dunmow was 12 miles away. The first 25 miles of the ride seemed to have enabled Andrij and me to cut loose and off we went. The terrain seemed to be particularly conducive to the tandem, and there were occasions when Jane complained that she couldn't keep up. Invariably she caught us on the climbs though, and it was with great pleasure, just as we passed the sign indicating that we were entering Dunmow, that I was able to announce that those 12 miles had taken us only 55 minutes.
Not long afterwards, in either Bran End or Duck End, both of which followed longish gentle climbs during which Jane had gone ahead, when we caught her again she announced that she had a flat tyre. It was a snake-bite, as a result of hitting a pot-hole, and she replaced the tube and we were away again. We stopped at Finchingfield for coffee and in my case an over-priced hot-dog, and when we left between 2.30 and 3pm there were very strong signs of the approaching dawn as the sky became a beautiful red. Not being shepherds, we took no notice.
In Sudbury, during the approach to which Andrij and I just failed to break 40mph, we conducted a small group around the one-way system, and on the climb out of the town we found ourselves alone. At the top we had a slightly longer than usual breather, an itsy-bitsy slug of gin to celebrate the dawn, and in Great Waldingfield we both felt in need of some sustenance in the form of burgers/hot dogs and a hot beverage. We hadn't seen Jane since Sudbury so assumed, quite correctly, that she was well ahead of us, and when, after the excellent descent into Needham Market Andrij declared that he needed a rest at the lake, I bought a coffee from the vendor who was considering packing up shop and I texted Jane whilst Andrij slept. We left about 30 minutes later, around 7am, in lovely sunshine, and crossed the A140 into Coddenham and the remaining sleepy villages. Around 7.30 Jane's reply arrived to say that she was in Framlingham and was therefore about an hour from the beach. Andrij and I arrived in Framlingham around 9am, took advantage of the public facilities there, and I deliberately waited until we were out of the village to announce to Andrij that on this occasion I had managed something which I had not the last time I cycled into Framlingham. He asked "What's that?" and I responded, "Cycling out again." as Framlingham was where I had torn my calf muscle last year whilst touring with Canardy and JenM. The words were scarcely out of my mouth when our front tyre suddenly deflated and the bike became extremely difficult to control. I was very pleased that we were only doing about 10 mph as had it been a lot faster then the results could well have been quite serious. We took the wheel off, could find no source of the deflation in the tyre, couldn't find a hole in the tube, fitted a new tube and inflated the same, and were on our way again. In the 20 or so minutes it had taken us to fix that puncture, the Curse of Framlingham struck again as increasingly heavy cloud cover had blotted out the sun and we felt the first few spots of rain. Around 10.30 we dropped into Terry's house just to say hello, and 10 minutes later we were back on the bike, this time with full waterproofs, as the gentle rain had become steady and drenching - certainly not a downpour but heavy enough that we got quite wet.
Shortly after 11 we splodged to the beach, which was still quite crowded with cyclists, met Jane, ordered tea and cake and at that point Emily Chappell appeared. Our eyes met and we greeted one another warmly. I introduced her to Andrij, which was unnecessary as they ahd met some time previously, and at about 11.50 Jane, Andrij and I made for Darsham and his 12.44 train. He took his saddle and pedals with him, smuggling those three pieces of bicycle in past the guards and onto the train, and Jane and I returned to Terry's where more very welcome tea and cake awaited us, as well as Dez, who had arrived a couple of hours previously and was charging our car up on Terry's electrons. Between 2.30 and 3pm we three interlopers wended our separate ways, Jane to Saxmundham where her partner was due to arrive with bicycle and luggage for a few days in a cottage in Aldeburgh, and Dez and I back to Southend via Glyn Hopkin, Colchester, for a final electron infusion before home, a shower and bed for me.
My reaction on finishing the ride was one of great disappointment. This was an almost exact action replay of the occasion that Nutkin and I had made it as far a Darsham before she gave up the unequal struggle of the human/saddle interface and the damage that Mrs. Wow's saddle had done to her. On that occasion too the beautiful, warm, balmy night had given way to an hour or more steady rain which put a literal, as well as metaphorical, damper on proceedings. The way I felt when I finished the ride was that I didn't want to bother again, but that was to do a great injustice to about 90% of the ride, which was magnificent. The formula of tandem plus stoker, the latter of whom returns home by train, is a very good one and worked extremely well. The number of riders seemed to me to be about right this year as well, as nowhere was especially crowded and we made good progress throughout the ride.
