Blackpool To London Olympia on Saturday... Tips.
13-12-2006, 06:44 AM
#1
Blackpool To London Olympia on Saturday... Tips.
Nicole is making this Journey by car on Saturday, and last time i did it (I worked there about 12 years ago) It was a nightmare of a drive with stationary traffic everywhere and massive potential for huge hold ups and getting lost. I am hoping its easier nowadays?
Anyone any suggested easy routes or tips for this run on a Saturday?
Anyone any suggested easy routes or tips for this run on a Saturday?
13-12-2006, 07:21 AM
#4
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Stu,
As a man who comes to london 5 days a week trust me - take the train.
the weekend rates are cheap & they could go 1st class.
bringing the car will be a nightmare & parking expensive.
unless they are carrying big items its the best option
As a man who comes to london 5 days a week trust me - take the train.
the weekend rates are cheap & they could go 1st class.
bringing the car will be a nightmare & parking expensive.
unless they are carrying big items its the best option
13-12-2006, 07:27 AM
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Originally Posted by Redkop
I guess Nicole is going for the International Horse Show - yes? 1000s go to it and it gets very gridlocked with traffic around Olympia/Kensington.
Was just about to ask that LOL
I would maybe suggest train as well, as i think they traffic and parking would be an absolute nightmare for her.
With the train you can get into London stress free
We may be up in London on saturday, xmas shopping
Are they staying over ?
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13-12-2006, 08:07 AM
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Hi Stu,
as i live in central london i know the mess it is like, so i would definately get the train the whole way, i know it takes bout 5 hours from blackpool and the train is only 10mins from Euston station to Earls Court....it cost me Ł55 quid return for blackpool.then add Ł10 each way to go first class.cheaper than petrol and also you can go asleep. and have a drink
hope they have a good time
as i live in central london i know the mess it is like, so i would definately get the train the whole way, i know it takes bout 5 hours from blackpool and the train is only 10mins from Euston station to Earls Court....it cost me Ł55 quid return for blackpool.then add Ł10 each way to go first class.cheaper than petrol and also you can go asleep. and have a drink
hope they have a good time
13-12-2006, 08:08 AM
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Originally Posted by Cossie Helen
Train maybe cheaper and less stressful Stu 
They can get to Olympia via Tube
They can get to Olympia via Tube
13-12-2006, 08:12 AM
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Originally Posted by DanCossie
Originally Posted by Cossie Helen
Train maybe cheaper and less stressful Stu
They can get to Olympia via Tube
They can get to Olympia via Tube
Must be
13-12-2006, 08:13 AM
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Originally Posted by DanCossie
Hi Stu,
as i live in central london i know the mess it is like, so i would definately get the train the whole way, i know it takes bout 5 hours from blackpool and the train is only 10mins from Euston station to Earls Court....it cost me Ł55 quid return for blackpool.then add Ł10 each way to go first class.cheaper than petrol and also you can go asleep. and have a drink
hope they have a good time
as i live in central london i know the mess it is like, so i would definately get the train the whole way, i know it takes bout 5 hours from blackpool and the train is only 10mins from Euston station to Earls Court....it cost me Ł55 quid return for blackpool.then add Ł10 each way to go first class.cheaper than petrol and also you can go asleep. and have a drink
hope they have a good time
They not going to Earls Court
13-12-2006, 08:14 AM
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Originally Posted by Cossie Helen
Originally Posted by DanCossie
Hi Stu,
as i live in central london i know the mess it is like, so i would definately get the train the whole way, i know it takes bout 5 hours from blackpool and the train is only 10mins from Euston station to Earls Court....it cost me Ł55 quid return for blackpool.then add Ł10 each way to go first class.cheaper than petrol and also you can go asleep. and have a drink
hope they have a good time
as i live in central london i know the mess it is like, so i would definately get the train the whole way, i know it takes bout 5 hours from blackpool and the train is only 10mins from Euston station to Earls Court....it cost me Ł55 quid return for blackpool.then add Ł10 each way to go first class.cheaper than petrol and also you can go asleep. and have a drink
hope they have a good time
They not going to Earls Court
on the district line
13-12-2006, 08:22 AM
#15
Originally Posted by DanCossie
Hi Stu,
as i live in central london i know the mess it is like, so i would definately get the train the whole way, i know it takes bout 5 hours from blackpool and the train is only 10mins from Euston station to Earls Court....it cost me Ł55 quid return for blackpool.then add Ł10 each way to go first class.cheaper than petrol and also you can go asleep. and have a drink
hope they have a good time
as i live in central london i know the mess it is like, so i would definately get the train the whole way, i know it takes bout 5 hours from blackpool and the train is only 10mins from Euston station to Earls Court....it cost me Ł55 quid return for blackpool.then add Ł10 each way to go first class.cheaper than petrol and also you can go asleep. and have a drink
hope they have a good time
traffic will be really crap round there whan summit is on. always have got the underground in can't be bothered to even try and find somewhere to park close.
