Spring into 2010 tram-assisted rides report

WOW!!! We nearly equalled our record for numbers of bikes on the tram. We had 34 adult bikes, one with a baby seat (and our grandson!), one with a child pod attached, and 2 little ones - 1 'real' and 1 a balance bike - which were later strapped to the rear pannier rack of the bike with the pod!! That meant that the fares again covered the tram hire cost with an extra £9 to go into our buffer fund in case of a shortfall another time. The date again coincided with the grand legal event in the Cutlers Hall and Cathedral that we witnessed last year! but this time we missed the parade across the road as there were plenty of us so we didn't cancel the tram!!! The horses and police provided plenty of interest for not just the children while we waited though! The day was glorious of course and everyone happy, anticipating a good ride. We made pick-ups at Granville Square and Gleadless so that the last few fares had to be collected and passed over a mass of bikes as (even with my slender frame!) I couldn't get through.

We worked out a provisional plan of rides on the tram, with 17 heading for Langold under Barry's care; 5 heading home under Simon's care; a family of 4 planning to stay in Rother Valley as 3 year old Matilda wouldn't be going very far on her balance bike but definitely wanted to ride as well as be transported in the pod, and the rest of us planning to head south along the TPT and maybe as far as Pools Brook Country Park. We knew some others might be joining at Rother Valley though. So we split into 3 groups on the platform at Waterthorpe and Simon's report thereafter is added below. It was amazing how the pod could be coaxed through all the barriers on the estate but the kids had to jump out and it lifted over the final hurdle as we entered the Park (we need to request that this barrier is replaced to match the others - Simon can you do this?). At Rother Valley cafe 3 more riders were waiting for us - 8 year old Kaitlin and her Dad, plus Sarah who lives at Swallownest. Here we split again; Matilda, Charlie and their Mum and Dad looking forward to biking through mud and checking out the playground!

The rest of us (13 plus Eli in his baby seat) set off round the lake again - to the south this time - and back to the TPT. Just before we turned up from the lake Lindsey's deraillieur decided to ping round into her spokes and was beyond use. After a little discussion, Phil stayed with Lindsey planning to detach things so that she could ride in a fixed gear. Unfortunately Lindsey didn't have a chain tool (as she'd thought she had, because we had one she could have used) so ended up walking back to the tram and Phil caught the rest of us up. Kaitlin was doing really well but was ready for a rest by this time and Eli quite fancied his picnic already saying "I'm always VERY hungry!" so we split again, Tony staying with the little ones and me leading the now 8 of us to Pools Brook. (Sorry little group guys, I should have had the flapjack break then, rather than 20 minutes or so later, and you would have got some too.) Our ride was very pleasant with plenty of time for our picnic watching teenage swans, great crested grebes and others on the lake. Just as we got back to the trail, Phil realised his pump had sprung off so turned back; he got a bit lost on his return and then met up with Lindsey waiting for the tram. Why is it that returns are always quicker? (Although Barry's group's return speed was more enforced as they stayed too long in the cafe at Langold where they'd met up with 21 CTCers from Rotherham!) We reached Rother Valley - returning down the little track to the mud under the TPT bridge! rather than taking the longer route round - at 2pm. Pam decided she'd cycle home as there was plenty of time and she met us at the Cathedral just as we got off the tram! The rest of us went round to the cafe - some indulging in ice creams in the warm sun! - where we met all our grubby, happy little ones again, before cycling back together.

What a lovely day. Hooray for BIKES ON TRAMS!!!

Polly

Simon, Patrice, Martin Judith & Rachel stayed with the group as far as the TPT at Rother Valley, Rachel set off to cycle home along the TPT, armed only with the Sheffield Cycle Map - we think she made it but we haven't heard yet!


