BBC Sherlock Fan Forum - Serving Sherlockians since February 2012 / Need help from folks with London tube knowledge

**Posted by MNRebecca** April 17, 2013 3:49 pm

The folks at the "LondonsTransport" Yahoo group rejected me, so may I please burden y'all for some help with my upcoming trip to London (first time out of North America!!!!)? It's my job to get Mom, who can't walk far, from Heathrow to Base2Stay in Kensington, which is:

1. A one-block walk from Earl's Court station (but NOT on the Picadilly line, right?)
2. A three-block walk from Gloucester Road station (but ON the Picadilly line, right?)

My aunt Jackie (former Londoner) says using the interchange after Gloucester Road to get the District Line to Earl's Court will involve MASSIVE amounts of walking and that finding the correct way out of the Earl's Court station can be challenging. She suspects there are easier ways to get from Heathrow to Base2Stay. Like what? Getting off at Gloucester Road? Barons Court? We'll be traveling on a Sunday, early afternoon, if that's a factor.

MNRebecca, country mouse.

**Posted by beekeeper** April 17, 2013 4:13 pm

hmmmmmmm

Not for this specific jouney so much, but if you mum can't walk far, in general in London I'd consider using the bus network over tubes. Its possible to get quite detailed maps, I think, if you're not a Londoner. You can also get stuff like text alerts sent to your phone to tell you how long a bus will be. The issue with the Tube network is that there are often lots of steps and even where there are stepfree
interchanges, you often have to walk to get to them. (oh the fun of taking a double buggy on the Tube network prior to the shake up that was the Olympics/Paralympics)

I'm not sure how much I'd worry about leaving Earls Court by the correct exit, I'd just ask someone in a uniform. They might not be 100% helpful but they will know their stuff, I promise you.

I am not familar with Base2Stay but if the distance between the exits of Earls Court is an issue then the Picadilly and the District line run parallel from Heathrow for quite a way. iIRC Acton Town has stepfree access between the lines and isn't a hike between them at all. Changing at Hamersmith is not a great idea, that station is the biggest PITA ever (well, Baker Street is probably worse).

How exciting for you! HTH and I understood your question correctly :-)

To be perfectly honest, on your first evening in the city, if you think there might be an issue with walking, I'd just get a taxi. There's always going to be a taxi around Earls Court. That said, the area you've chosen is a nice one to walk in of a Sunday evening.

Last edited by beekeeper (April 17, 2013 4:15 pm)

**Posted by Davina** April 17, 2013 4:51 pm

Assuming you are getting the Heathrow Express directly into Paddington I would opt to get. A taxi from there to Base2Stay. It is not very far and shouldn't cost much. There will be a taxi rank (Hackney cabs) directly outside the station. The taxi fare calculator gives the journey time as approximately 7 minutes and the cost as £7.40.

Hope that helps. I also hope you and your mother have a wonderful time in the City.

**Posted by Sherlock Holmes** April 17, 2013 6:04 pm

It's an easy walk from Earls Court tube to the hotel but if you're worried about it I'd recommend a cab too. It'd be a tenner at most, even in traffic and with a tip.

Last edited by Sherlock Holmes (April 17, 2013 6:06 pm)

**Posted by Sherlock Holmes** April 17, 2013 6:08 pm

If you're planning on getting the tube from Heathrow, it'll be the Piccadilly Line all the way to Earl's Court. Gloucester Road is on the Piccadilly Line too so if you wanted to get off there and walk then you can. Just stay on one stop longer after Earl's Court.

**Posted by MNRebecca** April 17, 2013 6:53 pm

Sherlock Holmes wrote:
If you're planning on getting the tube from Heathrow, it'll be the Piccadilly Line all the way to Earl's Court.

Thanks for all the help, folks. I think I'm zeroing in on the problem. Country mouse doesn't know how to read a tube map. Here's the portion of the map I'm referencing. Ignore the text in red - that's me telling Aunt Jackie how I plan to get from Heathrow to Base2Stay.

Here's what I see. The solid blue Picadilly line goes from Barons Court to Gloucester Road WITHOUT ANY STOPS IN BETWEEN (because there are only stops where there are names, right?). So how can it go to Earl's Court? And why is there a blue wheelchair icon on the Picadilly line between Barons Court and Gloucester Road when there's no stop there? Could it be I'm reading the map correctly but it's an old map? It got it from http://www.tfl.gov.uk/ (specifically www.tfl.gov.uk/assets/downloads/standard-tube-map.pdf).

Okay, yeah, laugh it up. Then educate me please please please!!!!!

R.

**Posted by Sherlock Holmes** April 17, 2013 7:37 pm

Ignore the little disabled picture and imagine it's just two blank circles like you see on some of the other stations. It means that both the District Line AND the Piccadilly Line stop at Earl's Court.

