I've just been told I need to relocate to Reading from Dublin. What should I know?

[trashpony]

Fast trains usually stop at Reading and no where much before it (sometimes Slough iirc). Slow ones will stop at Twyford or whaterever it is that the Henley train goes from/stops at. So for the cheaper one you'd always need to be on a slow out of London which can take some time.

Dunno which is quicker in the long run - going to Reading first or not.

The train to Twyford is painful - although doesn't seem to be a lot of benefit timewise going via Reading - 56 mins vs 1h 3m. If you don't go via Reading, you need to change at Slough, then Twyford so it's 3 changes which is a bit of a pita.

Have a look here www.nationalrail.co.uk

You might be better off living in West London - The Twyford train stops at Ealing Broadway I think and then you can drive once you get your car. It's not too bad going out of London, especially if you're not going in as far as the North/South Circular

ETA: which is pretty much what se5 said

 

[Sootysoots]

Stay the fuck away from my ex is the best advise I can give you.

Also, Newbury is on a par with Punchestown as far as racecourses go.

 

[grit]

I am starting to feel a lot better about this whole thing since taking a look around Ealing. Good size rooms within budget and a £260 monthly train ticket with travel time of about an hour (no restrictions)

I can also vist my mates in Brixton in 50 minutes on the tube which is great. Thanks a million se5 you have taken a big weight off my mind.

 

[hiccup]

Lots of nice pubs in Ealing http://trustedplaces.com/places/uk/london/ealing/bar-pub/pubs

There's a few Ealing residents on u75 (inc. me), so if you've got any questions, ask away...

 

[Santino]

Lots of nice pubs in Ealing http://trustedplaces.com/places/uk/london/ealing/bar-pub/pubs

There's a few Ealing residents on u75 (inc. me), so if you've got any questions, ask away...

Ealing Massive in the house

 

[grit]

I was wondering today, if I want to go out in the center of London drinking. Is there any form of public transport to get home after midnight?

 

[hiccup]

There are a couple of nightbuses that run from central London to Ealing.

http://www.tfl.gov.uk/tfl/gettingaround/maps/buses/pdf/nightbuseswestlondon-13834.pdf

 

[DandysRuleOK]

Henley isn't half as bad as it seems. Just beware of the mums with designer buggies. As the kids get older and go to school they can be spotted walking overweight labradors along the river in posh wellies.

Seriously though, not all that bad. All the "normal" stuff about the town just gets kept quiet.

Twyford is a pretty nice place, if you plan to get a train to Henley then you'll be changing there anyway. Charvil, Hurst and Wargrave are all viable place to live but pretty sleepy.

Reading is pretty good, but obviously transport to Henley is a bit crap. There are buses but not the proper "Reading buses" which are quite reliable and regular. The bus to Henley from where I live is about 5 times a day based around work/school hours, the bus to Reading is every 25 minutes and I live further from Reading than Henley.

Errr... dunno what else to add though. I'm proper local if it helps.

Where's the office?

 

[doddles]

Good advice from Puddy Tat. Reading is not as bad as it's made out to be, but it is very much a large commuter town, so if you like city living it will be a bit boring. That said, I think I'd prefer it over the London suburbs. Bear in mind it's a 25 minute direct train from Reading to London Paddington, and there are a lot of trains. On the other hand, the fast trains do finish a bit early, so if you're going out in London at night it can take a while to get home. If you did live in Reading, then the bus to Henley would be the way to go I reckon. Areas in Reading to avoid: "South" Reading, West Reading and Cemetery Junction. Other areas close to the station are fine.

 

[Santino]

I was wondering today, if I want to go out in the center of London drinking. Is there any form of public transport to get home after midnight?

There are a couple of nightbuses that run from central London to Ealing.

http://www.tfl.gov.uk/tfl/gettingaround/maps/buses/pdf/nightbuseswestlondon-13834.pdf

Also, trains run from Paddington to Ealing until about 1.30 I think. Maybe even later.

 

[grit]

I'm going to be over in Ealing late next week to start having a proper look for somewhere to live. Anyone have any suggestions for a cheap place to stay around Ealing while I look?

