Welcome to the up and coming areas of London ...

padington

Samsonite1 wrote: »

As someone working in Central London, I realised that living on a tube line was really pointless.

Haven't you just proved yourself wrong by writing that on the Iminent night train thread ?

Fortunately though in wooders we have tube and overground.

Samsonite1

padington wrote: »

Haven't you just proved yourself wrong by writing that on the Iminent night train thread ?

Fortunately though in wooders we have tube and overground.

Not really? There is a night bus for when the trains stop running (1am-ish), but I have never had to use it.

Samsonite1

Obviously the other advantages being a big house, big garden, good neighbourhood and countryside within a few minutes if you want it. But for me the main driver was getting to any part of London quickly. If you are too far in, you are too limited.

padington

Samsonite1 wrote: »

Obviously the other advantages being a big house, big garden, good neighbourhood and countryside within a few minutes if you want it. But for me the main driver was getting to any part of London quickly. If you are too far in, you are too limited.

What neck of the woods are you ?

zagubov

I used to live in central London in Vauxhall. The underground and mainline connections were great; the mainline for getting to Surrey and the underground for getting round London. But no place to bring up a family.

Out,_Vile_Jelly

When I lived in zone 5 I got to work quicker using the trains (15 mins to Victoria or London Bridge) than I did in zone 3 using the Tube. I've always lived in South London, where you are much less reliant on the Tube. Trains go to Croydon throughout the night from Victoria too.

Everywhere I've ever lived in London had a good night bus from the centre. Where I live now the stop is nearer my house than the Tube so arguably more useful.

westernpromise

Samsonite1 wrote: »

As someone working in Central London, I realised that living on a tube line was really pointless. Living by a mainline station that gets you to Central London in 15 minutes seems much better - nicer trains and quicker to get to work. I looked at moving to all sorts of places in London but you are bound by the one tube line generally. If you live near a fast mainline service, you can get direct to several London stations.

Yes, but unfortunately the mainline station is usually only half way there. You've then got to get from the mainline station to wherever you actually work, which typically means piling onto the Tube when it's already packed out with people who got onto it 6 stops upstream of you. Judging by the smash at Euston, King's Cross and Moorgate every day on the Northern Line, you may have to let three tubes go past before you can fight your way onto one. You would need to be within walking distance at both ends really.

The best location I ever had was in Maida Vale, when I had Warwick Avenue tube nearby, St John's Wood a little further but still walkable, and Edgware Road and Paddington likewise. Of course for this you pay a bit of a premium.

lisyloo

Agree with what samsonite and vice jelly are saying.
I live in central London (zone 1) but at least 12 minutes from any tube. I found my 3 mile journey to work by bus took about 1 hour, tube about 50 mins (including 25 mins walking), walking 1 hour and cycling 40 mins (taking a more scenic route and swapping boris bikes).

Colleagues from much further out used to take the same amount of time.
Of course it depends how far both ends are from transport (which was bad in my case).
If there was only one commute in the house it would be terrible planning, but if there's more than one person commuting then someone might have to compromise.

padington

zagubov wrote: »

I used to live in central London in Vauxhall. The underground and mainline connections were great; the mainline for getting to Surrey and the underground for getting round London. But no place to bring up a family.

Vauxhall ten years ago was Literally the a hole of south London. The twin town to North Londons Archway. Certainly no place for kids. Changing quickly now though.

padington

Samsonite1 wrote: »

Not really? There is a night bus for when the trains stop running (1am-ish), but I have never had to use it.

A bus compared to the tube is like the difference between a donkey and a racehorse. Try zone 1 to zone 6 on a bus sometime.