Dun Run lite - Friday 7th June

[Flying Dodo]

Hmm. Went on to the southern website. Found the journey I want, found the bicycle space tab. Message comes up "you have already reserved a seat". Nothing about having a bike space or whether one is available on the train I want (1543 IPS to lST). Am I doing it right?

After doing the search, highlighting the price and then the train you want, click on Buy Now. The next page confirms your order. Towards the bottom, after seat preferences, there's a little arrow with bicycle space. Click on that, and then it expands to let you reserve a bike. If you then click continue, it probably leaps to the page where it asks you to say where you want to pick up your ticket. At the bottom, click on back, and it then displays what your seat reservation is and the space for 1 bicycle. It should show that first, but I've noticed at times it just leaps to the ticket delivery page.

I've just checked, and unfortunately there's no bikes spaces left on the 15:43 out of Ipswich, but there are on the 16:09 (seats currently available for £8).

In fact I simply booked a ticket from Darsham to London, rather than splitting it. It gives the warning that seat reservations aren't possible on some parts of the journey (Darsham to Ipswich), but that's not an issue.

 

[wanda2010]

If you're going to wait that long at Ipswich you might as well cycle back....

Next year. Promise

 

[dellzeqq]

I did the Dun Run last year, and caught the train home from Darsham. I think they were being ultra-strict because of the DunRun, but when it arrived, the guard got off, blocked the doorway and said "room for one bike". Apparently officially it can only carry 7, which it already had but one was getting off. So me and my folder + one other rider got on. The other 20 or 30 were left on the station. I spoke to the riders on the train, and they weren't on the Dun Run, it was just a normal Sunday.

OK, probably won't happen any other weekend, but it's worth knowing that if the guard is working to rule, you won't all get on.

I think this is right. We've travelled with bikes from Darsham time and time again, and the train guard has been as good as gold.

 

[Davywalnuts]

Hi Adam,

I am needing to buy in and rebuild my lovely old silver spesh, geared bike, as riding fixed long distance has wrecked my lower back.

I am ordering the parts in, so as long I as I can get this all done next week, then this should be fine for me, hopefully, but Ill let you know.

 

[Dogtrousers]

Bum. Diary conflict - friends visiting on the Saturday and Sunday, so I'll need to be awake. Nobody told me*. I'm almost certainly out of this. Cross my name out, and in the unlikely event that I can make it I'll let you know.

* Nobody told me enough times to ensure that I was actually listening.

 

[wanda2010]

@Dogtrousers - you will be home on Saturday late afternoon so you'd have a few hours to catch-up with them on the Sunday surely?

Not that I'm trying to get you to 'misbehave' you understand

@Davywalnuts - Get the geared bike up and running by Wednesday.

 

[Dogtrousers]

I've just found out that I don't have to meet my friends til 6:30pm on Sat. But that's 6:30, in town, awake and sociable, having gone home and slept a bit. Then got up and combed my hair.

So I'd need to be home in Sarf East London by 2-ish.

If I were to bail before arriving at Dunwich, and go directly to Darsham or some other station I could possibly be in London by 1 ish. Ride from Liverpool St to London Bridge and home by 2 ish. Or alternatively I could bail earlier and ride directly to Ipswich or Diss ...

It's possible ... but I need to do a bit of train time research.

 

[wanda2010]

Delay them til 7pm. They won't notice cos it will have been a very hot day

 

[Flying Dodo]

I've just found out that I don't have to meet my friends til 6:30pm on Sat. But that's 6:30, in town, awake and sociable, having gone home and slept a bit. Then got up and combed my hair.

So I'd need to be home in Sarf East London by 2-ish.

If I were to bail before arriving at Dunwich, and go directly to Darsham or some other station I could possibly be in London by 1 ish. Ride from Liverpool St to London Bridge and home by 2 ish. Or alternatively I could bail earlier and ride directly to Ipswich or Diss ...

It's possible ... but I need to do a bit of train time research.

We'll be at the half way Tesco stop in Sudbury by 6 am (possibly earlier). Hourly timed trains start 06:26 to London Liverpool Street, via Marks Tey. Or you could carry on a bit longer, and then peel off at Needham Market. Those options would give you loads of catch-up time. Or as you say, carry on to Darsham when you'd probably get an 11-ish train.

 

[Dogtrousers]

Thanks Adam. Looks like there are loads of options. I also quite like the idea of Diss (veering off just before Framlington). Direct trains to London, and or course the opportunity to sing "Diss town, is comin like a ghost town".

 

[Flying Dodo]

Some very nice quiet little roads up to Diss.

 

[redfalo]

I'm tempted to join (unless the weather takes a significant turn to the worse). Due to other obligations on Saturday I can't do the whole ride though. Needham Market looks like a good bail-out point. That's about 79 miles from London Fields. Adam, what do you reckon we'll come through Needham Market?

 

[velovoice]

Adam can comment on timing, but I've earmarked Needham Market as a possible bail point if my knee starts mis-behaving, so you may have company!

 

[redfalo]

Coo

Adam can comment on timing, but I've earmarked Needham Market as a possible bail point if my knee starts mis-behaving, so you may have company!

Cool, although I hope your knee won't play up, of couse.

 

[velovoice]

me too! but nice to know I'd have company on the train, if it does, as Adam obviously can't abandon with me.