A footnote: just as Andrij and I were arriving at London Fields, another cyclist, pushing his bike the other way and wearing a Leicester Forest cycling top, said "Hello Peter!" to me. I replied but I didn't get a clear view of the other cyclist's face. My apologies if you are reading this. I didn't recognise you and was rather distracted by the fact that I was on the lookout for my daughter, who had strolled over from her residence in Highbury to meet me.
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Apologies for being unsociable on this one. But I finally got round to doing this ride because it fitted in with family, so rode the lot with my father in law and brother in not-law. Had a good ride, though it was the first time I've been that far on single speed and we were taking it maybe a bit quick for my preference. It's always a bit of a leap riding with people you haven't before, but although we had slightly different styles we stayed together and I think were knackered about the same degree by the end. Successful family bonding exercise, or something, I think. :) We got a good chant of "Da-ddy, da-ddy" from my kids on the playground on our way out. I'm not sure the "Grandpa, Grandpa" was appreciated so much.
Due to a cock-up reassembling my bike I forgot which mark on the seatpost I was supposed to be using. Thought it was a bit low in the first mile, but got used to it. Knee hurt a bit later on but I worked around it gently. Only this morning setting out on the commute did I realise the saddle height was most definitely Not Right. Yes, I'd got the wrong mark and done the dun run half a centimetre low. I know that's not much but it feels like a lot so I think I got off lightly with a bit of knee ache as a result.
Good weather all the way, only tipping it down on the drive back to London for us. We had a nice ride and were amazed by the sheer number of roadside stalls and friendly pubs staying open. By the number of times we got overtaken at a storming speed by other riders I guess some people might have been taking plenty of stops and then speeding between. Or setting off late and being much faster than us!
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I rode this as a 400 from Cambridge. The run to the start was into a partial headwind and I left half an hour late, AND stopped at my sister's around the corner from the start for some dinner, so by the time I got to London Fields well after 9pm there were just stragglers. However, my pace to London was pretty strong, so happy with that.
I set off with a few others, but they very soon took a route I wasn't expecting, so I carried on what I think is the classic route (Lea Bridge Rbt) — lo and behold, I passed them as they were waiting for the lights to change to let them onto Lea Bridge Rd. They caught me at the next set anyway.
What followed was a classic cock-up on my part: there were some racey riders out, and I tried to lead them out but eventually I had to concede they were too quick as they passed me and surged ahead. The traffic thru Epping Forest was the typical too-fast-too-close passes that you have to wonder at. At the right turn after Epping, the long line of blinky lights headed straight on up the road towards Harlow, so the quick guys ignored my shouts and raced on thru and only three of us turned right ::-)
Caught up with the Elliptigoes of Stuart, Carl, Idai and Henry before Sudbury — it was great to ride with you guys!
From there to Framlingham I spent most of my time being a bit quicker than the commuter crowd, and being a LOT slower than the club riders. It was great fun being on the road with so many other riders and the crowds outside all the drinking holes were brilliant to behold! Unnerving, though, when the club riders push through at speed en masse. And sooo many flocks of Bromptons out there, brilliant to ride with them and compare notes, but I found each group's pace too slow and pushed on.
Got caught by the bhoot tandem and we rode together to Needham Mkt :thumbsup: where I stopped to try to find water. Then caught them again on the rbt chatting with Tomsk :thumbsup: I pulled into the services after the rbt to discover they are NOT 24-hour, running a bit dry by now. Managed to get some water from the yurt-stop before Helmingham.
The earlier lunacy, tho', coupled with sleepiness and possibly dehydration, meant I dropped a ton of speed after Needham Mkt. Willed on by the thought of beating my best/only DunRun time, I pushed on after Peasingham and rode a bonkers pace (for me, after nearly 300km) across the common — passed Phil Whitehurst, sorry didn't slow down, was onna mission — to finish 5 mins better than last time at 5.30am :thumbsup:
The queue for breakfast at the café was uninviting, so I headed straight to the beach where bumped into Tomsk on the prowl for ice cream. I scoffed some homemade rice cakes and had an hour's kip. When I woke up, the queue for ice cream now stretched right across the beach!!
