London Drum

London Chat Forum

Landmarks, Attractions & Events

5comments Thanks Craig. I will be tourist just arrive London in the morning of 2024/7/17. By chance knowing the day is State Opening of Parliament (11 am) + Gun salutes for Queen’s Birthday at Tower of London (1pm). That’s why I’d learn from your experience if I can leave early around 11:30 from the fenced area and then take the tube from Westminster to London Bridge area to witness the Gun salutes around Tower Bridge. Thanks again for your valuable sharing.

6comments Hi Julia. You can see the two horses in the sentry boxes enter the stables in Horse Guards courtyard during the Dismounting Ceremony at 4 PM – londondrum.com/events/?p=18009

9comments Is the pavement outside Horseguards (where the mounted guards stand) still M.O.D. property?

4comments Hi Roger. The book has photographs and reviews of the all the landmarks and attractions. It doesn’t have any maps

9comments Hi. Just walk down Charing Cross Road, turn right into Shaftesbury Avenue, and then left when you get to Gerrard Place. It’s not very far

4comments What are the blue ’circles’ on the browband of Prince William’s horse?

8comments On my trips in the 70s, 80s, and possibly later than that, I remember the bells of St. Martin’s, which certain times of day, rang for maybe 5-10 minutes and it was so beautiful, I would stop everything to stand and listen. But I haven’t heard them in at least 15 years. Are they still ringing but only once a day? Or not at all? The bells were quite loud and I’ve been thinking maybe they’re now considered too intrusive or annoying. I truly hope not!

2comments Hi Rob. Entries are closed at the moment, but the details can be found here – nhm.ac.uk/wpy/competition

12comments When I go to a service at St. Paul’s, I always think of John Donne (’No man is an island…’ AND ’Ask not for whom the bell tolls…’ BOTH in the same poem) preaching here – though admittedly in the previous building!

Buses, Taxis & Tube Trains

14comments Hi Jane. You can definitely get out of the station onto Wandsworth Road without any stairs. Looking at google street view there doesn’t appear to be any stairs down to the river jetty

76comments Hi Maria. None of them go direct. But you can catch a train from Gatwick to London Bridge, which is very close

53comments Hi Maja. We recommend getting them an Oyster card and having the ‘Young Visitor Discount’ applied to it. We’ve explained it all on this page. You can buy them from a manned ticket window in the ticket hall (not a self-service machine). If you’re coming in on the Eurostar then they used to sell them on the train

8comments Hi Rachel. You can get the DLR to lewisham but then you’d have to change on to a national rail train for blackheath

25comments So do the escalators from the bakerloo line platform also have stairs next to them?

41comments Hi Ron. You could go to the entrance on Broad Street, but you’ll still have to get a lift down to the Elizabeth line platforms. You access the Elizabeth line through the Underground ticket hall

6comments Is there a certain time on weekdays that the down escalator opens at Moorgate?

149comments Hi Margaret. Your senior railcard entitles you to money off oyster fares, so you could buy an Oyster card and have the railcard discount loaded on to it at the station. Unfortunately the discount only applies to off-peak fares (outside the hours of 6:30-9:30 AM and 4-7 PM Monday to Friday), so maybe it’s no use for you. Otherwise we’d say you’re better off just using your contactless bank card – senior-railcard.co.uk/about-the-railcard/using-your-railcard/

9comments What Time dose the South Kensington Station open on a week day?

46comments Hi Ann. If you both want a senior rail card then you’ll have to buy one each, and they’re tied with your name, so you wouldn’t be able to share one senior rail card between two

6comments Hi Nonie. There’s nothing mentioned under TFL’s planned works, so the stairs should be fine – tfl.gov.uk/status-updates/stations-lifts-and-escalators-works-and-closures#h

21comments Hi Trudie. The last train from North Greenwich towards Canning Town on Thursday night/Friday morning is not until 1AM

4comments Do I need to use stairs/escalators or lift to exit Farringdon station from an over ground train from Cambridge

22comments Hi Elizabeth. You don’t say what line you’re changing from (there’s a few of them), but if you look at the ’Changing train platforms’ section then it describes it all. The Circle and Hammersmith/City lines at Hammersmith are completely separate from the District and Piccadilly lines at Hammersmith – they are two different stations – so if you’re changing between them then you’ll have to come out and cross over the road.

Hotels, Hostels & B&Bs

6comments Hi Pam. i would definitely get the piccadilly line and walk from Covent Garden. Its only a five minute walk, and you can walk through the centre of the piazza which will be nice. embankment is just as close, but changing trains would be a hassle. Although you would get a quick look at trafalgar square and nelsons column as you walk past charing cross

2comments Hi Sherrie. It’s close to some of the attractions. You can have a nice walk to Bank and the Royal Exchange, and across the Millennium Bridge to the Tate Modern and Shakespeares Globe, but the areas around the West End, Trafalgar Square and Tower Bridge are about 1 and a half miles away. Big Ben and Buckingham Palace about 2 miles. All easy enough to walk, but you’ll probably end up getting buses to most places. there are loads of buses going down Fleet Street and up towards the City. I would happily stay there if it was me

6comments Hi Maggie. Don’t worry, you’ll enjoy it. I stayed there for a couple of nights on my own and I tried the Rivoli Bar, breakfast in the morning, meal in the evening… all by myself. All the staff are super polite and treat everyone like they’re the most important person there. You will be spoiled… and everyone dresses up for breakfast

3comments Thanks Vicky. I definitely recommend the hotel for the price so you should like it. It’s in the perfect spot

1comments We certainly recommend this hotel based on our experience. The inside is lovely and the staff were wonderful and couldn’t have been more friendly to us. Thank you