New Job, bigger problem

[Tom P]

Hi there

 

I have, for a couple of years now, been living aboard my narrowboat in and around the south of England and loving every second. I have, however, just accepted my dream job in London, but dont want to give up the lifestyle. My plan initially was to cruise but not only might this be unfair to other boat users its down right inconvenant for me too, given that its a full time post. I obviously understand that coming across a mooring in London is rare, but im not even at square one! I have no idea where to even start, can anyone offer any advise for me? Im looking ideally for a pied a terre mooring, as i normally spend my weekends away.

 

Any advice and help would be greatly appreciated as i appear to be starting work in january with no base!

 

Thanks.

[Athy]

Home Counties marina mooring near a BR (or whatever they are calling themselves this year) station?

Welcome to CWDF, Tom.

[tafelberg]

You could try packet boat marnia in Uxbridge, Uxbridge has a main line into London. I think that's the key try and find a place that's easy to get into London from.

[JonL]

London is a big place , where abouts is your job and would you mind a commuting

Edited November 13, 2012 by JonL

[Guest]

Hi there

 

I have, for a couple of years now, been living aboard my narrowboat in and around the south of England and loving every second. I have, however, just accepted my dream job in London, but dont want to give up the lifestyle. My plan initially was to cruise but not only might this be unfair to other boat users its down right inconvenant for me too, given that its a full time post. I obviously understand that coming across a mooring in London is rare, but im not even at square one! I have no idea where to even start, can anyone offer any advise for me? Im looking ideally for a pied a terre mooring, as i normally spend my weekends away.

 

Any advice and help would be greatly appreciated as i appear to be starting work in january with no base!

 

Thanks.

 

https://www.crtmoorings.com/vacancy/vacancy_details.php?id=4440

[mrsmelly]

Hi there

 

I have, for a couple of years now, been living aboard my narrowboat in and around the south of England and loving every second. I have, however, just accepted my dream job in London, but dont want to give up the lifestyle. My plan initially was to cruise but not only might this be unfair to other boat users its down right inconvenant for me too, given that its a full time post. I obviously understand that coming across a mooring in London is rare, but im not even at square one! I have no idea where to even start, can anyone offer any advise for me? Im looking ideally for a pied a terre mooring, as i normally spend my weekends away.

 

Any advice and help would be greatly appreciated as i appear to be starting work in january with no base!

 

Thanks.

 

Hi Tom

 

No job however good you think it is can be worth taking if it means living in London !! not even a 20 million pound salary is worth going there for. That is why we have the M25 to enable us all to go round it and avoid and the K and A stops at Reading enabling a left turn up the Thames thus avoiding London. The Grand union is further along for overshooters who can the again take a hard left and move off up north

 

Tim

Edited November 13, 2012 by mrsmelly

[alan_fincher]

As you make no mention of how close to central London you must be, or as to what the maximum you can pay for moorings is, people may find it a bit hard to offer sensible advice.

 

Just in case you are not aware, CRT regularly advertise vacancies at Brentford and Engineers Wharf on the Paddington Arm, but of course these are far from cheap. (The increases in where CRT set the reserve prices, for example mean CRT will not now let a Brentford mooring at less than about £4,300, even though some go unsold).

 

It also seems that many of the fixed "buy it now" priced moorings that CRT have recently advertised at Willow Wren Wharf, Bulls Bridge remain unsold.

 

Linky

 

These are fully residential in many cases, but priced at £5,000 pa - perhaps why they have not been snapped up!

 

I realise your budget may well not stretch to any of these, or that they may be unsuitable for other reasons, but thought it is worth you being aware.

[grahame r]

Welcome to the forum.

 

It depends where in London you'll be working and how much you can afford to spend. For the City/East London then I'm sure Roydon isn't yet full and there's a nearby station. If you are going to be working in West London then Engineers Wharf always seems to have space, I think its quite expensive. Probably best to get something that is workable and then take your time to find the ideal. The last thing you want is the hassle of continuous cruising/mooring whilst also having the stress of a new job.

[matty40s]

The last thing you want is the hassle of continuous cruising/mooring whilst also having the stress of a new job.

 

I disagree, I worked in Central London for two years, and the boat/cc-ing was the only thing that kept me from going mad.

Once you have an Oyster card and are prepared to purchase weekly or even monthly rail tickets, the workable c-c-ing options with less than an hours commuting stretch from Leighton Buzzard, all the way through London, to Hertford and Bishops Stortford.

A short term Winter Mooring might make sense for the first couple of months, but after that, free up and cruise away.

[Tom P]

Cheers guys for the quick responses!

 

I will be working in Southwark, south of the river, pretty well connected to waterloo.

 

However i'm trying to avoid a long commute generally but i understand you have to start somewhere.

 

Price range is dependent really on how i would have to pay e.g monthly or as a one off fee.. If its monthly then it can be a little more.

 

to be honest im pretty excited about the whole venture, so wherever i end up im sure i will be happy..

[KevMc]

Cheers guys for the quick responses!

 

I will be working in Southwark, south of the river, pretty well connected to waterloo.

 

However i'm trying to avoid a long commute generally but i understand you have to start somewhere.

 

Price range is dependent really on how i would have to pay e.g monthly or as a one off fee.. If its monthly then it can be a little more.

 

to be honest im pretty excited about the whole venture, so wherever i end up im sure i will be happy..