I headed back to Cambridge incredibly slowly, got rained on for a couple of hours, and found some legs again in the final hour for a 412km round trip in 23h36m — well down on target and barely good enough for PBP, so worrying times ahead :(
All in all it was great fun, but I wished I'd reigned myself in on the early sections, and taken bigger bottles, and just relaxed into the ride. I didn't enjoy the ride back to Cambridge, mostly because I was so tired I couldn't generated any power and so twiddled along painfully slowly. Today I feel dry, but my legs feel mostly okay. Another go on Friday with Hereward the Wake 300 overnight audax.
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Oh well best I add my sixpenneth worth of Dun Run ride report now I'm safely back home after what will become obvious was a somewhat more interesting return than the ride ??? ???
This year (only my second for you seasoned Dun-ners) I was unfortunately going to be solo and hadn't really got the wherewithal to try to tag on to any yacf-ers or Audaxers or try to see where the aforementioned gather in London Fields. So having lost my sunglasses under a taxi wheel within 5 minutes out of Waterloo I thought this my not be an auspicious start, but was proved wrong. I didn't want or need to hang around too much after dragging across the city so left with a small group from the pub about 7:50. Unusual bit of weaving in and out of traffic through Hackney but nothing to fractious and then on to the drag-race that is the run through Epping Forest. I bounced forward from group to group and was also passed by little bunches of club riders, London Dynamo, Dulwich (must have been over a hundred in total throughout the night!!) and Ipswich to name a few.
My idea was to ride to the Fox at Finchingfield before stopping, though I did stop briefly just after Moreton (which was surprisingly quiet at that time) to put on a base layer before it got dark. Got to the Fox at 10:30-ish and had a coffee and half of one of my flapjacks. Then on to Needham Mkt for my next stop at the hotdog stand by the lake. The ride was uneventful except for a couple of issues; following a fast group through a village who's name I've forgotten when actually you needed to turn left (which was actually a straight on!!) and having to yell to try and get them to stop, they didn't hear me or they ignored me, don't know they didn't stop. I retraced and Uncle Garmin got me back on track. Then when trying to exert a bit of extra speed on uphills I decided to stand up and stomp the pedals, oops this didn't work as the chain decided it wanted to part company with the chainring every time. Looking at it in the cold light of day it's obviously stretched and I've just been too lazy to notice, good excuse to visit the bike shop now.....
I'd also not drunk enough during the night as when I got to Needham and started chomping on that 'oh so wanted' hotdog I noticed it felt like soggy concrete and I had to drink copious amounts of coke to help it down. When I looked at my bottles I'd barely drunk half of one!! note that away for PBP!
As said earlier I got to Dunwich for dawn and after an hour or so tootled off to Ipswich hoping to get the early train, no joy, so after a soul-less hour in McDs I went back to the station and here's is where my Dun Run 2015 really got interesting, a transcript follows:
Me: Hello I'm on the 9:43, though my ticket says 9:50 but I do have a bike reservation, can I get in please?
Abellio Rep: Yes certainly sir, can I check your name and reservation?
Me: Certainly here you are (hands over printed reservation slip)
Abellio Rep: That's great just go through to the end of the platform and we'll let you on about 10 minutes before it's due to leave......oh and by the way no trains are going to Liverpool St because there's been an accident with a bridge between Witham and Chelmsford so you'll have to cycle to Chelmsford.
Me: Huh, what, how, why....how far?
Abellio Rep: There are replacement buses but they're not taking cycles so you lot will need to cycle to Chelmsford but don't worry its only 10 miles.
Me: oh well its sunny and that's not too bad I suppose. (this attitude hadn't been universal and not all cyclists had even been told this little nugget of information)
So, we happy (!?!?) bunch got let on and as it started to rain while putting the bikes onboard we were told that Witham wasn't the stop it was Colchester, and that was about 35 miles, this was greeted with hoots of derision. But after a few angry retorts we were told that someone at Chelmsford would sort us out. 25 minutes later after a delay at Manningtree we were dumped off at Colchester, and after being held queueing to get out all cyclists were told to go and wait in the carparks :o :-\ 40 minutes later we were still waiting for someone to come and tell us what was going on ( a couple of people had gone in but couldn't find anyone willing to own up to being an employee of Abellio Greater Anglia. Then a station security guard (seems the Abellio bus finder general had done a runner) came out and gave us the great news that 2 coaches were running to Chelmsford, hurrah followed by boo when he carried on to let us know that these were for everyone not just us and hat we'd have to wait while the dumped the non-cyclists off first and then returned for us and oh by the way they can only take about 12-15 bikes per coach. Lynch mobs in western saloons have sounded quieter after that bit of info. The coaches came and took the happy campers away and then some brave souls decided to taxi it down at the exhorbitant fee of >£70 per taxi, max two bikes!!! Coaches came back about 45 minutes later, so obviously there were more coaches than we knew off and we were eventually dropped off at Chelmsford at 2:45 to be told get on Platform 2 the train to London goes at 2:58, hurrah again.
