Not directly related to cycling but potentially useful for any Southern, West Midlands and North West (ish) based people who are looking to do an infrastructure safaris.
London Midland are running their 'Great Escape' again http://www.londonmidland.com/tickets-and-fares/great-escape/, basically £15 go anywhere on their trains all day. Works as a rover ticket so you could in theory cover Milton Keynes and somewhere else like Brum or Stoke.