 

I live in the BWML marina at Apsley and commute to Canary Wharf. Apsley tation is just across the road so about as convenient as you can get- Monthly commute is approx £370 but I am usually at my desk in under 90 minutes from leaving the boat so thats not too bad.

 

Residential berth is about 6.5k grade 1 slightly lower, not sure about grade 2 and you can pay monthly

[Guest]

I live in the BWML marina at Apsley and commute to Canary Wharf. Apsley tation is just across the road so about as convenient as you can get- Monthly commute is approx £370 but I am usually at my desk in under 90 minutes from leaving the boat so thats not too bad.

 

Residential berth is about 6.5k grade 1 slightly lower, not sure about grade 2 and you can pay monthly

 

http://www.bwml.co.uk/uploads/pdfs/Master_2012-13_marina_fees1.pdf

 

Aspley is the first one at the top of the page.

[sueb]

You shouldn't need a residential mooring if you are away at weekends

[Athy]

National Rail web site suggests that eaving Apsley on the 7.24 train would get you to Waterloo at 8.29 (I am assuming that you'll be working 9 to 5). Direct train to Euston then direct tube to Waterloo.

[matty40s]

National Rail web site suggests that eaving Apsley on the 7.24 train would get you to Waterloo at 8.29 (I am assuming that you'll be working 9 to 5). Direct train to Euston then direct tube to Waterloo.

The absolute worst thing about working in London was the Euston-Waterloo line at rush hour........

[alan_fincher]

National Rail web site suggests that eaving Apsley on the 7.24 train would get you to Waterloo at 8.29 (I am assuming that you'll be working 9 to 5). Direct train to Euston then direct tube to Waterloo.

I imagine that an annual rail season ticket would be at least £3K so added to approaching £6K marina fees, its a lot of money, for a lot of grief travelling, (I don't have relevant experience of London Midland trains at peak commuting time, but rather doubt it has improved massively over my memories of a few years ago!).

 

I think I'd look at options closer to London first.

 

Another mooring option, considerably cheaper, and they sometimes come up, at CRT towpath of offside moorings around the Uxbridge area. Mind you London Underground to work from Uxbridge might get a bit wearing after a while too!

[Water Rat.]

Hi Tom

 

No job however good you think it is can be worth taking if it means living in London !! not even a 20 million pound salary is worth going there for. That is why we have the M25 to enable us all to go round it and avoid and the K and A stops at Reading enabling a left turn up the Thames thus avoiding London. The Grand union is further along for overshooters who can the again take a hard left and move off up north

 

Tim

 

Do you mind, some of us live in London and actually quite like it! How would you like it if I said that about where you live? I have thoughts about 'the north' but have the manners to keep them to myself.

Edited November 13, 2012 by Water Rat.

[Guest]

Do you mind, some of us live in London and actually quite like it! How would you like it if I said that about where you live? I have thoughts about 'the north' but have the manners to keep them to myself.

 

It's truly 'orrible up North under no circumstances venture up here......the Dales and the NY Moors are veritable slums.....and as for the Lake District and Nortumbria, hell holes.... nothing less.

 

Anyway Tim doesn't Live in the North he lives in the East Midlands at the moment and that is grim.........

[mayalld]

Do you mind, some of us live in London and actually quite like it! How would you like it if I said that about where you live? I have thoughts about 'the north' but have the manners to keep them to myself.

 

Do feel free. Us northerners won't mind. Given that you like living in London, we won't take your opinion too seriously.

[Wanted]

There are a couple of spaces at Brentford presently, Quite pricey but good links into town, Waterloo in 30 mins. I work in camden and can do that in 50 mins door to desk.

 

I really like the moorings and people on it but we are being somewhat swallowed up by swanky glass fronted flats.

 

The town itself is weird, just about enough in it to survive but somewhat apocalyptic in its apperance. Of course you have good access to the Thames and some really beautiful parts of west London, Osterly park, Syon Park, Hounslow Heath et al.

 

Probably best of all though is that the moorings are very close to the Magpie and Crown, 6 ever changing real ales and a variety of 37 bottled ales! (and one larger!)

 

Welcome to the Forum

[mrsmelly]

Do you mind, some of us live in London and actually quite like it! How would you like it if I said that about where you live? I have thoughts about 'the north' but have the manners to keep them to myself.

 

You only like it because you dare not venture further. Anyway I am not in a minority, not many people live there. The population is about 8 million or 12.5 per cent of the uk population which of course means that nearly ninety per cent of us dont and never will live there and thats because its a sh one t hole

 

Tim

[Wanted]

So disgusted am I at the state of West London , I took these photo's at the weekend, I have to live just twenty minutes cycle ride from this! What a Sh1thole!

 

 

 

 

Uploaded with ImageShack.us

[Guest]

Southerners 2

 

Northerners 2

[Wanted]

You only like it because you dare not venture further. Anyway I am not in a minority, not many people live there. The population is about 8 million or 12.5 per cent of the uk population which of course means that nearly ninety per cent of us dont and never will live there and thats because its a sh one t hole

 

Tim

 

The other 87.5% still chuck rocks at the moon! (in coming!)

[Guest]

So disgusted am I at the state of West London , I took these photo's at the weekend, I have to live just twenty minutes cycle ride from this! What a Sh1thole!

 

It took you a whole 20 minutes to find a tree??...

 

Five minutes walk from my house -

 

Edited November 13, 2012 by The Dog House