Driving from SE England to the north, advice needed

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brinkie
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Driving from SE England to the north, advice needed

Post by brinkie » Tue Jun 13, 2017 2:04 pm

I think this is the best place to ask :)

We have decided to try driving on the wrong, errrr, other side of the road, i.e. will be spending our holidays in England this year. Not by 480 unfortunately, though it will seat all four of us comfortably and it is both more frugal and more agile, the luggage space will not take enough for two weeks! So it will be the V70 with its cavernous boot and a rain sensor. :lol:

Now I am after some advice about the best roads to take...

The first long leg (262 miles) of our trip will be from near Chatham (Kent) to Flamborough (Yorkshire). Google maps sends me along Cambridge (M11), A14, A1(M), A1, M18, M62, A614, which means a lot of dual carriageways instead of motorways. Alternatively, I could choose to drive along the M25, then take the M1 to Sheffield, then the M18, M62, A614. Which is more preferable, M1 or A1? I don't want a long scenic route, just go there fast (withing speed limits of course ;) ) before a mutiny starts from the back seats :crazy:

Next long leg will be from Yorkshire to the Lake District. Google maps takes me along 147 miles of single carriageway (A64, A59, A65). Alternatively I could travel back the way I came and take the M62 to Manchester and then M61 and M6 north, but I think this will be a very busy and boring road?

Final lap is from Lake District to the ferry in Hull, which is mainly motorway according to Google (M6, M61, M62, A63), but could also take a more northern route to York and then south-east to Hull.

Any information about good places for resting, tea and lunch are welcome. Are there good service stations like they have in France along the péage and where to find them? It's the first time I will be driving in the UK so I have no clue what to expect, except to remember to keep left. :D
Robert.

Present cars: 1994 Volvo 480 GT 2.0i, 1999 Volvo S70 2.5 Europa, 2010 Volvo V70 2.0F Momentum

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jamescarruthers
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Re: Driving from SE England to the north, advice needed

Post by jamescarruthers » Tue Jun 13, 2017 4:35 pm

If you are coming past Cambridge, you are more than welcome to call in, even if just for 5 minutes to say hello; I live in Horningsea, one minute off the A14. Cambridge is one of the finest places to be a tourist in the UK if you want to go into the city.

I'm afraid our motorway service stations are pretty bad and overpriced. There is a pretty famous book called "Near the Motorways: Affordable Alternatives to Service Stations" which may help you plan a good driving holiday in the UK.
1987 Volvo 480 ES, 507274, 217 - Red (Ness)
2006 Citroen C6 Exclusive 3.0 petrol/LPG
2008 Mini Cooper convertible (Mau)

Previous 480's:
J123 CFU -- ES
J449 MNL -- ES auto
D864 CPV -- ES
L691 JFC -- Turbo
F70 MNR -- ES
H858 FGV -- Turbo auto
E981 KHM -- ES (509849)

arthuy
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Re: Driving from SE England to the north, advice needed

Post by arthuy » Tue Jun 13, 2017 6:21 pm

Pick the scenic route if you have the time, motorways are boring. I like the scenery in the lakes and the moor roads

Having made a few recent trips up and down the M6 be prepared for a bit of slow moving traffic.

Also if you drive at the national speed limit you will have trucks sitting up your back door ford fiestas and the likes will fly past you. The standard of driving leads a lot to be desired.

Hopefully the Sunshines for you. Are you visiting England for any particular reason or have time to see any cars shows? There will be something on for sure.

jifflemon
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Re: Driving from SE England to the north, advice needed

Post by jifflemon » Wed Jun 14, 2017 3:15 pm

Just a random thought.... Can speed cameras track Euro number plates these days? :wink:

Espada
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Re: Driving from SE England to the north, advice needed

Post by Espada » Wed Jun 14, 2017 7:00 pm

It is swings and roundabouts, I use the M25, M1, A1m and M11 most days of the week and there is not much to choose between them.

M25 can be very busy, has a variable speed limit with cameras and often stops for no reason.

M1 continuation of variable speed limit, however if the road stops around Luton or Bedford, you can cut across to the A1 and avoid the roadblock.

A1m straight through and there are many junctions so options to stop or avoid things if required.

M11, many people complain but I like this road as it moves however, there are few junctions so if the road does stop, you will be there for some time. The next problem with this road is the A14, it is bad at the best of times, catch it wrong and it stops. Currently there are roadworks after Cambridge and they will be going on for some time, but it does provide the opportunity to sit and look across the fields whilst waiting for things to move.

In view you might not be familiar with UK roads, how about picking up the A1 at Junction 23 of the M25 near to Potters Bar, this way you will miss the M11 which is generally ok but can have problems and the A14 that I do my best to avoid. There are a couple of speed cameras and the odd average speed limit areas but they are well signed.

