Race the Darling Downs Dasher steam train

morini
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Re: Race the Darling Downs Dasher steam train

Postby morini » Tue Dec 03, 2013 8:10 pm

Lachlan.............you've killed it. Poor old thing was trying so hard to beat you and now look what's happened.

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ldrcycles
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Re: Race the Darling Downs Dasher steam train

Postby ldrcycles » Wed Dec 04, 2013 7:59 am

PMSL! The poor thing :) .
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ldrcycles
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Re: Race the Darling Downs Dasher steam train

Postby ldrcycles » Thu Jan 16, 2014 10:49 pm

This is the latest on the SDSR website-
SDSR wrote:SDSR's Steam Locomotive No. 971 is currently under going repairs from last years mechanical breakdown near Wallangarra.

Whilst these essential repairs are being undertaken, Queensland Rail Limited have kindly leased their C17 Locomotive No. 974 to SDSR for a short time.

This lease allows SDSR to continue to provide heritage steam train services, which in turn will help to raise the much needed funds to continue to repair 971.
I reckon it might be worth having a chat to them and seeing if they want to organise an official race as a fundraiser, i'd certainly be up for it :) .

In other Southern Downs/Granite Belt cycling news, my aunty just let me know about this one on facebook, a 100km charity ride from Glenlyon Dam southwest of Stanthorpe, to Storm King Dam to the east of the town. There's a 50km option as well, which I think would be popular as the elevation profiles are a bit scary!

http://www.thatdamride.com.au/pages/details.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
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Smithstreet
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Re: Race the Darling Downs Dasher steam train

Postby Smithstreet » Fri Jan 17, 2014 9:54 pm

ldrcycles wrote:This is the latest on the SDSR website-
SDSR wrote:SDSR's Steam Locomotive No. 971 is currently under going repairs from last years mechanical breakdown near Wallangarra.

Whilst these essential repairs are being undertaken, Queensland Rail Limited have kindly leased their C17 Locomotive No. 974 to SDSR for a short time.

This lease allows SDSR to continue to provide heritage steam train services, which in turn will help to raise the much needed funds to continue to repair 971.
I reckon it might be worth having a chat to them and seeing if they want to organise an official race as a fundraiser, i'd certainly be up for it :) .

In other Southern Downs/Granite Belt cycling news, my aunty just let me know about this one on facebook, a 100km charity ride from Glenlyon Dam southwest of Stanthorpe, to Storm King Dam to the east of the town. There's a 50km option as well, which I think would be popular as the elevation profiles are a bit scary!

http://www.thatdamride.com.au/pages/details.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
I'd be up for the Dam ride if anyone else is keen.

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elantra
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Re: Race the Darling Downs Dasher steam train

Postby elantra » Sat Jan 18, 2014 5:29 pm

Smithstreet wrote:
ldrcycles wrote: ............................................................................................................

In other Southern Downs/Granite Belt cycling news, my aunty just let me know about this one on facebook, a 100km charity ride from Glenlyon Dam southwest of Stanthorpe, to Storm King Dam to the east of the town. There's a 50km option as well, which I think would be popular as the elevation profiles are a bit scary!

http://www.thatdamride.com.au/pages/details.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
I'd be up for the Dam ride if anyone else is keen.
I reckon that would be a good ride. Have done most of it in the past on other occasions.
Sealed road, relatively low traffic, undulating but no really massive hills, nice scenery, a few cattle grates to contend with. etc

Not sure if i would be free to do it on the 9th of Feb. :idea:
Usual problem various other commitments on most Sundays ...

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ldrcycles
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Re: Race the Darling Downs Dasher steam train

Postby ldrcycles » Sun Apr 20, 2014 9:50 pm

Looks like another challenge on the horizon, pending confirmation with SDSR on times/dates etc, Warwick to Goondiwindi on the 2nd weekend of June.

201kms, the train is scheduled to do it in 6:45 which means an average speed just less than 30kmh. I'll be rebuilding my Tom Wallace to the single chain ring and 5 speed derailleur set up she originally had, should fit the bill nicely :) .
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coyote
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Re: Race the Darling Downs Dasher steam train

Postby coyote » Mon Apr 21, 2014 9:03 am

ldrcycles wrote:Looks like another challenge on the horizon, pending confirmation with SDSR on times/dates etc, Warwick to Goondiwindi on the 2nd weekend of June.

