M40 is 10 miles further, and has only 3 lanes. IIRC the M1 roadworks are pretty much sorted.
IME Christmas Eve is a good day to travel, and I'd hope not to see any traffic.
What do others think?
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Depends where in London you are starting from.
I prefer driving on the M40 (it's a much never road), but any time saving on the motorways is likely to be more than offset by any extra time struggling through London traffic, so why not just choose he route which gets you onto the mway soonest?
I'm not sure whether to read the "10 miles further" as meaning ten miles on the whole journey, or an extra ten miles through London before you get onto the motorway ... but if the M1 is closer to you, then go for it.
Anyway, what evil deed did you commit that led you to be sentenced to spend Christmas in Manchester? ;-)
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Yes, from W1, you can be on the A40 v quick. Slow after the A41 west cross route, but once past Acton railway bridge works it should be plain sailing, and you will probably make up the time for the extra 10 miles quickly. That would be my choice
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If it is not a clear cut choice go to the Highways Agency site and get live traffic info + the ability to read all the M Way gantry signage. I have also found that, if you dowload TomTom Home from www.totom.com, you can get live traffic reports for free. Yesterday I had to go Reading to Dartford and I was warned of a a 14 mile jam on the M26! E mail me for more info if you wish.
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You could try planning a route using TomTom's Beta online planner which I believe takes into account traffic. But it's not a normal Wednesday is it. Not tried it properly yet - you need to be accepted on the beta.
Edit: But their new HD traffic info/updates are available online. You could check on the day.
Edited by rtj70 on 22/12/2008 at 16:45
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Is W1 near Covent Garden (roughly)... I avoid Manchester.
Just did Covent Garden to Manchester via TomTom Routes at 3pm on Wednesday and it suggests M40. It suggests 3hr 53 min so it must have some traffic in that?
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The problem is delays as a result of accidents, a friend got stranged and had to drive back from London to Manchester a few months ago, took him 7 hours I assume the M6 being closed is rare though but when doing around 210 miles there will always be unexpected delays a sat nav/router planner could never predict unless it knows that info.
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My sat nav (TomTom 720) does have live traffic updates via GPRS. It's not the new improved HD Traffic but it does check frequently and replan.
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I'd suggest - A41 Finchley Road to Brent Cross, A406 to Staples Corner, then M1.
the M1 is always quiet to J6A (M25) and if the roadworks have finished, should be ok.
I'd still spend money on the M6 Toll, though.
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Will be starting from Baker Street.
I don't think I've ever yet used the M6 toll - generally go M1/A50.
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Will be starting from Baker Street. I don't think I've ever yet used the M6 toll
That's mostly because, fundamentally, deep down inside, you make Scrooge look like a big spender.
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My travel guide reads like this:
From Baker St travel due east for about 1.5 miles along Euston Road. Get on train. Read paper/book/daydream. Arrive Manchester two hours later. Go to pub.
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"Arrive Manchester two hours later. Go to pub."
My travel guide reads like this:
Arrive Manchester two hours later. Go to pub. Get head kicked in.
Edited by Big Bad Dave on 22/12/2008 at 23:08
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>>Get head kicked in.<<
Only if you're a Southern pink girly skipping rope.
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Should be OK either way. Most of the business traffic will have gone. The amateurs will have set off three days in advance armed with their Thermos, Tupperware and Mint Imperials. Avoid the motorway services though, the last remaining velour and nylon clad pacific rim hatchback driving brigade will still be stopping at every other one and succeed in turning the toilet facilities into a health hazard cum chemical war zone.
Major moving hazards likely to be the Apollo full suspension £69.99 all in "pro" mountain bikes detaching themselves from the badly fitted Halfords Hi-level bike racks or the families of ten picnicing on the hard shoulder while they wait for the emergency services to attend their ancient Vauxhall Astra which has shredded one of it's underinflated remoulds........
Have a good journey !
Edited by Humph Backbridge on 22/12/2008 at 23:14
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The travel guide to hell:
Go to Euston
Train delayed.
Hang around on concourse with luggage - nowhere to sit. Bodies everywhere - wherever you stand you're in a passage.
Almost inaudible message 'signal failure at Watford Junction' - indeed, a signal failure is the right expression for Network Rail (it's nearly always them, isn't it, rather than the train companies).
Eventually get on a train. No seats - all reserved with those silly little tickets that people don't bother to use. Stand all the way - well, it's Christmas.
Stop for an hour at Rugby, probably because the guard (sorry, train manager) is dropping off a present to his in-laws.
Arrive at dead of night at Manchester - no taxis.
Or....you could have been well on your way up the M40/M42/M6 toll. M40 surely best if you're starting from Baker Street.
Bon voyage....
Edited by Avant on 22/12/2008 at 23:24
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My experience of the West Coast main line has been brilliant, I get the 9:10ish train from Manchester to Euston about 3-4 times a year, only has was it delayed and that was due to severe flooding it meant the train had to divert via New Street.
It takes just two hours too, you can read the paper, enjoy the wonderful food on board, learn a few foriegn languages and arrive to your destination not too sober ;)
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Where in Manchester are you going? It makes a difference if you exit the M6 at J19 and go into Manhester via the M56, or exit at J21A and then do M62 to M60 and even then what junction do you exit the M60?
Happy to advise - face this dilemma frequently, although there should be limited traffic on the 24th.
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Thanks all.
The train can be great. But for Londoners heading for a weekend in Manchester it can be pants. Sunday evening back to Town will be sardine-tin-time. Sundays are always slow anyway. And if you're unlucky you will have to go from Oxford Road, via Chesterfield, Nottingham etc. etc. etc. etc. etc. etc.
