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Original poster

Brighton to London - Too Young

40 replies

LibbsnLoos · 02/06/2024 19:48

This summer we are moving from London to Brighton with our 2 DC aged 7 and 11. DD is starting senior school.
DD currently does a hobby 9-12.30 Saturday mornings then another 2 - 4.30.
I was very much under the impression DD would be giving these up and finding replacements in Brighton, turns out DH has been trying to come up with a plan for her to keep going and tonight has suggested we let her get the train to London on her own! Then get the tube 2 stops to activity 1, do activity 1, get the tube another 4 stops to activity 2, where she will be ok to arrive early and eat lunch, do they activity tube and then train home.
He grew up getting the train from Bedford to London then the tube for School everyday so thinks this is fine.
DD is confident an capable but I worry about what she would do if the trains got cancelled (obviously we'd go get her but in the meantime!)
It isn't viable for one of us to go with as I work Saturday and someone has to be with DS and dragging DS to London every week wouldn't be fair.
AIBU to think this is way to young for a journey like this?

OP posts:
BIWI · 02/06/2024 20:37

Apart from anything else, the cost of that will be silly!

Edenmum2 · 02/06/2024 20:25

She's way too young. Obviously. He's living on another planet.

Ellisyam · 02/06/2024 20:18

We aren't on that line but similar distance and we allowed our DD to do this age 11. She was a late birthday too so was literally just turned 11. She's now 12 almost 13 and still goes.
It's a specialist programme so not available elsewhere. The independence has been great, if there is a cancellation I will take her. Only once has her train home been cancelled after she's gone and DD called us from the class, we agreed on somewhere for her to wait (a Costa in our case) then drove the hour a half to get her.
It's not ideal but it's working for us.

I should say DD is really tall so none assumes she's as young as she is.

GoodOldWoo · 02/06/2024 20:16

Engineering works are frequent and often doubles the journey time each way, worse when delayed further.
Trust me, the journey will become a complete ball ache after a while , especially when winter weather and dark evenings set in.

FrenchandSaunders · 02/06/2024 20:13

Way too young. My DD went to see a friend in Brighton when she was 17 and got followed back to London by some freak. It was awful, changing carriages and him still there.

PricklyPearNoThornsPlease · 02/06/2024 20:11

Unless it’s something that can’t be replicated in Brighton, or the London hobbies would give her a lot more opportunities, I wouldn’t be doing that on a Saturday. As others have said, it’s not the most reliable train line and there’s often engineering etc on the tube as well.

Notstrongandstable · 02/06/2024 20:10

People frequently are boozing at 10am on the weekend trains to London

Notstrongandstable · 02/06/2024 20:08

I live in Brighton and have a 12yo. There is no way I would send them to London on a train on their own. I say that as someone who lived in London for 15 years. Way too young.

WHITEF0X · 02/06/2024 20:05

What are the activities. I'd definitely look for them in Brighton

CatMum27 · 02/06/2024 20:03

I also regularly take that train line and second the comments about cancellations etc. The current plan sounds like a recipe for trouble and you might find yourself running interference more often than your daughter actually catches the train.

It’s a nice idea to keep things consistent for her but not practical I think.

Original poster
LibbsnLoos · 02/06/2024 20:01

PrueRamsay · 02/06/2024 19:59

I live on that train line (not literally!) and it’s dreadful for delays, cancellations, and total closures.

It really is a nightmare, and doing the activities in Brighton will enable her to make local friends outside of school, which can be a real lifeline at times.

This is a good point too.

Still curious about age though as DH thinks we can work around cancellations. I still think she's too young!

OP posts:
PrueRamsay · 02/06/2024 19:59

I live on that train line (not literally!) and it’s dreadful for delays, cancellations, and total closures.

It really is a nightmare, and doing the activities in Brighton will enable her to make local friends outside of school, which can be a real lifeline at times.

Original poster
LibbsnLoos · 02/06/2024 19:56

Penguinmouse · 02/06/2024 19:54

It’s not just the train journey, that’s a whole day in London every weekend. Why are you moving if DD is just going to be trekking back every Saturday? Is it not feasible to do these hobbies in Brighton so she can meet some local friends? I can imagine it will feel tough to stop doing them but that’s a lot of time and money just so she can continue.

She can do them in Brighton, DH just thinks it will be nice for her to keep going with her current friends, DD is up for it.
The only thing that bothers me is the travel.

OP posts:
Needmorelego · 02/06/2024 19:56

That line is frequently closed for trackwork on weekends.

Penguinmouse · 02/06/2024 19:54

It’s not just the train journey, that’s a whole day in London every weekend. Why are you moving if DD is just going to be trekking back every Saturday? Is it not feasible to do these hobbies in Brighton so she can meet some local friends? I can imagine it will feel tough to stop doing them but that’s a lot of time and money just so she can continue.

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