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Dunwich Dynamo cyclists told not to take train home – because new rolling stock has limited bike spacesGreater Anglia intercity train (via greateranglia.co_.uk)

Dunwich Dynamo cyclists told not to take train home – because new rolling stock has limited bike spaces

Participants in next month’s overnight ride from London to the Suffolk coast will have to find another way of getting back to the capital
by Simon_MacMichael
Tue, Jun 01, 2021 16:42
39

Cyclists taking part in next month’s Dunwich Dynamo have been told by Greater Anglia not to take the train home – because its new rolling stock has limited space for bicycles.

> Cycling UK slams "awful" cycle storage on GWR's high-speed trains

In the past, the operator has laid on trains from Ipswich with guard’s vans to help many of the participants in the all-night summer ride from London to the Suffolk Coast return to the capital with their bikes, although it has had to restrict numbers at times.

But the company has said that its new intercity trains, which now run on the route, have space for just six bicycles each – and will be unable to cope with the expected demand from cyclists who have completed the 120-mile ride, which this year takes place on the night of Saturday 24 and Sunday 25 July.

Kim Bucknell, Head of Customer Service East, Greater Anglia, said: “Unfortunately we are unable to support the Dunwich Dynamo this year and we are unable to offer mass transit for the large number of cyclists involved.

“Our new intercity trains have six cycle spaces each and there is no limit on the number of folding bikes we can carry, but this is not sufficient for the number of event participants.

“We are advising cyclists to find an alternative way to transport their bikes back to London.

“We’re sorry not to be able to help participants, but these restrictions are in place for the safety of our passengers and these rules will also help to maintain a reliable and punctual service.

“We would like to thank the cyclists and organisers in advance for their cooperation and understanding."”

In fact, the Dunwich Dynamo has no organiser – it began in 1993, when a group of couriers left a London pub one Friday evening, headed east, and didn’t stop till they hit the North Sea.

> Dunwich Dynamo and back

In the three decades since, it has continued to grow in popularity and, prior to the coronavirus crisis, around 3,000 cyclists were taking part each year, meeting at the Pub On The Park at London Fields in Hackney at 8pm for a 9pm start – although some leave earlier, or later before heading to Suffolk via the Essex countryside.

Since 2000, Southwark Cyclists has provided coaches to help participants who have booked a place return to the capital, with their bikes following in a fleet of vans, transporting around 1,000 riders in 2019.

However, the service was suspended last year, and according to an update in the group’s February newsletter it looks extremely unlikely it will happen this time round.

For those making it all the way to Dunwich, therefore, alternative arrangements will have to be made, such as having friends or partners meeting them there with a motor vehicle, while some no doubt will just dip their toes in the sea, get back on their bike, and ride all the way back to London.

Another impact of the coronavirus pandemic is that some of the rest stops along the route which give the event much of its festival atmosphere will be missing – although according to a post on the Dunwich Dynamo Facebook group page, the Fyfield Pit Stop, run by the 1st Moreton and Fyfield Scouts in Essex, will be open.

There is an alternative ride organised by Greenwich Cyclists taking place on Saturday 24 July, also leaving the Pub On The Park although at the earlier time of 5pm, and only going as far as the White Hart in Moreton, a few miles past Epping, for a “hospitality” stop.

After taking suitable refreshments, the idea is to return to Epping via Ongar and take a train – the town is only served by the London Underground Central Line – back to the capital, although restrictions mean that bikes can only be taken as far as Leyton.

Places on that ride can be booked here, with nearly 300 people signed up at the time of writing.

Dunwich Dynamo
Dunwich Dynamo 2021
Simon MacMichael

Simon joined road.cc as news editor in 2009 and is now the site’s community editor, acting as a link between the team producing the content and our readers. A law and languages graduate, published translator and former retail analyst, he has reported on issues as diverse as cycling-related court cases, anti-doping investigations, the latest developments in the bike industry and the sport’s biggest races. Now back in London full-time after 15 years living in Oxford and Cambridge, he loves cycling along the Thames but misses having his former riding buddy, Elodie the miniature schnauzer, in the basket in front of him.

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39 comments

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Captain Badger replied to JoanneH | 2 years ago
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JoanneH wrote:

I was actually pretty impressed with LNER last weekend - I was able to book my bike on the train online when I booked my seat from York to London, and was even able to pick a seat in a carriage next to the space for bikes so I just had to walk through a door to get to it. Saved all the running up and down the platform bit.

