Commuting into London
Commuting into London
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S10GTA

Original Poster:

13,816 posts

198 months

Wednesday 16th September 2015
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Today I've had a day out in London at an ABTA workshop. This involved me leaving home at half 6 and driving to Brockenhurst. From there I got the 07.03 train to Waterloo (which cost £90). I then had a 20 min walk from Waterloo to London Bridge. It took 3hrs to get there.

Workshop started at 10.00

I then left the workshop at 16.20. I went back to Waterloo for the 17.03 train back home, and I think I'll get home around 19.30.

How the fk do some of you do this on a daily basis, and isn't it a miserable existence? I won't see my child today, and I've spent about 6hrs travelling for 6hrs sat in an office.

Give me my low paid job, the chance to see my child each night and the ability to ride to and from work on a daily basis any day of the week.

Can you tell I'm not a fan?

RumpleFugly

2,382 posts

241 months

Wednesday 16th September 2015
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Erm, If doing it on the regular, then don't live 3 hours away?

michael243

4,079 posts

206 months

Wednesday 16th September 2015
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The ONE time I went London a week day..

I was stuck on the A40 for 1.5 hrs from 8am - 9.30am and then I left the Park Lane carpark and it took 3 hrs to get from there to the roundabout where Kensingston high street ends rolleyes

Which is 2.7 miles, I wouldn't of minded that much but the 3 hrs is longer then it usually takes to get from my home in Birmingham to Mayfair...

S10GTA

Original Poster:

13,816 posts

198 months

Wednesday 16th September 2015
quotequote all
RumpleFugly said:
Erm, If doing it on the regular, then don't live 3 hours away?
A fair point, but there are plenty that do at least 2hrs each way.

Spare tyre

12,709 posts

161 months

Wednesday 16th September 2015
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I do it from Southampton parkway


It gets easier with time, I can nod off with ease which does help

Coming home I watch some player or something which passes the time

There are some people at the station who have been doing it for over 30 years

pherlopolus

2,192 posts

189 months

Wednesday 16th September 2015
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I live in Telford and can be at a desk by old Street in 3 hours door to seat. Don't have to do every day as get wfh, I have colleagues in Slough and Maidenhead who take 2 hours+ which seems crazy! I tend to use hotels about 25 mins out if there for any more than a day.

I too cannot understand how people can commute for more than an hour each way...

iva cosworth

44,044 posts

194 months

Wednesday 16th September 2015
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michael243 said:
it took 3 hrs to get from there to the roundabout where Kensington high street ends
Hammersmith Broadway ?

3 hours to do that would have done my head in.

You should've risked the A40 again by diverting off Kensington high street.

Animal

5,670 posts

299 months

Wednesday 16th September 2015
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michael243 said:
The ONE time I went London a week day..

I was stuck on the A40 for 1.5 hrs from 8am - 9.30am and then I left the Park Lane carpark and it took 3 hrs to get from there to the roundabout where Kensingston high street ends rolleyes

Which is 2.7 miles, I wouldn't of minded that much but the 3 hrs is longer then it usually takes to get from my home in Birmingham to Mayfair...
That's crazy! I walk from Monument past Hyde Park Corner and can make Hammersmith Bridge in an hour and a half.

michael243

4,079 posts

206 months

Wednesday 16th September 2015
quotequote all
iva cosworth said:
Hammersmith Broadway ?

3 hours to do that would have done my head in.

You should've risked the A40 again by diverting off Kensington high street.
Not Hammersmith Broadway, but the turning where the Tesco's is that takes you onto the A3220

I dont know my way around London, I dont have a sat nav and only use signs so I didnt want to get lost and make it an even longer trip... tongue out

Animal said:
That's crazy! I walk from Monument past Hyde Park Corner and can make Hammersmith Bridge in an hour and a half.
I've noticed that at the parts of London I go, it is usually faster to drive around then walk

1878

824 posts

194 months

Wednesday 16th September 2015
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My ex brother in law used to do Wareham to London every day. Can't have been much fun but I guess you just get into a routine and get on with it. I occasionally do Bournemouth to London on the 6am train. Hate it, but necessary evil.

GTA, depending where exactly you are you might find that the extra drive to Southampton Parkway rather than Brock makes for a quicker door-to-door experience though until someone invents a teleport machine it's only going to be 'less bad' rather than 'better'

leigh1050

2,462 posts

196 months

Wednesday 16th September 2015
quotequote all
S10GTA said:
Today I've had a day out in London at an ABTA workshop. This involved me leaving home at half 6 and driving to Brockenhurst. From there I got the 07.03 train to Waterloo (which cost £90). I then had a 20 min walk from Waterloo to London Bridge. It took 3hrs to get there.

Workshop started at 10.00

I then left the workshop at 16.20. I went back to Waterloo for the 17.03 train back home, and I think I'll get home around 19.30.

