London visiting - Parking / overnight advise please (1 Viewer)

tonka

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Half term next week. Was going to do Eurodisney but thats now called off..

SO ! Planning to go to Legoland, where we have overnighted before on their car park.
May also try and go to Chessington and Thorpe park as kids have annual passes and we have never been..

The little ones also want to visit London, maybe just for a day. Train in, wander about and train out in the evening..

Can anyone recommend / advise somewhere either to overnight or safe place to leave van for the day. Obviously near a train station.
Maybe even a secure car park ?
We are NOT CC or C&CC members.
Ideally west / south west of London area and inside M25..

LEZ not an issue as we are Euro 5 :thumb:
 
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ourcampersbeentrashed

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PM me, if you are in London midweek, park at ours. We will keep an eye on the motorhome, drop you at the station etc

alternatively nearby you have Lea Valley just down the road from us

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tonka

tonka

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PM me, if you are in London midweek, park at ours. We will keep an eye on the motorhome, drop you at the station etc

alternatively nearby you have Lea Valley just down the road from us

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Thanks on the offer :thumb: Will let you know once I have sorted exactly what we are doing.. Ref Lea valley... Looks good.. Pity and annoying that they charge peak rates for kids holiday week at the end of October..:Angry: As there may be 3 adults and 2 little kids, works out almost £45 a night.... :Doh:

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Tecnikal

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Low Emission Zone

If driving to London, I'd check if you are driving through a low emission zone and if you are excempt.

I didn't know anything about this and in my first week as a motorhome owner I have just been hit with a bill for £3,500 for being in the zone all week and not paying it everyday.

I'd kinda seen the signs but I thought it was all about lorries and big trucks not a little fiat ducato. But apparantly I weigh over 2.5t and am not exempt. They will accept £1,750 if I pay withing 14 days. Seriously the only way I can get that kind of money is to see my new motorhome.

The biggest problem is it stretches into Essex and Herts and is massive so you basically have to pay £100 everytime you set foot off the M25. Not a happy newbie. :Angry:

B.
 

Tecnikal

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If driving to London, I'd check if you are driving through a low emission zone and if you are excempt.

I didn't know anything about this and in my first week as a motorhome owner I have just been hit with a bill for £3,500 for being in the zone all week and not paying it everyday.

I'd kinda seen the signs but I thought it was all about lorries and big trucks not a little fiat ducato. But apparantly I weigh over 2.5t and am not exempt. They will accept £1,750 if I pay withing 14 days. Seriously the only way I can get that kind of money is to see my new motorhome.

The biggest problem is it stretches into Essex and Herts and is massive so you basically have to pay £100 everytime you set foot off the M25. Not a happy newbie. :Angry:

B.

Perhaps I should have read your post more carefully where is said LEZ was not an issue. Apologies. Was trying to help and then noticed that you guys were excempt. Have a great trip.
B.

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tonka

tonka

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Perhaps I should have read your post more carefully where is said LEZ was not an issue. Apologies. Was trying to help and then noticed that you guys were excempt. Have a great trip.
B.

After a while on here mate you start to know all the common issues and problems. Another benefit of being a member. :thumb:
As soon as anyone mentions London and motorhome I always think LEZ..
Bad news if they are going to chase you on those demands.. !! :whatthe:
 
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Your gonna love Chessington since they have now finished Zufari:thumb: we take the little one there all the time, maybe you could contact them about over nighting there, then catch the train into London from Chessington North train station, 5 minute walk away.
Loads of new animals, Rhinos, Giraffes, Lions, Tigers, Leopards etc etc:thumb:
Queue up early for Zufari you will not regret it:Smile:

ZUFARI safari ride new for 2013 at Chessington in Surrey, UK

Rob
 

GJH

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Half term next week. Was going to do Eurodisney but thats now called off..

SO ! [HI] Planning to go to Legoland, where we have overnighted before on their car park.[/HI]
May also try and go to Chessington and Thorpe park as kids have annual passes and we have never been..

