With the challenge of visiting all the Gold Post Boxes
over 22 days of riding I thought I’d better pull something out of the bag, so
to speak. The number of Gold Post Boxes is growing at an alarming rate, there
are now 100 throughout England, Scotland & Wales, 1 on the Isle of Sark, 1
on the Isle of Man and now fantastically 3 in Northern Island giving us a grand
total of 105 Gold Post Boxes. However the Royal mail have added a footer to the
list saying there may be more added in the future!
Trying to map all the locations is turning into a
daily struggle. Some post boxes appear on the Royal Mails Gold Post Box Finder
site then suddenly vanish. The same can be said for Wikipedia’s Gold post Box
List’s too so it’s just a matter of gathering the information from anywhere or
anyone willing to help.
I’m lucky in one respect that two fellow #GoldBoxJourney
families are in constant contact with me through Twitter. @Gold_Postbox_Family
& @PaulaJubliee are travelling around the country visiting the Gold Post
Boxes & we’re all keeping each other updated on where the Gold post boxes are
which is a great help. @Gold_Postbox_Family told me about Pete Reed’s second
Gold Post Box near Nailsworth as recently as yesterday so that’s another one to
go on the list that I was unaware of.
So, with my mind full of lists & maps I headed
off to bed at 8.30pm on Saturday night leaving Jeannie and Ben watching the TV.
A quick shower & within minutes I was fast asleep content in the knowledge Mr
T was packed, my bike gear was laid out ready to put on and all the locations
and route were uploaded into my trusty guide, my Garmin 660.
In what felt like minutes the alarm went off, I was
wide awake, wired! Rolling over I thought it odd Jeannie wasn’t there? Up
washed, dressed, I headed down to find both Jeannie & Ben watching TV.
“We wanted to say have a great ride and see you off,
Dad” Ben said as he gave me a massive back-breaker of a hug.
“You be good for Mum now and look after her whilst I’m
down at Uncle Ron’s, OK?
“I will, love you, say hello to Uncle Ron from me
won’t you”
“I will” Big Kiss.
I said my good bye to Jeannie and left them to it.
Sat on Mr T I opened the garage door and that is when
it hit me like a punch in the face! It was pitch black outside the time half
past midnight. In order to achieve my challenge I’d decided to put on my “Iron
Butt Head”. The plan, I’ve always got a plan, to ride to London picking up a
swathe of Gold Post Boxes on route. Meet Ron at the Ace Café for breakfast at
9.00am. Visit all the Gold Post Boxes in London bar one, Westminster which I
would do on Monday morning. Try and collect as many as possible on the
outskirts of London. Spend the night at Ron’s then back to Westminster to meet
Bruce of www.TeaPotOne.com and take part in his setting off on his “Around the World
Ride”. Finally head home collecting whatever Gold Post Boxes we missed.
Halifax
- It all sounded simple enough in my mind but as I watched the temperature gauge
plummet from 17 degrees down to 8 degrees I was just wishing I’d plugged my
heated jacket in already. The ride over the tops was nice not a single car on
the roads, up and over the hills past the White House Pub I realised I’d best
top up with fuel. At £1.40 a litre in Rossendale I kicked myself for not
filling up at ASDA in Rochdale at £1.36. I even had to hand my card over before
filling up, it was like being in France all over again.
Pulling into Halifax town centre I realised straight
away, I’ve done this one. Something I told the “Street Angel” in her high viz
vest as I almost rode over her stood in the middle of the road I’d just tried
to turn down. Great start to a long ride still Hannah Cockroft’s second Gold
Post box on Tabor Road was only 1.8 miles away that was until I punched it into
the Garmin that is. “3.2 miles to Tabor
Road?” Brilliant pieces of equipment Satellite Navigation Units but I’ll tell
you one thing they never marry up with the mapping program on my laptop (and yes
I have downloaded the latest maps thank-you).
Still it was a straight run out of Halifax and I was
there. The Gold Post Box took a little finding as I never imagined it would be
in someone’s outside wall but hey who cares. Photo taken and I was happy to now
be heading South.
Mount Tabor Road Halifax
Hannah Cockroft - Gold Medal Athletics: Women's 200m - T34
Kirkby
Ashfield – There’s not a lot to say about the ride down other
than I was happy that the Garmin clipped off the M62/M1 turning as it was
closed for the night. What did surprise me was arriving at the Post Office to
find the post box RED! “Here we go again” I screamed in my lid! Riding around
at 2.25am looking for a post box is not
great especially in a suburban area. Luckily for me a white van came up
the side road looking to turn left in front of me onto the street I was on. I gave
the driver a wave and flashed to indicate I wanted to speak to him. The van driver
stopped and wound the window down. To my surprise he was dressed in a familiar
black uniform with head set on and the biggest Alsatian I’ve ever seen in a
cage in the back. Whoops!
