anyone queuing to see the coffin in London atm?

[DickDarstedly]

I am wondering how long the queue is and how the organisation is working out. Are there enough toilets? Is it true that the wristband allows you to leave and come back?

EDITED BY MNHQ Please find the link to the new thread www.mumsnet.com/talk/_chat/4635946-anyone-queuing-to-see-the-coffin-in-london-atm-pt-2

This proves my point. How is the queue twice as long now having been supposedly shut for 7 hours??!

i think lots of people ignored the "queue shut" bit, knowing that it would open again at some point and being prepared to queue for the queue whatever it took. And given that it has been Friday afternoon, lots of people maybe knocked off early and banked on spending the weekend in The Queue so headed over there in greater numbers than previous days. I can't see how 24 hours queueing is really tenable though. Only the very hard will survive!

I imagine the 24 hours estimate now includes both the queue for the queue and the "holding pen" which I have seen referred to...
This is getting rather surreal and although I have been rather tongue-in-cheek this far, I really hope no-one actually dies of excessive queueing.

In the hall now, four deep on the left and two deep on the right. It should have been at least three deep each side from the beginning.

@Hmmph you crack on with your rant about the VIP 'fast track passes' because I'll join you.

But on the other hand it is looking crowded in there now and I imagine that both changes the atmosphere considerably and increases the security risks. It looks like rather a crowded space, like a crowd going into a stadium or something, and so rather more scary now, rather than the peaceful vigil-like atmosphere of earlier.

where are people getting the current/live queue times from?

Now I'm starting to see where the 30 hour predictions came from. We're up to 24 now. At a rough estimate I'm guessing 4/5 for those outside holding pen, then the same in pen, then 14 or so in actual queue.

I did debate whether to go for an accessible slot once I realised you didn't need any proof (I do have health issues, but don't get pip or anything). But decided against it because for one I think that's getting overwhelmed now too and secondly I just kind of fancied going (i live relatively close), it wasn't a burning desire, and I decided I would feel too guilty taking a spot from someone to whom it would mean a lot. It wouldn't feel right.

I do worry now though that people for the main queue will get desperate and take a chance on the accessible queue, so the people it was intended for will miss out.

I got the track off itv, but there's probably a more direct link

www.itv.com/news/2022-09-14/official-queen-lying-in-state-queue-tracker-shows-length-and-end-of-line-live

i dont know why people are saying it a shambles they wont be able to let every single person in who wants t go in just not possible

Judging by the direction from which they entered, I think the Chelsea Pensioners today went through the VIP route.

But I think they've earned it

I was hoping the Chelsea Pensioners got a fast track visit. They seemed to have a special relationship with the Queen.

the accesible queue seems to have stopped a woman just now on the news said shes been waiting since 1 and cant now come back till 4 am after she got a wristband

I think they must have. They'd have been spotted if they'd been in the main queue (and I dare say many would have qualified for accessible access anyhow) but I think a group of that size must have had special arrangements

Daily Mail has an article about their visit - they say there were over 100 of them, and there was spontaneous applause and cheers from passers by when they came out.

My grump started yesterday watching the number of parliamentary workers and their friends and families going through hour after hour after hour. Thousands of them. Theresa May and Scofield just irritated me more.

I don't find it as bad now they form a 3rd line at the back tather than push in.

Apparently the queue can be seen from space now!

what do other countries such as America think about the queue?

Is anyone on MN in the queue now?

Just for an idea of timing, my step-mum got to Tower Bridge Station at 6.15am - apparently it was then about an hour walk to the back of the queue and we just saw her on the live feed go past the coffin at 6.11pm.

Waiting for Godot in reality. She won't be coming.

I joined the queue at 9.03 in the park & although we are moving it is incredibly slow. We are now at Blackfriars and still have maybe 5 hours to go. That's optimistic!

This is getting ridiculous. Like a circus freak show. I don’t see anything dignified about it at all.

I think it's right that the Chelsea Pensioners should have an organised walk past, @Hmmph - as you say, it's the likes of Schofield and Willoughby 'queuing' for that gruelling half and hour to get their special lanyards and wander through performatively that's doing my nut in. I'm glad Beckham showed them up.

(Still not a Beckham fan though re Qatar but maybe this isn't the time or the thread.)

Thanks all. Keep us updated!