Bridges

Cycle-touring, Expeditions, Adventures, Major cycle routes NOT LeJoG (see other special board)
User avatar
NATURAL ANKLING
Posts: 13780
Joined: 24 Oct 2012, 10:43pm
Location: English Riviera

Re: Bridges

Post by NATURAL ANKLING »

Hi,
P.S.the cycle path which is adjacent to the dualcarriageway from drum bridges to clay pits going to Exeter, is a pavement with a Kerb.
Much work is been done at drum bridges roundabout recently and I've not been up to the roundabout for some time, it appears from the pictures on Google Earth that the cycle path here which heads to Exeter has been added where there wasn't one before.
Also you might note that on Google Earth you will find old and new versions of roads!
so the cycle bridge at drum bridges appears in some of the views but not in others if you attempt to go round the roundabout using Google Earth.
and of course on ordinance survey maps most recent cycle paths are not shown or updated.
An off road cycle path exist virtually all the way from Torquay to Newton Abbott all the way to Bovey Tracey.
From Bovey Tracy an old dismantled railway is used all the way to Moretonhampstead, the path is not that bad, Very small road sections have potholes and do flood.
You wouldn't really have any trouble doing it on a road bike at all.
NA Thinks Just End 2 End Return + Bivvy - Some day Soon I hope
You'll Still Find Me At The Top Of A Hill
Please forgive the poor Grammar I blame it on my mobile and phat thinkers.
User avatar
Mick F
Spambuster
Posts: 56359
Joined: 7 Jan 2007, 11:24am
Location: Tamar Valley, Cornwall

Re: Bridges

Post by Mick F »

Brilliant info there NA. :D

Can't see any of this happening until late April/mid May, so I have time to refine the route.
Looked this morning at trains.

I can ride up the hill to get the 07:29 from Gunnislake to Plymouth and then ride east out of the city at 08:14 for the 60mile ride bridges 33 to 1 and get to Exeter St Davids for the 15:13 (or 15:35) to get to Plymouth, to catch the 16:34 back to Gunnislake and freewheel back home.

I'll need to book the Exeter to Plymouth leg to get the bike on board. Gunny/Plymouth isn't an issue with bikes so no bookings required.

Bridges 34 to 51 are easy to do as a ride out and back from home.
Ditto 52 to the last one at Dobwalls No56.

52 is at Landrake, and it's not possible safely or easily to ride from Saltash 51 to there, so it's best to come to Landrake from the north as a separate ride. The steep River Lyhner valley gets in the way.
45 -52.jpg
Mick F. Cornwall
User avatar
NATURAL ANKLING
Posts: 13780
Joined: 24 Oct 2012, 10:43pm
Location: English Riviera

Re: Bridges

Post by NATURAL ANKLING »

Hi,
There are two 46's :)
NA Thinks Just End 2 End Return + Bivvy - Some day Soon I hope
You'll Still Find Me At The Top Of A Hill
Please forgive the poor Grammar I blame it on my mobile and phat thinkers.
rjb
Posts: 7199
Joined: 11 Jan 2007, 10:25am
Location: Somerset (originally 60/70's Plymouth)

Re: Bridges

Post by rjb »

You could use the Falcon Flyer from Exeter to Plymouth. Not sure of fares but last year they were accepting a concessionary bus pass (fare paid by the county council). There website suggests you may now get a 1/3 fare discount. Best to ask if they will take your bike. Last time I used it from Bristol airport a cyclist got on and they just put his full size touring bike not a folder in the luggage hold. :wink:

https://www.stagecoachbus.com/promos-an ... est-falcon
At the last count:- Peugeot 531 pro, Dawes Discovery Tandem, Dawes Kingpin X3, Raleigh 20 stowaway, 1965 Moulton deluxe, Falcon K2 MTB dropped bar tourer, Rudge Bi frame folder, Longstaff trike conversion on a Giant XTC 840 :D
User avatar
Mick F
Spambuster
Posts: 56359
Joined: 7 Jan 2007, 11:24am
Location: Tamar Valley, Cornwall

Re: Bridges

Post by Mick F »

NATURAL ANKLING wrote:Hi,
There are two 46's :)
Only one, to my knowledge.
It's foot-bridge/cycle-bridge.
https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@50.40789 ... 384!8i8192

But well spotted! :oops:
I can't count obviously!
I'll have to annotate my maps and call the second 46, 46a.
Mick F. Cornwall
User avatar
NATURAL ANKLING
Posts: 13780
Joined: 24 Oct 2012, 10:43pm
Location: English Riviera

Re: Bridges

Post by NATURAL ANKLING »

hi,
Have you thought about aqueducts?
Mind you have to look to see what aqueducts are first?
I think an aqueduct is a road or a rail way over water, Or a water bridge?

