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Topic: Urgent M6 nighthalt tomorrow night

Tim and Cary

23/10/2008 at 7:49pm
Location: Criccieth Gwynedd
Outfit: Buccaneer Commodore

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Further to my earlier post regarding travelling down to Cambridge to support my sister-in-law who is seriously ill. To maximise our time in Cambridge we are planning to leave tomorrow, Friday evening after work and collect the 'van from its storage site in Cheshire on the way.

As we will not be likely to collect the 'van until after 6pm it is rather too far to get to our cambridge CL site that night. We are, therefore, thinking of breaking our journey and sleeping at a motorway services. It will be rather late to stop at a campsite enroute. I had thought that Corley Services might be a possibility, we are travelling via the M6 and A14. I would be grateful for suggestions, alternatives and any other comments.

Thanks
Tim

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Tim and Cary

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trooperman

23/10/2008 at 8:15pm
Location: rotherham
Outfit: elldis

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If its any help I have never been turned away from any service station, and Ive stopped at a few.

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Tim and Cary

23/10/2008 at 8:22pm
Location: Criccieth Gwynedd
Outfit: Buccaneer Commodore

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Thanks for the encouragement Trooperman - we've stayed at a few too!!! We just wondered if anyone had any specific knowledge of Corley, eg, caravan spaces, facilities, etc.

I chose Corley as it's the last one on the M6 before we join the A14, ie, furthest from home and nearest to Cambridge before leaving the motorway.

Motorway services are not ideal night halts but better than nothing!!!

Thanks
Tim

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Tim and Cary

JenAll

23/10/2008 at 9:03pm
Location: morecambe Lancashire
Outfit: motorhome

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Think I keep going there are plenty of big laybys on A14

Corley want £20 if you are in a Caravan.

http://www.motorwayservices.info/area.php?area=24

Jen

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Tim and Cary

23/10/2008 at 11:18pm
Location: Criccieth Gwynedd
Outfit: Buccaneer Commodore

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Thanks Jen

Unfortunately it is actually illegal to park on Laybys on ordinary roads as it classed as part of the carraigeway. We don't really want a rude awakening from the Boys in Blue in the middle of the night!!!

Tim

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Tim and Cary

Tim and Cary

24/10/2008 at 12:02am
Location: Criccieth Gwynedd
Outfit: Buccaneer Commodore

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I'm looking at an alternative route of M6, A50, M1 and A14 and would probably then stay at one of the M1 service areas near Leicester.

All and any comments on the above services or best route from Merseyside to Cambridge are VERY WELCOME

Thanks
Tim

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Tim and Cary

JenAll

24/10/2008 at 9:26am
Location: morecambe Lancashire
Outfit: motorhome

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Quote: Originally posted by Tim and Cary on 23/10/2008
Thanks Jen

Unfortunately it is actually illegal to park on Laybys on ordinary roads as it classed as part of the carraigeway. We don't really want a rude awakening from the Boys in Blue in the middle of the night!!!

Tim

You will find the laybys on A14 full of HGVS, Motorhomes etc.at night.

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Lassie

24/10/2008 at 9:25pm
Location: High Peak
Outfit: Lunar Clubman SI 2017 Hyundai Santa F

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We stayed at Peterbrough services a couple of times this year and had not problems. In fact we were quite impressed. Cost was £10 and we slept ok both times, arriving around 12.00-1.00am. This may be too far for you as its quite close to Cambridge. We were travelling from Glossop, Derbyshire to Dover leaving home between 9.00 and 10.00pm. We used the A1 route. Had good trip each time and were quite impressed with the service area. Fortunatley weather was good and we even cooked bacon on portable BBQ and had bacon butties for breakfast - there were picnic benches and grass areas. Bays were a bit short for us but we managed ok and didn't have any probems. Hope this helps.

Tim and Cary

01/11/2008 at 6:42pm
Location: Criccieth Gwynedd
Outfit: Buccaneer Commodore

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Thanks everyone for the suggestions.

We stopped at Stafford Mway services overnight on the Friday. About 6 caravan only bays in their own seperate area (ie no HGVs) Good width and length dimensions and drive through. A bit away from the mway carraigeway but not that far away as Stafford Services are quite small. We got a good night's sleep and were away early on Sat morning and through B'ham before it got busy.

£10 for 24 hours of parking including a £2.00 meal voucher which went towards my "full English Breakfast on Saturday morning in their pleasant restaurant, so parking only cost £8 which is very good for mway services. I paid at the restaurant and when I pointed out that there was only a car or HGV parking rates advertised he charged me as a car and wrote on the back of the ticket to display in my windscreen that I had a caravan too!!! No problems with the clampers.

We did stop at Corley Services for a loo break. I was not impressed caravans were directed into the car park by the signs and expected to park lengthways in 2 end to end car spaces. Our 'van and car overhung into the roadway at both ends. There was another 'van overnighting there but it must have been very noisy with continuous coming and going of car traffic all night. Corley did have a Caravan parking rate BUT it was £20.00 with a meal voucher. So thanks but NO THANKS to Corley Services as a night halt.

We did by the way arrive safely at our booked CC CL near Cambridge. However literally as I drove in noticed that it was very hard to apply and on investigation I discovered that all of the engine oil was deposited along the drive of the CL. I mean all the engine oil, I had topped-up the Sorento before leaving home but the dipstick then showed zilch. CC Mayday promptly came and transported the car to a Kia Dealer in Royston (30 miles away. On checking the vehicle on Monday he found that part of the vacuum pump was missing. He however acted very promptly and had the car repaired and Green Flag/Mayday re-transported the car back to us on the Tuesday which was our intended leaving day. The latter re-transport was only after a lot of pleading. My wife was able to get lifts to visit her sister over the weekend so alls well, etc.

Thanks again for all the help and advice.

Tim

Thanks again for the advice everyone.

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Tim and Cary

snowy747

01/11/2008 at 6:47pm
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You don't have a lot of luck with cars do you!

Glad you got home safely.

Ali

Tim and Cary

01/11/2008 at 7:02pm
Location: Criccieth Gwynedd
Outfit: Buccaneer Commodore

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Hi Ali

When I say snowy747 I knew you would be commenting on our car "history". NO it was a real Victor Meldrew "I don't believe it moment" when I saw the oil all over the drive. I was, however, very glad that we had at least got to our first destination and not broken down enroute.As I said to the Breakdown man I had hoped not to have any dealings with them again for a while. Still Mayday/Greenflag were very helpful, especially in returning the car to when it was fixed as that was not an insured item. At least the car was still under warranty and so the repair was free of charge. C was able to help her sister and we still managed our few days break on the Suffolk coast. I've just driven the 270 miles home without further mishap!!

In fairness to the good not-so-old Sorrento it did tow van and us 3K+ miles around this summer. This summer was the first in 3 that we have not had to have our car repatriated!!!

Catch you later

Tim

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Tim and Cary

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snowy747

04/11/2008 at 2:48pm
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Lol I knew it would raise a smile. As you say, at least you were safely on site this time around and could let the breakdown peeps do their bit and trundle off with the car for the repairs.

I reckon you need to buy a couple of neddies and a lovely old gypsy caravan and steer clear of anything mechanical lol.

Still, a summer holiday without a shed load of hassle was something of a bonus for you.

I hope your sister in law is holding her own.

Ali

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