We are going to Hampton Court tomorrow for the first time. Two couples
travelling from the Midlands.

I have been advised to take the train and think that is the best option. Our
friends disagree and wish to drive, despite warnings of congestion.

any unbiased views please

JT Solihull

John T wrote:
We are going to Hampton Court tomorrow for the first time. Two couples
travelling from the Midlands.

I have been advised to take the train and think that is the best
option. Our friends disagree and wish to drive, despite warnings of
congestion.
any unbiased views please


I used to live a couple of miles from the Palace, and as a Show visitor was
therefore able to drive there very early - long before the Show entrance
opened. Even so, the parking areas were already half-full and the roads
congested. Bear in mind that the approaches (just ordinary local roads, not
dual carriageways or such) are very busy even on ordinary days, with traffic
to and from Kingston-upon-Thames sometimes brought to a halt by bottle-necks
miles from the Palace. So, depending on how many changes you need to make by
train, and how early you would be able to set out if driving, I suppose
train might be the the wiser option.

The Show is set out very spaciously on an enormous site (Chelsea would be
lost inside it!) so wear comfortable shoes . . .

Alan Jones

"John T" wrote in message
.uk...
We are going to Hampton Court tomorrow for the first time. Two couples
travelling from the Midlands.

I have been advised to take the train and think that is the best option.
Our friends disagree and wish to drive, despite warnings of congestion.

any unbiased views please

JT Solihull


I have to go to Westminster Abbey in September for the Battle of Britain
Memorial Service. NO WAY do I use the car. I let the train take the strain.
OK Central London is not Hampton Court, but anywhere within the M25
circle/area is a no go area for car for me.

Mike


--
The Royal Naval Electrical Branch Association.
'THE' Association if you served in the Electrical Branch of the Royal Navy
Reunion Bournemouth August/September 2007
www.rneba.org.uk

In article ,
"Alan Jones" wrote:

John T wrote:
We are going to Hampton Court tomorrow for the first time. Two couples
travelling from the Midlands.

I have been advised to take the train and think that is the best
option. Our friends disagree and wish to drive, despite warnings of
congestion.
any unbiased views please


I used to live a couple of miles from the Palace, and as a Show visitor was
therefore able to drive there very early - long before the Show entrance
opened. Even so, the parking areas were already half-full and the roads
congested. Bear in mind that the approaches (just ordinary local roads, not
dual carriageways or such) are very busy even on ordinary days, with traffic
to and from Kingston-upon-Thames sometimes brought to a halt by bottle-necks
miles from the Palace. So, depending on how many changes you need to make by
train, and how early you would be able to set out if driving, I suppose
train might be the the wiser option.

The Show is set out very spaciously on an enormous site (Chelsea would be
lost inside it!) so wear comfortable shoes . . .

Alan Jones

It clearly depends on what your two couples intend to do at the show.
If they just want to look at stuff then the train is clearly the better
option. If they want to buy two dozen plants and a couple of large
terracotta pots, then walk with them back to Hampton court station,
up to Waterloo, round the tube to St Pancras or Euston, back up
to the Midlands and get a bus from the station back to wherever exactly
they live, then good luck to them...

On 3/7/07 08:51, in article
, "John T"
wrote:

We are going to Hampton Court tomorrow for the first time. Two couples
travelling from the Midlands.

I have been advised to take the train and think that is the best option. Our
friends disagree and wish to drive, despite warnings of congestion.

any unbiased views please

JT Solihull



We drove there last year and stayed in the hotel bang opposite. We hadn't
hurried and had plenty of time but at the very end, approaching the hotel,
it took us nearly two hours to cover what should have taken twenty minutes.
The traffic congestion was terrible and we'll never do that again. One
other possibility is to explore the travel up the river to Hampton Court.
In decent weather it's a lovely trip but I have no idea of timetables.
--
Sacha
http://www.hillhousenursery.co.uk
(remove weeds from address)

John T wrote:
We are going to Hampton Court tomorrow for the first time. Two couples
travelling from the Midlands.

I have been advised to take the train and think that is the best option. Our
friends disagree and wish to drive, despite warnings of congestion.

any unbiased views please

JT Solihull

I predict that if you travel there in the car you will very much regret
it. Take the train.

Regards

--
Alan Johnson, Geotr@ns
www.geotrans-online.de
German-English, Geosciences/Technical
http://geotransblog.blogspot.com/
Terminus Est

On 3/7/07 09:18, in article
, "John McMillan"
wrote:

In article ,
"Alan Jones" wrote:

John T wrote:
We are going to Hampton Court tomorrow for the first time. Two couples
travelling from the Midlands.

