Bridges

[Cyril Haearn]

The Donnerschleuse, Thunder Lock, cycled there many times. The canal existed for centuries before 1900 (Stecknitz - Kanal), in a much simpler form
The next stop is Moelln, Till-Eulenspiegel-Stadt
Till is one of my favourites, Moelln employs someone to act him for the tourists, I nearly applied when the job was free recently
The person who got the job came from a town called Linsengericht, lentil meal

[Mike Sales]

Out on a ride I happened to come across an open day at Dogdyke Pumping Station, near Tattershall.
It's the last in Britain stll steaming,]

Not the last as this one in Westonzoyland on the river Parrett in Somerset gets a regular steaming. https://www.wzlet.org.

And there is a handy cafe there too which you can use.

I have received a reply to my email to the Dogdyke Station enthusiasts. It seems that the situation is more complicated than their claim. It seems easier to copy it.

Thanks for your message. The Dogdyke engine is the last example of the scoop wheel land drainage pump driven by a steam operated beam engine still to be able to pump water, even through it does return back into the drain and not into the River Witham. There are other older beam engines working scoop wheels such as Pinchbeck and Stretham but they are powered by electric motors. Westonzoyland's engine operates a Appold centrifugal pump on a vertical shaft and is a unique fascinating machine.

I hope this answers your question.

[rjb]

that's a very diplomatic answer. They have side stepped your query. Good luck to them all, as charities they all need to maximise their income by attracting visitors and it helps if they advertise there unique features even though you may need to take them with a pinch of salt.

[Mike Sales]

On the open day at Dogdyke enthusiasts had brought along a dozen or so stationary steam engines which were to provide power for various agricultural processes. When they saw me pushing my bike they were eager for me to use the bike racks they had provided. Alas I use my bike as a support whilst walking. There was a refreshment stall too. Home made cakes! Of course the pump engine was going too. There is a small museum in the pump attendant's old house. It was a lovely event.
I have visited Pinchbeck too. There is a large wheel to pump, but only an electric motor to demonstrate it moving. In the museum their I remember an eel glave, a sort of trident with barbed tines, and various fenny implements.
In Ayscoughfee Hall in Spalding there is an old gun punt. This is a punt with a large gun mounted on it. It can be propelled with paddles with the hunter crouching low, and anchored by pushing a pole down through a trunk into the mud. The gun is brought to bear on a flock of swimming wildfowl by manoeuvering the boat. Then, a huge charge of shot does great slaughter, perhaps a hundred at one blow.

[Mick F]

Off out this morning on the first part of my quest. I'll be doing Bridges 28 to 34 inclusive.
54miles as a circuit from home back to home.

Bridge 29 could be a problem. I think it's a private road.
https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@50.69124 ... 484332,16z
I'll be aiming to come up to it from the south, getting on the bridge, then coming back off it, but it could be that the only way to get there could be from the north, but that adds a good ten miles to the trip. I may leave No29 for another day and do it separately.

[Mick F]

Ride Report.
Out at 9ish this morning heading north through Devon.
I found Bridge 28 easily enough, crossed it and then turned back to get at Bridge 29.
The access was as I expected, in that it was a farm track and way too rough for Mercian. The bridge was nearly a mile away to the north, so I didn't want to intrude through a busy farm even if I had a suitable bike. I'm going to have another shot at it but from the north. It'll be a separate ride for that one bridge.

Off I went to Bridge 30. This is one of the many in the area that I've done on occasion, but for completeness, I was doing them again.
Bridge 30 took me up to the Old A30 and I headed west through Lifton, then crossed the border into Cornwall.

Bridge 31 is up a steep hill, and this brings you out onto the A388 for Launceston town. I crossed over Bridge 32 and then turned left at Tesco for Bridge 33 .................. and that is when I spied a footbridge that I didn't know about.
A bit of to-ing and fro-ing, and I found it and crossed it. For the moment, I'll call that bridge Bridge 33a because to re-number them would be a pain. It could well be that there are other bridges I don't know about, so when I've done them all, I can number them with confidence.

Out through Launceston and up some cruel hills, and to Bridge 34 before heading for home.
54miles done, and home just after 2pm. An excellent and enjoyable ride.

[Mick F]

Leaving tomorrow morning at 6am.
All prepared and ready.
Bridges No27 down to No1 and then home by train.

[colin54]

Is it time to revive your ' View From a Bridge Thread ' Mick ?

Good to see the Mercian getting some exercise, have fun.

viewtopic.php?f=15&p=911630#p911630

[Mick F]

In the interests of consistency, here's Bridge No28 from Friday.
........... and no, I'm not photographing all 70odd of them.

