NI/ All Ireland Convoy & Stand Organising Thread

[surprisingskoda]

Because there are ferries involved, now is the time to start looking at this guys. I know I've said to a couple of ye's but it needs written down!


I've had a good hunt through the whole THREE ferries open to us and found the cheapest to be Rosslare to Fishguard with Stenaline.
I reckon it's better if we come into the south of Wales, rather than the north, and so avoid Birmingham on a Friday afternoon lol.

So, what we can do, seeing as there is a bit of craic on the Friday at the show and we will be the life of any given party (because we're Irish) we can head down early:

sail out at 21:15 Thursday 13th Aug, Arrives 00:45 £99
or later, 09:00 Friday 14th, Arrives 12:30 £119

The return trip I propose to be 14:30 Monday 17th, Arrives 18:00 £99
or later, 18:30 Monday 17th, Arrives 20:30 £115
or earlier, 02:45 Monday 17th, Arrives 06:15 £99

(bear in mind those are Economy rates, add a tenner a time for flexible and refundable fare)

Jun 30, 2009 23:28:00 GMT surprisingskoda said:

ok, twas all nonsense as their website is still cheaper.

so heres the new plan

Rosslare to Pembroke
sailing out Thursday 13th at 21.00

and returning Monday 17th at 14.30

with www.irishferries.com

please get that right!!!!!

These two sailings are 89 Euro each. That works out at todays rates for £151.77 return single.

For two people the rates change to 111 Euro each way, thats 22 euro difference each way, so in total your shotgun passenger will cost you £37.51.


This is much better than the deal they were prepared to cut with me (being much cheaper online) so just book away at this yourselves. Post up when you've booked. also, I think Pauric has made himself honourary stand co-ordinator so PM him your name/car/etc for him to keep a watch over stand tickets which HTW will be posting out.

Also, don't forget to go buy the show ticket!!!

it is about a <4 hour drive from Newry to Rosslare, going down the m50, round Dublin, onto the M11, N11 and onto the N25 just before Rosslare.
The time added on from Dublin to Rosslare saves twice as much time and distance going through the top of wales and birmingham as opposed to going across the bottom of wales, so I hope that meets with approval!


So, if we took the Thursday sailing at 21:15 - 00:45, the schedule might look like this... (with stops thrown in to collect convoy-ers!)

12:00 Depart Donegal
13:00 Depart Coleraine/Ballymoney
14:00 Depart Antrim/Magherafelt
15:00 Depart Belfast/Armagh
16:15 Arrive Donnelly's Service Station, Old Dublin Rd, Newry
16:45 Depart
18:15 Arrive Riverside Esso Station N11 just at end of M11
18:45 Depart
20:45 Rosslare

21:15 Get on boat.
[banter] [/banter]
00:45 Ger'aff.

01:00 Depart PEMBROKE
01:05 Find sleep spot.
08:00 Wake up.
10:00 Arrive Cardiff West Services
11:00 Depart
12:00 Cross Severn Bridge
14:00 Arrive Haynes Motor Museam, Yeovil.


Sound OK?

[stainless]

do you live betwen Banbridge and Castlewellan?

[datman]

maybe say (in title?) when and where the convoy is to?

[surprisingskoda]

umm, Datman, come on man. Where do you reckon it's to?!
Stainless, Tyrone

[An Fear Ó Dhoire]

Sounds good to me bossman. I wonder would anyone put us up for the night near enough the ferry?

[surprisingskoda]

which side of the sea are you thinking of staying the night? good idea tbh, save any stress or late-running...

[An Fear Ó Dhoire]

In England or Wales. It might be asking a bit much, but if there was someone on this site that could put a loch of us up for the night, and then head on to the show with us in the morning, it would be cheaper, and less hassle for us. We could offer beer money as well, of course. A youth hostel or camp site would be okay though, although it would be pretty late.

[surprisingskoda]

wanna pop a post up in general see if anyone round those ways has some space? dunno how many people to expect - is it too early to start pimping on our local forums?

[nugget]

I would doubt it, people may need to book time off work in advance and get permission etc.

[surprisingskoda]

two months is enough notice and close enough to make a stand. its also scarily lacking in time for finishing cars!

anyway, start pimping on 16th June I say!

[redbaronmulisha]

hi hi count me in hi,I'm going too ya know,and I'm taking the 240

[nugget]

Are we for an All Ireland stand then?

[surprisingskoda]

course! 3 cars and 6 people so far anyway, and we'll expand that soon

[Mark]

I may be up for this - going to see what deal I'll get on the ferry from Dublin. The roads in south wales are great, but much slower than the north wales route!

[surprisingskoda]

it wasn't that much dearer, maybe £20-30 in it, but the thought of going near Birmingham put me off, unless you know the way Mark?

[An Fear Ó Dhoire]

I've got a sat nav - I can't see it being that bad if we stick to the motorways.

[surprisingskoda]

thats exactly what we couldn't do, drive down a motorway beside the second largest city in the uk at rush hour. only if there was a way that totally avoided birmingham could we really go round the top, other wise the timing will need skewed and that will mean leaving in the early hours from the north and requiring another day off work and more irregular sleep etc!

[nugget]

Why Birmingham? Yeovil is south of Wales Birminingham is east of it? maps.google.co.uk/maps?utm_campaign=en_GB&utm_medium=ha&utm_source=en_GB-ha-emea-gb-bk-gm&utm_term=road

Then get directions from Goodwick to Yeovil as the wee boy on TV goes "Simples"

[nugget]

I've just worked out the ferry from Rosslare to Goodwick (port in South Wales) to about £198 with 1 passenger

[surprisingskoda]

one way? thats steep! return, thats good.

to get from the north of wales via the big roads, young nugget, would mean driving down past birmingham on its main motorways. cutting through wales at an angle is an option, but not one i could see an easy route for when I was checking it all out.

I'm more than happy for a new plan if anyone wants to draw one up, after all, i was just starting the ball rolling with a suggestion