This isn't a call for registrations - with the LCC playing hard to get to the phone I'm still not sure of the arrangements - but more an outline of the ride and and to tell you that Adrian has brought it to my attention that railway tickets for this weekend are now being sold.
The ride will leave Manchester Town Hall at midnight on the 15th of April. You can see a rough outline of the route here.. http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_G4j9YmEAZsw/TTNmMonQFpI/AAAAAAAAAoA/AZL87p_hkyU/s1600/Slide13.PNG .
I intend taking the A56 up to Bury, then cutting northwest on to Watling Street, a Roman Road that has its 1 in 7 moments, both up and down - at one point we go about 1000 feet above sea level. This takes us to Blackburn. I then intend to go north to cross the River Ribble and go in to Ribchester, where we'll stop for coffee and cake. The first half of the ride is a fraction under 30 miles, which, given that we'll go at the speed of the slowest, and that there will be some walking, may take us over three hours. If the weather is dreadful we'll cut west to Turton Bottoms (ooh, Missus!) and take the A666 road to Blackburn. This will take a bit of recce'ing, because Birches Road is not tarmac'ed.
The second half of the ride is, judged by the map, pretty benign. Twenty five miles of B road that gets flatter and flatter until we reach the sea at Blackpool.
I'll be catching the 21.00 up to Manchester, and leaving Blackpool on the 8.45, catching connections at Manchester Piccadilly and Birmingham Snow Hill. The return journey is a lot cheaper if you go via Birmingham. If you're buying tickets from Birmingham back to London I'd avoid the slightly cheaper efforts from New Street via London Midland - I couldn't reserve a bike on these. Chiltern operates a turn up and we'll be happy to see you policy from Snow Hill.
I'll be doing at least two recce rides. The first will be a daytime effort. I'll be arriving at Manchester Piccadilly at 11.07 on Monday March 28th and setting off for Ribchester pretty much straight away. The second will be a night time one, arriving at Manchester Piccadilly at 23.11 on April 1st and, after hanging around a bit, I'll set off for Blackpool from the Town Hall a little after midnight.
On 15th April the 21.00 from Euston gets in to Manchester Piccadilly at 23.11. There is a later train, leaving Euston at 21.40 and arriving at 23.46. There's still bike tickets for both of these trains, but if you miss them it might be more economical to take the 18.40, 18.20, 18.00 or 17.40 which still have cheapish tickets. There are trains in abundance from Birmingham, and, of course, from Sheffield.
So that, for now, is about it. If you fancy joining me on the daytime or nighttime recce rides, speak up!
The ride will leave Manchester Town Hall at midnight on the 15th of April. You can see a rough outline of the route here.. http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_G4j9YmEAZsw/TTNmMonQFpI/AAAAAAAAAoA/AZL87p_hkyU/s1600/Slide13.PNG .
I intend taking the A56 up to Bury, then cutting northwest on to Watling Street, a Roman Road that has its 1 in 7 moments, both up and down - at one point we go about 1000 feet above sea level. This takes us to Blackburn. I then intend to go north to cross the River Ribble and go in to Ribchester, where we'll stop for coffee and cake. The first half of the ride is a fraction under 30 miles, which, given that we'll go at the speed of the slowest, and that there will be some walking, may take us over three hours. If the weather is dreadful we'll cut west to Turton Bottoms (ooh, Missus!) and take the A666 road to Blackburn. This will take a bit of recce'ing, because Birches Road is not tarmac'ed.
The second half of the ride is, judged by the map, pretty benign. Twenty five miles of B road that gets flatter and flatter until we reach the sea at Blackpool.
I'll be catching the 21.00 up to Manchester, and leaving Blackpool on the 8.45, catching connections at Manchester Piccadilly and Birmingham Snow Hill. The return journey is a lot cheaper if you go via Birmingham. If you're buying tickets from Birmingham back to London I'd avoid the slightly cheaper efforts from New Street via London Midland - I couldn't reserve a bike on these. Chiltern operates a turn up and we'll be happy to see you policy from Snow Hill.
I'll be doing at least two recce rides. The first will be a daytime effort. I'll be arriving at Manchester Piccadilly at 11.07 on Monday March 28th and setting off for Ribchester pretty much straight away. The second will be a night time one, arriving at Manchester Piccadilly at 23.11 on April 1st and, after hanging around a bit, I'll set off for Blackpool from the Town Hall a little after midnight.
On 15th April the 21.00 from Euston gets in to Manchester Piccadilly at 23.11. There is a later train, leaving Euston at 21.40 and arriving at 23.46. There's still bike tickets for both of these trains, but if you miss them it might be more economical to take the 18.40, 18.20, 18.00 or 17.40 which still have cheapish tickets. There are trains in abundance from Birmingham, and, of course, from Sheffield.
So that, for now, is about it. If you fancy joining me on the daytime or nighttime recce rides, speak up!
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