The little ones also want to visit London, maybe just for a day. Train in, wander about and train out in the evening..

Can anyone recommend / advise somewhere either to overnight or safe place to leave van for the day. Obviously near a train station.
Maybe even a secure car park ?
We are NOT CC or C&CC members.
Ideally west / south west of London area and inside M25..

LEZ not an issue as we are Euro 5 :thumb:
I would check with Legoland first. I asked about motorhome parking a month ago and their reply was
Thank you for your email. In regards to motorhome, unfortunately we do not provide parking for motorhome at the Resort.

Once again I would like to apologise for any inconvenience caused.
At least Legoland answered. I also asked Chessington & Thorpe Park (amongst others) and, whilst Chessington sent an acknowledgement, Thorpe Park haven't even done that.

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Chris

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I have got the delights of Alton Towers next week:Sad:
 

Chris

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If it is wet then the Warner Bros Studio Tour the home of Harry Potter has ample free parking for visitors. Just a couple of miles from M1 junc 6 and Junc 20 on the M25.
http://www.wbstudiotour.co.uk/

My brother went there a couple of weeks ago. He said it was really good

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tonka

tonka

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I would check with Legoland first. I asked about motorhome parking a month ago and their reply was
At least Legoland answered. I also asked Chessington & Thorpe Park (amongst others) and, whilst Chessington sent an acknowledgement, Thorpe Park haven't even done that.

Do you think they may not like you....:Eeek:

I emailed 10pm last night and JUST had this...

"Thank you for your email, we will be happy for you to stay again. " ::bigsmile:

:ROFLMAO::ROFLMAO::ROFLMAO:

We stayed in May for 2 nights, gravel parking. Noisy with Planes etc BUT free and great for an early start..

Just confirmed for Monday night... :)
 
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tonka

tonka

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Your gonna love Chessington since they have now finished Zufari:thumb: we take the little one there all the time, maybe you could contact them about over nighting there, then catch the train into London from Chessington North train station, 5 minute walk away.
Loads of new animals, Rhinos, Giraffes, Lions, Tigers, Leopards etc etc:thumb:
Queue up early for Zufari you will not regret it:Smile:

ZUFARI safari ride new for 2013 at Chessington in Surrey, UK

Rob

Will get on the case now.. Could be ideal.. :thumb:
 
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Try this one, never stayed there a little further out but Debden has a train station

http://www.debdenhouse.com/campsite-epping-forest.html

According to their website, now closed for the winter until May 1st 2014.

I had a look, because we are planning to do much the same thing in about a month's time. I'll need to check the various transport links carefully though, as we need electric wheelchair accessible transport. Not every station is easy, although at first glance, Ponders End (handy for the Lee Valley site) looks as if it might be ok.

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GJH

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[HI]Do you think they may not like you....:Eeek:[/HI]

I emailed 10pm last night and JUST had this...

"Thank you for your email, we will be happy for you to stay again. " ::bigsmile:

:ROFLMAO::ROFLMAO::ROFLMAO:

We stayed in May for 2 nights, gravel parking. Noisy with Planes etc BUT free and great for an early start..

Just confirmed for Monday night... :)

You might be right :roflmto:
Enjoy your stay.
 

ourcampersbeentrashed

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According to their website, now closed for the winter until May 1st 2014.

I had a look, because we are planning to do much the same thing in about a month's time. I'll need to check the various transport links carefully though, as we need electric wheelchair accessible transport. Not every station is easy, although at first glance, Ponders End (handy for the Lee Valley site) looks as if it might be ok.

We have dial a ride here in Waltham Forest so try contacting them, they may be able to help with journeys Also some of the buses have wheelchair access contact TFL for details of their accessible bus services.

