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

I’ve moved! Now at Southwark bridge and managed to grab a coffee from Pret! So much happier!

So, we woke at 2 and saw the queue was up to 25hours and police saying not to travel so we went back to bed and have waited a bit. My 11 year old is the one who wants to do this but not sure she would actually manage 24hrs but think she would manage the 14 that people seem to suggesting here. Heading down to queue zone now to see as she is insistent she wants to try. Not sure if we will join or not.

It's a bit squashed in places @SquashedFlyBiscuits but other very young kids in the queue

I liked this article edition.cnn.com/2022/09/15/uk/the-queen-queue-lie-in-state-gbr-cmd-uk/index.html . The are calling it 'The Queue' with capitals

I did three 9 hour Marshall shifts over 3 days as a volunteer alongside my day job - it was an absolute privilege to do so and I am so pleased to have the opportunity to pay my respects in this way. I met so many wonderful people, who have (generally) been in good spirits. I have especially enjoyed people turning up and offering sweets to queuers as they pass and the biscuits for the volunteers and security teams have been amazing and appreciated.

One of my favourite conversations was with a French gentleman who wanted to know if he could take the
apples in his rucksack into parliament (no) but he did have 'about fifteen' so he would have been able to eat one an hour at that point with a few left over. The man standing next to him joined the conversation. They werent sure if they were going to queue - introduced themselves, shook hands and went off to Southwark Park to get tickets. I have their entire life together planned out in my head now. Happy Golden anniversary Howard and Francios.

We don't get to queue jump or fast path and I am not able to do a 14 hour walk after those shifts, so I will be watching proceedings from the comfort of my sofa now.

Happy queuing to the queuers!

(I wen my Wednesday 7 hours)

however! My friend joined at 8:30 last night and is in the final holding pen, not even a touch on 24 hours!

Oh dear * I went on Wednesday)

It has just taken my son 12.5 hrs, he joined at 7pm last night. The official advice said 19.5 hrs then so they are being cautious with the predicted timings.

Yes I really don't see his joining the queue in the park will get you to the hall in 12hrs one day, but then joining in the same spot on another will take 24hrs 🤷‍♀️

@Snapespeare that’s epic of you! When are where are you sleeping?!

Its a shame you don’t get to see the catafalque yourselves - after all, without the volunteers this wouldn’t be happening.

Anyway I’m sure there’s plenty of people who want to say, thank you.

@SquashedFlyBiscuits : hopefully you CAN join & that it all works out :)

@Diorling : sorry to hear that it’s so difficult at the accessible queue, I saw so many abandoned chairs that people have bought on the streets - maybe this would be a perfect place to leave them

it would be good if there was stricter enforcement on the 1 person/1 career rule too: if it’s a large group those who don’t need that access should really be sent to the main queue!

We have made the decision not to go as we can't realistically for queues that long. Which I am finding quite sad. Please can someone who is going pay my respects for me. If that makes sense and isn't too weird.

We arrived at the park at 8.30. Wrist bands and out of park at 9am. Brisk walk along Thames for a few hundreds yards and now stopped.

What time do you think we'll get to Westminster?

Started queueing at 8pm last night, exited Westminster Hall at 8:50am this morning, so just under 13 hours. The estimate when we joined was "over 24 hours" on the online tracker and "14 hours +" on the screens in Southwark Park.

It's so worth doing if you are able.

I'm reasonably local - my shift ends in time for me to get my last overground train home, I got back around 1.30AM on the first night, but couldn't sleep for ages as had a bit of a buzz from being apart of something so huge.

My body clock didn't reset, so up at 6 as normal then bit of work-work, then back in. :-) I tried to see the flowers yesterday before my shift started, but left it too late, so had to pivot off to my shift. That made me a bit tearful, but stranger things are making me a bit weepy at the moment - there's so much emotion around.

...that said, it's genuinely been a pleasure, but I can't walk very well today!

Take care everyone - respect to you all as you pay your respects.

How many people do they think have filed past so far?

I joined the queue yesterday at 11.08am from zone 3 in Southwark Park. (There were 3 zones, 3 and 2 are ‘pre’ queues, 1 is The Queue). Lots of toilets here, but also along the way. They were clean / loo roll and hand sanitiser in them all the way until the ones in Victoria Park - but it was late by then and they are being constantly cleaned etc. Left the Park at 2.30. Tower Bridge by 16.50. Stop start queueing. A co-op and corner shop along the way and a coffee truck before London Bridge. Oxo Tower c8pm. Starbucks/Pret etc along the way. McD’s slightly off route at London Bridge (time for someone to go off and re-find who they’re with in the queue) Lots of marshalls, security, police along the way, all helpful and cheery. (Really good loos at The Globe + hot water!). Water station along there somewhere as well. Benches etc along the way. You can sit for 5mins and go back to the queue where you were. South Bank had loads of bars / food stalls etc (this was now 9pm ish, quite lively at that time). Some people giving out free food, blankets etc and Sikh charity with tea /coffee/crisps! Just before Lambeth bridge. Last Loos for a while - turn left behind London Eye. Got to Victoria Park at 11.30 pm, security right at the end. They take everything they don’t like but are very friendly. Into Westminster hall at 1am. 14 hours all in. (I think if zone 3 is full, you’ll be longer in the Park at the beginning. I feel 22 hours is probably wildly inaccurate unless Southwark park is literally full and outside zone 3. You need warm clothes at night as you move very slowly most of the time. Trafalgar Square closest place if you need a taxi at the end. It was certainly a journey, but I’m very glad I made it. Hope some of that helps some of you.

I read online an estimate of about 360,000

We're sitting here trying to work it out

If there are 3 lines on each side of the coffin and each of those people stay for a minute, thats about 360 filing past in an hour.

There are still 2 full days to go as well

People don't stay for anything like a minute, it seems to be a few seconds on average.

I can't quite believe people are selling their wristbands, surely they are only meaningful to those who attended, there are lots of them so hardly going to be a rare item. Not happy that DS threw his away, he has autism so is very black and white, he said he didn't need it any more and it was only made of paper 😱

Love this!

I think they have done a pretty good job of managing all this. Yes they have had lots of time to prepare but the massive unknown was how many people would want to come (and the weather/time of year).

Yeah, if they’d consulted Mumsnet they would only have put on a couple of blokes in hi-vis jackets as queuing is evidence of “mass hysteria” and posters “literally can’t understand it”.

And thanks @Snapespeare for your efforts. I haven’t even attempted to be part of The Queue but people like you make the world go round.

😂 Best comment of the thread!