Thanks

 

[hiccup]

I can't really recommend anywhere, but there are a few B&Bs round Ealing Broadway, which'd probably be a pretty convenient place to stay

http://www.bedandbreakfasts.co.uk/propertysearch.asp?query=W5&force=&nomap=

 

[grit]

Thanks!

Just wanted to say a big thank you for everyone who gave advice on the thread. I put a deposit down on a really nice double room in the center of Ealing today.

Things are going to be very tough for me leaving behind my girlfriend and family but the information I've gotten from urban has really helped me make the best out of a bad situation.

Cheers

Ps It would be cool to have the opportunity to buy a pint for the ealing residents here on urban who helped so much

 

[deadringer]

Puddy Tat: The job is going to give me a relocation allowance and some time to go over and get a place rented before being moved over. So far eastern reading suburbs sound like what I'm after

how about doing a crash course in driving if you have some time? i done this when i was 17, 4 days of 4hrs a day and the test on friday. although i failed, i did a couple of double lessons in between my next test, which i passed and had completed the whole process in 3 weeks.

 

[grit]

That sounds exactly like what I need to do. I've had some people telling me to go back to Ireland to do the actual test. Am I correct in thinking that there is some sort of one year restriction after you pass the uk test?

I'll have a google now for those driving courses thanks.

 

[Oswaldtwistle]

I see you are in the UK now- hows the driving going?

 

[grit]

I arrived about two weeks ago so am giving myself the first month to get settled in and the basics sorted. Its only been today that I've been able to finalise getting a uk bank account and transfering over a couple of grand from Ireland to get myself going.

I'm going to do a one week intensive course in september prob ,with the hope of passing that week (I am however putting extra money asside for another few lessons after just in case).

I was over with my mates in Brixton last night and they were telling me to go up north to buy a car, I'm look at something like a golf 1.4, I did a quote on confused.com and it only came out to about 500 quid for the insruance, think I must have done something wrong for it to be that cheap?

 

[marty21]

I arrived about two weeks ago so am giving myself the first month to get settled in and the basics sorted. Its only been today that I've been able to finalise getting a uk bank account and transfering over a couple of grand from Ireland to get myself going.

I'm going to do a one week intensive course in september prob ,with the hope of passing that week (I am however putting extra money asside for another few lessons after just in case).

I was over with my mates in Brixton last night and they were telling me to go up north to buy a car, I'm look at something like a golf 1.4, I did a quote on confused.com and it only came out to about 500 quid for the insruance, think I must have done something wrong for it to be that cheap?

does sound cheap insurance for a new driver, mine's about £350 with maximum no claims discount

 

[kabbes]

Oops. Should have finished reading thread first!

 

[grit]

does sound cheap insurance for a new driver, mine's about £350 with maximum no claims discount

It wasnt comprehensive though just 3rd party fire and theft

 

[marty21]

It wasnt comprehensive though just 3rd party fire and theft

that makes more sense

 

[grit]

that makes more sense

So maybe I didnt fuck it up?

 

[hiccup]

Car insurance in the UK is, I'm pretty sure, cheaper than in Ireland. £500 for a Golf for a new driver doesn't sound particularly unrealistic.

 

[marty21]

So maybe I didnt fuck it up?

possibly. mine is fully comprehensive, for a similar sized car, 3rd party is a lot cheaper

 

[grit]

3rd party just means that legally im covered if i hit someone else but pretty mcuh everything will have to come from my own pocket?

 

[hiccup]

3rd party will pay for repairs to the car you hit, but you'd have to pay for repairs to your own car (assuming it was your fault). Fully comp would cover the cost of repairs to your car also.

 

[grit]

But is it not the case that a lot of the time there is no point in claiming for yourself as its just going to push your premium up the next time you renew or am i being paranoid?

 

[Sunray]

Fully comp would cover the cost of repairs to your car also.

Avoid claiming on car insurance as infrequently as humanly possible. Go to as extreme lengths as humanly possible to avoid doing claming, or you will pay dearly for their time and trouble come the next few insurance renewals.

 

[grit]

that's what I thought so why would anyone bother with comprehensive in the first place?

 

[hiccup]

I guess it's worth it if you've got a posh car. And with some comprehensive policies you get other benefits like being covered (third party) to drive any other vehicle.