13-12-2006, 08:31 AM
#16
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I would say you can leave your car round my house as I live at the end of the Metropolitan Line but they are doing rail works on the Metropolitan Line on saturday.
"Buses replace trains between Aylesbury and Croxley, calling at Stoke Mandeville, Wendover, Great Missenden, Amersham, Chalfont & Latimer, Chorleywood and Rickmansworth. London Underground Metropolitan Line services will
connect with these buses to Harrow-on-the-Hill and London Baker Street."
The bus takes hours. I would say drive to Hemel or Watford, park up and get the train.
"Buses replace trains between Aylesbury and Croxley, calling at Stoke Mandeville, Wendover, Great Missenden, Amersham, Chalfont & Latimer, Chorleywood and Rickmansworth. London Underground Metropolitan Line services will
connect with these buses to Harrow-on-the-Hill and London Baker Street."
The bus takes hours. I would say drive to Hemel or Watford, park up and get the train.
13-12-2006, 08:58 AM
#17
http://maps.google.co.uk/
punch in ealing broadway, and the roads to the north of gordon road tend to be the best place to find parking, bt they aer a bit narrow so make sure the wing mirrors are folded in otherwise they tend to not be there when you get back
for driving
there are 2 olympia's, one at earls court and one a little ways up in kensington, easy to get mixed up
my suggestion?
drive to the outskirts of london, ealing is a good bet, find somewhere to park that isn't residents parking, walk to the tube station, get a travel card for teh weekend (if they want to go all over the place, but it's cheaper anyway) and then tube it in
don't get a london cab because they are well pricey, don't get on a bus without the travel card or a prepay'd ticket as they are nearly as bad, keep all sorts of vauluable stuff out of sight and not in handbags and stuff, even though we like to say it won't happen, there is always the risk
the tube things doesn't work to well if you have loads of luggage
punch in ealing broadway, and the roads to the north of gordon road tend to be the best place to find parking, bt they aer a bit narrow so make sure the wing mirrors are folded in otherwise they tend to not be there when you get back
for driving
there are 2 olympia's, one at earls court and one a little ways up in kensington, easy to get mixed up
my suggestion?
drive to the outskirts of london, ealing is a good bet, find somewhere to park that isn't residents parking, walk to the tube station, get a travel card for teh weekend (if they want to go all over the place, but it's cheaper anyway) and then tube it in
don't get a london cab because they are well pricey, don't get on a bus without the travel card or a prepay'd ticket as they are nearly as bad, keep all sorts of vauluable stuff out of sight and not in handbags and stuff, even though we like to say it won't happen, there is always the risk
the tube things doesn't work to well if you have loads of luggage
13-12-2006, 09:38 AM
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Originally Posted by dojj
http://maps.google.co.uk/
punch in ealing broadway, and the roads to the north of gordon road tend to be the best place to find parking, bt they aer a bit narrow so make sure the wing mirrors are folded in otherwise they tend to not be there when you get back
for driving
there are 2 olympia's, one at earls court and one a little ways up in kensington, easy to get mixed up
my suggestion?
