London Tube Strike. Isn't there??

[mosschops2]

London Tube Strike / things to do in London!

Afternoon all.
I'm off to the bright lights big city tonight, with Mrs M and 2 chidlers in tow.(Not literally you understand!!) Staying in a hotel in Richmond.

I was planning on spending 2 full days / 3 nights while Mrs M is doing a course, visiting a very small number of sights in London, mainly for the benefit of Emily, aged almost 4.

Was thinking of the Science Museum, and London Eye. Will be seeing some relatives also, and am not looking to do more than 4 things in 2 days realistically.

2 things; firstly, any other obvious must-sees??

Secondly, I heard today there is to be a tube strike. (Clearly I could have verified this elsewhere, but haven't!) If there is, are buses a sensible and easy way to get around the place??

(Can't cycle with a 4 month old btw! Although am considering it, with a trailer. If not very seriously....)

Cheers! Mosschops

 

[Twenty Inch]

There is. And Richmond will be affected, so stay away. You'll have a miserable couple of days waiting for buses that filled up three miles back and aren't stopping for any more customers. Unless you've lived here, you can't appreciate how cack London Transport is, so save your money and your relationship with your wife and kids.

 

[mosschops2]

Cheers 20"!!!

Potentially have to break the news to Mrs M to say that I'm not driving her down there, I'm sticking her on a train!!!

 

[Elmer Fudd]

Tube trains in Durham () are still running, but it's not S.E. so don't matter

 

[domtyler]

You should be fine, buses are running as are some of the tubes and all the overground trains, you should avoid travelling during the rush hour though, I would try and do the journeys between say 10 and 3:30 and after 7:30pm.

If you go to the London Eye then you can do the London Aquarium which is very near. And when you do the Science museum you could proceed to Baker Street and do Madame Tussauds.

 

[mosschops2]

Cheers DT. Looks like I can still go then!!! Thing with buses is, I never know quite where they're going!!! I'm sure I can figure it out. Eventually. I'll happily avoid rush hour - travelling with the 2 young uns always takes longer than planned!! Best bet would be to (try to) take it easy!

Is Madame Tussauds really good?? I only ask as it was not on my potential target list, as I've been before, and my 3 yr old may not recognise 90% of the exhibits - from rock stars to the queen etc! Unless they have a display of Handy Manny / Dora the Explorer etc etc

(LOL - since most here won't have heard of Handy Manny! A nice hispanic cartoon, presumably living in a suburb of Miami....)

 

[Pottsy]

Mainline trains are still running. Richmond to London is about 20 mins, that won't be affected other than a little more crowded at rush hour. From Waterloo you can walk to many of the attractions you mention or certainly get a bus. I wouldn't be put off at all.

 

[mosschops2]

Good call pottsy. It's suddenly all back on!!!

 

[Pottsy]

Also the Northern, Jubilee and most of the Picadilly line are unaffected. Not only that the weather is great and Richmond, by the river, is an excellent base to work from, especially when it's sunny.

Have a great time.

 

[Fnaar]

Is Madame Tussauds really good?? I only ask as it was not on my potential target list, as I've been before, and my 3 yr old may not recognise 90% of the exhibits - from rock stars to the queen etc! Unless they have a display of Handy Manny / Dora the Explorer etc etc

No, it's cak. CAK I tell you, CAK. Though I last went in 1991, so it might have improved. I had to take a group of foreign students (my ticket was paid for, thankfully). The exhibits look like...er...wax models. They play to lowest common denominator, so all you'll find is hastily constructed models of whoever's on crappiest of crap TV shows, in the tabloids or celeb mags. Most visitors are angsty German youths wanting to prcatise swearing in English, and the confused Japanee (confused because he knows not who the exhibits are). Stay away. Go to a park instead.

 

[domtyler]

I last went to Mdme Tussauds in the early eighties with my parents and loved it, maybe it has got worse now. There is also the Tower of London and the London Dungeon although as above I have not been for a while but remember enjoying them as a youngster.

I guess there is plenty to do that you don't have to pay [a fortune] for too like taking a river ferry trip, going to a park etc. Kew gardens has some special exhibitions at the moment too I think.

 

[mosschops2]

Cheers for the tips. I feel I may avoid MT's, mainly as my 3 yr old knows little of soap / rock / pop / sports stars.... a river trip sounds much more up her street!!!

Maybe an open top bus tour. To sit still on for a few hours.
(If nothing else it'll give me and the little'un a chance to catch 40 winks!)

Aquarium and parks sound like good ideas - I'm not up for explaining to my already squeamish and sensitive 3 yr old (she still cries during cartoon films. Like Heffalump's Big Story (or whatever it was called)) either about torture or dungeons, although the tower of london would be good - scoring high marks on the jewelry (crown jewels!) front, along with people in uniform etc!!

London Eye for 3-4 year olds? Waste of time?

 

[domtyler]

Well as we are on the subject of torture and gardens, maybe you and the missus could slip out on an evening for a few hours to Torture Garden, it's meant to be a really good club. Not that I have ever been there of course.