06 - Train

Yes, I've already used a loco en route to work, but that was only to legitimise my use of the shuttle bus from the station. Today's mission: to take a train to the station nearest Adastral Park. Where, oh where, would that be?

If in doubt, ask Google, which recommends the use of this Find A Station website operated by thetrainline. Top five results are:

1. Woodbridge, 2.7 miles
2. Orwell, 3.2 miles -- a defunct station near Nacton!
3. Melton, 4.1 miles
4. Derby Road, 4.1 miles -- edge of Ipswich on the line to Felixstowe
5. Westerfield, 4.9 miles -- been there, done that

One timetable check later and I'm out of the house at 7:15am, cycling in a late July shower up to Ipswich station. Pay the nice lady £3.30 for an Anytime Day single to Woodbridge and wheel the bike through the new ticket barriers. There's my transport waiting at platform 1, final destination Saxmundham. Slot my bike into the provided cycle space and grab one of the many free seats to take in the journey. This, you'll remember, is the age of the train.

Quite pleasant to mindlessly sit there, gawping out of the rain-streaked window. First stop Westerfield -- no takers today -- and on we go. Tabletop depicts the Bittern Line up in Norfolk: all the action would appear to be at Hoveton & Wroxham (ask for Roy). Scanning my copy of the National Rail's Cycling By Train leaflet, it says that:

"Ticket holders receive the benefit of the one/ETA cycle recovery scheme ... If your cycle breaks down or is stolen, both you and your bicycle (if appropriate) will be recovered and taken to the nearest station"

That might be handy. Shame that it only applies while travelling by train.

Ah, we're here already, and it's only ten to eight. Looking through the glass, the Whistlestop Cafe looks mighty inviting. Must resist. After all, there's still another 3 miles or so to go until I'm at work. Plenty of cabs outside the station, but time once more to saddle up and pedal down.

Going up Sandy Lane isn't much fun. Going down Sandy Lane is great. Back under the railway line, past the Complementary Health Centre, then a determined push up past the Red Lion, requiring a leonine struggle. Relief when the road levels out at Crown Point, and finally through the gates of Adastral Park at five past eight (stop the clock).

NB Times didn't work out for me to go back the same way, so biked back instead. And got soaked again.

Cost - £3.30 Ipswich to Woodbridge single
Duration - 17 mins (07:32-07:49), then 15 min bike ride to Martlesham Heath

Pros - public transport; relaxing
Cons - slave to the erratic timetable

04 - Shuttle Bus

Another day, another bus. While NASA's shuttle may be on its way out, the Adastral Park shuttle bus is straight from the future. It stems from "Grass Routes", the pun-tastically titled AP travel plan, and offers:

-- "fast, direct & free courtesy shuttle direct to Adastral Park reception"

Did that really say "free"? You better believe it. Point of departure is Ipswich station, and it's aimed squarely at folk who'd otherwise catch a Billy No-Mates taxi out to Martlesham (and probably another one back at the end of the day). Simply flash your rail ticket at the driver ... oh, hang on. To make this a legit journey, I needs to get me a choo-choo ticket, valid for today. No problem. Time to make the train take the strain.

Out-in-the-wilds Westerfield is the answer, being an unmanned station on the Ipswich to Felixstowe/Lowestoft lines, and not too badly placed a couple of miles from my place. Thus into the saddle at 7:50am, some five minutes later than planned, pedal like Billy Ocean up Valley Road and left along Westerfield Road. A-ha, there's the Railway pub and here's the crossing.

Impressively, a gate indicates cycle parking this way. Through I go, up and on to the platform, and behold, a solitary uncovered Sheffield stand. Oh well, that'll do. It's now 8am and I'm standing, like a Dylan lyric, on the wrong side of the tracks.

Quickly out again, over the line and up the other side to join two other commuters. Matter of moments later, here comes our Ipswich-bound loco. Surprisingly, a handful of people are getting off here, at least two of which have their bikes and pedal off towards town. In we go and it's not worth grabbing a seat as we pootle back over the Norwich Road / Bramford Lane / Bramford Road bridges, slowing as we come alongside Gippeswick Park. At the last minute, practically in the station, a guard appears and sells me a £2.10 return to Ipswich. Hoorah, I have a "valid rail ticket for today"!

There follows a restrained dash across the station concourse -- now 8:12am -- and over to stand C, where sits the awaiting bus, doing its best to sync with the London train. Quite a few people already on board, none of whom I saw on the Westerfield train, but who'd be daft enough to take that route? Quarter-past and we're off.

Along Burrell Road and up to the lights, then a nifty shimmy as our driver goes (a) right into Stoke Street and (b) left into Austin Street, emerging on Wherstead Road and avoiding the busy-busy Novotel dock roundabouts. Today's route is brought to you by the letter "A" and the number 137 as we motor up past the ski slope to join the A14 at the Orwell Bridge.

This particular omnibus, which could fit comfortably inside the Route 66, offers a 240V socket to charge your phone, and there's some loose talk of WiFi. Mind you, given the speed of the journey, you'd be approaching Martlesham as your Outlook was still sorting itself out. And it parks right outside reception, some 100m closer than the 66.

Later that day, I did the whole thing in reverse: 4:40pm shuttle bus, 5:02pm Lowestoft-bound train (thankfully a few minutes late) to Westerfield, and much relief to find my bike still there in its exclusive parking slot. Phew.

Cost - free between Ipswich Station and Adastral Park (though I got the £2.10 Westerfield return)
Duration - 20 mins (8:15 - 8:35)

Pros - quick, hourly, greener than a cab
Cons - may need to wait a while if you arrive between buses, and last bus from Adastral is 6:40pm