The Elizabeth Line

 

Simon wrote about this back in June, and today I took the opportunity for a ride on the new railway.

Hans' ride took us to the George in Holyport, a good pub and a nice ride.  What I usually do on rides to this part of the country is to leave the group at lunchtime and carry on west for a bit to pick up the GWR North Downs route round to Reigate.  I can then ride home over the hill and avoid the school-run traffic.

I noticed that the George was only a couple of miles from Maidenhead, so, for novelty really, I decided to take the Elizabeth Line home.

The trains are about every twenty minutes.  They aren't all that fancy, rather like the Overground trains.  But there's plenty of room, and plenty of room for bicycles, which are allowed except for the normal morning and evening rush-hour restrictions.

Today I had to get off the train at Paddington and walk across the concourse to the new Elizabeth Line station.  From 6 November it will no longer be necessary to do this, as the planned integration of the whole line should have taken place by then.

I went on to Farringdon, a splendid new station where a lift whisked me up six floors and popped me out on the Thameslink platform for a train home.

So, a very handy new facility for rides in the Chilterns and the Marlborough Downs, and, if you've got a Freedom Pass, it's free.

Mark