[steady eddy]

6 east coast rivers in one day although some were mere ditches when I crossed them

[Mick F]

In Exeter and done all I planned except one bridge. It was footpath bridge and the access path was too overgrown to even get there without a strimmer.

On my phone in a pub so I'll be getting back to this after getting home

[Mick F]

Exeter Bridges report

I left early. 5am and off with lights on well before sunrise. Out into Devon through Lifton and then onto the Granite Way for Sourton and straight to the first bridge of the day.

From my ride yesterday, I can categorically state that my numbering of them is accurate, which is more than I could say about counting them on a map. I forgot to count one, so it’s put the numbers out, but as I say, I have it correct now.

The first bridge at Sourton is No28, then just pass the slip road onto the A30, there’s a farm track and No 27, then down hill No26 to the northbound A30 sliproad. Then downhill again to Betty Cottles and right towards Meldon Quarry for No25.

Into Okehampton town centre turning right up the hill. Grief it was steep and long!

Half way up, the road splits and I went up and up and up and up to No24 on the Okehampton Camp road. Very very steep and very very long.

Down and right and then the first difficult one of the day. Up and up again, and so steep and rocky, I had to walk. The path levelled out but it was rather narrow and stony, then through a gate and onto No23.

Then down and down and down, and up the OldA30 heading east. No22 and No21 were easy, and I headed ot to the north of the A30 and back again down to No20 and down narrow roads to Sticklepath, then north up a narrow steep hill to No19 looping round to No18, No17, No16 and No15 at Whiddon Down.

14, 13, 12, 11, 10 and 9 were easy in the Cheriton Bishop area, and also No8 at Tedburn St Mary. No7 was up a steep hill opposite Pathfinder Village.

No6 was a problem. A big problem. It’s a footpath but heavily overgrown and I’d have needed jungle clothing and a machete to get through. Absolutely no way through, especially with a bike, so I gave that one up as a bad job.

I’ve since poured over satellite images and I reckon there’s another path to it, so maybe I need another ride to check it out.

No5 was easy, and No4 too. No4 was a good and interesting shared footpath/cycling bridge in that it has a spiral access on each side.

No3 and No2 were easy, but the last one wasn’t. It’s actually a footpath to get there and across the bridge, but the other side isn’t a footpath. The way up was steep and narrow, and the bridge was steep too, followed by a steep rocky access road before dropping down into city traffic.

You can see the other bridge in the distance. This is the M5 and obviously I can't cycle on it, or even walk on it!

Straight round to the Double Locks pub for a well-earned couple of beers. I arrived there soon after noon. I was tired and enjoyed the sit-down and the beers in the sunshine and relaxed.

Excellent ride of 67miles, and very interesting and a great achievement. (Just got to sort out Bridge No 6)

[pwa]

Better than spending the day watching daytime TV.

[Norman H]

Mick F

Into Okehampton town centre turning right up the hill. Grief it was steep and long!

Half way up, the road splits and I went up and up and up and up to No24 on the Okehampton Camp road. Very very steep and very very long.

I know that hill and that bridge Mick. I cycled up there to Bracken Tor YH at the end of a long day. There's a sting in the tail when you reach the hostel which is just on the other side of bridge 24, the driveway up to the house is just as steep.

[Mick F]

Yes, I saw the sign for the YHA and was thinking about how they always put YHAs at the top of hills!
People have no idea what these hills are like!
No wonder I have a 16" bottom gear available.

What I should have done with the benefit of hindsight, was to have stayed on the Granite Way right to the end, as that's more than half way up the hill above the town.
What I actually did, was to do the bridges in (reverse) order and therefore was on my way down to the town. If I'd done the difficult 24 and 23, and then gone back along the Granite way to come off for 28, 27, 26 and 25 it would have meant more distance, but it would have been a damned sight easier.

Just spent an hour or two pouring over maps and found all the bridges. There are 77 in all with the last one - pedestrian crossing - at Longrock Penzance. I've done 34 of them so far, but need to go back to No6 for another go, and try a different route to No30.

Next plan is to drive to our daughter's place near Camelford, and ride out onto Bodmin Moor to get at 37, 38, 39 and 40.
After that, it's drive to Bodmin long stay carpark to get to 41 and up to 57 at Mitchell. From there on, it's driving to Camborne long stay and getting the rest.

Meanwhile, No6 ......... Mrs Mick F and me are considering driving to Exeter Ikea as we need some furniture. I could get my bike in the car and we could put the roof rack on. I could ride out for another attempt at No6 from Ikea whilst she wanders round the store, and I could get back to her so we can chose the right set of drawers and bring them back on the rack. It's only a 15mile round trip to No6 and back, so I could do that in less than two hours.

No30 needs a 40mile round trip from home. Easy done.