LlamaLAN

I dont think I can get to LL5, the car hire place that I was going to use, I checked again and I have to be 1 year older.

I have been searching other car hire places on the internet and they are all expensive, they'll be cheap and say a 450 miles limit, after 450 miles its 25p per mile extra, and on a roundabout 700 mile round trip for me, that will be another ?70 on top of a ?55 hire cost.
Then petrol on top of that.

The only other way is the train, however the train will cost roundabout ?60 and it includes 3 changes, in the london underground, which with a computer I really dont want to do.

Airplane - around same price of the train but again, transporting a computer without breakage on the train? I think not, as well as getting from Kent Intl airport to the lan.

Helo - Just out of the question

Hitching - With a computer? you gotta be kidding!

The only option for me now is to either try and borrow a car - unlikly or try and get an extended test drive of a car from a local show room.

Considering the amount of people you have cajoled into coming, I find that highly amusing.

Form the point of view of seeing my friend Andy again, not to mention the case he is bringing for me

I think we will need to sort something out!

so, I'll get right on it

Thank you for the email !

Much appreciated!

... based on watching people roll up to an i-series and other events these bags with wheels seem to be invaluable for people lugging PCs on trains, and with clothes packed around them they seem to be pretty bump proof, some people chhose to remove anthing like heatsinks during transporting to be on the extra safe side. Just an idea in case you decide to go with the train idea, ditto planes, we may even be able to fetch you from the Airport if it became necessary and we have several other people from further down the line of the A2/M2 closer to the airport like the Team Evil guys who may be able to offer assistance on that front. BTW have you considered coaches, they are often much cheaper than trains and would generally be only one stop over in London and swapping within the same building?

CD

Coach Option

?43.90

OUTWARD A
Departs 23:30 31st March
Arrives 08:10 1st April
Duration 8hrs 40min 40 min wait (London (central))
Changes 1

OUTWARD B
Departs 07:30 1st April
Arrives 17:00
Duration 9hrs 30min 40 min wait (London (central))
Changes 1

RETURN A
Departs 13:20
Arrives 23:05
Duration 9hrs 45min 70 min wait (London (central))
Changes 1

RETURN B
Departs 21:30
Arrives 06:05 4 Apr 05
Duration 8hrs 35min 40 min wait (London (central))
Changes 1

... and has the advantage of not needing you to drive so you can rest overnight on the way down and recover on the way back!

How does that sound?

Edit 1: if you choose OUTWARD A and RETURN A the price drops to ?38.90 'cos you aren't travelling on a Friday!

Edit 2: ?23.25 for just the London Newcastle part of the journey using Funfare options, but you'd still have to fork out for the London - Medway Towns part which I suspect is more than the difference.

CD

Coaches dont let you take all the stuff I would have, I once tried getting to an i series on coach and they refused due to my luggage.

I have also heard of people getting turned away at the bus station because of the amount of luggage and they will have had less luggage than me.

And have you seen how coach drivers-drive in town? They throw their coaches around corners and my computer and monitor would most likly be in pieces by the time I got to york, nevemind Kent.

I wish it was an option, it just isnt for me

It might be an option for Minidisk - he only has a shuttle and tft

Thank you for the attempt.

What can I take on the coach?

Luggage is limited to two medium sized suitcases per person, plus one piece of hand luggage on all services.

We can offer no advanced guarantee that excess luggage will be carried, as we have no idea what each customer will bring.

We can take bikes, as long as they are designed to fold in half by means of a special link in the main frame and are carried in a proper protective carrying case. We can also take skis and snowboards - again, as long as they are in an appropriate carrying case.

We cannot carry animals, except Assistance Dogs.

I wouldn't have thought that a PC case would be any larger than a 'medium sized suitcase' and you are allowed TWO of those ... they even allow Skis and Bicycles! Just write them a letter in advance telling them the exact dimensions of the 'luggage' and get it in writing whether they will allow you to take them, and most coaches don't pull and maneuvers that your average car driver such as yourself would pull presuming a minimum level of packaging they should be fine.