Hope that helps

Again nothing stopping you parking near us xxxxx
 

Vlad The Impaler

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I have got the delights of Alton Towers next week:Sad:

I was looking forward to going for a long weekend,including a couple of nights at the splash landings hotel,Would have been great !
However kids want to go to Searles as the dancing and penny machines are more fun :Doh:




Vlad

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ourcampersbeentrashed

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If you are at searles this weekend come find us on pitch 115. Just look for the large fun flag.

We always support their charity weekend.

If you are there for halloween they are having a caravan event for charity again this year, we provided loads of props for it but wont be there to see it.
 

Merle

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You could park at Bagshot train station, not many miles from Legoland and has a half hourly service into London Waterloo. It has a small car park which is either free to rail users or £1 per 24 hours, not certain which. The journey in is a bit slow, about 1hr 15 mins to 1hr 30mins. Sorry don't know the prices but I'm sure the Network Rail web site will give those.
 
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According to their website, now closed for the winter until May 1st 2014.

I had a look, because we are planning to do much the same thing in about a month's time. I'll need to check the various transport links carefully though, as we need electric wheelchair accessible transport. Not every station is easy, although at first glance, Ponders End (handy for the Lee Valley site) looks as if it might be ok.

It states on Lea Valley Page that they close end of sept! BUSBY:Smile:

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Tecnikal

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Thanks

After a while on here mate you start to know all the common issues and problems. Another benefit of being a member. :thumb:
As soon as anyone mentions London and motorhome I always think LEZ..
Bad news if they are going to chase you on those demands.. !! :whatthe:

I will certainly not fall for it again. It just never occured to me. I thought LEZ was for big lorries and trucks. But it's an expensive learning curve. :Sad:
 

kaybee

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I usually park the van at High Barnrett tube station for the day and then straight on to the northern line. Very easy road network and modest parking fees. Never had any problems :Smile:

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I always wanted to spend a day or two looking around the museums in London but--
The return train fare was £75 but the killer was the hotels near the museums £190 to 300 per night :Eeek: I don`t need to see some old relics that much.

Wish I could camp up out side , but with a older van in the zone and yellow lines ,no luck:ROFLMAO: It`s like they want us to look at the attractions but wont let us in :cry:
 
Sep 23, 2013
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We have dial a ride here in Waltham Forest so try contacting them, they may be able to help with journeys Also some of the buses have wheelchair access contact TFL for details of their accessible bus services.

Hope that helps

Again nothing stopping you parking near us xxxxx

Thanks for both the offer & the info. I'll do some investigation. We were thinking of the CC Crystal Palace site, but the Lee Valley in general makes more sense because we would be coming down the A1 or M11 anyway.

I think we are going to be dependent on EHU, because we've only just got the van & I haven't yet done the work to make us fully self-sufficient. Inverter & solar panels yet to be fitted - not that the solar panels will do much in London in November! Second leisure battery goes in next week & I might have got the inverter in by then, but if Jane hammers the wheelchair batteries, we'll need a top up.
 

ourcampersbeentrashed

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I always wanted to spend a day or two looking around the museums in London but--
The return train fare was £75 but the killer was the hotels near the museums £190 to 300 per night :Eeek: I don`t need to see some old relics that much.

Wish I could camp up out side , but with a older van in the zone and yellow lines ,no luck:ROFLMAO: It`s like they want us to look at the attractions but wont let us in :cry:

If you want to come to london for a few days mid week sometime when there is a good train offer on, you can stay in our motorhome. That will save you a few quid.

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superk

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Caravan Club Site:
Abbey Wood Caravan Club Site is a Caravan Club Golden Jubilee Site and feels positively rural when you reach this gently sloping verdant site. Its mature tree screening and spacious grounds making it a secure site. Good railway connections are within walking distance of the caravan site and will get you into Central London in just 35 minutes. Alternatively, nearby Greenwich offers its own blend of fascinating attractions, including the famous observatory.

They take non-members.
 
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tonka

tonka

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Seeing the weather forecast regarding possible high winds and rain..
I think I will wait till Sunday and decide what to do..

Blackpool is my other option and i can try the new Aire at St Annes....
 

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