All ready for new van pickup

mariesnowgoose

mariesnowgoose

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We're making a small adventure out of picking up our new (old!) van on Monday (can you tell we don't get out much?! :lol-049:)
Just booked cheapo bus tickets for Saturday (£22.50 one way for the two of us)
9:30am from Durham down to Victoria Station. Approx. 6 hour trip.
Take tube to Neil's sister's place in Sheen. Saturday night & Sunday chilling in London :cool:
Early doors Monday morning (after rush hour though!) take tube to Harlow, taxi ride to dealers, check everything that needs checking before heading back home in van - avoiding the A14 this time! :ninja:
Van insurance sorted today.
Hope the snow stays away... :scared:
Excited... ! :dance:




 
Sounds great - and £22.50 for two ticket to the smoke is amazing!


I don't want to put doubts in your mind but ..... Check how much a return ticket is compared to one-way.
That way if there is something that is not right you will feel less 'obliged' to drive it away away as you already have a trip home paid for.

I took that approach when I got the train down to London from Berwick to look at (and hopefully take away) my VW T5 - one way ticket wasn't cheap at around £100, but the return was just £5 more - a small price to pay for a backout plan if the seller or van seemed dodgy (it wasn't, and I drove it away a few hours later but didn't regret the wasted fiver).
 
wildebus said:
Sounds great - and £22.50 for two ticket to the smoke is amazing!


I don't want to put doubts in your mind but ..... Check how much a return ticket is compared to one-way.
That way if there is something that is not right you will feel less 'obliged' to drive it away away as you already have a trip home paid for.

I took that approach when I got the train down to London from Berwick to look at (and hopefully take away) my VW T5 - one way ticket wasn't cheap at around £100, but the return was just £5 more - a small price to pay for a backout plan if the seller or van seemed dodgy (it wasn't, and I drove it away a few hours later but didn't regret the wasted fiver).
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That's a very good point, David, but it should all work out OK.

We saw the van last week as you know, but if anything drastic raises it's head when we get there we have only paid deposit to date. Far better to walk away with nearly all of our money (or indeed all of it!) if there are any show-stopping last minute hitches.

Worse case scenario, a one-way ticket back home on the bus isn't very likely to break the bank - only short-notice train travel appears to rob you blind! ;)
 
runnach said:
I'm sure your trip home will be an event free trip, to be on the safe side, take out breakdown cover, maybe you already have this?

Enjoy the weekend and the return home. Not long to Frog meet!!
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Thanks for the reminder Terry.

I've already set all existing services (insurance & breakdown) to kick in with new camper on pick-up day.

Can't wait for Frog .... :king: ;)
 
mariesnowgoose said:
.... - only short-notice train travel appears to rob you blind! ;)
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Very True. in my case, I saw the van on Autotrader on Friday night, spoke to seller Saturday morning and got the train Saturday Afternoon!
(I did get him to agree to pay cost of ticket if I bought though :D )
 
Good luck with the van -- Jan and I hope it's all you hope it is!

FWIW, I'm amazed at the deals you can get for long-ish coach travel. We live near Plymouth and bought from a dealer in Taunton. Our (concessionary) fares were £5 each single or £5.50 each return!
 
wildebus said:
Very True. in my case, I saw the van on Autotrader on Friday night, spoke to seller Saturday morning and got the train Saturday Afternoon!
(I did get him to agree to pay cost of ticket if I bought though :D )
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You drive a much harder bargain than I do! Not very good at haggling/dealing, I'm afraid ;) :)
 
mariesnowgoose said:
We're making a small adventure out of picking up our new (old!) van on Monday (can you tell we don't get out much?! :lol-049:)
Just booked cheapo bus tickets for Saturday (£22.50 one way for the two of us)
9:30am from Durham down to Victoria Station. Approx. 6 hour trip.
Take tube to Neil's sister's place in Sheen. Saturday night & Sunday chilling in London :cool:
Early doors Monday morning (after rush hour though!) take tube to Harlow, taxi ride to dealers, check everything that needs checking before heading back home in van - avoiding the A14 this time! :ninja:
Van insurance sorted today.
Hope the snow stays away... :scared:
Excited... ! :dance:
Click to expand...

With all this excitement of coming down to London you might not want to go back, take yourselves out Sunday for some sightseeing with your oyster cards.
 
harrow said:
With all this excitement of coming down to London you might not want to go back, take yourselves out Sunday for some sightseeing with your oyster cards.
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Given half a chance I'll be off to Kew Gardens, harrow - must be at least 16 years since I was last there :)
 
mariesnowgoose said:
Given half a chance I'll be off to Kew Gardens, harrow - must be at least 16 years since I was last there :)
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Yes Kew will be very local and maybe a walk along the Thames if the weather is reasonable, the forecast says it should be 5 or 6 degrees with sunny intervals so keep your fingers crossed.
 
Congratulations !! You and Neil must be itching to pick it up Marie. Let me know if you need a lift to Durham, I'll drop you off, no problem ;)
 
It you wrap Neil and yourself up in newspaper perhaps the wildcamping pony express service could get you all the way there.
 
oohhh...ahhh....i can feel the excitement in your post marie........great days ahead for you and neil......you will feel queen of the road..and neil ..king of the road...driving back up norff.......

you will both be smiling like the cats whot got the cream.......a pair of cheshire cats......
have you got a name for the van yet.

happy travels and adventures....enjoy your time in london.......and of course enjoy the van...
 
You could round the pick up of your van with a round the country tour, i think we are all dying to see it,:D
Make the best of your weekend.:wave:
 
Steady 50 miles each day on the way back Marie. You will be well relaxed and have found everything on the van :)
 
How exciting Marie ... Ooooo that feeling of picking up s new van is like Christmas and birthdays all rolled into one 😊
We did something similar with one (of our many) vans and headed south up to Preston on one of them buses. Travelled to London first and caught the overnight bus took a packed lunch smelly egg buttys and a flask of coffee and off we went. Paul was crippled by the end of the journey where his knees were touching his chin with the lack of leg room. Best feeling in the world driving off in a van.....

Enjoy your trip !!! We're only 45 mins from London if you wanna pop in for a cuppa and a smelly egg butty 😂
 
Herbenny said:
How exciting Marie ... Ooooo that feeling of picking up s new van is like Christmas and birthdays all rolled into one 😊
We did something similar with one (of our many) vans and headed south up to Preston on one of them buses. Travelled to London first and caught the overnight bus took a packed lunch smelly egg buttys and a flask of coffee and off we went. Paul was crippled by the end of the journey where his knees were touching his chin with the lack of leg room. Best feeling in the world driving off in a van.....

Enjoy your trip !!! We're only 45 mins from London if you wanna pop in for a cuppa and a smelly egg butty 😂
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You gone blonder Jaq??? Preston South koff koff
 
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