drive to the outskirts of london, ealing is a good bet, find somewhere to park that isn't residents parking, walk to the tube station, get a travel card for the weekend (if they want to go all over the place, but it's cheaper anyway) and then tube it in
don't get a london cab because they are well pricey, don't get on a bus without the travel card or a prepay'd ticket as they are nearly as bad, keep all sorts of vauluable stuff out of sight and not in handbags and stuff, even though we like to say it won't happen, there is always the risk
the tube things doesn't work to well if you have loads of luggage
punch in ealing broadway, and the roads to the north of gordon road tend to be the best place to find parking, bt they aer a bit narrow so make sure the wing mirrors are folded in otherwise they tend to not be there when you get back
for driving
there are 2 olympia's, one at earls court and one a little ways up in kensington, easy to get mixed up
my suggestion?
drive to the outskirts of london, ealing is a good bet, find somewhere to park that isn't residents parking, walk to the tube station, get a travel card for the weekend (if they want to go all over the place, but it's cheaper anyway) and then tube it in
don't get a london cab because they are well pricey, don't get on a bus without the travel card or a prepay'd ticket as they are nearly as bad, keep all sorts of vauluable stuff out of sight and not in handbags and stuff, even though we like to say it won't happen, there is always the risk
the tube things doesn't work to well if you have loads of luggage
Any area round, Stanmore, Kenton, Pinner, Hatch End, Bushey, Edgware is a far better option than driving the Nth Circular to get over to Ealing.
13-12-2006, 09:53 AM
#19
the end of the M1 = north circular road, which then leads to ealing
even better bet, park around ealing common, less rush
or they cuold always come down the M40 and leave it in uxbridge, but i'd not risk that on a weekend
besides, they are all inside the zone 4 thing so less costs involved in traveling etc
even better bet, park around ealing common, less rush
or they cuold always come down the M40 and leave it in uxbridge, but i'd not risk that on a weekend
besides, they are all inside the zone 4 thing so less costs involved in traveling etc
13-12-2006, 10:25 AM
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Originally Posted by Stu @ M Developments
This all sounds extremely complex.
http://www.olympiahorseshow.com/visit/get_there.htm
What time roughley will they be getting into London?
13-12-2006, 10:33 AM
#22
Leaving Blackpool at 9am so I would guess at around 4pm?
Thanks for all your help so far, i just want it to run smoothly for them and i have very bitter memories of driving to London Olympia from when i used to work there. I ended up getting trains there and back in the end as It was grim.
Thanks for all your help so far, i just want it to run smoothly for them and i have very bitter memories of driving to London Olympia from when i used to work there. I ended up getting trains there and back in the end as It was grim.
13-12-2006, 10:37 AM
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drive to uxbridge/hillingdon (off m40) tehres aloads of streets about where you can park. theres also a coach which goes from hillingdon station into central london, costs bout a fiver return. one is the x90 which drops off at baker st, marble arch, and victoria station. and the other is the oxford tube which drops off in shepperds bush, marble arch and victoria station. or you could just get the metropolitan or the picadilly line into london. i would stay off the metropolitan as its always got signal failure.
13-12-2006, 10:47 AM
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Originally Posted by Stu @ M Developments
Leaving Blackpool at 9am so I would guess at around 4pm?
Thanks for all your help so far, i just want it to run smoothly for them and i have very bitter memories of driving to London Olympia from when i used to work there. I ended up getting trains there and back in the end as It was grim.
Thanks for all your help so far, i just want it to run smoothly for them and i have very bitter memories of driving to London Olympia from when i used to work there. I ended up getting trains there and back in the end as It was grim.
I was at Olympia for the horse show a few years ago myself, and we went everywhere by tube as it was the easy way.
I dont know where we are going to be around about 4pm, probs up in London ourselves or over at MAD sorting the car otherwise i would have said leave the car at ours for the weekend.
Where are they staying in London?
13-12-2006, 12:34 PM
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i would drive till i reach one off the undergound on the outer of london on the earl court line
then get on tube less to park and bloody cheaper
then get on tube less to park and bloody cheaper
13-12-2006, 03:23 PM
#29
Originally Posted by Stu @ M Developments
Anyone done the trip and give a genuine time estimate in a car?
In a typical week, my identical journey to work will take me 25-30 mins two days day and 60+ mins the other 2 days, and without any sort of predicability.
Train is deffo the better option.
