Be Excellent To Each Other

Hi folks. I know some here travel about a bit for work, or just know roads well, so thought I’d ask here.

Does anybody know of a service station about half way between London (let’s say the start of the M1 at Staples corner, or the Hangar Lane gyratory for the M40 - either route is fine) and Walsall? There’s one extra specification in that it has to be accessible from both sides of the road (ie, not over a foot bridge).

By way of explanation, Russell has to transfer some heavy furniture things from his car to my ma’s car at a service station somewhere between our houses this weekend, and they are far too heavy to carry over the motorway. Obviously if there was a simple driving route over the motorway at the same location that would also be fine as they are both going to have to turn around and head back to their own homes afterwards, anyway.

Would this do?

https://motorwayservicesonline.co.uk/Beaconsfield

It is accessible from the m40 both sides. It is the first services from the m25 on the m40

@kovacsC Hmm... I don’t think quite there. That’s 108 miles away and Ma’s house is only 101 miles away. That’s probably ‘as the crow flies’ but the journey times from here to there and from here to her house are only 12-15 minutes different.

It’s also the best service station in the UK.

I don’t know what any of that means, really, if it tells you what side things are accessible from, or any of the distances involved, but I’ll forward it on in case Ma knows better. I think the one she usually stops at is really awkward to get to from our side, but she usually travels up the M1, whereas we usually go the other way.

Click the junction, then choose "supermarket" and it'll tell you where a huge car park will be really close to the motorway junction

Ah, clever. Thank you.

No Probs.. it was the one I used a lot when working in London..

And now Russell will never get to see The Best Service Station.

We used to go to a really nice one, heading north. I can only remember the really cool ceiling, though.

Actually, I found it, because I remembered I’d posted about it on FB about a decade ago. It’s Wetherby. Not sure if it’s still nice, but it used to be my favourite. Also the nice one with the expensive farm shop on the way to the lakes.

Haha, no, I mean in the dining area

I hear the portions were generous and filling.

:rolleyes:

Tebay

That is a great Services, the Guinness cake was lovely.

I think I have visited most of the services in this green and pleasant land. When I travelled more than @jbr

That’s the one. T’eBay

A+ service station, would go again.

They've opened one right near my Mum on the M5. It's about a ten minute walk from my Mum's house, but a 25 minute drive because you have to get onto the motorway to get there by car.

Just walk then

I always used to stop there for lunch and a jimmy when I was travelling to and from Glasgow for my weeks covering Scottish stores. If the weather's nice, it's loverly.

Cras visiting his mum for Movie Sunday.

The one by Oxford is probably your best bet. It's a single site off a junction, so easy to meet up at.

That looks good. About an 1hr 20 from us and an hour from Ma. Thanks, Zoid x

That’s the one in the left rather than the one in the right, yes?

Correct. Junction 8A.

J9 will take you to Bicester Village for a spot of shopping.

Is the minimum speed on the M40 still 90?

I think you’ve mistaken it for the M45, where I discovered what the top speed of a Ford Sierra is.

I’ve grown up a bit since then.