West London parking for Buffer Puffer

[SouthDevonian]

I have booked to go on the Buffer Puffer 17 railtour on Saturday 29 July starting from Euston at 08.30. As I live in West Gloucestershire and will be travelling up the M4, where is the most convenient place to park to get the tube into the centre?

 

[A0]

I have booked to go on the Buffer Puffer 17 railtour on Saturday 29 July starting from Euston at 08.30. As I live in West Gloucestershire and will be travelling up the M4, where is the most convenient place to park to get the tube into the centre?

I'd actually consider driving to Watford Junction and using an LM service into Euston or Chorleywood and use the Met to Euston Square.

Both are fairly short distances from the M25 - Chorleywood's a doddle from Jnc 18 - used that when I went to see Steam on the Met a couple of years back.

The problem for getting the tube into the centre from the west means you've actually got to go a fair way into London - you'd be looking at places like Ealing, which can be quite busy for traffic even on a Saturday.

 

[W-on-Sea]

Hillingdon might be a good bet, although it's not a quick tube journey into town from there.

 

[Lrd]

Normally lots of free parking on the streets around Hounslow West station but the Picc can be slow but won't be full to the rafters like it is mid week.

 

[SouthDevonian]

Thanks for the replies everyone. I found another suggestion on a travel website which is M4 to Jn 3 then down to A4 then on to Osterley tube station. The LUL site shows only £2 for all day parking beside the station on Saturdays.

Another question. From what I read on the TfL website, you can just swipe your credit card on entering at the originating station and again when leaving at the destination. Is that correct as I haven't come across this before? (In the past when I have been to London on the train, I have either had tickets that include the tube or have pre-purchased a one day travel card.)

 

[telstarbox]

Only if it's a contactless card

 

[Richard_B]

To quote TfL website..

If your card was issued in the UK on Visa, MasterCard, Maestro or American Express and displays the contactless payment symbol (shown above), you should be able to use it to travel on bus, Tube, tram, DLR, London Overground, TfL Rail, Emirates Air Line, River Bus and most National Rail services in London.

It charges fares that are nearly always the same as if you used oyster.

 

[gazthomas]

I tend to use Denham - just off the M25 via the M40 and free on street parking

 

[Joe Paxton]

Short YouTube video from TfL on using contactless cards to travel.

When using contactless to travel, you don't need to set-up an online account but it can be useful:
TfL - Benefits of an account

One slightly more expensive parking option coming from the west is the Westfield London shopping centre at White City, just off the A40 - £8 a day or £6 a day if you sign up for 'smart parking' (doing so is free) - more info. Then Tube from Wood Lane or Shepherd's Bush stations.

 

[50039]

Seconded for Watford Junction...

 

[causton]

Depends how much time you have and how much money you want to spend!

Somewhere like Denham or Watford Junction would be easier to get to, and for Watford very easy to get to Euston, but possibly parking and travelling could be more expensive than somewhere like Osterley. But at Osterley you would have to change and so forth... it's a juggle!

 

[Mojo]

Hillingdon is definitely the best place to park, I have parked there on a number of occasions when coming from the west along the M4. The station is less than a minute from the A40.

 

[SouthDevonian]

Thanks for all the helpful advice, including use of contactless credit cards. I'll keep my parking options open then check the travel news whilst on the way on the day.

 

[MarlowDonkey]

I'll keep my parking options open then check the travel news whilst on the way on the day.

For somewhere further out, or if the M4 is clogged into London, you could consider Maidenhead. The station car park is only a matter of minutes from the M4 (J8/9). It can seem a long run into Paddington on the stoppers and you would need to buy a Travelcard or London Terminals ticket.

 

[Mag_seven]

Hillingdon is definitely the best place to park, I have parked there on a number of occasions when coming from the west along the M4. The station is less than a minute from the A40.

Except that on 29th July (day that the OP is travelling), the line through Hillingdon is closed for engineering work.

 

[MatthewRead]

Does the tour run through Denmark Hill if so what times?

 

[Devonman2014]

Hi

Just posted a few of the paths in separate thread - shows most of Buffer Puffer 14 overnight and part of the Buffer Puffer 15 on the Saturday morning up to High Wycombe.

 

[SouthDevonian]

RTT shows due to pass Denmark Hill at 16.30. See my separate post on Buffer Puffer 14 & 15 for revised route as so far shown on RTT.