“Good evening officer, I’m looking for the Gold Post
Box do you know where it is?”
“Yes”
Pause!!!
“Can you tell me whereabouts I can find it as I’m
visiting all the Gold Post Boxes in the UK”
“Yes”
Pause!!!
“Where is it?”
“I’m going that way now, follow me”
“That’s great thank you”
5 minutes of back lanes and side roads later and the hazard lights switched on in
the van. There is was 2.8 miles away from the location I’d taken from the
internet. Ahhhgggg!
Still after a brief chat and the offer to take my
picture which I gracefully accepted I had my photo. Now how’s that for a stroke
of luck at 2.30am Sunday morning.
Chapel Street Kirkby in Ashfield
Ollie Hynd - Gold medal Swimming: Men's 100m Backstroke - S8
Lowdham
– is just 16 miles down the road on the outskirts of Nottingham and is a
brilliant twisty stretch of tarmac. The post box is outside the Post Office and
so within minutes I was off to my next destination without issue.
Main Street Lowdham
Richard Whitehead - Gold Medal Athletics: Men's 200m - T42
Milton
Keynes – A spirited 85 mile ride down the M1 then into the
bike heaven that is Milton Keynes roundabout city of the world! I had a great
time only interrupted by a pit stop for loo and fuel. Again the loo was out of
order but I’m sorry to say the back of the patrol station wasn’t! Relieved and
happy I arrived at the shopping precinct and took the photo.
Silbury Boulevard Milton Keynes
Greg Rutherford - Gold medal Men's Long Jump
Bedford
- No drama’s straight across to Bedford,
post box found, photo taken I was away again.
St Paul’s Square Bedford
Etienne Stott - Gold Medal Men's Double Canoe Slalom
Stotfold
–
“Where is this damned post box?” Could I find it, Brook Street, right I’m here the shops are there, nope I could not
see it and at 4.15 in the morning I was getting a wee bit stressed out too say
the least. 35 minutes it took me find the damned Gold Post Box at the other end
of the street! Hay ho and on we go.
Brook Street Stotfold
Victoria Pendleton - Gold medal Women's Keirin
Elsenham
– Brilliant, straight down the hill and straight in front of me stood the Gold
Post Box Photo taken and I was off quick as a flash. With the sun now up life
just got a whole lot better.
Robin Hood Road Elsenham
Ben Maher - Gold medal Equestrian Team Jumping
Harlow
– “Excuse me do you know where the Gold Post Box is?”
“Yes love it’s down there but you will have to ride
back around town as it’s a one way road”
Yea right! at 6.00am on a Sunday morning, I’m sure I’m
going all the way around Harlow to get to a post box 20 foot away. Photo taken
I was away in minutes.
Post Office Road Harlow
Laura Trott - Post Office Road Gold medal Women's Team Pursuit
Cadmore Lane Cheshunt
Laura Trott - Cadmore Lane - Gold medal Women's Team Pursuit
Newham Parade Cheshunt
Laura Trott - Newham Parade - Gold medal Women's Omnium
Enfield - Having made good progress I could either arrive at the Ace Café at 8.15am straight from Enfield or go to Watford and bag another Gold Post Box. The post box won hands down. Like I said I’d got my Iron Butt Head on.
Southbury Road Enfield
Charlotte Dujardin - Gold medal Equestrian Team Dressage
Watford
– A kind Polish chap
took my picture before rushing off before I could even say thank you and check
if it was OK. So to the kind chap in Watford “Thank You for taking my photo
with the Gold Post Box”. As for the chap trying to sell me a Bible…….. I’ll
leave that to your imagination’s!
High Street Watford
Anthony Joshua - Gold medal Boxing Men's Super Heavy Weight
London
–
Now there is absolutely no way I am going to break each and every suburb down
or this Blog will be colossal. I’m sorry if this offends true Londoners but hey
I’m a Northerner, deal with it!
Breakfast at the Ace Café was very enjoyable and by
9.00am it was heaving with bikers. I love visiting the Ace Café as it is just
one of those places that has stood still in time. 1960’s time and it brings me
out in goose bumps just thinking about being a “Biker” back in the 60’s.
Ron arrived and we had a good catch up. Not
impressed with the thought of visiting Gold Post Boxes would be a polite way of
putting it but “what are best mates for if not to get you to do stuff you’ve no
interest in what so ever, hey Ron?”
Now I don’t visit London (or Ron come to that
matter) half enough. It’s a great city with some of the UK’s most iconic land
marks all within one sprawling metropolis. I love it but in short bursts. Needless
to say by 2.00pm we were heading out of the city off to collect the two far
flung Gold Post Boxes near Reading.
The reason I’m not going to prattle on about how
manic the inner city is, how mad the driving and rising is can be summed up in
this small briefing Ron gave me before we left the Ace Café.
