Southwestern trains what to do?

[yellowjack]

Dr Interceptor said:

Some advice for this weekend would be appreciated from people who use the routes regularly.

Live in Farnborough, and on Saturday 7th am taking Mum up to Theatre Royal, Haymarket for her birthday. Normally would just get the train to Waterloo and then a cab (she's getting on a bit with a few heart issues, so we don't do walking/running or the underground).

With one train an hour that'll stop everywhere and likely only have 4-8 carriages and be standing room only, I can't risk relying on the train from Farnborough.

Is there somewhere I can drive to and park?
Should I drive right into Central London?
Or the train to Reading and then Paddington and get a cab from there?

Not sure how it works for Theatre Royal, but in the past for events at Wembley (stadium and arena) I've driven from Farnborough and parked at Amersham (or Chesham) and gone in on the Metropolitan Line. It's another possibility.

I used to do that because late trains out of Waterloo on the Farnborough line are usually fairly busy at best, and jam-packed at worst.

[kev1974]

Dr Interceptor said:

Some advice for this weekend would be appreciated from people who use the routes regularly.

Live in Farnborough, and on Saturday 7th am taking Mum up to Theatre Royal, Haymarket for her birthday. Normally would just get the train to Waterloo and then a cab (she's getting on a bit with a few heart issues, so we don't do walking/running or the underground).

With one train an hour that'll stop everywhere and likely only have 4-8 carriages and be standing room only, I can't risk relying on the train from Farnborough.

Is there somewhere I can drive to and park?
Should I drive right into Central London?
Or the train to Reading and then Paddington and get a cab from there?

I wouldn't go at all, TRH still has Only Fools and Horses The Musical and it's godawful!

[croyde]

Some parts of central London are free in bays and single yellow after lunch on a Saturday.

Big bunfight to get a space though. Get there early.

[hurstg01]

drive to Fleet, easy to park and more guarantee of a seat before hitting the busyness of Farnborough?

[Dr Interceptor]

Cheers folks, a couple of options to look at. Just so used to getting on the train and being in Waterloo 35 minutes later, I've never had to consider an alternative.

Just checked the tickets and its HM Theatre, but still on Haymarket - seeing Phantom of the Opera, Mums never seen it and always wanted to.

[yellowjack]

croyde said:

Some parts of central London are free in bays and single yellow after lunch on a Saturday.

Big bunfight to get a space though. Get there early.

Speaking of driving up, there is a(n underground) car park on the north side of the Thames, we found it while walking around between St Pauls and Tower Bridge, I think. It seemed to have reasonable "off peak" parking prices, but I'm damned if I can remember exactly where it was and what it was called, but I swear it was run by some public body (City Of London, maybe?) I remember thinking "that would be handy for RideLondon parking" but then it occurred to me that it would probably be on a closed road come the event so discounted it...

[kev1974]

Dr Interceptor said:

Cheers folks, a couple of options to look at. Just so used to getting on the train and being in Waterloo 35 minutes later, I've never had to consider an alternative.

Just checked the tickets and its HM Theatre, but still on Haymarket - seeing Phantom of the Opera, Mums never seen it and always wanted to.

That's a better choice of show (well it's a bit tourist-tastic but there's a reason it's been on for decades).

You could also consider driving up to Hammersmith (very easy from Farnborough) and parking there, either in the proper car park behind the shopping centre or one of the side streets towards Olympia will be free on a Saturday, and get bus 9 from Hammersmith bus station or on Hammersmith Road near Olympia, as it goes right past Haymarket and the HM Theatre. Reasonably scenic route up High St Kensington, Knightsbridge, Hyde Park Corner, and part of Piccadilly. Just allow maybe an hour if doing that, traffic around Knightsbridge. Or park around Barons Court tube (again just off the A4 and free at the weekend) and tube to Piccadilly Circus, from there 5 mins walk down to HM Theatre.

Edited by kev1974 on Tuesday 3rd December 12:48

[Dizeee]

You shouldn't have a problem on Saturday. As there is 1 train an hour they are long, each one I have been on has been 12 carriages. As Saturday is not a work day you won't have the commuter bustle. Plus if she is frail, someone will relinquish their seat in the appropriate carriage. The extra stops add around 15 mins onto the journey taking it from 40 mins to around an hour.

[ALawson]

We are in Fleet, I stopped commuting ages ago on the train but Wife and No 1 son went to London and back last Saturday from FLE - WAT.

No main issues at all, although it was busy on the return 22.40 (ish) train.

The managed to do both Part 1 and 2 of The Cursed Child (Harry Potter). Parking at Fleet is generally ok on the weekend (if not cheap).

