Dartford Crossing with a velomobile
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Forum Name: Etc
Forum Description: Any other riding-related topics
URL: https://forum.bhpc.org.uk/forum_posts.asp?TID=6906
Printed Date: 27 March 2026 at 1:17am
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Topic: Dartford Crossing with a velomobile
Posted By: antonin_d
Subject: Dartford Crossing with a velomobile
Date Posted: 20 May 2019 at 8:34pm
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I am thinking of cycling to the Redbridge race (14th July) on my way back from France, coming from the Dieppe-Newhaven ferry. Therefore I am wondering how to cross the Thames estuary! It seems that the Dartford crossing can be used with a Quest, thanks to the useful feedback of a velonaut I am sure many will recognize: https://realcycling.blogspot.com/2009/05/thames-crossings-21-and-32-dartford.html (see the comments section). I wonder if this is still current? (I don't have the velonaut's contact details so I cannot ask him directly if he has done other attempts). Sadly the Tilbury Ferry is not running on Sundays and it looks too small for a velomobile anyway (although bicycles are allowed). The Woolwich ferry opens too late on Sundays (11:30) for me to get to the race on time, but maybe the Woolwich foot tunnel could work? Cycles are allowed in it, but I am not sure if a velomobile fits in the lifts? If I do attempt the stunt, I will report the results here…
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Replies:
Posted By: atlas_shrugged
Date Posted: 21 May 2019 at 9:47am
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I know John W. uses the nearby Greenwich foot tunnel with his Quest so I asked him these questions: Can you get a Quest Velomobile in the Greenwich Foot tunnel lift on a Sunday? What time does the Greenwich foot tunnel open on a Sunday (he is travelling 14-July)?
John W. replied: |
Posted By: atlas_shrugged
Date Posted: 21 May 2019 at 10:11am
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One other possibility would be to put the Quest on a ThamesLink train (which runs from Brighton): Either Gatwick or East Croydon to Finsbury Park The Quest would fit in the Cycle section of a ThamesLink train but I do not know about lift space on these stations or Thameslink policies about transporting velomobiles on a Sunday |
Posted By: RoyMacdonald
Date Posted: 21 May 2019 at 3:35pm
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John W has also cycled through the Rotherhythe tunnel. There is a video on YouTube somewhere. Roy
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Posted By: ChrisH
Date Posted: 21 May 2019 at 11:14pm
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[QUOTE=antonin_d] I am thinking of cycling to the Redbridge race (14th July) on my way back from France, coming from the Dieppe-Newhaven ferry.
[/QUOTE It seems like every time you enter a BHPC race you challenge your self to cycle their from an even more distant destination.  |
Posted By: Kim
Date Posted: 21 May 2019 at 11:23pm
That one's eminently cycleable as long as you have broken-door-mirror-proof tyres and can cycle at a reasonable speed up a 2.8% gradient while breathing exhaust fumes. IME it's much less stressful on a bike than when driving a car, though in the interests of disclosure it was somebody else's car and I hadn't fully got the hang of the width yet. |
RoyMacdonald wrote:Posted By: antonin_d
Date Posted: 23 May 2019 at 8:22pm
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Wow that's super useful, thank you all! It would be funny to use trains, I never thought about it with the velomobile. But I have plenty of time to use up (the ferry arrives in Brighton at 4am…) so I think I'll try one of the tunnels, it should be fun!
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Posted By: atlas_shrugged
Date Posted: 24 May 2019 at 1:17pm
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Hey Velonaughts, My guess is if the Newhaven - Dieppe ferry crossing is being used then some use will also be made of the Avenue-Verte (cycle track using an old disused railway). It would be fantastic to take some photos along this route and maybe provide Geoff our editor with a report about how you found this route. Hopefully we can also encourage the UK to provide similar infrastructure on this side of the channel. Did I mention about hope? |
Posted By: legs_larry
Date Posted: 24 May 2019 at 7:40pm
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I used the Avenue Vert en route to Paris in 2007. It was good as far as it went, which wasn't anything like close enough to Paris... ------------- ==================== a bit ov a lyv wyr by slof standirds |
Posted By: Yanto
Date Posted: 25 May 2019 at 6:24am
There will be a gaggle of us PBPers doing the Avenue Verte both ways, with scheduled departures into towns/villages/orchards to sample food, wine, beer and cider!
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