201kms, the train is scheduled to do it in 6:45 which means an average speed just less than 30kmh. I'll be rebuilding my Tom Wallace to the single chain ring and 5 speed derailleur set up she originally had, should fit the bill nicely :) .
Good Luck, may you have a tail wind. :D

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foo on patrol
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Re: Race the Darling Downs Dasher steam train

Postby foo on patrol » Mon Apr 21, 2014 12:07 pm

You might be lucky and not have a screaming westerly this time of the year Idry but remember it will be very cold. :wink:

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ldrcycles
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Re: Race the Darling Downs Dasher steam train

Postby ldrcycles » Mon Apr 21, 2014 4:51 pm

Yea those are my two big fears, a headwind and the awful border country cold :) . I don't think i'm ever going to forget the biting pain in my face from the first time i did Warwick to Stanthorpe.
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elantra
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Re: Race the Darling Downs Dasher steam train

Postby elantra » Sat Apr 26, 2014 1:27 pm

ldrcycles wrote:Yea those are my two big fears, a headwind and the awful border country cold :) . I don't think i'm ever going to forget the biting pain in my face from the first time i did Warwick to Stanthorpe.
Sadly yesterday's tragedy show that the biggest worry is not wind or cold but other road users.
Warwick to Goondiwindi is a very long way to ride on 100km/hr roads with motorists who are not always concerned for your safety.
http://www.couriermail.com.au/news/quee ... 6896459419

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Re: Race the Darling Downs Dasher steam train

Postby Smithstreet » Sat Apr 26, 2014 6:12 pm

I couldn't agree more.

Unfortunately, there are quite a few 'bad eggs' in this country, and until the court system grows some testicles and makes an example of these scumbags, if caught, then nothing will change. And before anyone launches into a 'it has to start with the individual' line, these people (and their parents) have had this attitude for almost a generation!!
In my opinion, it will take AT LEAST a generation to 'beat it' out of them. Do we wait for the perpetrators to feel guilty, and change their ways, or do we take action via the powers that can?

I'm still riding tomorrow. As I did today.

You cannot stop doing what you love because of a few haters. If they didn't hate us (cyclists), they'd just hate someone else.

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ldrcycles
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Re: Race the Darling Downs Dasher steam train

Postby ldrcycles » Sat Apr 26, 2014 8:57 pm

Truly awful news, and sickening that a person could do such a thing :( . As time goes on it just becomes clearer that the current culture around driving is simply unsustainable, when more australians are killed on the road each fortnight than in the 10 years of the war in Afghanistan, something is horribly wrong.

I have had very very few incidents while riding though, whether through luck or my defensive riding habits i can't say but i am certainly grateful for it.
With regards to the Goondiwindi ride, my dad will be going down with me to pick me up at the finish as Stef is not keen on doing such a long drive. He is extremely protective so i would not be at all surprised if he follows me in the car for the whole 200kms, much as i would prefer to ride alone i can recognise and appreciate fatherly love :) .
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morini
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Re: Race the Darling Downs Dasher steam train

Postby morini » Sun Apr 27, 2014 2:48 pm

Smithstreet wrote:I couldn't agree more.

Unfortunately, there are quite a few 'bad eggs' in this country, and until the court system grows some testicles and makes an example of these scumbags, if caught, then nothing will change. And before anyone launches into a 'it has to start with the individual' line, these people (and their parents) have had this attitude for almost a generation!!
In my opinion, it will take AT LEAST a generation to 'beat it' out of them. Do we wait for the perpetrators to feel guilty, and change their ways, or do we take action via the powers that can?

I'm still riding tomorrow. As I did today.
You cannot stop doing what you love because of a few haters. If they didn't hate us (cyclists), they'd just hate someone else.

Me too and more than aware that every bike rider is the brother or son or sister or daughter or father or mother of someone else. Just like my wife's parents and their siblings. Lovely caring people but they unashamedly admit they hate bicycle riders. Go figure that one out.

Unfortunately it will take more than a generation to completely rid Australia of people who can't seem to see cycling's positives.

It's people and cars. Get out of MY way you idiot.

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singlespeedscott
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Re: Race the Darling Downs Dasher steam train

Postby singlespeedscott » Sun Apr 27, 2014 5:17 pm

oxonabike wrote:Might be a while before the old girl is out and about again, she broke a main crank pin on the return trip, 16 km from Wallangara . This results in a total failure, requiring a rescue by diesel loco from Toowoomba.

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ldrcycles
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Re: Race the Darling Downs Dasher steam train

Postby ldrcycles » Fri May 23, 2014 10:05 pm

OK spread the word around to everyone you know, the Southern Downs Steam Railway has a train and they need people in it for the 7th-9th of June!

This is the itinerary as per Adam from SDSR, for more info such as pricing contact them through their website (unfortunately they haven't got the info on the site at the moment as the runs only go ahead with sufficient numbers while they are leasing C17 974 from QR). http://www.southerndownssteamrailway.com.au/index.php" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I will be using my Tom Wallace Special for this one, equipped with a single 52t chainring and 14-24 block. There is one section of approximately 14kms of dirt, and apparently the norm at this time of year is for a headwind :shock: . Could be interesting!


