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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Going to London tomorrow - what to do :(

453 replies

pinkunicornsarefluffy · 15/09/2017 11:52

Posting here for traffic, I am going to London tomorrow, train from here to Paddington, then Euston, then Watford Junction.

Having just seen the news about the bomb, I am now terrified. I rarely go to London and this is so scary. There will be 3 adults and 3 children aged 9, 10 and 13.

If we don't go, we lose £600, but what price your life or your kids life?

We are still thinking of going and doing bus or taxi from Paddington.

Has anyone got any advice on transport ?

What would you do?

OP posts:
Ummmmgogo · 15/09/2017 13:31

but the bomb happened above ground! why can't you go by the quickest route or do something fun while you are waiting for your tour?

GruffaIo · 15/09/2017 13:31

The Metropolitan line is underground at points, and surface at points, so don't take that option if it's 'surface or nothing' (though note that the District Line was surface where this happened!).

I live on the Met line, but don't pay as much attention as I should - I think it's surface from Harrow-on-the-Hill west, and underground east thereof, till it goes surface again near Barbican.

HazelBite · 15/09/2017 13:31

Op I live in The area you are travelling to. If Euston is open I would suggest you get a taxi from Paddington to Euston (much better than the tube) then get the overground train to Watford Junction.
If the line is still closed (unlikely) get the Bakerloo line to Baker St and pick up a Metropolitan line train to Watford (Met) station , its a long journey, and you won't arrive at Watford Junction, but there is a cab office at the station and it will be a short drive to your hotel.
Don't cancel you will have a wonderful time at Harry Potter, its brilliant!

MrsMcW · 15/09/2017 13:31

Oh come on. There are millions of us in London, we're all still going about our business as usual, just as we did after the knife attack at Westminster, after the cars ploughed into Borough Market, or after the 7/7 bombings. No-one died this morning, a few people were taken to hospital with minor injuries. Life goes on, if the city ground to a halt every time there was a terrorist incident nothing would ever happen here. You will be totally FINE, if anything the extra police vigilance will mean you're safer than usual.

HarrietVane99 · 15/09/2017 13:32

And I'll say it again, since the message doesn't seem to be getting across OP doesn't need to go to Euston.

Or do I have a different Tube map from everyone else???

1DAD2KIDS · 15/09/2017 13:32

My Grandma went down for a Land Army commemoration just after the 7/7 bombings. When we asked her if she still wanted to go she said they never stopped her in war they sure as hell won't stop he now. The risk is limited don't let it stop you from having a great time and don't let it put you out of pocket.

Original poster
pinkunicornsarefluffy · 15/09/2017 13:33

youcanstay thanks for the help, I will pass all of this on to my friend.

We are travelling from the southwest, and we have tickets to Paddington. It involves a 60 minute car journey just to get to the station for a direct train.

sunseptember yes, I wouldn't think twice about walking through a herd of cows, I would be quite happy Grin.

OP posts:
Youcanstayundermyumbrella · 15/09/2017 13:33

Sorry to say Met line too, in case that confuses further. That's the normal tube that goes to Watford rather than the Euston one. Ignore me please.

But the train you now need if Euston trains are running is the mainline train. It takes about 15 minutes from Euston and is really, really easy.

ZenNudist · 15/09/2017 13:34

London is no more or less safe now than when you booked the trip. Silly to lose £600

13bastards · 15/09/2017 13:34

Just go.

Nikephorus · 15/09/2017 13:35

I also read somewhere they are told to attack on Fidays when Muslims will be safe in MOsques.
With all this talk of Harry Potter I'm now assuming that all Muslims travel to their mosques by apparating or by floo network and not by conventional muggle transport!

user1493059174 · 15/09/2017 13:36

Security will be extremely high - so I would say go for it, but I can so understand your worries, I would be exactly the same. Enjoy!

Lovingmybear2 · 15/09/2017 13:36

Go just go.

Dh in London now as usual and as was on 7/7.

I was in brum during the pub bombing aged 11

Dd was badly injured on a school trip ffs. She's fine now.

Anything can happen to you at any time but it's generally down to accident or illness and not random stranger violence.

Don't let the bastards win

thecatfromjapan · 15/09/2017 13:37

Grin @ Nike

And all them thaar Lunnoners are terrified of cows.

TheMerryWidow1 · 15/09/2017 13:37

you will be fine, its a beautiful day here in London, been doing this commute for over 30 years and I live in a very rural area. We all get anxious about doing new things but think how proud you will be of yourself when you do it!! Whether you go by tube, bus or train they are pretty much all as safe as each other. Have fun!!

Original poster
pinkunicornsarefluffy · 15/09/2017 13:38

hazel thanks for the tip

harriet sorry am getting more confused by the minute Grin. When I posted on MN for HP advice, I was advised Paddington to Euston, then to Watford J, so knowing nothing about tubes, I had a quick look and that seemed to make sense.

Is there an easier way from Paddington to Watford J?

OP posts:
WhatsThisNow · 15/09/2017 13:39

We live in London. My children go to school in London. We use the tube. Life goes on.

Last time I saw my friend (who lives in Manchester) she said she'd like to bring her son to London because he'd been studying the Great Fire and was interested to see the sights but she was nervous about terrorism and wasn't going anywhere near the place for the foreseeable future.

Next week a bomb went off at the Manchester Arena.

GruffaIo · 15/09/2017 13:40

Also, don't know where you're coming from at all, but on the Paddington Line, perhaps on a route that goes through Oxford? You could always go from Oxford to High Wycombe on the new Chiltern route and then get the 336 bus to Watford! It'll take you a while (the bus especially) but you won't have to go into central London at all.

PopGoesTheWeaz · 15/09/2017 13:43

The cow fields thing struck a chord with me, so i just looked it up and, in Britain, 74 people have been killed by cows in the past 15 years. And "only" 49 people killed because of terrorism in the UK since between 2010 and 2017. So that's 5 cow related deaths a year and 7 terror related deaths. Considering only about 20% of the population lives in rural areas, cows are a lot more dangerous, statistically speaking of course.

plantsitter · 15/09/2017 13:43

You could get the Bakerloo Line (which is my favourite) from Paddington to Harrow and Wealdstone and then a train 2 stops to Watford Junction. That's the least messy-about way.

I just got this info from Citymapper, which as a previous poster mentioned, is the best app for London journey planning.

Any TfL staff you ask for help will be very friendly and helpful too.

Nikephorus · 15/09/2017 13:46

74 people have been killed by cows in the past 15 years. And "only" 49 people killed because of terrorism in the UK since between 2010 and 2017.
Dear gods, and I have to drive past a field of cows to get to my parents!!!! Sorry Mum but I can't visit any more Grin

MrsMcW · 15/09/2017 13:47

OP, if you are travelling from the South West, do you have the option of getting a train to Waterloo rather than Paddington? If so, get off the train at Clapham Junction (one stop before Waterloo) then you can change to a direct train all the way to Watford Junction.

Just a thought.

Youcanstayundermyumbrella · 15/09/2017 13:47

I think the OP has made it clear that her friends don't want to use the underground tube which is why Euston is the winner. Overground trains to Watford go from Euston, Olympia and Clapham Junction, and the easiest of those to get to from Paddington is Euston.

But is the Oxford route worth considering? Or via Reading?

thecatfromjapan · 15/09/2017 13:48

"AIBU to not want to risk taking my children to visit my mum because she lives next to a field of cows ...?"

Getout21 · 15/09/2017 13:48

That doesn't make sense didn't 50+ people die during 7/7?