However there were only four spaces in that carriage; I guess there might have been another four at the other end, but it's not a lot of bike spaces for a pretty big train.

That's a great experience and exactly how it should be, if only with greater capacity

It's worth noting that LNER is owned by DofT (franchise until '25)

 

 

Avatar
wycombewheeler replied to Captain Badger | 2 years ago
2 likes

Captain Badger wrote:

JoanneH wrote:

I was actually pretty impressed with LNER last weekend - I was able to book my bike on the train online when I booked my seat from York to London, and was even able to pick a seat in a carriage next to the space for bikes so I just had to walk through a door to get to it. Saved all the running up and down the platform bit.

However there were only four spaces in that carriage; I guess there might have been another four at the other end, but it's not a lot of bike spaces for a pretty big train.

That's a great experience and exactly how it should be, if only with greater capacity

It's worth noting that LNER is owned by DofT (franchise until '25)

Indeed it's nice to be as close to the bikes as possible by my experience has been the booking system does not let me know if I will be close to the bike, and I have often been located some distance away.

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Secret_squirrel replied to JoanneH | 2 years ago
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JoanneH wrote:

However there were only four spaces in that carriage; I guess there might have been another four at the other end, but it's not a lot of bike spaces for a pretty big train.

Sounds like the 800/801 class that GWR run as well.  Max 8 bike spaces per 10 carraige train.  The GWR ones are usually configured for 4 per 10 and sometimes with the the "spare" spaces locked (because why not - couldnt let the passengers actually have something just in case).  Vertical hangers can be a bit of a bugger on long mudguards though.

Between lockdowns me & 2 mates did a train assisted 90 miler on GWR from Cheltenham to home, with 2 in the hangers and 1 badly wedged between.  Guard saw it but said nothing - think he was glad of the company :D.

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JoanneH replied to Secret_squirrel | 2 years ago
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Secret_squirrel wrote:

Vertical hangers can be a bit of a bugger on long mudguards though.

Yes - my bike was fully loaded (panniers and a handlebar bag) as I'd cycled up to York the previous week to spend the weekend with my parents. Hoiking it up on to the hanger was a bit of a challenge. But it didn't seem to damage either the front wheel or the back wheel/mudguards, thankfully!

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wycombewheeler replied to Captain Badger | 2 years ago
1 like

Captain Badger wrote:

That certainly doesn't need to be the case. When they used to have a guards van on my local trains they were open and you used them as necessary. 

That used to be my experience until one time I got my bike onto the train at Woking, then where I wanted to get off the platform was on the opposite side and I couldn't get out before the train left the station.

Then the station guard at the next stop wanted to give me grief for going past my stop/fare evasion, told him where to go.

 

Avatar
Captain Badger replied to wycombewheeler | 2 years ago
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wycombewheeler wrote:

 

That used to be my experience until one time I got my bike onto the train at Woking, then where I wanted to get off the platform was on the opposite side and I couldn't get out before the train left the station.

Then the station guard at the next stop wanted to give me grief for going past my stop/fare evasion, told him where to go.

 

Sounds like you were on the same line as me - I lived in Egham

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Sriracha replied to Awavey | 2 years ago
2 likes
Awavey wrote:

Given it used to add 3-5mins extra to a stop just to get one bike out of the van,because its locked & only the guard is meant to access it,& you hoped he remembered your stop and wasnt at the wrong end of the train & had to run the length of the platform,and he had to unlock the doors to let you get off the train anyway.

Yes I bet they do have that data, in fact the reason they probably didnt officially repeat the time they let 50 bikes per train on is because it completely trashed the timetable and they get financially penalised for missing their punctuality targets.

Kind of, "this job would be so much easier if it weren't for the customers" way of thinking?

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AlsoSomniloquism replied to Awavey | 2 years ago
1 like

Had that with Virgin trains the one time, loaded up in London with the guard. Also attached the ticket which told them the station going to. Sat in the seats for cyclists all the way up next to the engine / bike store area. Went to get my bike in Birmingham (EOL for that train). As I went in throught the door I noticed the guard walking away down the platform. I thought that wouldn't be a problem as the door is on the side but that door doesn't have an internal release mechanicsm I could use as it needs one of those special spanner keys they use. Luckily the driver was in that cab and as he was leaving came past me. 

Avatar
Secret_squirrel | 2 years ago
2 likes

Thanks to this article I stumbled across this gem.  Well worth a gander.

https://road.cc/content/feature/156876-dunwich-dynamo-and-back

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