Hi - just to let people know there are planned train strikes in June 21/23/25th across the UK, which will affect all trains as its Network Rail as well who control the lines. Maybe some tube strikes as well.

Travelling from Kent on the 25th.

Looks like I’ll be getting a bus early.

Not sure what the other options are.

Was the 24th excluded intentionally? (…she asked with her fingers crossed…)

Its currently only on those 3 days - but the trains will still be affected on the 24th as they will be in the wrong place from the day before. Good luck!!

Our poor train drivers are only paid an average of £60,000 a year...

Bloody annoying!

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no stone unturned
Our poor train drivers are only paid an average of £60,000 a year...

Yes, quite! The fast intercity and Eurostar drivers get even more! I’m heading for Liverpool tomorrow and I’m probably doIng the Birmingham-Liverpool part of the journey by train.

Like a human body, if one vein gets clogged, the rest of the body can be affected detrimentally.
Hope for the best, but expect a quagmire, and that included trains, the underground, buses, taxis, etc.
Bottom line - plan ahead and anticipate possible delays everywhere....all down the line....

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Rip this joint, gonna save your soul, round and round and round we go......

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Hairball
Like a human body, if one vein gets clogged, the rest of the body can be affected detrimentally.
Hope for the best, but expect a quagmire, and that included trains, the underground, buses, taxis, etc.
Bottom line - plan ahead and anticipate possible delays everywhere....all down the line....

Too true, If one part of the system falls short, there’s always increased pressure on all the alternatives. I’m staying in London the night before and after the show so no travelling on 25th itself but no doubt there will be knock on effects. Transport strikes usually cause all sorts of bother on this crowded little island.

Saw it on the early evening BBC news here in the UK, and just keeping fingers crossed the trade unions involved will come to their senses and call it off.

I’m concerned, I was due to travel down by train from Birmingham on the Saturday morning, so the chances of the train that I booked actually running are remote. I don’t want to drive because parking in London is expensive and coaches take far too long.

I’m gonna sit tight for the moment and see what develops.

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grzegorz67

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Hairball
Like a human body, if one vein gets clogged, the rest of the body can be affected detrimentally.
Hope for the best, but expect a quagmire, and that included trains, the underground, buses, taxis, etc.
Bottom line - plan ahead and anticipate possible delays everywhere....all down the line....

Too true, If one part of the system falls short, there’s always increased pressure on all the alternatives. I’m staying in London the night before and after the show so no travelling on 25th itself but no doubt there will be knock on effects. Transport strikes usually cause all sorts of bother on this crowded little island.

Smart move to arrive ahead, and best of luck grzegorz67 - I've been there on several occasions during rail strikes, and not easy to navigate.
My wife and I were also there during a British Airways strike (one of many) which we had return tix to the US on, and had to scramble to get back home on another airline.
On another visit, we arrived in London on July 7, 2005...the day of the terrorist bombings where the entire city and transportation infrastructure was shut down...a scary and terrible situation...
Long story short, a shuttle driver maneuvered us from Heathrow all around closed off streets and barricades, and got us to our hotel near the British Museum safe and sound.

Anyhow, hoping this strike fizzles out and they can negotiate some agreements...the timing at the beginning of summer couldn't be worse...

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Rip this joint, gonna save your soul, round and round and round we go......



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2022-06-07 21:48 by Hairball.

Great, I arrive on June 23 and have booked the Heathrow Express already.

I guess I'll have to take the Elizabeth Line to Paddington instead, because looks like the tube would not be on strike on June 23.

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Scooby
I’m concerned, I was due to travel down by train from Birmingham on the Saturday morning, so the chances of the train that I booked actually running are remote. I don’t want to drive because parking in London is expensive and coaches take far too long.

I’m gonna sit tight for the moment and see what develops.

If you end up having to drive, Park at Hillingdon Underground Car Park just off the A40. Big car park. It’s only about £3 a day at weekends. Even if the Tube is on strike, you can get the Oxford Tube bus service from the front of the station, and it stops at Marble Arch, right next to the park. For the return journey, the Oxford Tube bus runs all night. The stop is right next to Speakers Corner.

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Topi
Great, I arrive on June 23 and have booked the Heathrow Express already.

I guess I'll have to take the Elizabeth Line to Paddington instead, because looks like the tube would not be on strike on June 23.

Even the standard tube, Piccadilly Line will get you there. Failing that, there are lots of buses, such as National a Express. You’ll be fine - there’s always a way .

Will Heathrow Express be affected by the strike though? Are their workers part of it?

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Topi
Will Heathrow Express be affected by the strike though? Are their workers part of it?

I don’t know. The trains in the U.K. are a very complicated ludicrously overpriced shambles unfortunately. They were privatised in 1994 and instead of 1 national Operator, there are 22 independent Train Operating Companies. And to make it worse, track and signalling are run by a completely different organisation called Network Rail. If they’re on strike (and I believe they are) then nothing runs.