Similarly, Friday evening down to Manchester is expensive and sardine-like.
Espada, I'm going to near you - Altrincham where I was born & bred, but thanks for the offer of advice.
I'm amazed by the strong weight in favour of the M40. I'll give it a go, as I asked, but except at 9am on a Saturday morning IME the A40 makes snail racing look exciting.
AE - the reason I've never used the M6 toll is because I never go that way... up the M1, across the A50. Only on Boxing Day morning will I brave the M6...
On a Sunday evening, the M6 south is best avoided, I take the A50 (et al) all the way from Rostherne to the M1.
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Do you actually make maps ? Sorry if that's nosey !
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Park the car at a tube station such as Perivale and take the train in and out of London.
Used to do that when most of the A40 Western Avenue junctions were controlled by traffic lights.
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>>Do you actually make maps
No. (No idea what inspired the name... other than that map was the first thing that sprang to mind, and the name was pleasingly alliterative) Do you really have a Backbridge?
Perivale is all very well, but that would require me to drive up the A40 at 7am tomorrow morning...
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Thanks for that. Things like that bother me for some reason. Might start a thread on "what inspired your screen name?" one day.
No, I don't have any bridges or humps for that matter. I chose to change my old "name" because it was too identifiable. The new one was just a whim really.
Hope your journey goes well. We live near(ish) to your destination but I often travel to London so I can appreciate your question.
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....the name was pleasingly alliterative....
Shouldn't that be attractively alliterative? :)
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Ah well you live your life on the roads, so probably spend a lot of it in traffic jams. I don't, and try to time my travel to avoid peak travel times, although sometimes I do drive through town during the rush hour which I enjoy as an opportunity to find new back streets and otherwise beat the rest of 'em!
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Yes I think I know what you mean. I used to live and work in London a long time ago and there was a certain satisfaction in shaving a few minutes off a journey by using the rat runs. One of the few locations where confident driving is not frowned upon or responded to with petulance.
Safe trip.
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Despite Avant's counsel of despair, trust me I do the Manchester to London trip at least once or twice a week and over two years of doing so I think I have had one or two notable delays and none which would have made the journey longer than driving - never mind the hassle of four hours guerrilla war of M1/M6/M40.
Get a first class upgrade for your return and your longer journey on a Sunday is still going to see you back in town with something other than murder on your mind.
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Don't you mean M1/M6/M60?
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Fair enough, Nsar - I was being a little tongue-in-cheek. The truth of it is that trains are fine if you're starting and finishing your journey near to the railway station, e.g. if Mapmaker were going to central Manchester. I hardly ever am, so drive everywhere except to central London.
Humph, I'd though you were a newish - and very welcome - contributor: but thinking about it, there used to be a very pleasant and sensible Scot on here called **** who I think had his own business selling *****. Maybe this was a metamorphosis?
Edited by rtj70 on 23/12/2008 at 23:53
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I have not tried this recently, but the media tell us that the works at Rugby are now complete and that week journeys are now as fast as weekdays, however it is Christmas and I am sure that will cause problems.
As for Altrincham it is actually very easy to get to. Either get off at Stockport then get the train or more reliably get off at Picciddily and get the metrolink but since its Christmas the car is probably better this time. Also spending no time at the horrible dump called Euston must be a major advantage, the sooner the refurbishment works start the better! Or maybe I have bad memories of the place since spilling Coca-Cola all down a cockney!
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Avant - Ever seen Dr Who ?
;-)
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Avant - Ever seen Dr Who ? ;-)
they are all called Jock
Edited by Altea Ego on 24/12/2008 at 15:06
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Just about to go. tomtom website and AA website agree that the M1 is slow through the roadworks. There is scarcely a car on the inner ringroad - I can see from my window. London empty of people, such a shame to leave it!
194 miles, 3 hours 26 minutes (according to Google). Here goes... I should be home easily in time for drinkies.
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Looks like the traffic was bad then, if you still haven't reported in??
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hes still counting out the pennies at the toll booth on the M6
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His tomtom would have diverted him via Dublin :) and now he has lost his passport and he is stuck in Ireland.
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Mapmaker is probably having a good Christmas break and not posting I hope. Unlike those of us on here ;-)
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I'm pacing the floor.........
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I bet he's only gone and walked into some grim pub in Ancoats dressed like Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen and been relieved of his wallet and lap-top.
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I bet he's only gone and walked into some grim pub in Ancoats dressed like Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen and been relieved of his wallet and lap-top.
lol.....if he got away with just losing his laptop and wallet in Ancoats then it must be Christmas ;)
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Kind of you all to ask. A40 was clear up until a 2 mile solid section before the roadworks where there's a 20 limit. So I diverted through Acton/Ealing. I don't know how clever it was, in retrospect (or even at the time) but I was at home drinking tea within 3h 45 minutes of leaving the office.
Sticky around Maidenhead, but according to the radio that had only just happened as the rush hour started.
Note for next year - leave at 2.30.
I never actually saw the sign for the turn off up the toll road, sorry, AE, I was going to take it just for you, but the first sign I saw was at Cannock - and I thought it was a bit late by then... the reason I never take it is because I'm inclined to use the M1/A50.
Coming back, on the other hand, early yesterday evening, 20 miles of very slow-moving traffic on the M6 from Knutsford to Stoke, so I took the A50, as usual, through Knutsford, Holmes Chapel etc., and then took it (or the A500) all the way to the M1. Easy journey.
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