The remaining 4 set off in a southerly direction along the TPT. The surface is very rough between Rother Valley CP & Killamarsh, but improved once we got to Derbyshire - funny how that happens. Off-road motorbikers are using the woods between the trail and the CP but we didn't see any on the trail. We noticed that some connect2 work is in progress at Killamarsh, with a new ramp being put in between Station Rd & the TPT. The bypass at Staveley is complete, but the TPT works aren't - one reason for this being that the canal is being rebuilt underneath the flyover. We were able to get through to Hall Lane by walking our bikes but it was pretty muddy!

When everything is complete it will make a big difference to the environment at Staveley.


We climbed through the Handleys to Upperknowle, then dropped down to Unstone - a quick spin on the main rd took us to Dronfield and we skirted around the town using a compination of the urban roads and some unadopted tracks which were very pleasant We found the bridge over the bypass and then we were in the Peak District, with a pleasant run up through Millthorpe and that stiff climb up to Owler Bar, where we had the pleasure of watching someone try to drive the wrong way round the roundabout.M&J peeled off her for the run down Abbeydale Rd back to Meersbrook.


It only remained to spin over to Fox House and down via Ringinglow to Greystones Heights, arriving home a little later than planned - I had scheduled to be home around 12:30 but actually it was more like 3! Too late to head back to Waterthorpe foranother tram ride home.



--
Simon

"The Sheffield CTC group were the first group to leave Waterthorpe, a total of seventeen riders with myself taking the front and Mark Kay as tail end Charlie. We reached the entrance to Rother Valley Country Park and were stopped by a cyclist out with his daughter who thought we were the Family group, we advised him to ride round the lake and wait at the Cafe for Polly and Tony's group.

There was some kind of sport relief activity going on with people dressed up carrying balloons and walking anti- clockwise around the lake, we thought it safer to go round the lake clockwise so e could be seen. Despite please from Reg for a tea stop at the Country Park cafe we carried on, time was limited, to leave the Park by the long road with the toll entrance.

Riding through Wales we managed to avoid the main road and headed to Wales Comprehensive School to pick up a trail leading us to Todwick, thereby avoiding Kiveton Park.
Crossing Todwick crossroads we turned right to North Anston past Bluebell Wood. We enjoyed a lovely descent from the Butterfly Farm down to Woodsetts in delightful sunshine.

Gildingwells and the beautiful village of Letwell followed before we picked up the very muddy trail from Letwell leading directly to Langold Park. The cafe was already busy, but a few people kindly saw seventeen cyclists arrive and decided to vacate their seats for us. Approximately half sat inside whilst the rest sat outside in the warm sunshine. After ordering our food, Bill, Theresa, Elizabeth and David (The Rotherham group) arrived to join us at the cafe.

We arrived at Langold at 12:15 and I was hoping to leave at 13:15 but many people had ordered a second hot drink around this time so we had to wait an extra 15 minutes whilst drinks were finished, this proved to make quite a difference.

The route back to Waterthorpe followed the same route, Reg was struggling slightly and needed the odd push to help speed him up the inclines. When we arrived at Wales it was 14:45 the tram was due to leave in 15 minutes. I decided to miss out Rother Valley and instead go back on the road through Killamarsh, had we not done so, I am sure we wouldn't have made it in time.

We arrived back at Waterthorpe bang on 15:00 (goodness knows how we did it) and Polly supervised the loading of the bikes.

A great day out, a good turn out, nice company, a descent cafe and a sunny day. What more could you want?

I am looking for an alternative destination for the next cycle/tram event, hopefully without a photo finish for the tram dash."

A big thanks to Polly and Cycle Sheffield for organising the event.

Barry Raynor
Asst Secretary
Sheffield District CTC

The Harrington Hump

This is the Harrington Hump - installed at Harrington Station in Cumbria. They are a a glass reinforced plastic hump installed at stations with low platforms.

This demonstrates the ease for the driver in stopping at the correct spot and the convenience for alighting passengers (compared with the climb up for the Conductor at the rear of the train.

These are primarily aimed at disabled people but getting cycles on / off trains would be much easier too - low height platforms are a serious problem, particularly for smaller cyclists and loaded bikes.