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Hairball

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grzegorz67

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Hairball
Like a human body, if one vein gets clogged, the rest of the body can be affected detrimentally.
Hope for the best, but expect a quagmire, and that included trains, the underground, buses, taxis, etc.
Bottom line - plan ahead and anticipate possible delays everywhere....all down the line....

Too true, If one part of the system falls short, there’s always increased pressure on all the alternatives. I’m staying in London the night before and after the show so no travelling on 25th itself but no doubt there will be knock on effects. Transport strikes usually cause all sorts of bother on this crowded little island.

Smart move to arrive ahead, and best of luck grzegorz67 - I've been there on several occasions during rail strikes, and not easy to navigate.
My wife and I were also there during a British Airways strike (one of many) which we had return tix to the US on, and had to scramble to get back home on another airline.
On another visit, we arrived in London on July 7, 2005...the day of the terrorist bombings where the entire city and transportation infrastructure was shut down...a scary and terrible situation...
Long story short, a shuttle driver maneuvered us from Heathrow all around closed off streets and barricades, and got us to our hotel near the British Museum safe and sound.

Anyhow, hoping this strike fizzles out and they can negotiate some agreements...the timing at the beginning of summer couldn't be worse...

Holy shit, that’s awful. The next day, 8/7/05, I travelled to Berlin via Bristol Airport - a small regional airport. There was definitely extra tension in the air and Police with machine guns on guard, something you only used to see at the big airports but now commonplace everywhere.

The railway unions are very militant here and this could drag on a big unfortunately, especially with ballooning inflation.

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Topi
Great, I arrive on June 23 and have booked the Heathrow Express already.

I guess I'll have to take the Elizabeth Line to Paddington instead, because looks like the tube would not be on strike on June 23.

Me too. What time are you arriving? I land at 4:30.

We land in the morning, around 10 I think.

I will arrive on 23 at Gatwick from Milano and planning to have a train to St.Pancras....



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2022-06-07 22:36 by a bigger nut.

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a bigger nut
I will arrive on 23 at Gatwick from Milano and planning to have a train to St.Pancras....

There are buses from Gatwick too. Try NarionalExpress.com

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daspyknows

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Topi
Great, I arrive on June 23 and have booked the Heathrow Express already.

I guess I'll have to take the Elizabeth Line to Paddington instead, because looks like the tube would not be on strike on June 23.

Me too. What time are you arriving? I land at 4:30.

Please leave me a msg on how bad a sh!tshow it is. Are you just doing Stones or other BST shows?

Just the two Stones shows.

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Topi
Will Heathrow Express be affected by the strike though? Are their workers part of it?

Not 100% clear if it's affected or not. I'll be taking it tomorrow and again net week and will try and ask.

Yesterday there was a tube strike in London and someone told me today that they only managed to get to work because the Elizabeth Line was running. So it was apparently not part of the strike, except it's possible that some of the stations that it stops at might have been closed because of the strike.

In short, everything is as clear as mud...

I live in Epsom SW London area, and I would have problems getting to the IORR gig in North London and back, and can't find a local place to stay as nothing reasonable price available at this time, and then possibly get to the Hyde Park gig by London transport bus.

Otherwise could get to Hyde Park on Saturday by bus, but getting back to Epsom after the gig could be a problem.

Keeping my eyes open for any news and hope the train staff will do the right thing and cancel their railways network strike, and start negotiations soon to come to some decision to get London Transport as well as the rest of UK running as normal.

Let's all hope for the best.

Unfortunately, if the train strikes go ahead then that's my Summer Stones gig out of the window. I'm hoping that a solution can be found to this. It's the same weekend as Glastonbury festival so it will be absolutely carnage in the South West if trains are not operating (especially out of Bristol to Castle Cary).

Come on people, let's find a solution.

From Sky News: Thousands of rail workers to walk out for three days in June in biggest strike since 1989

Railway workers will strike for three days later this month and "shut down the system" according to a union boss,
threatening travel chaos for commuters and those heading to major events including the Glastonbury festival.

> Strike

_____________________________________________________________
Rip this joint, gonna save your soul, round and round and round we go......

As a daily rail commuter, I have developed an absolute loathing for all rail staff and union members. What an overpaid, incompetent bunch they are. The service they provide is archaic on every conceivable level. The fares are a joke and borderline unaffordable. Thankfully, I’ll be travelling from West London on the 25, and not Kent, so I’ll hopefully be okay. Fingers-crossed for everyone travelling from outside London.

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grzegorz67

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Scooby
I’m concerned, I was due to travel down by train from Birmingham on the Saturday morning, so the chances of the train that I booked actually running are remote. I don’t want to drive because parking in London is expensive and coaches take far too long.

I’m gonna sit tight for the moment and see what develops.

If you end up having to drive, Park at Hillingdon Underground Car Park just off the A40. Big car park. It’s only about £3 a day at weekends. Even if the Tube is on strike, you can get the Oxford Tube bus service from the front of the station, and it stops at Marble Arch, right next to the park. For the return journey, the Oxford Tube bus runs all night. The stop is right next to Speakers Corner.

Thanks! Sounds like a really good plan, I appreciate you taking the time to reply.