[uk-lispers] Wandering Author

[Richard Smith]

On 6 Feb 2008, at 23:28, Peter Seibel wrote:

> Ingvar wrote:
>> Marcin Tustin writes:
>>> If flying into heathrow at that hour, another option is just to use 
>>> an
>>> airport hotel, and proceed from there in the morning well-rested.
>>>
>>> Also, nationalrail.co.uk tells me that the last train out of Kings 
>>> Cross is
>>> the 0007, arriving 0139. May be feasible.
>>
>> With a 22:30 quoted landing time, it's probably going to be abput 
>> 23:30 when
>> Peter can get onto the Heathrow Express. That delivers him at 
>> Paddington at
>> (optimistically) 23:45 (probably later) and that gives at most 22 
>> minutes to
>> get from Paddington to King's Cross. I would fully expect that to 
>> fail, via
>> cab, via tube or via anything short of a stand-by helicopter ride.
>>
>> I suspect that either an airport hotel (expensive), a hotel closer in 
>> towards
>> London or someone offering a spare bed or couhc is a more realistic 
>> plan.
>
> Hi guys--I've booked a room at the Mayflower Hotel in Earl's Court. As 
> I
> understand it I'll be able to get their by Tube when I get in and then
> get from there to King's Cross by Tube the next morning. Sound right?
>
> -Peter

Peter

Looks spot-on right.

You can travel from Heathrow Airport to Earl's Court by Tube train - 
direct - no changes.
Is 35mins journey on the Piccadilly Line
That's the only Tube line at Heathrow, which is its terminus.  So all 
Tube trains go in the right direction for you.

Due to planned engineering works, the last Tube train out of the 
Heathrow Central terminus is 1135.

After that it looks grimmer using the Night Bus service

eg

Take the Route Bus N9 towards Aldwych
01:45  Heathrow Central Bus Station  Stop:  Stand 20
02:23	(arr.) HAMMERSMITH BUS STATION: The new Lower Bus Station opens 
Saturday 16 February. Stopping arrangements have changed.
Average journey time: 38 mins
*
Take the Route Bus N97 towards Trafalgar Square / Whitehall
02:37   Hammersmith Broadway Bus Stn  Stop:  D
02:44	Earl's Court Station
Average journey time: 7 mins


This is checking with www.tfl.gov.uk  (Transport for London - which I 
use all the time)

Morning - no problem

Earl's Court to Kings Cross is 20mins further up the Piccadilly Line - 
direction "East" /  " towards Cockfosters".

TFL site doesn't indicate a "Magic bus journey" - a standard London Bus 
route which is direct and reasonably quick - otherwise could have 
suggested the option of "seeing London" that way
(bus route -- 1hr10mins tot. - "74" is 45mins to Baker Street (home of 
Sherlock Holmes!), then take the "20" another 20mins to K.X.)

 From Kings Cross to Cambridge - the "Cambridge Cruisers" seem to be 
leaving at every xx.15 and xx.45 at that time in the morning (morning 
rush), taking 45mins to Cambridge direct non-stop.  Are Electric 
Multiple-Units (doesn't look like an express train, but travels at 
nearly 100MPH).  Departure announcing screen very clear - will tell you 
platform.  If you've watched "Harry Potter" you will know what the 
station looks like (they do have a sign to "platform 9~3/4's" round 
near to platform 10!).
No tea and coffee on-board the train (sometimes a trolley service) - 
you might want to take a cup on-board, from one of the KX stn vending 
stands.

Looking up train journeys - go to
www.nationalrail.co.uk

Good journey

Regards

Rich Smith