Col5632
Guru
- Location
- Cowdenbeath
I've not really worked out how I'm getting there yet..if I'm doing it
England : Cumbria Ride to the Sun 2019 (Carlisle to Edinburgh 100 miles).
- Thread starter Brandane
- Start date
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Last year - it was probably easier due to covid reduced numbers - but I got a very cheap ticket from Ayrshire to Carlisle (about £11 if I remember correctly) - the normal price for just the Ayrshire to Glasgow leg is about £7.
There were only 4 bike spaces on the train to Carlisle, and 8 bikes waiting in the queue. And all of us claimed to have reservations! Turns out that 4 people did have seat reservations, but no bike reservation. But the train people were great - said "you can't bring your bike on board. There's no space. But take the wheels off, and you can carry 2 wheels and a frame in as luggage and put them in the rack beside the cases..."
Getting back from Edinburgh - the plan had been to cycle on towards Falkirk and get a morning train from there. But Daughter #2 is still young enough to think that driving through to Edinburgh in the middle of the night to pick up Dad is a big adventure
There were only 4 bike spaces on the train to Carlisle, and 8 bikes waiting in the queue. And all of us claimed to have reservations! Turns out that 4 people did have seat reservations, but no bike reservation. But the train people were great - said "you can't bring your bike on board. There's no space. But take the wheels off, and you can carry 2 wheels and a frame in as luggage and put them in the rack beside the cases..."
Getting back from Edinburgh - the plan had been to cycle on towards Falkirk and get a morning train from there. But Daughter #2 is still young enough to think that driving through to Edinburgh in the middle of the night to pick up Dad is a big adventure
the_craig
Über Member
- Location
- Lanarkshire
I'm swithering about coming along this year, if I can convince my riding buddy to tag along.
I'm tempted to ask a friend if they will take us down in their big car and then either hang around Edinburgh until the first train or just ride home. I'm about 40-odd km from Cramond to my bit.
I'm tempted to ask a friend if they will take us down in their big car and then either hang around Edinburgh until the first train or just ride home. I'm about 40-odd km from Cramond to my bit.
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Brandane
Legendary Member
- Location
- Costa Clyde
That was the torturous bit, the year I did it (2017). After the elation of reaching Cramond for sunrise at 4am had worn off and everyone drifted away, you're left wondering WTF you're going to do to pass the time until the first train leaves for Glasgow at 8.00.. I rode into Waverley station hoping to get a corner to sleep in for an hour or two, but they don't open the gates to the station until 7.00 on a Sunday morning! The 2 trains and 2.5 hours journey home is no fun after 24 hours without sleep and a 100 mile bike ride. Having said that, I am giving some thought to doing it this year, but I'll wait until I see a weather forecast a few days before the event.
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Brandane
Legendary Member
- Location
- Costa Clyde
There's a bike space currently available on the 1309 service out of Glasgow central (cost is £17.10), but it's the Manchester airport train run by Trans Pennine, so be prepared to fight with holidaymakers heading for the airport trying to fill bike spaces with suitcases. The other problem is you're in Carlisle a bit early at 1430. Plenty time to binge on carbs at the Chinese buffet near the station, as was my tactic when I did it
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Brandane
Legendary Member
- Location
- Costa Clyde
Just a suggestion, but.... book a return on East coast main line, London/Edinburgh. Jump off the northbound train at Newcastle on Saturday and get another train over to Carlisle. Ride to Edinburgh, then southbound train back to London on Sunday?
Edit to add... Having said that, good luck getting a seat, and a bike space, given that RTTS is on, combined with the West Coast main line being out of action on the Sunday.
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Cheers, that's not a bad idea - I'll run it pasted my riding buddies.
I had thought of getting the train up to Leeds and heading across from there but I decided it was starting to seem like too much hassle. The other thought I had was the sleeper but leaving Euston at midnight and arriving in Carlisle about 5am is probably not the best prep!
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Brandane
Legendary Member
- Location
- Costa Clyde
The announcement of a national rail strike on Saturday 25th June has pretty much ended any faint chance I still had in taking part in this.
Others who mentioned travelling by train? @bruce1530 @Col5632 @nonowt
Others who mentioned travelling by train? @bruce1530 @Col5632 @nonowt
Col5632
Guru
- Location
- Cowdenbeath
Oh brilliant, scouts are offering a bike service but I don't have £50 to pay for the privilege when the train costs £12
hmmmm.... no trains on Sat.... maybe a daft idea, but from my house (North Ayrshire) to Cramond is about the same distance as Carlisle-Cramond. And it's still coast to coast..... and I'm sure if I arrived at Cramond at around 3am on a bike I could blag a beer even though I hadn't come from Carlisle
Don't know if I'd want to do the Union Canal path at night though...
Don't know if I'd want to do the Union Canal path at night though...
Scottish Scrutineer
Über Member
- Location
- Fife, Scotland
I hadn't picked up on the impact of the strike action yet.
We were going to drive to Carlisle, cycle to Crammond and then home (15 miles or so), then I would get the train down to Carlisle on Sunday afternoon to collect the car. Might have to rethink that. Hopefully our group might include a mate from Yorkshire who would be heading south on Sunday.
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Brandane
Legendary Member
- Location
- Costa Clyde
I hadn't picked up on the impact of the strike action yet.
We were going to drive to Carlisle, cycle to Crammond and then home (15 miles or so), then I would get the train down to Carlisle on Sunday afternoon to collect the car. Might have to rethink that. Hopefully our group might include a mate from Yorkshire who would be heading south on Sunday.
The rail strike shouldn't affect services on the Sunday though (it's a series of 3 x 24 hour strikes on June 21st, 23rd, and 25th). But you just know it will - drivers and trains in the wrong place after the strike on Saturday will be the predictable excuse.
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Col5632
Guru
- Location
- Cowdenbeath
If nothing else it gives me the excuse not to do it lol
