Gloucester game (meeting up)

[Chilham]

I'll be there with the Chilham Family Singers in full ensemble.  It'd be great to catch you for a beer Raggs.  We're staying at the Ricoh, although I've discovered this morning that we have two hotels booked, the DoubleTree and one in town!  I'll have to get on to that.  Make a plan later in the week.

[Raggs]

All sounds good.  Looks like we'll be getting there around 1pm (depending on driving time, could be earlier, doubt it will be much later), so hopefully straight to the shop, bit of time in the fan village, then to seats. But we'll have to watch what's going on.

[NellyWellyWaspy]

The bar I was talking about is the Heinken bar, next to the steps up to E19/E20 (which are the steps you need to go up, come in at the T19 turnstile I think). The bar is to the right of the stairwell, and to the left is an area with a big green first aid box and the fastTrack beer collection point.

[Raggs]

How long before kick-off would people suggest heading to our seats? Especially considering it's looking like it's packed?

Anyone know what happened with the fireworks last time? Were they immediately after, or started a bit later?  Shop is open for an hour after final whistle, but it strikes me that by the time we got out the stadium, half that could be gone already.

[NellyWellyWaspy]

How long before kick-off would people suggest heading to our seats? Especially considering it's looking like it's packed?

Anyone know what happened with the fireworks last time? Were they immediately after, or started a bit later?  Shop is open for an hour after final whistle, but it strikes me that by the time we got out the stadium, half that could be gone already.

I will try to be in mine somewhere between 30-45 minutes beforehand. The stairwells get too crowded last year (vs Tigers) after 30 minutes to go when so many folk have no idea where they are sitting, gone up the wrong stairs (high numbers - 19 up in a long row - in E20 need stairwell E19/E20), got split from their party and don't know their seat number and expect to be able to spot a friendly face in the crowd, folks on walking sticks in the top row. They all contribute to the mayhem.

[NellyWellyWaspy]

The fireworks were a few minutes after the game. I seem to recall they were in trolleys and they wheeled them into place and then off they went for about 15 minutes maybe? Well worth waiting for.

[Raggs]

OK, so if we miss the shop beforehand, we'll hopefully have time to catch it after the fireworks then.

Anyone know what the traffic is going to be like on the way up from Portsmouth way?  Basically the A34.

[NellyWellyWaspy]

A34 to Oxford
M40 to J15 (Warwick)
A46 to Coventry
A45 East for one junction to rejoin A46 Eastern Bypass
A46 to M6 J2
M6 J2 to M6 J3
B4113 to Novotel

Should be fine. But this is England, and anything can happen to mess things up. Should take 2.5 to 3 hours.

[Raggs]

Yep, that's the route I was looking at, I figured avoiding London should hopefully remove most the risk of running into unexpected traffic.

Hopefully we'll be setting off at 10am at the latest, so even if it's 4 hours, should make it in time.

[InBetweenWasp]

Yep, that's the route I was looking at, I figured avoiding London should hopefully remove most the risk of running into unexpected traffic.

Hopefully we'll be setting off at 10am at the latest, so even if it's 4 hours, should make it in time.

A34 is a horrible road though.  Just as at home for you I suspect, Waze will be your friend! M3 > M25 > M40 could be an option to pick up the route above.  Suspect it's 15-20 miles longer and therefore all things being equal a slightly longer journey but you just never know sometimes whether it's going to be the A34 that's screwed or the small stretch of M25 coming past Heathrow. 

That being said, the M3 has recently all re-opened after years of works to widen and expedite traffic through to the M25 to stop that pinch point.  Nowadays, it's generally very quick with little delay.

[Raggs]

Extra 25 miles, and an estimate extra 25-30 minutes apparently...

The m3 and the a3? Same thing for this journey? Portsmouth to Ricoh basically.

[Vespula Vulgaris]

The A3 brings you onto the M25 a few junctions earlier.  It can be a nightmare getting round them if it is busy, but if it is clear it's a good run with the Hindhead tunnel now open.  Plus you can wave to me as you go past as I live just off the A3.

[NellyWellyWaspy]

With all the bypasses, underpasses etc, the A34 is not so bad any more.

[Vespula Vulgaris]

I usually use the A34 when I'm visiting Coventry.  However bad it is it isn't a patch on the M25.

[NellyWellyWaspy]

I usually use the A34 when I'm visiting Coventry.  However bad it is it isn't a patch on the M25.

Indeed. The other advantage of the A34 is if you hear that the M40 is a no go, at Oxford you can head towards Evesham on the A44 (watch out for speed cameras in almost every village), but after Enstone (home of Renault F1) stay on the A3400 (the A44 forks left at some lights, which you don't want) to go through Shipston-on-Stour, after which pick up the Fosse Way (at the roundabout with the Subara dealership) and stay on the Fosse Way (it is relatively dead straight and not too much traffic) until you meet the A423 at Princethorpe, follow that to Coventry and pick up the Eastern bypass.