Northampton ride to London Saturday 24th March

[clivedb]

Adam, greetings! I have spent 10 mins or so hunting for this on the Southern site - clue please!

http://www.southernrailway.com/

I really don't think you need to book your bike on the London Midland trains. Their trains are similar to the Southern ones that we use to come back from Brighton. There's no booking system but there is space in the disabled section or in the doorways.

However, they're much stricter on Virgin because the bikes have to be put in a special section which you can't access as a passenger. Someone on the train or the platform has to unlock it. I am doubtful that the Southern site will really book you onto the Virgin system as it is not possible to book bikes electronically with Virgin. You have to phone them or go to a booking office where there's a reasonable chance that the desk clerk won't know how to do it!

 

[User10571]

Adam, greetings! I have spent 10 mins or so hunting for this on the Southern site - clue please!

You need to click on "Buy tickets now" at least twice during the shopping procedure before you reach the window which has bike rezzies - and then you need to scroll down to see it.
Make it easy for you?
No, they don't.

 

[Flying Dodo]

I've got a slightly altered route for this little jaunt (just for Clive, it goes through Stony Stratford). It does have about 100m of rough concrete but it misses out some hills and is at least 2 miles shorter overall.

I just need to tidy up the gpx file, and I'll post a link in the next day or so.

 

[Tigerbiten]

Are you going up the A508 and then down past Salcey Forest and through Hanslope to Stoney Stratford ??

If so I may meet you either at the station or at the top of the hill just off the A508.
It a 10 mile run into Northampton for me.
Then a run down to Stoney Stratford with you.
Then turn back for home to give me a nice 50 mile round trip.

 

[Flying Dodo]

From Northampton station, it'll be the A5123, then drop down onto Rowtree Road, then Wootton Road through Quinton, Salcey Forest, Hanslope then some sneaky footpaths over the A5 into Stony Stratford. We'll have to man-handle your trike around some gates but it'll be manageable.

 

[Tigerbiten]

Got you for the first bit.
You'll pull through the Tesco's car park and turn left.
I'll do that run sat or sun and find out how slow I'll be up the hill.
If I'm to slow, I'll set out early from the station and rejoin at Tesco's.

If it's where I think it is, I'll prob turn west for the start of the run home before the footpath section, so you won't need to man-handle the trike.

 

[Flying Dodo]

In fact we go past Tesco's and take the next left, then right down Hill Farm Rise, which is a fast downhill to Rowtree Road.

I didn't want to go through Tesco's in view of the large volume of traffic.

 

[Tigerbiten]

Just done a training run around that way to Salcey Forest.
I cut through the Tesco's carpark just to try it.
The only iffy bit was here -> http://maps.google.co.uk/?ll=52.215...-WDxHL-9xX1tMRluLZ6mKQ&cbp=12,113.15,,0,60.54
You either need to cut through the "no enter" bit or use the pavment to the left of it.
Otherwise it very straight forward on wide roads.
I was thinking if you use that corner of the pavment to regroup the ride after the hill and roundabout/traffic lights, it will get you off the road while your doing that.

Hope that helps .......

 

[Tim Hall]

Hmm. Late as usual...

We may be up for this. However, a quick gander at London Midland's website says they can't take tandems (or three wheelers). Does anyone know what sort of rolling stock they run on that service? Will we, with the aid of dashing good looks and a winning smile, be able to blag it?

 

[Flying Dodo]

Looking carefully at the satellite view, I've realised that you can just drop down through the Tesco car park, and come out at the bottom. I'll see how it is on the day.

 

[Flying Dodo]

Tim, their trains are similar to the Southern ones with the semi-circular toilet, but more modern. I've seen loads of bikes also jammed into doorways on other carriages, so I don't think the staff mind. You should be OK with the Pino.

 

[Flying Dodo]

The likely route we'll be taking is shown here, although it doesn't include the possible Tesco diversion.

It's now slightly shorter at 77.7 miles and less hilly, with 2,311 ft of climbing and 2,444 of descending - see, we're heading downhill (but I always say that). The lunch stop is at the Queens Head in Wing, after 31 miles so we should be there just before 1 pm. Their menu is shown here, and it would speed things up if people could have a think about what they'd like to eat, and post it up during the week.

 

[Mice]

The likely route we'll be taking is shown here, although it doesn't include the possible Tesco diversion.

It's now slightly shorter at 77.7 miles and less hilly, with 2,311 ft of climbing and 2,444 of descending - see, we're heading downhill (but I always say that). The lunch stop is at the Queens Head in Wing, after 31 miles so we should be there just before 1 pm. Their menu is shown here, and it would speed things up if people could have a think about what they'd like to eat, and post it up during the week.

Yummy - that menu looks delish! I shall digest it and come back with a decision! And I'll forget those hill measurements (for the time being anyway!) Route looks great. Thank you FD

M

 

[GM]

77.7 miles and less hilly, with 2,311 ft of climbing and 2,444 of descending - see, we're heading downhill




This seems like my kind of ride. Alright if I tag along? probably at the back.

 

[wanda2010]

Impressed with that menu and couldn't decide between the burger and chips or the ham, egg and chips, so I'll have the ham, egg and chips

@thegreenman - that 'tag along' position is mine - hands off