Oxbridge applicants 2018 part 2

[OhYouBadBadKitten]

Hopefully this is in time!

that was an amazing year!

All Oxford buses suspended now.

severe disruption on rail services into Oxford too.

Oh no! DS getting the train tomorrow pm. Hopefully they'll have sorted things by then. He needs decent shoes but never has time to come with me to get them

white rose it’s likely there will be disruption tomorrow, I would allow lots of time.

For those trying to get to Oxford today, if planning to come up the M40, we are currently in a stationary queue to join the A404 going up to the Handycross roundabout. No idea whether it’s an accident or just very slow traffic on the A404 but the slip road from Marlow is at a standstil. l One traffic site says 90 minutes delay, but we’ve been here over 20 minutes so far and no signs of moving at all.

Thank you Rusty. DH will be heading off in a couple of hours, so we'll keep an eye on the road reports. I hope you're back on the move soon.

That roundabout's terrible at the best of times Hope you're moving again now.

Rats! He's supposed to arrive by 8pm tomorrow but his train arrives at about 5.30 so we've built in spare time. Hope it's enough. He's come down with a cold now too, just to add to the joys. He'll need to be dosed up with Lemsip which he hates. What else can go wrong?

I think that's the best time of day to be going tomorrow whiterose, the tracks should be sorted by then and it's before the freeze kicks in.

We’re actually on the A40 now (as opposed to on the slip road), have moved 0.2 miles since my last post, most of it in the last 5 minutes, but we’re now at a standstill again. With the satnav saying at intervals ‘Traffic jam ahead’...

I think when we get to the roundabout we may well turn round & go home, as the M40 doesn’t look too good either from the traffic maps. Southbound looks fine.

We were trying to get to Banbury, where DH works, but I think we’re going to give up & he’ll work from home. I was going with him as my sister, who lives in the Cotswolds was going to come over, but they’ve got 8 inches of snow, it’s still snowing there and they live on a steep hill, so it’s not going to happen.

A police car just went past, with everyone moving left and right to let it through, but it got held up for several minutes while two lorries tried to make enough space.

*A404

That might be wise RB, I think there will be another pulse of heavy snow mid evening, then steady light snow on and off through tomorrow lunch time.

Just off to look at Cambridge, but I don't think we have any cambridge interviews left do we?

Cambridge is looking to be a right slushy mix tomorrow. Ice will be a real hazard Tuesday morning.

Oh dear travellers!! I'm sure they will have to make allowances for people to get there but not the ideal start for all of you. Thinking of you and hoping for the best.

Right, bearing in mind that there's still a chance of snow in Oxford between now and tomorrow and there's a yellow weather warning for ice:

Oxford Bus Company (roughly half the city centre services plus all Park and Ride buses) are running limited services - updates here www.oxfordbus.co.uk/serviceupdates/snow-updates/ or by following @OxfordBusCo

Stagecoach Oxford (the other half of city services) have started running some limited services, their website is rubbish so best updates are from @Stagecoach_Ox

Oxford Tube (Oxford city to London Victoria) were running hourly services til it got dark, expected to start running again early tomorrow - @Oxford_Tube

Oxfordshire County Council have had gritters and snowplows out all day trying to clear A & B roads round the county - check @OxfordshireCC

Good luck to all, and don't worry if you can't make it to your interview, University departments and Colleges do make contingency plans!

Thank you so much for popping in here from weather mumonashoestring :) I think a lot of students will find that very helpful.

for train travel
there is @chilternrailways from marylebone
@GWRHelp from Paddington
@CrossCountryUK from Reading

DD and DH have arrived safely. DH says it is all very beautiful in the snow. It is bound to have an impact on the interviews though, both interviewers and interviewees will likely be struggling to get there.

We're at Cambridge on Tuesday, thanks for the heads up r.e.weather OhYouBadBadKitten, we will leave plenty of time.

On the bright side both DD's school and mine are closed tomorrow (we're in Beds) so more prep time.
My sister lives just outside Oxford and has had no power and plenty of snow all day.
Good luck to everyone still interviewing, travel carefully.

Back home in Wokingham now - 5h 20m from Wokingham to the roundabout outside High Wycombe, 42m back home. The M40 looked not too bad from the bridge over it, but we decided not to risk it as there were still several red sections on Google maps, and especially after OYBBK’s warning of more snow to come.

At the end of the day safety is the most important thing. If travel is impossible then surely alternative arrangements must be made. Those who do make it may find the process is delayed by a day or two because uni staff can't get to work.

i had manages to drive safely today in Oxford!
Successfully dropped DS at college at 3pmish and drove to Ascot to dinner with friends and stay in their house tonight!

Well done travellers!
Now will the students end up having snowball fights or will they be too nervous tonight? I bet it looks absolutely amazing in the snow, I love Oxford.

My daughter has just arrived at Cambridge ready for interviews tomorrow. She drove up from Kent, said she went through snow, fog and ice but is there safe thank goodness. Good luck to anyone travelling in the next few days x

Good luck to her Wobblie and good for her for making the drive.