[kev1974]

ALawson said:

We are in Fleet, I stopped commuting ages ago on the train but Wife and No 1 son went to London and back last Saturday from FLE - WAT.

No main issues at all, although it was busy on the return 22.40 (ish) train.

The managed to do both Part 1 and 2 of The Cursed Child (Harry Potter). Parking at Fleet is generally ok on the weekend (if not cheap).

Strike timetable now though, on my Windsor (suburban) lines the strike say service finishes about 10pm! Absolutely useless for getting home after a theatre evening show!

[anonymous-user]

A couple of our agency workers have handed in their notice already, as the disruption caused by the strikes will make them late too often.

[hadenough!]

Dr Interceptor said:

Some advice for this weekend would be appreciated from people who use the routes regularly.

Live in Farnborough, and on Saturday 7th am taking Mum up to Theatre Royal, Haymarket for her birthday. Normally would just get the train to Waterloo and then a cab (she's getting on a bit with a few heart issues, so we don't do walking/running or the underground).

With one train an hour that'll stop everywhere and likely only have 4-8 carriages and be standing room only, I can't risk relying on the train from Farnborough.

Is there somewhere I can drive to and park?
Should I drive right into Central London?
Or the train to Reading and then Paddington and get a cab from there?

Service look decent on Saturday actually, three trains per hour

http://ojp.nationalrail.co.uk/service/timesandfare...

[edc]

I don't do the commute any more but have a meeting off Cheapside tomorrow morning so going to take the chance that I can actually get on the train at Farnborough!

[hadenough!]

edc said:

I don't do the commute any more but have a meeting off Cheapside tomorrow morning so going to take the chance that I can actually get on the train at Farnborough!

I was on the 7.46 out of Farnborough today, it wasn’t great but not the worst

[Dr Interceptor]

hadenough! said:

Service look decent on Saturday actually, three trains per hour

http://ojp.nationalrail.co.uk/service/timesandfare...

That website is showing the normal timetable. There's only one train an hour at 16 minutes past the hour, stopping service.

Took the decision last night to book a car park and drive up into London... Q Park Leicester Square is a short walk from the theatre, just hope they have a bay big enough to get the Mustang in

[Dizeee]

Dr Interceptor said:

That website is showing the normal timetable. There's only one train an hour at 16 minutes past the hour, stopping service.

Took the decision last night to book a car park and drive up into London... Q Park Leicester Square is a short walk from the theatre, just hope they have a bay big enough to get the Mustang in

You know you can book a chauffeur to drive your car up there and back, or wait there to collect?

[Dr Interceptor]

Dizeee said:

Dr Interceptor said:

That website is showing the normal timetable. There's only one train an hour at 16 minutes past the hour, stopping service.

Took the decision last night to book a car park and drive up into London... Q Park Leicester Square is a short walk from the theatre, just hope they have a bay big enough to get the Mustang in

You know you can book a chauffeur to drive your car up there and back, or wait there to collect?

That'd mean having to sit in the back...

Have got my eye on a Daimler Double Six, but even by my reckoning its a bit extravagant to buy one just to be chauffeured to London in.

[Dizeee]

You could always request the driver meet you only to ferry your car back but then, yes, its a bit pointless I guess, unless the cost of parking is more than the chauffeur service - which is unlikely. I am just about to get the train from Farnborough to do exactly that in town.

[edc]

hadenough! said:

edc said:

I don't do the commute any more but have a meeting off Cheapside tomorrow morning so going to take the chance that I can actually get on the train at Farnborough!

I was on the 7.46 out of Farnborough today, it wasn’t great but not the worst

Train was a few minutes late but I was one of the first to get through the door so got one of the few remaining seats. A Farnham train must have just got to Woking as few got on there, unlike Surbiton which seems just as busy as normal. Downside only 1 train an hour going back and I arrive 45 mins before it is due to go!

And it's a stopping train.

Edited by edc on Wednesday 4th December 13:32

[kingston12]

edc said:

Train was a few minutes late but I was one of the first to get through the door so got one of the few remaining seats. A Farnham train must have just got to Woking as few got on there, unlike Surbiton which seems just as busy as normal. Downside only 1 train an hour going back and I arrive 45 mins before it is due to go!

If anything, Surbiton has been slightly better than usual (for the first 2.5 days anyway!)

It's still virtually impossible to get on a train before about 8.15, and there always seem to be a few people left waiting for the next train. Standard for SWR now.

The later ones have actually had a few seats available, and that is the first time in a while I have seen that apart from on a Friday. These trains are obviously not for anyone who needs to be at work anywhere near 9am.