Edited
No no no no no no no, I was thinking of the viaduct specifically railway viaduct.
Because the word viaduct means basically any bridge spans and open space whatever.
What's the difference between a bridge and a viaduct?
NA Thinks Just End 2 End Return + Bivvy - Some day Soon I hope
You'll Still Find Me At The Top Of A Hill
Please forgive the poor Grammar I blame it on my mobile and phat thinkers.
User avatar
NATURAL ANKLING
Posts: 13780
Joined: 24 Oct 2012, 10:43pm
Location: English Riviera

Re: Bridges

Post by NATURAL ANKLING »

Hi,
https://www.worldatlas.com/articles/wha ... ridge.html

"How Is It Different From A Bridge?

A viaduct differs from a bridge in many ways since the bridge is a structure constructed solely for crossing physical hindrances like valleys, water, or road. Viaducts are a form of bridges that are interconnected in a series of small multiple spans. They can either be used on land or over the water bodies to facilitate crossover by people. When the viaducts are constructed on land, they are used in connecting areas that are of the same height that cannot be directly crossed. Furthermore, overland they are also used to create ways for trains and hence reducing traffic jam on the roads. The avoidance of traffic is facilitated by the viaducts having two or more decks for the passage of vehicles and trains. When built over water they are merged with other tunnels or even bridges to help navigate water bodies"
NA Thinks Just End 2 End Return + Bivvy - Some day Soon I hope
You'll Still Find Me At The Top Of A Hill
Please forgive the poor Grammar I blame it on my mobile and phat thinkers.
User avatar
Mick F
Spambuster
Posts: 56359
Joined: 7 Jan 2007, 11:24am
Location: Tamar Valley, Cornwall

Re: Bridges

Post by Mick F »

Gunnislake Bridge is a viaduct then eh?

Viaducts are a form of bridges that are interconnected in a series of small multiple spans.

Screen Shot 2021-03-08 at 16.37.55.png
Mick F. Cornwall
User avatar
foxyrider
Posts: 6044
Joined: 29 Aug 2011, 10:25am
Location: Sheffield, South Yorkshire

Re: Bridges

Post by foxyrider »

NATURAL ANKLING wrote:Hi,
https://www.worldatlas.com/articles/wha ... ridge.html

"How Is It Different From A Bridge?

A viaduct differs from a bridge in many ways since the bridge is a structure constructed solely for crossing physical hindrances like valleys, water, or road. Viaducts are a form of bridges that are interconnected in a series of small multiple spans. They can either be used on land or over the water bodies to facilitate crossover by people. When the viaducts are constructed on land, they are used in connecting areas that are of the same height that cannot be directly crossed. Furthermore, overland they are also used to create ways for trains and hence reducing traffic jam on the roads. The avoidance of traffic is facilitated by the viaducts having two or more decks for the passage of vehicles and trains. When built over water they are merged with other tunnels or even bridges to help navigate water bodies"


Sounds like it was written by someone whose first language is Chinese! :lol:
Convention? what's that then?
Airnimal Chameleon touring, Orbit Pro hack, Orbit Photon audax, Focus Mares AX tour, Peugeot Carbon sportive, Owen Blower vintage race - all running Tulio's finest!
User avatar
Mick F
Spambuster
Posts: 56359
Joined: 7 Jan 2007, 11:24am
Location: Tamar Valley, Cornwall

Re: Bridges

Post by Mick F »

Done some research, and corrected the double number 46.
There are 61 crossings of the A38 Exeter to Bodmin.

I plan this week to ride down to Saltash to cross all the crossings from the cycle/foot bridge at Carkeel No 56 and zig-zag my way to 34, then turn south for Plymouth city centre and get the train home. 34miles to ride home/bridges/railway/home.

Reverse order from this list.

Longbridge 1
Longbridge 2
Efford
Efford Footbridge
Eggbuckland Footbridge East
Eggbuckland Footbridge West
Manadon Roundabout 1
Manadon Roundabout 2
Manadon Footbridge
Outland Road
Manadon West Footbridge
Honicknowle Lane
Honicknowle Footbridge
Blue Monkey
Blue Monkey Footbridge
Saltash
Saltash Tunnel 1
Saltash Tunnel 2
Saltash Tunnel 3
Saltash Tunnel 4
Saltash Tunnel 5
Saltash Tunnel West
Waitrose Footbridge

I plan on going to Cap'n Jaspers down at The Barbican for lunch, then riding past Plymouth Hoe and through the city centre to the station.
http://www.capn-jaspers.co.uk

Outline of the route. First stab at it.
The dogleg up the A386 is because of the junction layouts on the main dual carriageways. I may be able to shorten that section and get rid of the dogleg.
Screen Shot 2021-03-21 at 20.50.59.png
Mick F. Cornwall
Jdsk
Posts: 24627
Joined: 5 Mar 2019, 5:42pm

Re: Bridges

Post by Jdsk »

NATURAL ANKLING wrote:Hi,
https://www.worldatlas.com/articles/wha ... ridge.html

"How Is It Different From A Bridge?

