Just accepted a job offer flying the A320 from Heathrow. I know nothing about London except that it’s darn sarf and quite big, and shall be moving down from Manchester at the end of May.

I need to find somewhere to live that’s within about 45 minutes driving of Heathrow (albiet not at rush hour), is affordable, pleasant to live in, and has easy access to decent riding. Gross income approximately £62k, increasing roughly £1k/yr.

If anyone knows Didsbury I’d ideally like somewhere similar but in the South. Been looking at Bracknell – anyone else know it or know of airline crews commuting from there?

Cheers,

David.

Bracknell, avoid.

Sorry I don’t know Didsbury but there are a lot of very nice places that you could probably afford within 45 minutes or closer to Heathrow. Marlow, Henley, Wendover, Cookham, Beaconsfield, Amersham spring to mind but there are loads of smaller towns and villages within the sort of radius that you’re looking at. From a biking point of view I’d be looking at the Buckinghamshire/Oxfordshire borders for easy access to the Chiltern hills.

For those of us that can’t make the comparison with Didsbury it might be useful to describe what it is about the place that you like.

well, for starters, you need to get over the common misconception that the entire south east of england == london.

Dave

Is that the plane with the dodgy wings?

There are lots of sleepy leafy suburbs near Heathrow that are quite nice. You’ve picked a good place to work – most people live there and have to schlep into town.

I don’t suppose you mind the noise of planes landing either do you?

Twickenham, Teddington…

Most places beside the airport are pretyt crappy so best avoided.

It might be worth looking towards

Walton
Chertsey
Epsom
Dorking
Reigate
Windsor

Out of interest, which airline will you be flying for?

My sister used to fly for BA (trolley dolly, not flight crew). She, and everyone else she knew, lived in Windsor. Nice place, reasonably Disbury-esque

just avoid anywhere under the flightpath, them planes are damn noisy!

Is that the plane with the dodgy wings?

Nah, 320 is a the Euro hopper.

Assuming it’s BA, can you please let me know which flights to avoid? 😉

Windsor’s alright, but I’d be tempted to suggest living a little further out, longer drive but you can get some lovely places.

Oh yeah – if you live further out along the M3 you get some lovely riding on your doorstep.

Richmond is very nice and well based for trips into Central London, but also trips out the other way.

Henley-on-Thames is nice as well, quite posh (if that’s your thing)

Sounds a cool job too 😆

Personally i’d live in the countryside somewhere ebtween heathrow & Oxford, no idea of any locations but somehwere there.

I am surrounded by aircrew in Kingston – they all seem to catch the 285 bus to work if they don’t have a parking perk!

The A3 leads to the hills – to the coast – and to the M25!

But what Molegrip has said is a good bet for your money. Other than ride what else do you do with your time off?

Living in the South west ‘burbs ain’t that bad – lots to do and easy reach of town if you need that as well.

Don’t rule out Bracknell without reason. Swinley’s on your doorstep there.

Chertsey. CHERTSEY.
Nicknamed the a..ehole of surrey.

Should have asked for more. 60k won’t go far on a London property 😉

Can’t you stay where you are and, err, catch a commuter flight to work? Be cheaper than relocating.

Some good suggestions from Bracknell to Windsor, but for an easy life I’d not want to commute in from too far away, or rely on motorways- there’d likely be a few pissed off people if you’re late for work.

If it were me i’d pick somewhere within riding distance of the Surrey Hills, Guildford – Dorking area. Not too far to South Downs either from there.

My last neighbour worked at Heathrow, anywhere out to Aylesbury is fine for a off-peak 45min commute.

Which would get you the Chilterns.

Need to balance cost vs nearness/poshness 😉

45 minutes outside of the rush-hour to Heathrow could be St Albans, Guildford, High Wycombe and thats only counting outside the M25. I would personally narrow my search down to the A30/A3 corridors if I had to move back ‘there’
😛

Dorking might be a bit too far to do in 45mins, Leatherhead seems nice though.

This is assuming that you are basing your decision on proximity to the Surrey Hills of course.

Which you should be.

richmond – you can then train in.

I drove into near heathrow each day and it can be a nightmare – 5 hours plus on a wet November morning for a 20K journey.

richmond – you can then train in.

Expensive though, and a 60K salary isn’t that much for that part of town.

