Stay in Great Britain (to visit the National Archives)

Discussion in 'Research Material' started by paddle14, Dec 3, 2018.

  1. paddle14

    paddle14 Member

    Hello,

    Maybe some of you could help me. I'm French and I'm writing a thesis about the relationships between British Army and Norman civilian during the WWII. In next february, I would like to visit the National Archives in London.
    I'll be in Brighton in February 3rd to 10th. From tuesday to saturday, I would like to visit the National Archives and consult the documents which I need for my thesis.
    To the journey, what is the less expensive ? I have no car and I maybe I could take the train from the Brighton's station to the Clapham Junction, from Clapham to Kew Bridge and end by walking.
    I found that a journey is about €35 (I don't know in £) and maybe is it possible to find something less expensive ?
    Thank you in advance,

    Best regards,

    Paddle
     
  2. PsyWar.Org

    PsyWar.Org Archive monkey

    You'd be better going to Kew Gardens rather than Kew Bridge. It means another change at Richmond but is actually quicker as there are faster and more frequent trains from Clapham Junction to Richmond. Also the walk from Kew Gardens to TNA is about half the distance.

    If you leave Brighton after 9:00 am the travel card is a lot cheaper but you will not get to TNA until 11:30 at best. It's OK on a Tuesday and Thursday as they are open until 7pm. Saturday is also cheaper but the main rail line is shut down practically every weekend until sometime in February for engineering works.

    Lee
     
    Last edited: Dec 3, 2018
    Tricky Dicky likes this.
  3. PsyWar.Org

    PsyWar.Org Archive monkey

    As you're visiting for a number of days in a row, you'd be better off finding an AirBnB around Kew or somewhere close to a District Line Tube station.
     
  4. paddle14

    paddle14 Member

    Thank you for the advice.
    I prefer leave Brighton before 9.00am to get to TNA at the opening. I have about 200 folders to consult in TNA, so I think I need a maximum of time.
    Where can I find the prices to take the train ? Maybe does exist a discount card ?
     
  5. PsyWar.Org

    PsyWar.Org Archive monkey

    From Brighton before 9am, a one day ticket is about 50 Euros. You might be able to get a weekly ticket which is probably around 150 Euros for the week.

    Perhaps there is some sort of Euro discount card for rail travel? Students in the UK get a 30% discount with a student rail card. However that costs £30 per year to purchase one.

    If there is engineering works on the Saturday, you'd have to take the bus replacement service and are looking at a 3.5 to 4 hour journey time.

    Taking a coach from Brighton might be a cheaper but slower alternative.
     
    Tricky Dicky likes this.
  6. Tullybrone

    Tullybrone Senior Member

    Hi,

    I’m no expert on travel from Brighton to Kew Gardens but using the National Rail journey planner - see below - it shows a 9.02 train tomorrow (and 4th Feb) from Brighton arriving Kew Gardens 10.36am and a return from 7.15pm arriving Brighton 9.01pm at a cost of £26.30p (£27.30p in Feb). Both journeys require 3 changes.

    See below link -

    Your UK Train Journey Planner - National Rail Enquiries

    Bon Chance

    Steve
     
    Tricky Dicky likes this.
  7. Tricky Dicky

    Tricky Dicky Don'tre member

  8. PsyWar.Org

    PsyWar.Org Archive monkey

    It will be very difficult to access 200 documents in five days. If most are in the same record series, e.g. WO 171, you could do two bulk orders of 40 documents each as long as you pre-order them. The other three days you might get 20 to 25 in a day with good organisation.
     
  9. Roy Martin

    Roy Martin Senior Member

    Hi Paddle,
    I think you should seriously consider Lee (PsyWar.Org)'s advice and at least stay for a couple of nights near Kew; maybe Tuesday and Wednesday nights, then you can take advantage of the late opening. This would be a better use of your time, and Southern Railway from Brighton is one of the worst lines for delays in the country!
     
  10. Incredibledisc

    Incredibledisc Well-Known Member

    You could, of course, get Lee or Drew to copy whatever documents you don’t get time to see.
     
    CL1, Drew5233 and PsyWar.Org like this.
  11. Gary Tankard

    Gary Tankard Well-Known Member

    If you are booking this far in advance you might want to look at the Travel Lodge in Richmond. You could get it for around £35-40 a night. It is five minutes from Richmond tube. Leaving at 8:30 still gets you to the archive well in time for 9am.

    There is also a Travel Lodge at Kew Bridge but it’s a goo 20-30 minute walk so it’s actually quicker coming from Richmond although you have to pay for the Tube.
     
  12. DannyM

    DannyM Member

    Hi,
    A link to Southern Railway weekly ticket information.

    Season Train Tickets | Buy Train Season Ticket | Southern Railway


    At the moment the fare is around £108 for seven days. In January the fares are due to rise again.

    Personally I would look at the alternatives people have suggested and stay in the area.

    Enjoy your visit whatever you decide to do.

    Danny

    weekly.jpg
     
    Last edited: Dec 4, 2018
    CL1 likes this.
  13. PsyWar.Org

    PsyWar.Org Archive monkey

    Genuinely surprised the weekly ticket is that low, there's even an £100 option.
     
  14. DannyM

    DannyM Member

    Hi,
    So was I.

    I did have a quick look to see if there were any restrictions on the times that you could travel but could not see any.

    Regards

    Danny
     
  15. paddle14

    paddle14 Member

    Hello

    Thank you very much for all your advices !

    Concerning the documents in TNA, they're in the same records serie (WO 171). Do you know how many week in advance have I to order them ? I find 6 weeks on the website.

    Regarding the train I don't found any informations about the engineering works on the Saturday. Do you have a link ?
    I think you're right, I should stay in Kew from the Tuesday to the Friday or Saturday, it will be less expensive.
     
  16. paddle14

    paddle14 Member

    But if it is possible to have a weekly ticket about £100, it is less cheaper.
     
  17. paddle14

    paddle14 Member

    I found this weekly ticket :
    Booking Engine

    But it concerns only December, I don't find for February.
     
  18. DannyM

    DannyM Member

    Hi,
    It could be because the price of the fare will rise in January 2019.

    Engineering Works information is here: Planned Changes to Train Times | Southern Railway

    You will need to check in January to see if they have updated it.

    Main website for Southern Railways Train Tickets | Book Train Tickets Online | Buy Train Tickets | Southern Railway

    You can find out if there are any engineering works on the tube from Richmond here Tube, Overground, TfL Rail, DLR & Tram status updates

    National Rail Map London National Rail. Tube map here Tube and Rail

    If you do decide to travel from Brighton then you might be better off getting the £107 weekly ticket as it may allow you more travel options if there are problems with the trains in London.

    Danny
     
    Tricky Dicky likes this.
  19. Tricky Dicky

    Tricky Dicky Don'tre member

    Paddle - was reading this section entitled "My Bleedin' Holidays" and thought of you/this thread

    TD
     

    Attached Files:

  20. Tullybrone

    Tullybrone Senior Member

    Hi,

    It’s not clear whether you already have a National Archives readers ticket?

    If not you’ll need to go through the “new joiners” induction process which may eat into your first day of planned research.

    Others more knowledgeable than I will be able to definitively confirm whether you can order files in advance as a non registered user but my thoughts are “Non”.

    Steve
     

Share This Page