2015-07-04 Dunwich Dynamo XXIII

Could be useful.

https://www.abelliogreateranglia.co.uk/dunwich-dynamo-reservation

the fast Norwich train has a whole carriage of space, could surely fit about 20-30 bikes stacked in that one!,

@OneLessCardigan, are you attending this year?

if anybody has ridden the distance to Dunwich, the extra quiet route to Ipswich is surely also possible after a long rest and some food and ideally a sea swim!

Ipswich is a perfectly nice place to spend time at, just in case those intercity trains are full with bicycles

Maybe this could encourage the train operator of the London Norwich line to invest in a contention style bicycle carriage for such events! (or double-up their existing fine spacious luggage/bicycle carriage)

Maybe this could encourage the train operator of the London Norwich line to invest in a contention style bicycle carriage for such events!

How much would such a carriage cost?
How many bikes could it take at a time?
How many times could it be used in a single day?
How many bikes could it carry in a day?
How much money (at £20 a ticket) could it theoretically pull in in a day?

My guess would be £1m cost, 400 bikes if you really packed it well, used 3 times in a day (it's got to get from Ipswich to Liverpool St and back each time), at £20 each that'd be £24k. So it'd require 41 days carrying 1200 bikes a day to recoup the outlay, ignoring all operating and maintenance expenses.

I'm out.

The problem, as I understand it, is that the train operator has to procure special rolling stock, which is a bit of a faff and difficult to accommodate given the parlous state of the network. As Greenbank implies, there simply aren't enough such events to make the necessary faff worthwhile--remember that the train companies don't own the rolling stock and it has to come from quite far away. (This may be wrong, it's just what I remember being told. Train experts, please.)

I have a spare return ticket for the coach. Please let me know if you are interested.

Yes I am - will PM

I took the train from the local station last year which included a single coach for bikes but it had seats! The upholstery which looked pretty clean must have been ruined - bikes piled on top of bikes and chain oil marks everywhere.

Hnnnnngggg. The weather is going to be lush and I'm not riding because commitments on Sunday :(

I will, however, be riding over to Finchingfield to hang out until 1ish so I can squint for derailleurless bieks in the dark. Be ready to DAS as I tipsily holler at you.

They're opening that up to 50 bikes this year, every xx:50, need a special reservation though. And probably don't want to be on the bottom...

Man and van peeps could make some dosh on the side here. Or better still camper van with mattress.

There are a couple of operators doing that...

I'm riding back to Ipswich this year with a couple of others: http://ridewithgps.com/routes/8771557

Also planning on doing something like this though may not make it as far as Finchingfield. Might just sit at a nice countryside spot 25ish miles out with a track pump, some spare tubes and a case of beer. First time in about 5 years that I can't do the ride. Boo!

Well, @Cycliste is staying in Switzerland this weekend, the weather looks good, and I've nothing else on, so I think I'll do the ride. Then cycle back home to Ely afterwards. Fixed, of course. If you see a Rapha FKW riding an On-One Macinato, feel free to shout out. Can't do a skid though - it's got a Powertap track rear hub and it'll unscrew itself. #handyexcuses

Mind if I join you?

Not at all Mel, I'm estimating 2-4 hours for the return... Could be quite variable.

That would be moreton then.

Hi fella...doing it this year? We're you the kind soul who gave me a tube after I crunched into the real fox? He was fine, my inner tube, not so much!

@braker or anyone else, I have a return coach ticket I can't use. I've contacted Southwark Cyclists 4 times now and don't get a reply so at this late stage, PM me if you want it for FREE!

return train ticket booked, I guess I'm in :)

Best weather in years.

Hi there, I think that may well have been me, the fox tale rings a bell. Not in this year - a combination of worrying that it might be the year when I stop enjoying it and now the added complication of my daughter's 21st birthday do and various parents coming to stay. Shame, as the weather's looking perfect for it and I sorely need to get on a bike out of London soon.