I have been advised to take the train and think that is the best
option. Our friends disagree and wish to drive, despite warnings of
congestion.
any unbiased views please


I used to live a couple of miles from the Palace, and as a Show visitor was
therefore able to drive there very early - long before the Show entrance
opened. Even so, the parking areas were already half-full and the roads
congested. Bear in mind that the approaches (just ordinary local roads, not
dual carriageways or such) are very busy even on ordinary days, with traffic
to and from Kingston-upon-Thames sometimes brought to a halt by bottle-necks
miles from the Palace. So, depending on how many changes you need to make by
train, and how early you would be able to set out if driving, I suppose
train might be the the wiser option.

The Show is set out very spaciously on an enormous site (Chelsea would be
lost inside it!) so wear comfortable shoes . . .

Alan Jones

It clearly depends on what your two couples intend to do at the show.
If they just want to look at stuff then the train is clearly the better
option. If they want to buy two dozen plants and a couple of large
terracotta pots, then walk with them back to Hampton court station,
up to Waterloo, round the tube to St Pancras or Euston, back up
to the Midlands and get a bus from the station back to wherever exactly
they live, then good luck to them...

This is true but if they *can* park and take the ferry...... At last year's
show we bought one of those folding wheelbarrows and used that to carry
plants around the show. There are also plant crêches where you can leave
your purchases and pick them up at the end of the day.

--
Sacha
http://www.hillhousenursery.co.uk
(remove weeds from address)

On 3/7/07 10:20, in article ,
"Sacha" wrote:

snip This is true but if they *can* park and take the ferry...... At
last year's
show we bought one of those folding wheelbarrows and used that to carry
plants around the show. There are also plant crêches where you can leave
your purchases and pick them up at the end of the day.

Okay, this gives full travel options:
http://www.rhs.org.uk/hamptoncourt/getting_there.asp

--
Sacha
http://www.hillhousenursery.co.uk
(remove weeds from address)

Thanks everyone for their answers. To reply to Sacha, we are not intending
to buy any plants and its seems logical to take the train.

apart from the travel, it looks as the weather is turning it into a
Glastonbury.

boots, umbrellas and waterproofs, order of the day.

On 3/7/07 10:35, in article
, "John T"
wrote:

Thanks everyone for their answers. To reply to Sacha, we are not intending
to buy any plants and its seems logical to take the train.

apart from the travel, it looks as the weather is turning it into a
Glastonbury.

boots, umbrellas and waterproofs, order of the day.



Please let us know how you get on - and if you *really* didn't buy any
plants! Temptation is everywhere! My husband had to restrain me from buying
a second wheelbarrow!
--
Sacha
http://www.hillhousenursery.co.uk
(remove weeds from address)

- and if you *really* didn't buy any
plants! Temptation is everywhere!

too true!!

looking at the poor battered garden, I suppose I "could" find some spaces.

BTW, has any one else's hostas got huge flower spikes this year, I am
talking 4 feet!!

JT

"John T" wrote in message
.uk...
We are going to Hampton Court tomorrow for the first time. Two couples
travelling from the Midlands.

I have been advised to take the train and think that is the best option.
Our
friends disagree and wish to drive, despite warnings of congestion.

If you go by train check to see if you can get a discount if you travel in a
small group. Not available from ticket machines.

"John T" wrote
We are going to Hampton Court tomorrow for the first time. Two couples
travelling from the Midlands.

I have been advised to take the train and think that is the best option.
Our friends disagree and wish to drive, despite warnings of congestion.

any unbiased views please

As others have said, if you aren't used to driving in London don't drive to
the showground, that area around Hampton Court is usually busy even by our
standards let alone at show time when it grid locks. I know the back doubles
around there but it's still a nightmare during show week. If you look on the
RHS site there are a couple of Park and Ride areas if you really must come
by car otherwise use the train.
Of course there are the scheduled river boats....
http://www.turks.co.uk/scheduled_services.htm
http://www.parrboats.co.uk/

--
Regards
Bob Hobden
17mls W. of London.UK

On Jul 3, 8:51 am, "John T" wrote:
We are going to Hampton Court tomorrow for the first time. Two couples
travelling from the Midlands.

I have been advised to take the train and think that is the best option. Our
friends disagree and wish to drive, despite warnings of congestion.

any unbiased views please

JT Solihull

Hi,

Driving it would definitely be best to come J11 of M25 and head for
the park and rides, see the map thing on (click on park and ride top
right)

http://www.rhs.org.uk/hamptoncourt/getting_there.asp

If your friends *really* want to drive and have a decent car then go
for it.

I use public transport a lot, but know that some people are dyed-in-
the-wool car drivers. =)

cheers,
Pete.