£70/night is too expensive for me to be honest! £50 tops really. I've found some VERY reasonably priced hotels on the outskirts, such as Luton/Bedford/Stevenage etc. with the intention of 'commuting in' as at least one of the days I go will be a weekday. However although the hotel is cheaper, the train fares are astronomical! With an Oyster card I would've got a Zone 1-9 Day Travelcard (I'd be riding around on trains/buses all day) however Zone 9 is a good few miles from the above hotels. Basically the M25 is where the cheap hotels start and the quite cheap travel ends.

As an alternative, you could do down to Brighton on day 1. Spend time traveling about and photograpphing down there, stop over night, and then perhaps in to London for day 2? That way you could still spend plenty of time travelling about and photograpphing, prior to a trip home?

Brighton prices tend to be decent. Last year I was booked into the Jurys Inn (just behind the station), and that wasn't too bad - £60 a night I think? I'd be wary of anyone (other than Travel Lodge etc) providing a room for £50 down south.

As an alternative, you could do down to Brighton on day 1. Spend time traveling about and photograpphing down there, stop over night, and then perhaps in to London for day 2? That way you could still spend plenty of time travelling about and photograpphing, prior to a trip home?

Brighton prices tend to be decent. Last year I was booked into the Jurys Inn (just behind the station), and that wasn't too bad - £60 a night I think? I'd be wary of anyone (other than Travel Lodge etc) providing a room for £50 down south.

It's a very good shout that! However I'd ideally like 2 nights there so I wouldn't have to carry my luggage around. Only thing with stopping out of London as well is that you can't really get in until late (weekdays) as most trains going into Oyster territory are expensive before 1000! What I would like to do is a Thameslink & Great Northern Daysaver (also one for Southern I think) which is unlimited travel on all TSGN routes for a day, £20 I think it is.

So many options to choose from, just gotta pick carefully and plan well!

£70/night is too expensive for me to be honest! £50 tops really. I've found some VERY reasonably priced hotels on the outskirts, such as Luton/Bedford/Stevenage etc. with the intention of 'commuting in' as at least one of the days I go will be a weekday. However although the hotel is cheaper, the train fares are astronomical! With an Oyster card I would've got a Zone 1-9 Day Travelcard (I'd be riding around on trains/buses all day) however Zone 9 is a good few miles from the above hotels. Basically the M25 is where the cheap hotels start and the quite cheap travel ends.

Where there is a will, there is a way though, I'll do some more planning soon.


What's annoyed me today though was a total cock driving a BMW M3 (hardly surprising) who cut me up, basically overtaking me on a roundabout coming home from work, then to go racing down the single carriageway narrowly avoiding some head-on crashes. Nearly hit my bloody car!!

The 757 only takes 45 mins from Luton to Victoria, even less to Baker St. You can get decently priced hotels around Luton Airport which the 757 also picks up there (as do various NX options). NX also pick up in Stevenage, though the fares on Thameslink aren't too bad either depending on time of day etc

You can also dump your luggage at King's Cross for a fee.

Early running. Not a minute early though - a whole 5.

Early running. Not a minute early though - a whole 5.

What service was that?

What service was that?

The X12 ironically. It also went flying past a few people waiting in Bowburn.

As an alternative, you could do down to Brighton on day 1. Spend time traveling about and photograpphing down there, stop over night, and then perhaps in to London for day 2? That way you could still spend plenty of time travelling about and photograpphing, prior to a trip home?

Brighton prices tend to be decent. Last year I was booked into the Jurys Inn (just behind the station), and that wasn't too bad - £60 a night I think? I'd be wary of anyone (other than Travel Lodge etc) providing a room for £50 down south.

Jurys tend to be reasonable and for being in the same 'bracket' as a Travelodge apparently, always seem better value.

These are good too.
Especially if you click and get a discounted deal.
http://www.deverevenues.co.uk/en/special...to-escape/

Paid £35 pn in some of their hotels.

I had a horrendous day yesterday. Not only at school but I had some devistating news of the death of a family member

I had a horrendous day yesterday. Not only at school but I had some devistating news of the death of a family member

Sorry to hear that, Lee. My thoughts and prayers are with you and your family. Are you ok?

Thank you Adam. It means a lot. I'm ok at the minuet, just having a couple of days off school to get my head together.

It's the funeral that hits me most

Thank you Adam. It means a lot. I'm ok at the minuet, just having a couple of days off school to get my head together.