If I were you I’d be factoring in the ability to ride on back roads to Heathrow. That is, if you have somewhere at work to hang your pilot’s outfit 🙂

I went for a night out in Windsor – dirt hole full of scum bags. Probably nice in the day.

Look at rental/purchase prices before deciding the area, but tbh I’d look at somewhere you can easily drive in from (irrelevent of public transport, as it may not suit your working patterns) – and definately ensure you’ve parking onsite in the deal.

And if you motorcycle, sorted for the commute 🙂

Thanks for the advice. Eventually might be able to commute from Manchester. Trouble is, when things start going pearshaped at Heathrow the first flights cancelled are the shuttles between regional airports and London so it’s a bit dodgy relying on it.

Northfields Ealing. Been here 10 years moved down from Leeds. I work near heathrow and it’s a 20-30 min drive. most people moving to the area comment on it’s villagey feel, but it’s not dead poncey either. It’s 25 min tube ride to west end too.

Riding wise: 45 mins to Surrey hills, 30 mins swinley, 2 hrs s Wales

If you are not traveling in the rush hour you have plenty of choices.

I would say anywhere from Putney to Hampton Wick and Hampton Court on the SW London corridor is a reasonable commute and generally very pleasant leafy areas. Personally, I would avoid living over the bridge in Kingston or Surbiton, as that means crossing Kingston Bridge/Hampton Court Bridge.

Walton for me would be a no-no as that involves crossing Walton bridge. Weybridge probably the same.

So IMO on the SW corridor best to stay north of the river, although I did the commute from Putney to LHR for 7 years without too many problems in the rush hour.

Winsdor is too touristy for my tastes.

You could also look at west of the airport, Bagshot, Ascot, Sunningdale, Virgina Water.

Basically lots of choice, may depend on whether you are after more of a London feel or a Surrey/Berkshire feel?

Edit. Personally, I never took to Northfields and Ealing, but loads of younger BA people live there.

The obvious answer would seem to be to save up of a Cessna 172 and air commute.

Plenty of parking at Heathrow, though the wake turbulence is a right bugger at times !

Or get a jetpack.

I have no useful suggestions otherwise.

I’m afraid that 60K won’t get you anything in Windsor. A lot of aircrew live here and catch the 77 bus to LHR. Living further in, I’d suggest Ealing, Acton, Northfields, Boston Manor as public transport to the airport is very good.

On the outskirts, Twickenham, Teddington, Richmond are all nice and just as unaffordable as Windsor.

If you fancy Swinley, Bracknell has a lot to offer. And 60K will buy you something.

EDIT

45 minutes outside of the rush-hour to Heathrow could be St Albans

under NO circumstances should you consider an anti-clockwise commute on the M25 to Heathrow. Having spent 10 years driving the opposite way, and marvelling at the traffic jam, it’s a recipe for disaster in your line of work!!!

I’m amazed that no-one’s mentioned Slough 🙂

I’m amazed that no-one’s mentioned Slough 🙂

Come, friendly bombs, and fall on Slough!
It isn’t fit for humans now,
There isn’t grass to graze a cow.
Swarm over, Death!

Lightwater could be a good bet, J3 of the m3. And swinley/tunnel hill on your doorstep.

I don’t know what Didsbury is like but there are plenty of nice places within 45 mins of that area.

We lived in Barnes for a number of years which is a great neighbourhood – 20 mins to Heathrow, 20 mins to Waterloo.

Come, friendly bombs, and fall on Slough!
It isn’t fit for humans now,
There isn’t grass to graze a cow.
Swarm over, Death!

Betjeman couldn’t get anything to rhyme with Sheffield so he had to go for Slough. FACT.

Wimbledon is nice. Good comms, not far from decent riding. The common and richmond park for out-the-door blasts.

Plus, Wombles!

You mention your 62K salary but do not specify rent/buy/size of family equity in current house etc.

Some nice places being mentioned; Barnes, Wimbledon, Richmond etc but not necessarilly affordable on 62K.

Betjeman couldn’t get anything to rhyme with Sheffield so he had to go for Slough. FACT.

But, since he wrote it, Sheffield has improved enormously. Slough, on the other hand, is an utter pit of hideousness. FACT.

Jeez, Sheffield must have been grim back then for it to have ‘improved massively’ and still be a dump…