Station Arr Dep
Day 1
Warwick Station 0740 0800
Wheatvale (0828)
Thane (0904)
Karara (0939)
Gore (1009)
Cobba-da-mana (1055)
Inglewood 1117 1247
Yelarbon (1342)
Kurumbal (1406)
Goondiwindi 1442


Day 2

Goondiwindi 0800
Toobeah 0905 1015
Goondiwindi 1110 1230
Toobeah 1335 1445
Goondiwindi 1540


Day 3

Goondiwindi 0800
Kurumbal (0836)
Yerlarbon (0900)
Inglewood 0955 1125
Cobba-da-mana (1147)
Gore (1247)
Karara (1314)
Thane (1349)
Wheatvale (1425)
Warwick Station 1453 1508
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ldrcycles
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Re: Race the Darling Downs Dasher steam train

Postby ldrcycles » Thu Jun 05, 2014 9:58 pm

T minus 34 hours :) . The train is all good to go and so is my Tom Wallace. I finally got her built up today after some huge headaches with pretty much everything. 2 test rides so far, working very well and nice and quick too :) .

The weather forecast is looking ok, 7-21 degrees with a cross/tailwind for most of the way.


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Re: Race the Darling Downs Dasher steam train

Postby ldrcycles » Sun Jun 08, 2014 9:48 pm

Well the day has been and gone, not as cold as i expected but the wind turned out to be cross/headwind from about 30 or 40kms in. The poor old train had another (minor) breakdown though, which meant they got into Inglewood nearly an hour late, and 42 minutes after i had rolled up there. I managed to average 32.6kmh for the 110kms, the bike performed beautifully, though i was starting to struggle badly for the last few k. Given the delay would have meant getting to Goondiwindi as late as 5pm with 500kms to then drive back home (assuming i was even able to make the distance) i decided to call it a day at Inglewood. So i'll have to give it another shot at some later date. Still a lovely way to spend a morning :) .


Image

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Image


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EDIT: with my dad driving behind with a "caution cyclist ahead" sign on the boot we had no trouble whatsoever with the traffic, which was fairly light anyway. The road itself on the other hand was atrocious, about as rough as bitumen can get. Full story here- viewtopic.php?f=12&t=71236&start=325#p1135204" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
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coyote
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Re: Race the Darling Downs Dasher steam train

Postby coyote » Mon Jun 09, 2014 9:31 am

Well done, like the image of you with the driver. :)

Image

Photo of train sent to me of it arriving in Goondiwindi. 8)

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ldrcycles
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Re: Race the Darling Downs Dasher steam train

Postby ldrcycles » Mon Jun 09, 2014 9:44 am

Do you know what time it ended up getting there?
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Re: Race the Darling Downs Dasher steam train

Postby coyote » Mon Jun 09, 2014 6:19 pm

ldrcycles wrote:Do you know what time it ended up getting there?
No, but I will see if I can find out. 8)

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Re: Race the Darling Downs Dasher steam train

Postby coyote » Sun Jun 15, 2014 6:03 pm

The train got in around four.

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Re: Race the Darling Downs Dasher steam train

Postby ldrcycles » Sat Sep 13, 2014 11:25 pm

OK i'm heading for the Downs again. I've decided it's about time i had a crack at the Clifton run, and they're heading that way next on the 15th of November. I don't like the idea of going on the Highway (apart from anything else back roads would be more interesting) so the plan at the moment is to take Warwick-Allora Rd past Hendon to Allora, then west on Dalrymple Creek Rd for about 8kms to Talgai before heading north on Glenbuckie and Logan Rds. My internet connection is currently refusing to show the satellite view properly but it looks like there's a bit of dirt involved, how much i have no idea yet.

I'm entertaining the thought of using the Local 3 speed again but it's such a temperamental sod of a thing i will probably stick to the faithful Tom Wallace. I should have the Mark II rod operated front derailleur built with plenty of time, not that i would expect the granny gear to be necessary.

The route looks to be about 48kms, and the train is scheduled to take 90 minutes, so an average speed of just under 32kmh required. Unfavourable weather notwithstanding, that shouldn't pose any great difficulty.
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Re: Race the Darling Downs Dasher steam train

Postby ldrcycles » Mon Sep 15, 2014 11:33 am

Having had a proper look over the route, the dirt starts at the 35.7km mark and goes for 3.3kms. If it's been recently graded it should be great, although it is seriously narrow. Some of the "bitumen" roads look a little hairy too, should be a fun ride :D .
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ldrcycles
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Re: Race the Darling Downs Dasher steam train

Postby ldrcycles » Thu Dec 18, 2014 8:12 pm

Just realised i didn't update this thread, I came down with a nasty cold in the week before the Clifton run, so had to give it a miss :( . The last run for the year was on the 13th of this month, so i'll have to wait for next year.
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ldrcycles
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Re: Race the Darling Downs Dasher steam train

Postby ldrcycles » Mon Feb 02, 2015 7:44 pm

The calendar for 2015 is up, I'm looking at doing the Stanthorpe run on April 11, and the big one to Goondiwindi on June 6. There are also a few runs to and from Toowoomba. On the main roads (not ideal with the amount of traffic) it's 82kms, so the scheduled 2:10 from Toowoomba to Warwick would mean an average of 38kmh which is a pretty tall order. Going in the other direction takes the train 3:20, so only 24.6kmh which should make it feasible to take quieter, longer roads.
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