Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Aug 23, 2017 17:24:01 GMT
My daughter (15) is going on a school trip to the UK. They are all over the UK.
However, she wants to see her (aging and not very well) grandparents while she is in England, so I need to cause a hiatus in her trip.
From the 7th to the 13th they are in London. When her school party leaves London (Kensington) on the 13th she will be collected by a friend of mine and driven to where my parents live, half way between Newbury & Basingstoke and left there.
All easy and doable.
However, then I need to get her back to her school party on the 16th. That was going to be ok because they should have been in Salisbury, but they've changed their itinerary. Now any way I look at it that means her getting from my Parents to Bradford and that's 220 miles !! My parents are not able to help with this in any significant way.
I could put her on a train from Basingstoke, but ahowever I look that its 5 hours and 2 or 3 changes, and then I'd need to get her to the hotel in Bradford from the station. And whilst she is a very sensible and well-travelled young lady, she is still only 15.
I suppose there must be some kind of car service that would help? And that'll cost what it'll cost, but I don't know any. Thoughts?
For her to see my parents this may be a bit last-chance saloon, so I need to get this done.
Any bright ideas safe for a 15 year old girl?
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Post by tyrednexited on Aug 23, 2017 17:47:20 GMT
Any bright ideas safe for a 15 year old girl? I'm not close enough to either end of the journey to offer to physically help. An option that minimises the changes and eliminates cross-London is to use National Express bus from Basingstoke to Bradford, with a single change at Victoria Coach Station in London. Less exposed than the train, but somewhat longer in duration, and still the trip in Bradford to arrange (pre-book a taxi to meet?) Left-field, but can someone drop her at Heathrow for a flight to Leeds-Bradford, and a pre-booked taxi? |
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Aug 23, 2017 17:48:46 GMT
Hadn't even thought of the bus. Good idea, off to check logistics.
Thank you.
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Post by Hofmeister on Aug 23, 2017 17:57:19 GMT
Sat 16th September? I can probably take her from your parents place to Kings Cross and make sure she is on the right train to Bradford Interchange. Uber from there?
I'm off out right now, will be able to confirm tomorrow
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Aug 23, 2017 18:01:18 GMT
My mother in law is a private hire driver who's main work is taking people to airports. She is based in London.
Would you like me to ask for a price? It won't be cheap mind, probably at least £350.
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Post by tyrednexited on Aug 23, 2017 18:01:31 GMT
Subject to departure timings, it's viable but quite a long journey (and over an hour in Victoria Coach Station).
You'd want to do Basingstoke, not Newbury, as the latter routes via Birmingham and there's a further change for Bradford.
Reading might work as well.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Aug 23, 2017 18:02:48 GMT
Ah just seen that 16th is a Saturday so no good. Sorry. Nogbad's idea sounds better.
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WDB
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Post by WDB on Aug 23, 2017 18:23:56 GMT
There are replacement buses running between Reading and Didcot that weekend but the 0822 from Didcot would get her to Leeds at 1200 with one change at Birmingham New Street, which is a place I found easy enough to negotiate as a teenager - even one who needed, but didn't yet have, glasses. From Leeds it's a short train journey or a taxi ride to join up with the party in Bradford.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Aug 23, 2017 18:25:49 GMT
Just driving on the school run at the moment, so please don't think I am ignoring suggestions. Thanks all, will be able to sit down and consider in about an hour.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Aug 23, 2017 19:27:20 GMT
WDB, can't find that train? The ones I can find seem to be quite a long journey with changes. Is that right?
The hotel I need to get her to is:
The Dubrovnik Hotel
Oak Avenue
Bradford BD8 7AQ
10 miles from Leeds Station according to The AA.
King's Cross to Leeds with Nogbad's help may be the way to go. At Leeds its either a 10 mile car ride to the hotel, or a train to Bradford Interchange and then a 2 mile taxi ride. I think that it'll be easier just to get a car at Leeds? Opinions?
That'll be a huge weight off the mind if you can do that Nogbad, and I'm very grateful, seems a lot to ask though. You sure you're ok with it?
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Rob
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Post by Rob on Aug 23, 2017 19:37:35 GMT
I think if it was me I'd prefer she got a taxi from Leeds to the hotel rather than the train to Bradford and then a taxi.
Nogbad's offer might be the best option at the moment.
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Post by Humph on Aug 23, 2017 20:01:57 GMT
Yes, and I'd pre-book the taxi with a reputable firm.
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WDB
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Post by WDB on Aug 23, 2017 20:57:47 GMT
WDB, can't find that train? The ones I can find seem to be quite a long journey with changes. Is that right?  I i repeated the query in the National Rail Enquiries app to be sure I'd got the parameters right. Looks OK to me. |
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Post by tyrednexited on Aug 23, 2017 21:17:29 GMT
WDB, can't find that train? The ones I can find seem to be quite a long journey with changes. Is that right? i repeated the query in the National Rail Enquiries app to be sure I'd got the parameters right. Looks OK to me. I'm pretty sure that Didcot Parkway doesn't normally figure as a stop in the service in question. Engineering works between Reading and Didcot, however, dictate that on certain days some cross-country services heading North will (re)start at Didcot (and on 16/9 it seems to deliver a roughly hourly service quick service to Leeds with a change at Birmingham). |
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Post by Hofmeister on Aug 23, 2017 22:05:29 GMT
That'll be a huge weight off the mind if you can do that Nogbad, and I'm very grateful, seems a lot to ask though. You sure you're ok with it? You are lucky, I was booked that day but a dog show has been recently cancelled that left a gaping hole in my diary the wife doesn't know about yet. Its a wee bit of hassle but not much in the grand scheme of things. I'll block that day in my diary. And yes, Kings X to leeds & then pre booked taxi is probably best. |
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