2012 meet

[Bunnylump]

Just went on the trainline (the one Clvrlad suggested) and tickets are ranging from £106 to £360 for the nearest date I can get to in April!! I can confirm that latter price is the case there is NO WAY I'll be coming. Those options were all 4 hours as well.

The one Scurra suggested wouldn't let me look anywhere near the date.

I will reserve judgement, but at the moment it's not looking hugely optimistic for me.

[giraffe]

I was quoting a fairly cheap one with only one change.

(When I looked my journey up on the Hull trains site it quoted a change with only 7 minutes to change, which can be a bit hectic if the first train is delayed and the second on time and you need to run up and down stairs to change platforms with luggage. It also said the cheap fares were on fixed trains, which isn't good if the changes cut it fine, so the less changes the better to my mind.)

[Bunnylump]

I know what you mean about tight changes, Giraffe. That can be a bit of a risk. I've looked on the Hull one and if I put in the nearest I can get date wise, it is still 4 hours and it is similar prices to the ones the trainline were giving. National rail enquiries quoted £66 for 2 single tickets.

I COULD drive, but I don't really want to. I am not familiar with the area and it's a long way to go with just me driving.

What we need is a location which is right in the the middle of the country. Gill, you don't have a caravan in...(hastily Googles "most central place in UK"...damn, it says Northumberland!! Mutter mutter...tries "Most central point in England" (sorry Tricia) ah...that's better...) Meriden, Warwickshire, do you?

[giraffe]

I went to Bristol by train to buy a bassoon, and I needed to get there and back while the children were at school. I had three minutes to get from one platform to another over a bridge I ended up on the second train all hot and sweaty. I certainly couldn't have done it on the way back, with my added heavy purchase!

[Bunnylump]

Oh, shame. I was hoping we could organise some bassoon lessons too. I love the bassoon and always wanted to learn it. But then you wouldn't want to carry one. Another idea bites the dust.

Shall I shut up now?

[MBH]

There are some perfect examples of what I class as real-life puzzle solving skills.

Like I said, I definitely can't do the bank holiday weekend, and don't really want to have two consecutive weekends away.

Grid-filling / Battleships type puzzle.

Glasgow>Leeds>Hull or Glasgow>Manchester>Hull

Route finding puzzles.

I had three minutes to get from one platform to another over a bridge I ended up on the second train all hot and sweaty.

An expert - working against the clock.

Just went on the trainline (the one Clvrlad suggested) and tickets are ranging from £106 to £360 for the nearest date I can get to in April!!

Red Herrings...... always go for the single ticket options - the others are silly money This is my usual first and only stop for train tickets - but I have taken a printed list from this to the station and got an even better deal before

[Scurra]

MBH, once you know what route you are going, make sure you then go to the specific company websites, because they don't charge you an extra commission fee for the privilege.

[clvrlad]

well working off prices on thetrainline

london kings cross to hull return for £21.25( based on end of march dates)
direct train there
1 change on the way back

btw at the min
Train Companies Advance tickets available up to
East Coast 01 April
Virgin Trains 01 April
First Great Western 05 April
First ScotRail 01 April
East Midlands Trains 30 March
National Express East Anglia 01 April
CrossCountry 01 April
Transpennine 01 April

[clvrlad]

I am strugling Glasgow to Hull - it cannot be 27th april -2nd May! Cvlrlad are you good with rain timetables = can you do a route from Glasgow central to Withernsea

tricia

http://tickets.eastcoast.co.uk

they wont have the exact dates we want yet
12 weeks is the max they but for 23rd of march to 25th of march

EC Advance
Origin:Glasgow Queen Street, 11:00
Destination:Hull, 15:48
Date:Fri 23 Mar 2012 Changes:2 Duration:4:48hrs
Valid only on your chosen service. Not refundable. Changeable prior to date of travel for a fee.
£16.50Information
Advance
Origin:Hull, 08:09
Destination:Glasgow Central, 14:01
Date:Sun 25 Mar 2012 Changes:4 Duration:5:52hrs
Valid only on your chosen service. Not refundable. Changeable prior to date of travel for a fee.
Total cost:
£38.80

[clvrlad]

What we need is a location which is right in the the middle of the country. Gill, you don't have a caravan in...(hastily Googles "most central place in UK"...damn, it says Northumberland!! Mutter mutter...tries "Most central point in England" (sorry Tricia) ah...that's better...) Meriden, Warwickshire, do you?

is that next years the one your organising?

