pomkitanner Posted October 18, 2015 Report Share Posted October 18, 2015 (edited) 15:33hr 24th October 2015 For the purposes of this topic many references to Lechlade by the OP in fact mean Linslade. I have edited the title and added this note for the avoidance of confusion. Theo Change of Circumstances mean I am now looking at hiring from Lechlade on the GU. Please advise best transport options from LHR airport. need to arrive mid afternoon to take over boat and get under way . Also I have 2 novice boaters along , able but nervous of lock working ( I shall be at helm ) So I understand north is the better direction to go? We would be looking to travel only as far as Stoke Buerne. Thanks Edited October 24, 2015 by Theo Note to avoid confusion Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nipper Posted October 18, 2015 Report Share Posted October 18, 2015 Me thinks more map reading skills are required, or maybe your reading the map the wrong way up Mate! Lechlade is on the River Thames, Stoke Buerne is on the Grand Union Canal. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bottle Posted October 18, 2015 Report Share Posted October 18, 2015 When you actually know where you are picking up the boat, this may help. http://www.traveline.info/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bettie Boo Posted October 18, 2015 Report Share Posted October 18, 2015 If I've read you post correctly, then I'd suggest a train to Swindon and then either a taxi or bus to Lechlade as there is not a train station at Lechlade. Friends of ours joined us at Lechlade a couple of years ago and the taxi from Swindon was well under £20 as its only about 12 miles away. From Lechlade you can only travel East / South down to Oxford where you will need to decide to either take the Oxford canal north to join the GU down to Stoke Buerne or continue down the non tidal Thames to join the GU and go north to Stoke Burene. Somehow I think you've made a mistake with Lechlade though, as you've phrased it as "looking to travel only as far as Stoke Buerne" which is actually a decent sized trip regardless of whichever route you take. A very pleasant trip, but not a short one. I would also recommend you read the winter stoppages site as well, depending on when you plan on making this trip. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jenlyn Posted October 18, 2015 Report Share Posted October 18, 2015 If I've read you post correctly, then I'd suggest a train to Swindon and then either a taxi or bus to Lechlade as there is not a train station at Lechlade. Friends of ours joined us at Lechlade a couple of years ago and the taxi from Swindon was well under £20 as its only about 12 miles away. From Lechlade you can only travel East / South down to Oxford where you will need to decide to either take the Oxford canal north to join the GU down to Stoke Buerne or continue down the non tidal Thames to join the GU and go north to Stoke Burene. Somehow I think you've made a mistake with Lechlade though, as you've phrased it as "looking to travel only as far as Stoke Buerne" which is actually a decent sized trip regardless of whichever route you take. A very pleasant trip, but not a short one. I would also recommend you read the winter stoppages site as well, depending on when you plan on making this trip. Lol. Greenie. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ditchcrawler Posted October 18, 2015 Report Share Posted October 18, 2015 Maybe Layton Buzzard with Wyvern Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Murflynn Posted October 18, 2015 Report Share Posted October 18, 2015 you'd be lucky to find much more than a pedalo boat to hire at Lechlade (on Thames). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pomkitanner Posted October 18, 2015 Author Report Share Posted October 18, 2015 Oops Slight Typo. Linslade near Leighton Buzzard. so my question still applies , but appologies for the slip up . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Mack Posted October 18, 2015 Report Share Posted October 18, 2015 Do you mean Linslade? If so you are presumably hiring with Wyvern Shipping. Leighton Buzzard station is about a mile away from the base - regular trains from London Euston. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pomkitanner Posted October 18, 2015 Author Report Share Posted October 18, 2015 Do you mean Linslade? If so you are presumably hiring with Wyvern Shipping. Leighton Buzzard station is about a mile away from the base - regular trains from London Euston. Yes Wyvern is the company . I like their boats, look very comfortable with easy chairs . So I have googled the train from Euston to Leighton Buzzard. Presumably their are fast trains from LHR to Euston ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Graham Davis Posted October 18, 2015 Report Share Posted October 18, 2015 Yes Wyvern is the company . I like their boats, look very comfortable with easy chairs . So I have googled the train from Euston to Leighton Buzzard. Presumably their are fast trains from LHR to Euston ? 'Fraid not. Either Heathrow Express to Paddington and then tube or taxi, or tube to perhaps Victoria and then Euston. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