Failing that look up the time on multimap.com and then assume traffic will lengthen the journey 1-3 hours depending on luck.
13-12-2006, 03:24 PM
#30
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Hi stu
When I came up to you last friday it took me three hours & fifteen mins going at a stedy 70/80 mph & thats from Northampton, I can do Earls Court/Olympia 1hour 30/45 mins,
So I would say 5 hours on a good run but stick another 1 1/2 hours on that for coffee break and trafic
at the road works between Luton and St Albans, It's a hell of a jerny if she is not used to driving any distance.
When I came up to you last friday it took me three hours & fifteen mins going at a stedy 70/80 mph & thats from Northampton, I can do Earls Court/Olympia 1hour 30/45 mins,
So I would say 5 hours on a good run but stick another 1 1/2 hours on that for coffee break and trafic
at the road works between Luton and St Albans, It's a hell of a jerny if she is not used to driving any distance.
13-12-2006, 04:36 PM
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Originally Posted by dangerous - reyland
Stu,
As a man who comes to london 5 days a week trust me - take the train.
the weekend rates are cheap & they could go 1st class.
bringing the car will be a nightmare & parking expensive.
unless they are carrying big items its the best option
As a man who comes to london 5 days a week trust me - take the train.
the weekend rates are cheap & they could go 1st class.
bringing the car will be a nightmare & parking expensive.
unless they are carrying big items its the best option
Train or flight.
Like we did to cardiff.
13-12-2006, 04:38 PM
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Originally Posted by Stu @ M Developments
Anyone done the trip and give a genuine time estimate in a car?
13-12-2006, 07:18 PM
#35
i recently went to blackpool to collect a car, inlcuding the time getting there and stopping and all that, up the M40 and along the M6 toll and then up a bit, it took around 3 hours
there were no roadworks or holdups on the way there
on the way back it took 4 hours as it was a bit wet
most of the way we were doing between 70 and 80 mph
the easiest way to figure out where you are is to go along the M40 until it becomes the A40 (the next junction after the M25)
just past here it goes up hill a bit and then over the crest, where there is a speed camera, the next junction is where you want to get off to find somewhere to park in hillingdon or whatever
if you carry on til the next thats abit of a dead juntion with no parking
then you get the target roundbaout where it goes down to 50 mph and 2 lanes
the next turn is the greenford turning
then the alperton one
then you go past the hoover building and past the hanger lane gyratory
the next turn is just as you come out frm under the bridge and it loops back towards the vue cinema, where several people have been known to leave their cars over night, but make sure it's in a good spot because it's one of them "youth" hangouts
i've got plenty of space to park the motor and would have offered to give the ladies a lift to and from the place, but i'm not going to be able to drive because of the op, i'm sure osmeone can sort it out for you if it seems daunting, but it's really not a bad place to go just remember the travel cards as public transport is a bit rich
there were no roadworks or holdups on the way there
on the way back it took 4 hours as it was a bit wet
most of the way we were doing between 70 and 80 mph
the easiest way to figure out where you are is to go along the M40 until it becomes the A40 (the next junction after the M25)
just past here it goes up hill a bit and then over the crest, where there is a speed camera, the next junction is where you want to get off to find somewhere to park in hillingdon or whatever
if you carry on til the next thats abit of a dead juntion with no parking
then you get the target roundbaout where it goes down to 50 mph and 2 lanes
the next turn is the greenford turning
then the alperton one
then you go past the hoover building and past the hanger lane gyratory
the next turn is just as you come out frm under the bridge and it loops back towards the vue cinema, where several people have been known to leave their cars over night, but make sure it's in a good spot because it's one of them "youth" hangouts
i've got plenty of space to park the motor and would have offered to give the ladies a lift to and from the place, but i'm not going to be able to drive because of the op, i'm sure osmeone can sort it out for you if it seems daunting, but it's really not a bad place to go
just remember the travel cards as public transport is a bit rich
13-12-2006, 08:27 PM
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As others have said - take the train. No way on earth would I go to all the hassle to drive down. Sit back on the train with a few drinks and enjoy being driven in reasonable comfort all the way. Have to say after commuting in and out of London for the last year I enjoy using the train and fucking hate driving anywhere now!