“Right so tell me if I’ve got this straight or not”
“30 means 40, 40 means 50, 50 means
60, yes”
“Yea, that’s right”
“And what were you saying about passing”
“There are no lanes, pass where you can, slow down
for the camera’s but ignore the average speed cameras as there not switched on”
Oh and I nearly forgot, don’t go round the bollards
though, the police don’t like that at all”
With those words of wisdom clearly logged in my head
we set off. Here’s the 7 inner city Gold Post boxes we visited in rapid succession.
All I can say is I’m glad I chose a Sunday to visit them as the city is one
very busy place even on a Sunday. We saw a film being made, where one of the
security men actually let me sneak into the corner of the back drop between
takes to get the photo at Chiswick. We visited Wimbledon, Ron had me doing the
Mo “M” just to make sure everyone watching knew I was a total head case
visiting all the Gold Post boxes. We visited a post box that was only Gold for
a week then re-painted red on Carshalton Road? I even managed to get up close
to the Gold Post Box in Cheam which was a little bit of a challenge and chose
to push my bike back with hazards flashing so as not to upset anyone.
Heathfield Terrace Chiswick
Pete Reed - Heathfield Terrace Gold medal Men's Four Rowing
London Road London
Mo Farah - Gold medal Men's 10,000m
Broad Street/North Lane Teddington
Mo Farah - Gold medal Men's 5000m
Church Road/Somerset Road Wimbledon
Andy Murray - Gold medal Men's Tennis Singles
Worple Road Wimbledon
Sophie Hosking - Gold medal Women's Lightweight Double Sculls Rowing
Woodcote Road Wallington
David Weir - Woodcote Road - Gold medal Athletics: Men's 5000m - T54
Ewell Road Cheam
Joanna Rowsell - Gold medal Women's Team Pursuit
(Sadly on my return home I now see we missed
visiting David Wier’s second Gold Post Box just 1 mile up the road on the edge
of Mollinson Square, mistake number one.)
Bentworth
- Happily after a boring ride down the A3 we were out of town and soon onto
some interesting country lanes. Ron was really happy to be out of the city and
started to enjoy himself a little “though he will stringently deny it to anyone
who asks”.
Now having had another look on the Gold Post Box
Finder site and on Wikipedia I see that Peter Charles Gold Post at Bentworth is
no longer listed I have Tweeted @RoyalMailNews but had no reply so I am
claiming this as an official Gold Post Box and leaving it in until someone
tells me otherwise.
Bentworth
Peter Charles
Alton
–
Not the Alton where my Dad lives but the one near Bentworth. Again a lovely town
with pub’s offering two Sunday Lunches for £10 “Sorry Love we’re sold out, but
you can have a drink if you like!”. Moving on swiftly.
Paper Mill Lane Alton
Peter Charles - Gold medal Equestrian Team Jumping
We found a lovely Pub called ”The Bull Inn” at
Bentley where we stopped for an amazingly tasty Sunday Lunch and a soft drink
for the princely sum of £30. Well worth every penny it was too.
The Bull Inn at Bentley
"Does a brilliant Sunday Lunch"
Sunningdale
– A swift ride up the A31 / M3 put us back on the outskirts of West London,
straight in and out photo taken we moved on. (On my return I now see I missed
visiting Sophie Christiansen’s other Gold Post Box some 3 and half miles up the
road in Egham, mistake number two).
London Road Sunningdale
Sophie Christiansen - Gold medal Equestrian: Mixed Individual Championship Test
Maidenhead
–
In out no fuss what so ever, photo taken and away.
High Street Maidenhead
Sophie Christiansen - Gold medal Equestrian: Equestrian: Mixed Individual Freestyle Test - Grade Ia
Marlow
– See above plus a quick call home to check in and let Jeannie know we were all
right, if not a little tired by now in my case.
High Street Marlow
Naomi Richel - Gold medal Rowing: Mixed Coxed Four - LTAMix4+ final
Henley-on-Thames
- Ron and I had a discussion about whether or not to visit Oxford and the two
Gold Post Boxes on the way there but chose to head back into the city to
collect the last Gold Post box of the day.
Hart Street Henley-on-Thames
Henley Rowers - A celebration of Henley Rowing Clubs
Uxbridge
– With a little effort we managed to squeeze both bike together each side of
the Gold Post Box for the last photograph of the day.
High Street Uxbridge
Natasha Baker Gold medal Equestrian: Mixed Individual Championship Test - Grade II
Day 10 - 26 Gold Post Boxes
“Golden Sunday” had been a resounding success with
26 Gold Post Boxes visited and photographed. We only missed 1 box which it
turned out had been painted back to red and missing just two opportunities to visit
two more Gold Post Boxes.
Still, as I said to Ron “It just gives me an excuses
to re-visit London again”.
Just not today………..Oh and Thomas to answer your question, "Yes it is possible to vist 20 Gold Post Boxes in a day"
No comments:
Post a Comment