It's the funeral that hits me most

Funerals are horrible things , but afterwards you could chat and reminisce with friends and family.

Hopefully these next few days help

They certainly are! Thanks Andreos1

Thank you Adam. It means a lot. I'm ok at the minuet, just having a couple of days off school to get my head together.

It's the funeral that hits me most

I second what Adam says Lee...

I am praying for you...

Once the funeral is out the way, once your tears are dried up, it will start to get better mate, the pain of losing a loved one never goes away, but things get better as time goes on...

So, I am thinking of you and your family at this awful time and I will include you in my prayers...

All the best

Hope you're alright, Lee. Like others have said, once the main ''church'' part of the funeral is over, and you have the party (if you want to call it that lol) afterwards, you can talk to all of the family member's friends, and sometimes find out stuff you had no idea of.

I remember it was really ''invite only'' to the event after my grandad's funeral, but what shocked me the most was how popular he was in the village of Pelton; at least 250 people showed up to the church!

Thank you all. It means a lot, made me feel a lot better

Hope you're alright, Lee. Like others have said, once the main ''church'' part of the funeral is over, and you have the party (if you want to call it that lol) afterwards, you can talk to all of the family member's friends, and sometimes find out stuff you had no idea of.

I remember it was really ''invite only'' to the event after my grandad's funeral, but what shocked me the most was how popular he was in the village of Pelton; at least 250 people showed up to the church!

Sounds like your granddad was a lovely bloke Marcus...

I will never forget my nanas funeral, I knew she was popular, well liked and a respected District Nurse, Nothing prepared me for what I seen at her funeral, Holy Trinity Church was absolutely rammed, standing room only, people had to gather in the playroom at the back and were standing in the corridor entrance, there must have been 200-300 people...

I remember my granddad telling me about one of my cousins funeras whe died of a heart attack at 34, his funeral was huge, he was very good friends with a lot pf Gypsies and he said loads of Gypsies was at his funeral, my granddad said what happened was disgusting and disgraceful, as he was well known to the Police a couple of coppers in plain clothes turned up at the funeral watching The Gypsies that turned up...That is shocking and disgraceful in my opinion..


Another amusing tale, though a wedding, not a funeral when, my Uncle married my aunt, who is from Belfast, it was in Murton, loads of people from Northern Ireland came over and the Police apparantly had a bit of a panic when a load of Northern Irish Registered Cars and Vehicles descended on Murton...This was at the height of The Troubles in 1988

I had a horrendous day yesterday. Not only at school but I had some devistating news of the death of a family member

I'm sorry to hear that Lee, hope you're ok. 

I'm trying to upload 30 photos to Flickr but all of them 'timed out'

Thought i found somewhere to do the SENDCO (Special Educational Needs & Disabilities Coordinator) course BUT - applicants must hold a teaching qualification........... -.-

You need to be a teacher to do most things these days!

School bus breaking down 3 times in less than two weeks...

School bus breaking down 3 times in less than two weeks...

The sun's causing a lot of people bother!

When I was out last night, a car started smoking and the owners didn't dare open it up as it was so hot. I could certainly smell something burning walking past it...

The sun's causing a lot of people bother!

When I was out last night, a car started smoking and the owners didn't dare open it up as it was so hot. I could certainly smell something burning walking past it...

Could ya smell the rubber burning  

Totally terrible photos today. Blame myself - didn't look too bad on the camera but now I have them on my laptop I can see that they are terrible.

The sun's causing a lot of people bother!

When I was out last night, a car started smoking and the owners didn't dare open it up as it was so hot. I could certainly smell something burning walking past it...

Its that time of year again. honestly though, 2 vykings last week and a lolyne this week...its the worst it has ever been for breaking down.

Its that time of year again. honestly though, 2 vykings last week and a lolyne this week...its the worst it has ever been for breaking down.

Someone on the GNE fb page, was complaining the scholars from Templetown broke down too.

Its that time of year again. honestly though, 2 vykings last week and a lolyne this week...its the worst it has ever been for breaking down.

Olympains 3822 and 3831 both needed water whilst they were in Consett Bus Station this afternoon.

Olympains 3822 and 3831 both needed water whilst they were in Consett Bus Station this afternoon.

I was on 3831 this morning and i have to admit, when it was approaching it sounded rough.

Someone on the GNE fb page, was complaining the scholars from Templetown broke down too.

Probably 3977 which is still on loan.

Today has been annoying. And it doesn't help that people are trying to annoy me. Even someone on here