@mashton made me do it. Ashford International to Dungeness 16/06/18 disconnect, tune out, roll in back to analogue

The micro train service from Dungeness to Hythe.

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You would have to strip the wheels off a bike to get in a carriage on the train (if they would take a bike)
They are micro size.

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Did anyone notice some of the homes are shaped like an old railway cargo carriage ?
Because that's what they are. When the main line service stopped the rolling stock was abandoned and left to rot, so the locals converted them to live in.

Now worth rather a lot..... :)

calling myself out as "Lobsterboy" today.

feel the burn...… felt the burn most of the night :)

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That's my arm in case your worried. And it's redder, pinker than the camera picked up colourwise.

Ouchers.

I got burned last weekend but survived OK yesterday. Feel grrrrrrrrreat today!

By the way. I just checked. There is no railway station at Lydd!

Just a service line for the power station now. Used to be a station at Lydd in 1883 - 1937 when passenger service ceased. line closed in 1953.
The line we crossed at Swamp crossing is only used to move special material to the station.
As we left Dungeness estate and passed the actual enterance to the station there was a small fenced compound with a container lift/crane in it. That's the end of the line. Cargo is transferred in there and transported down to the station, waste container goes back out on train.
This is glow in the dark material (missing key words on purpose :)

Marsh train website Dungeness to Hythe http://www.rhdr.org.uk/

The Fifth Continent website, very handy if planning to vist solo. https://theromneymarsh.net/dungeness

Sound Mirrors. https://theromneymarsh.net/soundmirrors

The history lesson i gave on the ride with Arthur.

Arthur William Clarke, his story and why he is still entombed in the Marsh at the controls of his crashed Hurricane. Arthur was found in 1971 but not recovered.
One of many that are at rest and may never be found. some Polish pilots buried in the moving shingle ridges of Dungeness too, the pilots and planes may never be found.
http://www.bbm.org.uk/airmen/ClarkeAW.htm

Across the Marsh a few miles is Hamstreet, here by the A2070 you might see an American flag flying, this is Johnsons corner.
History here, http://www.orlestoneparish.co.uk/johnsons-corner/

Between Ivychurch (about 1 mile) and Brenzett roundabout is an Aeronautical muesum and local history. Never been in, must ride down and have a look.
https://theromneymarsh.net/wartimecollection

Nice 1980's vid of the testing they did on the flasks including 100mph train impact testing...

https://youtu.be/2jzugX2NMnk

Ah. Would have liked to have done this. If you run it again I'm in.

The Marsh strikes back episode II could easily be arranged @T4NY4
I would stipulate next time...........
be capable of cruising at least 16mph (as group dynamic was more like 18-20mph)
Stick skinny tyres on suited for tarmac use. Most had 23c-28c one at 40c gravel tyre, one knobby tyred 29er and a slick ballon tyred 26"cruiser.
Bring tools and spares able to fix Biek and chain. Not a dig, i learnt that 11spd chains are a ballache to cut and shut with a tool not designed to work with them........ i only use 3/32" 8/9spd chains so only set for that. And have the offcut of new chain for cut and shut duties.
Check your multi tool works with your set up, turns out many 11spd riders will face similar issues, changing industry standards and all that :) Thankfully failure was not to far from Bike shop in New Romney and fellas got killer service at full retail.
We have all been there, worst case, i could have run a rescue mission to get them back to station after main group had finished. Couple of hours stuck in a pub...... can't be bad :)

35mile route was mentioned.........

We had a weird conversation on Swamp lane about the quality of turf in the field that got used for bodily functions.

No one actually took a dump in the middle of the pristine grass.
Or hammered sausages into it.

While marking out a second route today, i used the @jaitch variation from New Romney to Ivychurch.

Fuckme sideways with a gerkin :)
Massive company called "Grasslands" and no they don't grow "Grass" you smoke but are a turf producer. Learnt somefink new meself there :)

Yes! @Backstop and I nailed it!

@mashton you mentioned a shorter route.
35 miles. Can't trim Dungeness and back down that much, can knock a few miles out if you just run straight to the lighthouse then double back. Some of the side roads we passed are rougher so slower.

However.......
Had a drive around today and have a variation route, cutting out the Dungeness Lydd section.

We follow the same route out of Ashford but head to Aldington Corner then run towards Dymchurch. Around 13 miles from station to Dymchurch.
Then get on sea defences and run the coast wall down to Littlestone on sea (where we stopped for first taste of sea air looking at the Mulberry harbour section).
Back into New Romney and chop over to Ivychurch, but take first right past the Bell Inn on to Melon lane (about 20 mile mark) Then chop to towards Ruckinge but veer off part way over to Bilsington. The White Horse Bilsington is about 25.5 miles and they do food on a saturday from 12-9 so for another route this is a bail out and rest point, get food before Ashford. We rode past this on the way in, so straight forward run back to town from there.
Roughly worked out at 32 miles, but would have to ride it first to check the whole coastal section is fully rideable. Be hard going with head wind.
Will do a map with crayons later :)

This ride was so Rad it burnt me :)

radiation burns not stinging so much today..........

I was only saying that to make it a TNRC length route, but I think that is ruled out by train costs and length of the ride home, in event of difficulties.

It was a great length route on Saturday. In fact, trying to track another flat five on, to make a half century would be a fairly good idea...

Hmmm
I am at my limit with the current 45 my knees blow around Ruckinge, not helped by the headwind as we escaped Ness to Lydd over the desert.

The variation i plotted may just add +5 you could skip the sea wall and run the main road from Dymchurch to New Romney.

Oh and you go past Julien Clary and Paul O Gradys gaff's on this one. No sausage jokes please :)

Crispy radness tan lines

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Broke out the crayons

Green is the shorter variation, but the Pub in Bilsington the White Horse does food from 12-9pm on Saturdays so for future ref's a good bail out point.

Orange is the 44 or so mile route we did.

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Orange equals al-fresco super fresh probs swimming the channel that morning Lobster.
Due to being coastal it also equates to less crap in the air to absorb all the UV rad's so factor 50 or cover up or get a dose of rad's :)

Still better than a dose of rad's from the nuclear station :)

I'm in. Name the date whatever route plus pub stop is a bonus as supermarket beers not to everyone's tastes. (Happy whatever)

I would be up for a round 2 seeing as I couldn't make round 1

Shall i start a new thread ?

Or just retitle this thread with new date ?

we can thrash out an Episode II date.
Saturdays are best for travel by train as Sundays see "track works" and the Marsh and Ness will be full of Sunday drivers.

Can run the same route +history lesson (might skip the Martell unless i can find a 1/4 bottle) can't say you will get lobster as that's on season right now and was fresh caught.

I would like to vist the Bell Inn at Ivychurch as would Soapbear (won't get food there late afternoon) and as it turns out ASDA at Ashford which we go through don't sell cold beers....... the horror...... barstards..... :)

Some time late July ? or August.
I have to check via work as i play with Ambulances and work weekends.

Shout out, lets make Episode II happen :)

New thread, "Dungeness and Dragons"...