On 14 May, 08:05, Tom Crispin
wrote:
On Wed, 13 May 2009 23:19:31 +0100, Tom Anderson





wrote:
Evening all,

I want to visit a friend who lives near Hither Green (or thereabouts - not
totally sure what the closest railway station is yet) tomorrow evening.
I'll be going from work, which is (not quite) in the City. It strikes me
as a bit far to cycle, especially as i don't know the area. So, i want to
take the train from London Bridge, and take my bike with me, so i can
cycle from the station to her house, and then from London Bridge home
later on.

I understand that Southeastern don't take trains on London-leaving trains
before 1900, which is fair enough. Does anyone happen to know if my
understanding is correct?

Moreover, is it realistic for me to think i will be able to get on a train
with my bike soon after that? I have this terrible vision of the evening
peak being standing-room-only and not conducive to bikes for hours on end.

If joining the train at Charing Cross, get on near the front, the bike
won't be a problem. *If getting on at London Bridge there will be more
room at the front, but not much! *The exit at Hither Green Station is
right at the back of the train.

I live minutes from Hither Green. *I can suggest two cycling routes,
one largely motor traffic free, and an express route.

The traffic free route will take up to an hour; the express route up
to 40 minutes.

1. *From London Bridge pick up the Thames Cycle Route, generally well
signed as NCR4. *Follow the route almost all the way to Greenwich. *At
Deptford Creek, before crossing the River Ravensbourne, follow NCR21
to Lewisham. *At Lewisham follow the cycle route through the Town
Centre to Lewisham Library, then Limes Grove, right College Park, left
Dermody Road, right Eastdown Park, ahead Leahurst Rod, arrive Hither
Green.

2. *From London Bridge, follow the A200 [Tooley Street (bus/cycle
lanes), Jamaica Road (bus lanes), Lower Road (bus lanes), Evelyn
Street], then right Deptford Church Street (nasty junction, bus
lanes), ahead Brookmill Road, ahead Thurston Street, left Loampit
Vale, ahead Lewisham High Street (nasty roundabout, bus lane), left
Lee High Road, right Manor Park, right Staplehurst Road, arrive Hither
Green.- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

Route 2 ain't so bad really. Even the apparently terrifying
roundabout at Rotherhithe is surprisingly easy. The only really
horrible bit is trying to turn right into Deptford Church Street,
where you can't get into the right lane. It might be avoided by using
Deptford High Street and Giffin Street (no market that time of day).

Also, once in Brookmill Road, you can pick up cycle routes through
Lewisham and continue with route 1.