**Posted by beekeeper** April 17, 2013 8:15 pm

Ok here is what you do

At heathrow, follow the signs for the picadilly line, get on the train (headed towards Cockfosters though that shouldn't be a massive problem-if you somehow manage to go the wrong way for that one stop just stay on once the train terminates until it moves again).

When the train gets to Earls Court, get off. They normally announce it in good time. Start getting yourself together once the train has left Baron's Court though.

Then, tbh, I'd get yourself a cab.

I guess the Tube can be a little confusing and I know, despite having grown up with the Tube, I was utterly thrown by the Parisian Metro and even, fgs, the Glaswegian subway the first time I used them (the Subway has only one, circular, line!). There is something that can be confusing about these things but once you are on the ground they generally seem a lot easier.

Last edited by beekeeper (April 17, 2013 8:17 pm)

**Posted by MNRebecca** April 17, 2013 8:37 pm

Thank you, thank you! If I see Benedict at the airport, I'll snap a pic for everybody. Yeah, I suspect he's leaving the country just as I arrive...for all those STID premieres.

MNRebecca, off to plot the routes to Speedy's, St. Bart's, etc.

**Posted by beekeeper** April 17, 2013 9:10 pm

you could prob walk to Barts actually, maybe not your mum though.

Speedys is on Gower St nr british museum, I'd say nearest tube is holborn

**Posted by Sherlock Holmes** April 17, 2013 9:22 pm

beekeeper wrote:
you could prob walk to Barts actually, maybe not your mum though.

Speedys is on Gower St nr british museum, I'd say nearest tube is holborn

Euston Square is definitely the closest. Just come out the station on Euston Road then turn right onto North Gower Street and it's about half way up. 1-2 minute walk.

**Posted by MNRebecca** April 17, 2013 9:29 pm

Must...control...excitement....

I know! I'll sing!

"Let's all go down to Oxford Circus
Past Trafalgar Square and then from
Charing Cross right up to Euston..."

**Posted by beekeeper** April 17, 2013 9:52 pm

yeah think you're right there actually. Holborn is on the Picadilly Line (like Earls Court), that's the only thing. I'd say its around a mile or so? I have to say I'd walk that to avoid a faffy platform change but I really like walking in London

(ETA kind of need to apologise-I'm a displaced Londoner, and the Tube to me is the epitome of what I love about London. We're offloading the kids in June and going down to London for a week without them and you know what I'm looking forward to most? Using the Tube. Sad, I know ;-) )

Last edited by beekeeper (April 17, 2013 9:54 pm)

**Posted by Davina** April 18, 2013 1:46 pm

But no eye contact eh!

**Posted by MNRebecca** April 18, 2013 1:52 pm

What's a faffy platform change? Where shouldn't you make eye contact?

**Posted by beekeeper** April 21, 2013 2:38 pm

Some platform changes are really arduous. Basically you end up having to walk practically to a different station to change trains. Up lots of stairs and bridges.If you have someone with mobility difficulties-or for me, back when I had three little kids-its often easier just to stay on the train to get to a different station or walk. However, nowadays I really like walking through a tube station too.

Baker Street is a really complex station btw with three subsections and loads of platforms. I think its about my personal favourite though, partly because its very close to where I grew up so it reminds me of being a kid. But partly because its just a real London tube station-rambly, smelling of ozone, lots of steps and dust.

Davina lol-why avoid eye contact?

**Posted by Davina** April 21, 2013 4:43 pm

Something I was told from a young age by my dad who worked in London all his life.

**Posted by beekeeper** April 21, 2013 10:27 pm

ha!

but we londoners are lovely, you can totally look us in the eye, really.

**Posted by erunyauve** April 22, 2013 10:06 am

beekeeper wrote:
Some platform changes are really arduous. Basically you end up having to walk practically to a different station to change trains. Up lots of stairs and bridges.If you have someone with mobility difficulties-or for me, back when I had three little kids-its often easier just to stay on the train to get to a different station or walk. However, nowadays I really like walking through a tube station too.

Baker Street is a really complex station btw with three subsections and loads of platforms. I think its about my personal favourite though, partly because its very close to where I grew up so it reminds me of being a kid. But partly because its just a real London tube station-rambly, smelling of ozone, lots of steps and dust.

Davina lol-why avoid eye contact?

Have they still got the tiles on the walls with Sherlock Holmes' silhouette?

**Posted by Davina** April 22, 2013 10:34 am

PLEASE don't take this seriously! I mean this as a JOKE. However...look what can happen when you make eye-contact on the tube (admittedly this is in New York and it's a FILM and it's Michael Fassbender, so that might not put you off! ) The more observant will notice his scarf...not that I'm obsessed with Sherlock, you understand.

Last edited by Davina (April 22, 2013 10:37 am)