But boo again when we get onto Platform 2 and the signs says 'cancelled' followed 5 minutes later by an announcement that ALL trains to London are cancelled TFN and that they'll get back to us in about 20 minutes when they get any info. half and hour later, trains will be running to London but not for another 40 minutes or so and oh you need to go to Platform 1. Cue scene from the Titanic when they all rush to the stern and you get the idea. 20 minutes later we're all over the other side when we get the announcement "Abellio Greater Anglia are sorry to announce that the train to London Liverpool Street will now be departing from Platform 2" I kid you not, even in my sickest mind I couldn't make up stuff like this. So of we all went again with the manic station announcer berating everyone to move along the platform.
When the train arrived it was a local service with no guards van for bikes so they got stacked wherever they fitted, on 1 wheel, right and wrong way up.
Eventually I arrived in London just after 3pm, nearly 8 hours after arriving at Ipswich :facepalm: :facepalm: :facepalm: Oh and then I had the fun ride back across London to Waterloo to get my 1:15 ticket endorsed for a later time to get on the 4:15 Exeter train back to sunny Somerset.
See you all again next year ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D
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Ah! That accounts for Jane's partner, who had a ticket to take a bike to Saxmundham from London, being rerouted via Cambridge.
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Abellio are really winning hearts and minds nationwide atm. :)
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Abellio seemed a bit weird to me at the weekend.
First they provide water to all cyclists when they arrived, very nice, not asked for but extremely good customer service I think; however then after ensuring that all cyclists had to book on to a train service it appears that no one had thought to update any risk registers (they must have them in this sort of industry, you know the book of 'what-ifs and answers') to cope with an added 50 cyclists plus bikes on each inbound London train!!
Then it seems that the Colchester rep went into meltdown because we never saw one or were approached by anyone from Abellio for the whole time we were there. Chelmsford, despite it's Carry-On-esque announcements and bouncing of passengers between platforms actually seemed almost in control but just overwhelmed by sheer scale of numbers and were gallantly trying to get the best service out of it. Then at London Liverpool St everyone was being handed water again and 'Delay/Repay' slips.
And I'll still be writing to Abellio to say being asked to ride to the next station might seem okay to them and to some riders but after all I've paid them my money for them to transport me and my bike not for me to do it myself, especially whilst others are bussed over!
If all our train providers embraced cycling and provided back-up to large scale events then we would surely benefit all round, I believe that London-Brighton is also blighted by lack of rail support now, though I will caveat that last bit in that Abellio did, I think try to support the Dynamo just not from Darsham and funnelled everything through Ipswich which probably caused more problems than it solved.
I will, if possible ride again next year but will closely monitor what Abellio are trying to do regarding travel, still not sure if I want to chuck my bike on the big lorries that get hired by Southwark for the Grand Return. Then again I could just man up and ride back, might just look at that one as Plan A for next year, anyone interested especially as there'll be no interfering French ride??
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This is how it should be done. O:-)
https://yacf.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic=60972.msg1528676#msg1528676
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I did it with a couple of mates from work and we could hardly have had better conditions on the run to the beach. We arrived at about 9:15am tired, but pleased with ourselves, loafed around on the shingle for a bit before heading to the Ship for breakfast.
I've eaten in the Ship before and it's pretty good. This time it was overpriced and pretty rough. I guess it was an OK breakfast, but for £10 - too expensive.
Then the rain hit and we huddled in shelter until it became obvious we were just going to have to suck it up and leave.
The ride to Ipswich went perfectly as far as route finding is concerned, it's a route I've used many times before, but the road conditions were epic, flooded roads, mud everywhere and so much rain I literally couldn't see at times.
Then one of our number had a really severe attack of the dozies and we had to nurse him on the final ten miles or so at somewhere between 15 and 8kph! Painfully slow.