I cannot comment on the rest but hope this helps.

Regards

Simon

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jamescarruthers
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Re: Driving from SE England to the north, advice needed

Post by jamescarruthers » Wed Jun 14, 2017 8:48 pm

If you are worried about traffic, I'd suggest using a TomTom with traffic and just tell it where you want to go. I get redirected occasionally and have faith that I am missing some horrors!
1987 Volvo 480 ES, 507274, 217 - Red (Ness)
2006 Citroen C6 Exclusive 3.0 petrol/LPG
2008 Mini Cooper convertible (Mau)

Previous 480's:
J123 CFU -- ES
J449 MNL -- ES auto
D864 CPV -- ES
L691 JFC -- Turbo
F70 MNR -- ES
H858 FGV -- Turbo auto
E981 KHM -- ES (509849)

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brinkie
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Re: Driving from SE England to the north, advice needed

Post by brinkie » Thu Jun 15, 2017 2:12 pm

Thanks for the information! :)
I have found these gems while searching online:
https://www.theguardian.com/travel/2014 ... y-holidays
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/desti ... -motorway/
and reading the reviews, the service stations are best to be avoided, especially those near London. (parking fines if you stay longer than 2 hours? :shock:)

As of today I can use my mobile data in the UK, so until you lot leave the EU, I can use Google navigation, which does a great job in avoiding traffic.

Taking the A1 from Potters Bar adds 9 miles to the journey, I guess that will be a viable option if the A14 is to be avoided at all cost!

I will be travelling northbound on a Monday so there isn't an opportunity to accept your invitation James, I guess you will be at work then.
And as far as ANPR goes, if they can read my license plate at the Dartford crossing, the average speed cameras will probably be able to read them as well :(
Robert.

Present cars: 1994 Volvo 480 GT 2.0i, 1999 Volvo S70 2.5 Europa, 2010 Volvo V70 2.0F Momentum

frenchfries
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Re: Driving from SE England to the north, advice needed

Post by frenchfries » Thu Jun 15, 2017 7:20 pm

If you are near Lincoln (not far from Hull) you can also swing-by. It is a lovely place.........and you can pick up my counters ;)
1993 Turbo auto called Skip for the important stuff
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jamescarruthers
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Re: Driving from SE England to the north, advice needed

Post by jamescarruthers » Thu Jun 15, 2017 9:12 pm

No problem if you can't make it. However, I work shift (week on/week off) so I get every other Monday off, if you do fancy it, and it's the right Monday. No pressure!

The A14 isn't too bad, you will only be on it for half an hour before joining the A1 to go north. It is down to 50 just north of Cambridge I believe. However, if something goes wrong on it on the bit north of Cambridge, oh my God does it go wrong!
1987 Volvo 480 ES, 507274, 217 - Red (Ness)
2006 Citroen C6 Exclusive 3.0 petrol/LPG
2008 Mini Cooper convertible (Mau)

Previous 480's:
J123 CFU -- ES
J449 MNL -- ES auto
D864 CPV -- ES
L691 JFC -- Turbo
F70 MNR -- ES
H858 FGV -- Turbo auto
E981 KHM -- ES (509849)

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Re: Driving from SE England to the north, advice needed

Post by jifflemon » Fri Jun 16, 2017 10:25 am

brinkie wrote:And as far as ANPR goes, if they can read my license plate at the Dartford crossing, the average speed cameras will probably be able to read them as well :(
This article suggests you may get away with it.....

Not encouraging you to speed and don't know how old that is, but it's an "interesting" thought....

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brinkie
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Re: Driving from SE England to the north, advice needed

Post by brinkie » Sat Jun 17, 2017 1:19 pm

Speed cameras in The Netherlands are operated by the police, they will send the fine to the address the car is registered to (i.e. the owner will be persecuted), and if that was a rental car, the car rental company wlll charge your credit card with the fine plus a surcharge.
Until May this year, the UK were not following an EU directive called Cross Border Enforcement (CBE), so no vehicle registration data were interchanged with foreign countries. That means you lot were safe here unless you were stopped by the police.

However, the UK has a system that persecutes the driver, not the owner of the vehicle, which imposes some interesting legal issues when it comes to persecuting drivers of foreign registered cars.

https://www.rac.co.uk/drive/news/motori ... directive/
Robert.

Present cars: 1994 Volvo 480 GT 2.0i, 1999 Volvo S70 2.5 Europa, 2010 Volvo V70 2.0F Momentum

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Re: Driving from SE England to the north, advice needed

Post by Martin Mc » Sat Jun 17, 2017 9:53 pm

Hello Robert,

What a great idea! I'd be very happy to meet you on your travels, when you get into the North West. We live in a small town called Blackburn, north of Manchester, and there are some delightful drives from here through areas called the Ribble Valley and the Trough of Bowland, which would take you and your party up to the Lake District via a scenic route.