The 'Harrington Hump' costs around £25,000 to install, as against £250,000 to raise a platform.

(newsfeed/ppannounce subscribers - if you can't see the picture click here.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/ppimedia/3176513391/

New cycle stand - Dore Station

A new cycle stand has been installed at Dore Station. Hopefully this will encourage more station users - commuters to Manchester and people using the Hope Valley local trains - to park'n'ride the healthy & sustainable way.

(rss/email ppannounce subscribers: if you can't see the picture click here)

http://www.flickr.com/photos/ppimedia/3176815412/

Manchester Gets Ready to Vote on TIF

Manchester has started the referendum on whether to continue to be a clogged-up congested, polluted city or start to bring some sanity to the streets. The vote on whether to introduce a peak-time congestion charge, and use the money raised to improve public transport, cycling and walking facilities continues until 11th December.

Our colleagues in Greater Manchester Cycling Campaign are at the forefront of the Yes campaign and have arranged a series of events including their biggest ever Critical Commute, this Friday the 28th - to join see http://www.loveyourbike.org for details or just turn up with your bike at 8.30am at the Peace Gardens, St Peter's Square.

Meanwhile there will be a Tour De Tiff a Tour of Greater Manchester on Saturday 29th November. The start will be at Swinton Town Hall, (officially called Salford Civic Centre), Chorley Road, Swinton, Salford M27 5AW. The finish, 80 miles later will be at Manchester Town Hall, Albert Square.

Olly Glover, GMCC Secretary says " There is much in the proposals which will benefit cyclists, directly or indirectly, and the behavioural change programmes are the most radical this
country has ever seen."

Please support them in any way you can. See http://www.gmcc.org.uk/ for more information.

===posted by Simon===

CABE describes Waverley proposals as 'disappointing'

CABE, the Commission for Architecture and the Built Environment, has criticised plans for a new town at Waverley, on the Sheffield-Rotherham border. You can read their review here.

==posted by Simon===

New rail service good for cyclists

A new hourly train service between Leeds, Sheffield and Nottingham starts in mid December. This means that there will be a half hourly service between Nottingham, Sheffield, Barnsley, Wakefield and Leeds. The good news for cyclists continues because the new Leeds - Nottingham trains are run by Northern, like the current fast Leeds service - bikes go free and no reservations are needed. The new trains call at Dronfield almost every hour, as well as the other stations to Nott'm.

Northern operate a two bikes per train policy but have given their staff the flexibility to allow additional bikes on their trains if it is safe to do so.

East Midlands Trains' Liverpool - Norwich trains still run as now.

With most trains to London becoming Meridians, with very limited bike space, the new service to Nottingham offers an alternative to East Midland towns and St Pancras by going on Northern to Nottingham and then by EM Trains to St P. Most of the Nottingham - London trains will be High Speed Trains with better cycle accommodation.

Services from Langley Mill and Dronfield are improved although Dronfield to Sheffield isn't *that* well served in the peak - departures are 0705 0720 0825 0850. This is a major commuting corridor as Dronfield is virtually a dormitory town for the big Sheffield employment centres (despite being in Derbyshire).

Dronfield is also a handy jumping off point for cycling in the Peak District - take Lea Rd to Church St, left onto High St, left on Gosforth Lane, continue over the by-pass to Cowley Lane and you're away. Should you require refreshment we can recommend the Coach & Horses, next to the Sheffield FC ground, the world's oldest football club, on Sheffield Rd.

For Sheffielders wishing to travel to Nottingham for an evening out the last train home is still very early - 2143 during the week and earlier at weekends, too early for concert and play-goers, so they will presumably continue to drive, although using the park'n'ride off the A610 and the NET is an option. Nottingham folk wishing to come to Sheffield for a night out are better served with a last departure at 2338.

However additional capacity between Nottingham and Sheffield is badly needed and with the service in place there is always scope for improvement in the future.

New car registrations fall by 21%

See http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/7654648.stm

Have sales of bicycles gone up accordingly?