We arrived at Ipswich in glorious sunshine with 45 minutes for the train, dashed into Sainsbury's and stocked up on calorific rubbish before heading to the station.
By the time we arrived (3:40pm) the system had been mostly sorted, we got ticked off the list, directed to the car park and given the bad news that we would be taken to Colchester and would join a local train to London. Bummer, because we had 1st Class tickets and were looking forward to a long, uninterrupted kip on the train.
As it was 20 minutes later we pitched up at Colchester, swapped platforms on got on the next train (about 5 minutes later), then had to keep jumping up to sort the bikes out when anyone wanted to get on and off the train. At Stratford we all had to get off again, do another platform change and take another train to Liverpool Street.
The last part of the ride home was in lovely sunshine, the rain a distant memory, a perfect end to another memorable ride with another set of friends who are still keen to do this, or some similar ride again in the near future.
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A footnote: just as Andrij and I were arriving at London Fields, another cyclist, pushing his bike the other way and wearing a Leicester Forest cycling top, said "Hello Peter!" to me. I replied but I didn't get a clear view of the other cyclist's face. My apologies if you are reading this. I didn't recognise you and was rather distracted by the fact that I was on the lookout for my daughter, who had strolled over from her residence in Highbury to meet me.
That was me! I was still a bit spaced out after Friday night's ride to then from Oxford and was on a mission to find a couple of fellow club members who I later discovered didn't arrive at London Fields until much later. After a couple of fruitless laps of the park I was surprised that I couldn't spot you either.
I eventually got impatient and started on my own with the crowds (IYSWIM) at about 2000. I found it all a bit mental - but mostly in a good way. Started to get very dozy after a while and tried to get a snooze at the half way point but failed. OK for a short while after due to coffee with lots of sugar but faded badly again with sore knee/tiredness/why am I doing this syndrome. Snapped out of it by a Leicester Forest shirt going past me and managed to hang on to a couple of younger faster guys until I begged for mercy with about 5k to go to the beach. Arrived there a bit hot and sweaty but still buzzing.
Watched the sun come up, watched the swimmers, put all my clothes on and tried to snooze but started to chill down. Got back on the bike and headed for Norwich just after 0500 to catch my 1353 train! I got slower and slower and finally found an ideal snoozing spot in a sun trap on a village playing field. After an hour or so I felt much better and set off to arrive in Norwich just before it chucked it down. I was pleased that I was so early and settled down to wait for tree hours. The train staff were pleasant and friendly (as usual) and just before I boarded I was joined by a club member with a tale of bad route planning, punctures, torrential unforecast rain etc.
Changed at Ely for the train to Leicester then a 15k ride home with 4 samosas stuffed up my jersey to arrive home just before it chucked it down again for a grand total of 530k. Although I am still feeling tired it was all worth it for a superb weekend out.
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Well Hello JonBuoy! Good to meet you, albeit briefly!
I see that the Dulwich Paragon chaingang brigade are getting a right pasting on FB.
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There were certainly some groups who seemed to take delight in passing people unnecessarily closely.
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The club that made me laugh was the Ipswich lot. I don't know where they went, but they overtook us several times. Each time they did one or more of their number shouted "Tandem!" They too overtook a bit too closely. I'm glad they weren't on their tractors.
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Shortly after I set off from Dunwich to catch my train at Norwich a group of young Norwich Velo riders went past me. As they were locals I thought that I really ought tag along with them but as I had loads of time and, more significantly, both my head and my legs were well stuffed I didn’t bother and continued plodding along my pre-planned route.
I watched them disappear into the distance then turn off along a main road. Ten minutes later the same group went past me again I assume having decided that they had taken a wrong turn. A little later it happened again and they went past me for a third time.
Some hours later as I pootled round Norwich I got talking to an older Norwich Velo member (who hadn’t done the DunRun) and mentioned my experience with his clubmates who didn’t seem to have a clue as to where they were going. ‘It doesn’t surprise me in the slightest’ was his response.
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Well written (as ever) article from Sam on his DD 'n' back ride: http://road.cc/content/feature/156876-dunwich-dynamo-and-back
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Well written (as ever) article from Sam on his DD 'n' back ride: http://road.cc/content/feature/156876-dunwich-dynamo-and-back
I had lunch with Sam at LMNH today, courtesy of a cyclechat ride.
He delivers good word.