A viaduct differs from a bridge in many ways since the bridge is a structure constructed solely for crossing physical hindrances like valleys, water, or road. Viaducts are a form of bridges that are interconnected in a series of small multiple spans. They can either be used on land or over the water bodies to facilitate crossover by people. When the viaducts are constructed on land, they are used in connecting areas that are of the same height that cannot be directly crossed. Furthermore, overland they are also used to create ways for trains and hence reducing traffic jam on the roads. The avoidance of traffic is facilitated by the viaducts having two or more decks for the passage of vehicles and trains. When built over water they are merged with other tunnels or even bridges to help navigate water bodies"

A viaduct is a type of bridge. So it differs from other types of bridge, but it isn't "different from a bridge".
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Viaduct

Jonathan

[youtube]kHMrLpDHXc0[/youtube]
User avatar
NATURAL ANKLING
Posts: 13780
Joined: 24 Oct 2012, 10:43pm
Location: English Riviera

Re: Bridges

Post by NATURAL ANKLING »

Hi,
Mick, aw I am envious you are getting out to ride them bridges :P
Weather is fine all week so I might just manage, as I cross the a38 in training to ride some of them up my way.
Training is rubbish, the other night I had a meltdown after an hour and a half, struggled to get home 3hr ride, without walking up some hills, it has been worse!
Good luck :)
NA Thinks Just End 2 End Return + Bivvy - Some day Soon I hope
You'll Still Find Me At The Top Of A Hill
Please forgive the poor Grammar I blame it on my mobile and phat thinkers.
User avatar
Mick F
Spambuster
Posts: 56359
Joined: 7 Jan 2007, 11:24am
Location: Tamar Valley, Cornwall

Re: Bridges

Post by Mick F »

I spent an hour or more pouring over mapping, and trying to cobble together an efficient route.
I'm not as cycle-fit as I once was. The weather at the end of last year was wet and awful and any exercise I was getting, was walking the dog!

Last year was the lowest mileage since I took up cycling again in 2004 after a six year layoff. I'm going to have to build my mileages up ......... but I'm not getting any younger!

My plan is for tomorrow, to take the 0916 train to Plymouth, ride out to Longbridge and weave my way along the A38 Plymouth Parkway to cross over into Cornwall at Saltash, then weave my way to Carkeel Roundabout where there's a cycle/pedestrian bridge near Waitrose. From there, I'll cycle home up the A388/A390.

30miles of a ride. Nice distance.

I had thought of riding to Saltash and weaving to Longbridge and thence to Plymouth station to take the train home, but during this difficult time, they're cutting back on the trains during the mid part of the day and replacing with busses. I could get the 12something on the train, or the 16something. The 14something is now a bus.

Better therefore, to do it the other way round and train it to Plymouth and ride home.

During my fitter days, I would have ridden into Plymouth and back again, but with the bridges, it would take it up to 50odd miles and I'm not up to that yet.
Mick F. Cornwall
User avatar
Mick F
Spambuster
Posts: 56359
Joined: 7 Jan 2007, 11:24am
Location: Tamar Valley, Cornwall

Re: Bridges

Post by Mick F »

Took the 09:16 train to Plymouth, and then rode over the A38 bridges having gone out to Embankment (by the River Plym) and weaved my way west, to cross over back to Cornwall and do the roads above the Saltash Tunnel and finish off with the bridge at Carkeel and head north and to home.

23 crossings done.
29 miles, but it was hard work with 2,800ft of ascent, some of them steep.

Overall map, followed by a map at Manadon.
Main problem at Manadon, it that there's a roundabout over the A38, plus the A386 over the top, as well as a cycle/footpath under and inline with the A386 but above the A38. Four crossings in one go, plus the accessing to these crossings needed to be worked out efficiently.
Screen Shot 2021-03-23 at 17.02.03.png
Screen Shot 2021-03-23 at 17.02.55.png
Mick F. Cornwall
User avatar
Mick F
Spambuster
Posts: 56359
Joined: 7 Jan 2007, 11:24am
Location: Tamar Valley, Cornwall

Re: Bridges

Post by Mick F »

Off out riding this morning.
Going via Tavistock and then follow Route27 to Plympton, then ride out towards Cornwood, to drop down into Ivybridge to zig-zag back to Plymouth.
Bridges 28 to 33.
40miles to do.

Report this afternoon after taking the train home from Plymouth.
Mick F. Cornwall
Post Reply