Storm Dennis - are we mad?

[Springiscoming20]

Have had a day out in London planned for months for all the family (12 people in total including children). It will require a 2 hour journey each way including car, an hour pn the train and then tube. We have non refundable tickets for something that cost a bloody fortune - hence a little pressure to try and still go.

Have visions of us stuck at Paddington with no way of getting home later this evening! That’s if we even make it in.

Are we made to try?

I would still go, we went last week during the storm, took a little longer to get home. If you are worried can you not drive in to London?

I plan to go also, so am following your thread, shamelessly

Check the train company’s website. When there’s a yellow weather warning most actively discourage people from travelling by offering refunds

I’d go too

There will most likely be public transport delays and cancellations, the general advice is to not travel unless necessary or leave extra time.

It depends on what you’re going to do and how much money you’ve spent if it’s worth venturing so far from home during the beginning of a storm.

Good to know we aren’t bonkers! We are checking met office and train company constantly. Think we will attempt with provisions (possibly sleeping bags 😂)

To be honest I wouldn’t. I commute into London (only half an hour but still) three days a week and it’s bloody miserable if all the trains from your station are cancelled. If you do go bear in mind you might need to pay out for overnight accommodation if you get stuck.

I’d go but maybe look to drive closer to London if I could ....... the roads will be fine it’s public transport that’ll screw up

I’d go.

I think I would go. I think tomorrow is to be worse.

I'm just arriving into Euston and the weather is absolutely fine. No signs of Dennis here!

I hear you. I do this commute almost daily as also work in London. I’m the only one though so while I know how hideous it is to be stuck at a station, the fam are keen to try. Driving in isn’t an option as would take so much longer and to be honest, don’t fancy being on a motorway all this time in the rain. We’re talking nearly £500 worth of tickets! Through ticketmaster who sat in their t&cs no refunds due to adverse weather.

The tickets might have cost £500 but there are 12 of you after all so the price doesn’t seem that bad.

If you’re truly stuck with no way to get home tonight, worst case scenario get a hotel? You may be able to reclaim costs from the rail company (excluding TfL). You’d be expected to mitigate your losses though.

Or alternatively try your best to get back to where your cars are, are there coaches, would you be able to split the cost of a mini bus, can you drive further in etc

You need to drive much closer, the trains will end up cancelled later and you'll be grateful you can get a taxi to the car.

Check with the train company and go. It's a bit of wind a rain. I cant stand the hysteria around these storm names.
Specific areas may get flooded, but that happens numerous times a year. There may be the odd tree trunk blown down
I lived in florida where storms were named for a reason.
Someone found here cancelled their plans to go and see a friend to go shopping because of storm ciara.
I was in town that day when it was at its worst and there was some wind and a bit of rain.

I'd go. My son and DH have gone to the other end of the country for an event that won't be re-run as well. You might have to change plans at the last minute but it'll probably be fine.

I would drive in. We park at Westfield Shopping Centre and get the tube/bus into central London. That way you can get home still. I think it is around £15 for parking. Enjoy your day!

I would double check. A colleague was stuck at Euston for hours last week and then had to get a coach home to the Midlands in the early hours.

Do you know anyone in London you could stay with if trains cancelled? Make sure you’ve got their phone numbers.And better alert them now, just in case.

I did it last weekend. Due to planned engineering works and Stom Ciara took me 3x as long to get home as it should. Its doable but be prepared to be stuck at stations or on trains for a while.

Do you have a coach alternative if the trains go kaput? They tend to go from Victoria but it does vary according to the route. And would staying a night in an emergency be a fun adventure or a horrendous and expensive (12 people!) nightmare?

If you do go, you could keep an eye on disruptions here throughout the day and maybe head for home earlier if trains start to be delayed? www.nationalrail.co.uk/service_disruptions/242379.aspxe

Agree with drive in as close as you can.

We went last week, and were so grateful we'd book to travel back Saturday. The scences at Euston on Sunday were horrendous. I wouldn't want to risk that, especially with children, but I completely get your reasons for still wanting to travel. Hard one op!

Ah, cross posted with lots of others suggesting staying the night.

Depending on the ages of your dc and the current forecasts for your journey, I might stay at home tbh. My concern would not just be cancelled trains, but the possibility of being stuck on a train between stations this evening, power off, no heating etc. (Cassandra I know, but with dc it is worth bearing in mind!)

If you do go, try to make sure your phones keep charged!

Just keep a really good eye on the trains — I'm on a train now, that should be direct and I'm going to have to get four instead. They've preemptively cancelled/stopped trains early to effectively run shuttles over shorter distances of line.