john6767 Posted October 18, 2015 Report Share Posted October 18, 2015 'Fraid not. Either Heathrow Express to Paddington and then tube or taxi, or tube to perhaps Victoria and then Euston. Go tube, but it will take time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Boater Posted October 18, 2015 Report Share Posted October 18, 2015 If it helps I am happy to accompany you on the first few hours of your trip to show your crew the ropes regarding lock operation. Ian. ianbrownautos@gmail.com. 07704 249 523 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Mack Posted October 18, 2015 Report Share Posted October 18, 2015 'Fraid not. Either Heathrow Express to Paddington and then tube or taxi, or tube to perhaps Victoria and then Euston. Heathrow Express is expensive, and with the changes required to get to Euston, little or no quicker than the tube. From Heathrow take the Piccadilly Line Underground to Green Park and then the Victoria Line to Euston. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim Lewis Posted October 18, 2015 Report Share Posted October 18, 2015 (edited) Alternatively you can get a coach from Heathrow to Watford Junction then the train to Leighton Buzzard Tim Edited October 18, 2015 by Tim Lewis Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LEO Posted October 19, 2015 Report Share Posted October 19, 2015 Alternatively you can get a coach from Heathrow to Watford Junction then the train to Leighton Buzzard Tim Hi, Actually that's a good idea, I was going to suggest bus from Heathrow to Chesham, change for bus connection to Berko, then train to Leighton Buzzard. All good regular sevices. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pomkitanner Posted October 20, 2015 Author Report Share Posted October 20, 2015 So we have booked our holiday with Wyvern Shipping , ( odd name , not really a ship) Their boats really do look a cut above , we shall see. Plan on traveling north from Leighton Buzzard, Have looked at their brochure and one or two of the photos there appear to show narrow locks , but I understand he GU to be a wide canal, So which is correct ?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bottle Posted October 20, 2015 Report Share Posted October 20, 2015 The Grand Union is a 'wide' canal. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Mack Posted October 20, 2015 Report Share Posted October 20, 2015 The Grand Union is a 'wide' canal. The section the OP is doing is wide, but the GU does also have narrow sections. Its perfectly possible to get from Linslade onto narrow canals in a week's hire, hence some of the brochure photos. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim Lewis Posted October 20, 2015 Report Share Posted October 20, 2015 (edited) So we have booked our holiday with Wyvern Shipping , ( odd name , not really a ship) Their boats really do look a cut above , we shall see. Plan on traveling north from Leighton Buzzard, Have looked at their brochure and one or two of the photos there appear to show narrow locks , but I understand he GU to be a wide canal, So which is correct ??There are narrow locks on the Grand Union on the Aylesbury and Northampton Arms and on the Leicester line, all of which can be done on a holiday from Wyvern. Tim Edited October 20, 2015 by Tim Lewis Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tisinca Posted October 20, 2015 Report Share Posted October 20, 2015 The Grand Union is a 'wide' canal. It's not that wide at the Wyvern base in Lechlade with boats moored 3 abreast across the canal. In fact we have recently seen a wide beam struggle to get through there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bottle Posted October 20, 2015 Report Share Posted October 20, 2015 Yes about their base on the GU but Lechlade is not on the GU. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tisinca Posted October 20, 2015 Report Share Posted October 20, 2015 (edited) Yes about their base on the GU but Lechlade is not on the GU. correct again bottle .. I meant Linslade , Leighton Buzzard ... Edited October 20, 2015 by Tisinca 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bettie Boo Posted October 20, 2015 Report Share Posted October 20, 2015 It's not that wide at the Wyvern base in Lechlade with boats moored 3 abreast across the canal. In fact we have recently seen a wide beam struggle to get through there. Must have been a really big one, we are 11ft and have been past there a few times with no problems and there were boats tied up 3 abreast at the time. We've even turned there a couple of times...without the assistance of bow thrusters Must say on a side note, we got the best pump out ever from the Wyvern base, I know lots of folks moan about them, but the service we received was Great and would recommend them without hesitation. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jenlyn Posted October 20, 2015 Report Share Posted October 20, 2015 It's not that wide at the Wyvern base in Lechlade with boats moored 3 abreast across the canal. In fact we have recently seen a wide beam struggle to get through there. I struggled to get through Monday morning. In fact I could not get through. The boats were four abreast. They stood on the bank looking, but doing sod all. When they realised I was taking pics, they decided to shufty things about a bit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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