[LM24] Le Mans 2014 - Who is Attending?

[bella]

i guess it's not dodgy as much as it's a royal pain in the butt to get to during mad "RUN AWAY!!" friday rush hour, especially if you're travelling from the kent side and dragging a bag with you!

then again, i suppose it depends how much you WANT to get there. or are willing to use your bag as a weapon to make sure you do

[isynge]

Originally Posted by vincegail

What's wrong with St Pancras at 20.01 hrs on a friday night? Did use trains, busses and underground frequently while in London last january, also (late) at night, and never encountered anything dodgy.

(or maybe I was the dodgy one???)

Nothing at all wrong with whole St Pancras area - 5 years ago there might have been but it's an area of London that's really benefited from a bit of investment and it becoming a touch more trendy (so realistically Vince you may well have been the dodgy one...).

Can see the point about price more - even if Eurostar will sell you a ticket that allows an overnight stop in Lille it's £180 for a through ticket, and then you have to add on the price of a hotel overnight, and the connection up to London too - all of which adds up to a pretty expensive weekend away.

[isynge]

Originally Posted by bella

i guess it's not dodgy as much as it's a royal pain in the butt to get to during mad "RUN AWAY!!" friday rush hour, especially if you're travelling from the kent side and dragging a bag with you!

then again, i suppose it depends how much you WANT to get there. or are willing to use your bag as a weapon to make sure you do

One of the advantages of HS1 is that it's freed up a lot of track space from Kent, and now it's pretty easy to get up to St Pancras from Kent area - depending on timing you might need to make a change at such delightful locations as Herne Hill, but that's just a case of walking across a platform.

Compared to the chaos of trying to use the underground on a Friday afternoon / evening it's a lot easier...

[isynge]

Originally Posted by Kpy

Last Ebbsfleet train is 12.42.
Last Ashford train is 16.55.
Last St Pancras train is 20.01.

Complicating factor is if you're aiming for Lille then the last train out of STP is 1934, which I guess with check in times etc may make it a bit tight to connect with if you're finishing work in depths of Kent at 1700 or so.

[bella]

that sounds much better, i figured getting into laaahndon from there was like up here where you either have to bimble along in your car to the end of the tube line, pay a king's ransom for a parking ticket and just sit on a tube for an hour, or get a local train in and brave whichever of the kings cross/victoria/liverpool street holy trinity of clusterfudge it throws you out at

[isynge]

Originally Posted by bella

that sounds much better, i figured getting into laaahndon from there was like up here where you either have to bimble along in your car to the end of the tube line, pay a king's ransom for a parking ticket and just sit on a tube for an hour, or get a local train in and brave whichever of the kings cross/victoria/liverpool street holy trinity of clusterfudge it throws you out at

It's not often south of the river benefits from not having a comprehensive presence on the tube network - but this is one area where it comes into its own - you generally get a seat heading into London - and the view's a lot better above ground...

Obviously not sure any of this actually helps get Helen to Le Mans though.

[Mal]

There are numerous trains from Calais to Le Mans via Lille early on Saturday - so maybe a ferry on Friday night overnight in Calais then jump on the train early doors

[Elaviel]

Blimey

The problems with st pancras -
Got to finish work in Belvedere
Got to get home to maidstone
then get the train to london and accross to st pancras

All very time consuming and expensive to then get the hotel

[Dani Filth]

Originally Posted by isynge

Advantage of CDG is that you can get a direct TGV from there to Le Mans without schlepping into central Paris.

my plan exactly .. plenty of hotels around CDG

[Aysedasi]

OK people, it's time for my annual message.....

I leave here in about 3 hours I guess for the trip to Portsmouth to meet up with James. To all those who are going and especially those I hope to meet over the course of the next week and a bit, have safe journeys and a great time at Le Mans. As we all know, it doesn't matter how you choose to do it, when you only do it once a year (well, for most of us!), you have to make the most of it. Fingers crossed this year will be the fantastic race we're all hoping for.

For those left behind, you know what you have to do. Put aside the chundering and get yourself there next year. You simply have to do it. I hope that you're able to catch as much of it as you can.

I'll have my netbook over there so once I pick up the wee-fee in my namby-pamby hotel, I'll be on here quite a bit as usual.

See ya!

[GT6]

Enjoy the trip Andrew, and hopefully see you on Wednesday either at the lunchtime meet or at TR for a sample of tartiflette/wine

[nobster]

Off for some serious shopping for Le Mans, beer, food, snacks etc.

[GTfour]

Turns out our camp will consist of no less then 38 heads and 16 vehicles!
All the makings of a great camp for a great race.

Like Nobster, I too am of to arrange the final details.

[whitemr2]

Car is packed, only a few hours to work and tomorrow morning.......LM here I come

[batmobile]

Waiting for you all. Have a safe trip. See you very soon!

[RoeDent]

Bon voyage to everyone heading off to Le Mans over the coming days! Hope you have a safe trip and a wonderful race week!

[lemansfan]

Wishing everybody a save Journey

[bella]

bon voyage, gents - and if anyone needs anything bringing over remember we're bimbling over on wednesday night and will be picking up provisions along the way

[Victor_RO]

Setting off to the airport in about an hour's time. See you all there.

[joeyt]

Originally Posted by Victor_RO

Setting off to the airport in about an hour's time. See you all there.

leaving tonight for paris

[GT6]

you lot making me feel horrible still two days before i leave.
Have a safe journey folks

[Djcomix]

welcome to France all !
cheers!

It's again a sunny day !

[Victor_RO]

Currently waiting in Montparnasse for a train which will only leave in 3 hours. Safety margins biting back.

See you all at Le Mans.

[Simmi]

One and a half days at work to go...

I hope all the early arrivals are having a good time.

[nobster]

Today making sure everything is ready for departure next tuesday evening.