[Bunnylump]

I did my stint in August, with LAT...in Ashridge I'm not doing it again!! I also (with Giraffe) organised the Cotswold one. If you think I'm doing it next year as well, then you are sadly mistaken. And LAT was involved with helping to organise London, Ashridge, AND Kent!

Mutter mutter...some people have short memories...

[gill216]

This is it so far as we have discussed.

What we really need is a set date that would suit the majority so we can get on with it.

First of all my caravan would come free but that doesn't mean that anyone who stayed in it would get free accomodation. We would divide up the cost of any other vans (+mine) between us all -thus reducing costs for all concerned. If I offered my neighbours £100 for the use of their caravans for 2 or 3 nights then that would get us at least 15 people in their own beds for £200. That works out at £13.33 per weekend per person. If we went to 20 people and 3 hired vans then that comes in at £15 per person. (The advantage of my free van reduces the more I have to hire -but I don't see it exceeding £20 per person).

Catering wise I'd make huge pans of stew, or casseroles or curry or whatever +accompanying rice/potatoes/veg etc. All could be catered for. Pans of soup and bread for lunch, bacon & eggs +cereal and toast for breakfast. Sandwiches & crisps for the late night hunger pangs. These are just ideas!!! Again costs to be divi'd up -or bring your own and cook it! Bring your own alcohol and drink it!

Fares. David has found KC to Hull for £10 one way already. That would be early afternoon or late evening. I can collect from Hull and make a repeat journey. There is a bus stop outside the station door that will drop you at the end of the road.

We plan a puzzle hunt along the lines of mumms/sums/cisra. This is already in place BUT WE NEED dates and people.
Workshops to suit depending upon attendees and skills!

We NEED hands up

[Bunnylump]

OK, so trawling back through these dates have been suggested, and I have put who has raised objections to which ones (I think, correct me if I am wrong).

April 20th
April 27th can’t do: BL, Tricia
May 4th (bank holiday weekend) can’t do: LAT, MBH, Bunnylump, Clvrlad, Tricia
May 11th can’t do: BL
May 18th can’t to: Giraffe (F's birthday)
25th May can’t do: BL (D’s birthday)
1st June (Bank holiday + jubilee) would prefer not to do: BL /LAT/MBH

Obviously I am the most awkward person, and the least available, so I am happy to duck out if more people can make the dates I can't.

[gill216]

That looks very much like the weekend of April 20th to me!!!!

Hands up time for that weekend.

Mine goes first.

[LAT]

If we went to 20 people and 3 hired vans then that comes in at £15 per person. (The advantage of my free van reduces the more I have to hire -but I don't see it exceeding £20 per person).

Do we have enough PB members to get it anywhere near £20? (it could never exceed it as long as your caravan was free)

I should be fine for April 20th depending on my work situation. And how I get there would depend on any travelling companions I could pick up along the way.
I would envisage coming up Friday afternoon and leaving again either late morning or early afternoon on the Sunday. Does that fit in with the plans?

[clvrlad]

(jumps around waving hand in the air)


ill put my hols in when back at work thursday night

[Bunnylump]

Dogs don't HAVE hands. You'll have to wave your tail instead.

[clvrlad]

i never said it was my hand...


ill just go bury it again

[LAT]

I don't think I want to know whose hand it is.

[Bunnylump]

I am SO confused...

Ah, he must mean his aerial?