How the fk do some of you do this on a daily basis, and isn't it a miserable existence? I won't see my child today, and I've spent about 6hrs travelling for 6hrs sat in an office.

Give me my low paid job, the chance to see my child each night and the ability to ride to and from work on a daily basis any day of the week.

Can you tell I'm not a fan?
Why didn't you get the Jubilee line from Waterloo to London Bridge?

iva cosworth

44,044 posts

194 months

Wednesday 16th September 2015
quotequote all
leigh1050 said:
S10GTA said:
Today I've had a day out in London at an ABTA workshop. This involved me leaving home at half 6 and driving to Brockenhurst. From there I got the 07.03 train to Waterloo (which cost £90). I then had a 20 min walk from Waterloo to London Bridge. It took 3hrs to get there.

Workshop started at 10.00

I then left the workshop at 16.20. I went back to Waterloo for the 17.03 train back home, and I think I'll get home around 19.30.

How the fk do some of you do this on a daily basis, and isn't it a miserable existence? I won't see my child today, and I've spent about 6hrs travelling for 6hrs sat in an office.

Give me my low paid job, the chance to see my child each night and the ability to ride to and from work on a daily basis any day of the week.

Can you tell I'm not a fan?
Why didn't you get the Jubilee line from Waterloo to London Bridge?
He bankrupted himself buying the other ticket for £90.

AlexRS2782

8,536 posts

244 months

Wednesday 16th September 2015
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leigh1050 said:
Why didn't you get the Jubilee line from Waterloo to London Bridge?
I was thinking the same. When I regularly used to go from Camberley to St Albans I went via Waterloo & London Bridge and the other option instead of the tube was a quick train from Waterloo East to London Bridge, although I assume that option has probably gone since the upper platform redevelopment work started.

Edit - thinking about it, if the end destination was to be London Bridge, rather than Waterloo, the £90 ticket would probably have been able to be used on the tube as part of the journey anyway. It was certainly always included as part of the "through London travel" whenever I bought a ticket and that was South West Trains as well.

Edited by AlexRS2782 on Wednesday 16th September 19:56

S10GTA

Original Poster:

13,816 posts

198 months

Wednesday 16th September 2015
quotequote all
AlexRS2782 said:
leigh1050 said:
Why didn't you get the Jubilee line from Waterloo to London Bridge?
I was thinking the same. When I regularly used to go from Camberley to St Albans I went via Waterloo & London Bridge and the other option instead of the tube was a quick train from Waterloo East to London Bridge, although I assume that option has probably gone since the upper platform redevelopment work started.
It took 20 mins to walk, and it would have taken 20 on the tube (according to Google)

I probably should have gone from Parkway as I'm in Hythe, but Brock is a nicer drive, easier to park and cheaper parking. Plus I had to collect a fridge from there.

valiant

14,333 posts

191 months

Wednesday 16th September 2015
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Well, it's only two stops and about four minutes travel time on the tube but once you add walking time to and from the jubilee line platforms I suppose it could be nearly twenty minutes especially during peak hours.

Getting from the mainline to the jubilee line can be a complete bh in the morning.

Edited by valiant on Wednesday 16th September 20:28

Thankyou4calling

11,040 posts

204 months

Wednesday 16th September 2015
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From what I can see the 7.03 from Brockenhurst gets to Waterloo at 8.50 am.

So either I'm wrong or you are?

Also how far from Brockenhurst do you live? Half an hour would allow you to drive what, 20 miles.

I think something doesn't add up here.

You might also have opted for the 8am train from Southampton that gets into Waterloo at 9.25. That would cut the journey down even further.

Better planning is the key mate.

S10GTA

Original Poster:

13,816 posts

198 months

Wednesday 16th September 2015
quotequote all
Thankyou4calling said:
From what I can see the 7.03 from Brockenhurst gets to Waterloo at 8.50 am.

So either I'm wrong or you are?

Also how far from Brockenhurst do you live? Half an hour would allow you to drive what, 20 miles.

I think something doesn't add up here.

You might also have opted for the 8am train from Southampton that gets into Waterloo at 9.25. That would cut the journey down even further.

Better planning is the key mate.
This is correct, the 07.03 got in just before 9.00. The next one was at 07.33 which was cutting it a bit fine in my opinion. I live about 10 miles from Brockenhurst but it's all 40mph forest roads.

Jasandjules

72,681 posts

260 months

Wednesday 16th September 2015
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Used to do about 1 hour 25 door to door. Then moved house and job and it went to 2 hours door to door. Yes, it is tiring. Did that for what, 15 years or so. It is why I don't commute anymore.

Spare tyre

12,709 posts

161 months

Wednesday 16th September 2015
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£14 for a day parking at parkway!

S10GTA

Original Poster:

13,816 posts

198 months

Wednesday 16th September 2015
quotequote all
Spare tyre said:
£14 for a day parking at parkway!
Half that at Brockenhurst