The full details are recorded at the following web address :

http://www.nationalexpress.com/utilitie ... policy.cfm

You are allowed to take onto a service one or two medium sized suitcases or rucksacks (of no more than 30 x 70 x 20cm in size and 30kg in weight), and one small piece of hand luggage

Fragile items such as electrical goods, portable televisions, and radio will only be carried if they are of reasonable size and securely fastened.

So it looks like they are fine with it provided it is within those limits and properly packed.

I hope that throws some light on the subject, I'm sure Tim has offered the use of a screen already to prevent you needing to bring one.

Edit 1: and of course we could probably rustle up a mouse / keyboard and other sundries like power cables if it will make the journey easier.

Edit 2: I have sent an e-mail to National Express asking for writen clarification of this

A friend wishes to travel from Newcastle to Gillingham, Kent for an event I am organising. This will require him to bring along two Personal Computer cases, one empty, one full of the usual components. Individually and collectively, even when packed and protected, they should fall within the dimensions and weights quoted for your 'medium size suitcases', would it be possible to confirm, preferably in writing, that you would not object to carrying these items between these two points? The remainder of his luggage would easily fit into a bag suitable for carrying as hand luggage and of appropriate dimensions for carrying in an overhead locker.

Yours sincerely, and anticipating a positive response,

Robert King

Here's hoping you reconsider ...

CD

Woah!

Thats a lot of work there, thanks Rob!!!

I did not know you or Tim had a screen I could borrow, but that would be perfect

If I got it in writing I think I could get on, thanks for that Rob.

Anything for a happy customer!

It may not be a brilliant screen, but I'm sure it will suffice for the duration of the LAN.

All we have to do now is get MiniDisk sorted .... where is he from?

CD

You are allowed to take onto a service one or two medium sized suitcases or rucksacks (of no more than 30 x 70 x 20cm in size and 30kg in weight), and one small piece of hand luggage.

Can you do a quick measure to make sure that you aren't going to exceed the above size once it has been placed in a rucksack/suitcase and padded appropriately

Edit 1: Despite the description above in another part of the website I found the following

7. LUGGAGE
7.1 Permitted Luggage:We will carry your luggage on and subject to these General Conditions of Carriage and any applicable Special Conditions. You are allowed to take onto a service one or two medium sized suitcases or rucksacks (no more than 20kg per item) and one small piece of hand luggage. In this context, hand luggage means something that is capable of fitting in an overhead luggage rack or under seats.

Note that this indicates a maximum of 20kg per item instead of the 30kg mentioned elsewhere .... so I would weigh and work to the lower limit to be on the safe side.

CD

... and even more news!

National Express do a young person's discount card ... this costs ?10.00, but gives you 30% off your fare ... so by my calculations ...

Original Fare ?38.90
Cost of nxCard ?10.00
30% discount on fare ?11.67
therefore an additional saving of ?1.67 !!!

plus it lasts a year and sounds like a quite good idea if you are considering using this method of getting around the country for other reasons such as attending other LANs.

Edit 1: and the bonus is that you can choose the colour of the card and you can get a black and white design called BADGER! badger badger badger badger badger mushroom mushroom! in the shape of a snake a snake a snake! ... see number 5 below ...



1. The Rock
2. The Surf's Up
3. The Princess
4. The Classic
5. The Badger
6. The Goblin

CD

CyberDrac wrote:Anything for a happy customer!
All we have to do now is get MiniDisk sorted .... where is he from?

Hes from carlise, he could do the same journey, but he has a tft and a shuttle, whats all this sensible thinking I keep seeing tbh ?!

How does a dell 17" with a max resolution of 1600 * 1200 sound?

forgot about them tbh.

oh, and on a more important note, if you can't bring both cases, then leave the atc one at home, and just bring yourself and your PC.

we can sort out teh case another time

mr_roll wrote:

CyberDrac wrote:Anything for a happy customer!
All we have to do now is get MiniDisk sorted .... where is he from?

Hes from carlise, he could do the same journey, but he has a tft and a shuttle, whats all this sensible thinking I keep seeing tbh ?!

Sensible thinking ... us? how dare you!

CD