PM me your approximate itinerary - I'd love to be able to show you your handiwork re-installed in the dash of 'the extra-marital car'. :D

All the best!

Martin
1991 ES White / 1995 ES Red / 1995 ES Red / 1994 S Black / 1995 Celebration Red / 1994 S Paris Blue / 1995 Celebration (again!) Red - Currently free of all extramarital cars, wrench-loose and fancy free :)

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brinkie
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Re: Driving from SE England to the north, advice needed

Post by brinkie » Wed Aug 09, 2017 10:48 pm

Well, me and my wife managed to survive over 1000 miles of driving on the left :lol:

We got a few hair-raising moments because we weren't used to the British roads. One lesson learned: do not approach a dual carriageway thinking it is laid out just like a motorway, with merging lanes allowing to pick up speed so you can merge into the traffic smoothly. Many times there is no merging lane, you just enter the road when it's free, which doesn't happen very often on your busy roads. Anyway, I was completely unaware of that, was already picking up speed (around 50 mph) because the satnav told me I had to merge onto a dual carriageway and just after the point of no return (more precise: the point where hard braking doesn't stop me in time) I saw there was absolutely no merging lane :shock: and entered the road, luckily there was no traffic nearby. I called on the Lady of Blessed Acceleration not to fail me and bring me to 70 mph as soon as possible. Which is hard in a V70 with the 145 bhp Mazda 2 litre engine but slamming into third gear and flooring the accelerator helps. Other scary moments were on twisty B-roads where you could not see a bloody thing what was to be expected around the bends, because there were hedges and stone walls on both sides of the road and the drivers's position doesn't allow you to see much if you are driving an LHD car on the left. Also it is not my favourite job to back up almost 16 feet of Swedish steel to the nearest passing place when a truck appears around the corner of a single lane road. On the other hand, usually I curse trucks who are driving in front of me on twisty rural roads with no possibility to overtake them, but in this case they are a blessing because they move oncoming traffic aside so you can pass smoothly. :D

To my surprise, I got no queues for the Dartford crossing (it was really busy though) and drove on the M25 on the right lane with cruise control set to 115 km/h on the speedometer, which is exactly 70 mph according to the satnav. Also, on the M11 things went smoothly. The trouble began on the A14. Traffic was slow due to roadworks, and we decided to take a break at the Cambridge services. Quite a nice service station, I've seen far, far worse. Anyway, we switched drivers and my wife took the wheel. She had to merge onto the dual carriageway where no merge lane was present due to the roadworks. Which was no problem at all, because it basically meant to parallel park the car into the queue :lol:
The queue was moving slowly, jokingly I made a picture of a sign "Average speed control" when we were doing maybe 10 mph on average :rofl: After a few miles we saw a terrible accident on the other half of the road. Three cars crashed into each other, the road was closed completely in the other direction, and in the subsequent queue people were sitting outside of their cars, someone was even reading a book on the bonnet of her car. So averaging 10 mph wasn't that bad.
The rest of the journey on the A1/A1(M) went smoothly.

On the way from Lake District to the ferry in Hull we decided not to take the southern route (M6/M61/M62), but opted to go a bit north on the M6... what a beautiful landscape. We will try Scotland next year. Then via the A66 where we ended up in queues because of roadworks on the A1 (they are converting it to A1(M) so it was for a good cause!) but after that it was motorways almost all the way to Hull.
Robert.

Present cars: 1994 Volvo 480 GT 2.0i, 1999 Volvo S70 2.5 Europa, 2010 Volvo V70 2.0F Momentum

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Re: Driving from SE England to the north, advice needed

Post by frenchfries » Thu Aug 10, 2017 5:34 pm

LOL

I remember engaging warp speed while leaving a Little Chef restaurant on the A1 a couple of times. It was a Mondeo Turbo Diesel Auto so all I had to do was to floor it but yes, it never goes as fast as you want it to go :)
1993 Turbo auto called Skip for the important stuff
2011 Juke 190 for everything else

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Re: Driving from SE England to the north, advice needed

Post by Martin Mc » Sat Aug 12, 2017 7:26 am

Come on Robert -post your pictures, so we can all enjoy your 'relaxing drive' around the UK with you :)

I'm glad you liked the West side (Lake District / M6 run) - the next trip I'd be happy to help you navigate the interesting bits in the middle of the country (Ribble Valley / Trough of Bowland / Barnard Castle) which cars like the 480 really work well in.

All the best!
1991 ES White / 1995 ES Red / 1995 ES Red / 1994 S Black / 1995 Celebration Red / 1994 S Paris Blue / 1995 Celebration (again!) Red - Currently free of all extramarital cars, wrench-loose and fancy free :)

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