MQ Patches for MOD

[FarWest]

I am assigned to MOD MB later this year. Can any PPRuNers recommend a Married Patch that's an easy commute by public transport?

Many thanks from the FarWest.

[airborne_artist]

This might be a starting point -

http://www.northwood.mod.uk/nwood/accom/accomm.htm

[Widger]

Northwood is an option. RAF Uxbridge has quarters on site (Uxbridge Tube) there are also some near and around RAF Northolt (Hillingdon Tube and South Ruislip) Don't forget that the Portsmouth Mainline to Waterloo is a regular route as well...short walk across the bridge to work. Means you can leave on the riviera!

[teeteringhead]

Do we still retain the Biggin Hill quarters? they were popular when I was last in town - but that was 6 or 7 years ago!

[airborne_artist]

FarWest - what are your other constraints, eg schools for children etc? Most, if not all of these, will take you an hour door-to-door, assuming all systems at 100%.

[Wrathmonk]

From experience :

- Northwood will only be allocated to Fleet/PJHQ personnel.

- Avoid Bushey like the plague (crime rate!).

- Bushey Heath ok but further from public transport.

- Stanmore good for transport (end of tube line so not a problem if you fall asleep after a few post work beers!)

- Uxbridge the most popular residence for MB peopel (and I believe quite decent quarters but I stand to be corrected - I lived in Bushey!!)

Schools could be a problem, particularly around Bushey and Bushey Heath where if you have not been on the waiting list for 3 years+ you won't get into the "better" state schools (although I accept that the standard of a particular school is a personal opinion).

[FarWest]

Thank you all for your suggestions. We have no school constraints; just Mrs FarWest and myself. Our son may come back into the fold if we are near enough to Amersham where he now works.

[The Helpful Stacker]

There were MB people living in MQ's at Headley Court when I was there, as well as some MQ's in Richmond.

[qnimb]

Understand good MQs in West Byfleet, about an hour door-to-door.

[lightningmate]

FarWest,

I am unsure of current stock but the Farnborough (air-show airfield) area had plenty of MQs in the past. The then RAF stock in St Michaels Road provided an easy walk to the main line station, fast trains dct to Waterloo, then hop across the river.

'Remote' garages was the main gripe so everyone parked on the road outside the house - well Farnborough is almost in London.

lm

[Climebear]

- Bushey Heath ok but further from public transport.

It was only 5 minutes walk from the bus stop to my FQ this evening on the way home!

If all goes well 5 min walk from MB to Westmister Tube; 35 min (published time ;) ) from Westminster to Stanmore on the Jubilee (shorter if you take the gamble and jump onto the Metropolitan line at Finchley Road to Wembley Park then return to the Jubilee (hopefully) 2 trains further ahead) then 15 mins by buses that run every 12 mins.

Be wary of London District Housing Allocations at Uxbridge. They do not appear to have a clue about where the empty houses are. They told a friend of mine that there were no empty houses at Bushey Heath - after a quick walk around the patch we sent him a list of 50 (yes fifty) empty houses at Bushey Heath alone. Armed with this he managed to get them to admit that they did indeed have a house. A colleague of mine had the same problem, only managed to get some results after escalating thing up the Defence Estates management chain.

Also have a think about potential postings after MB - if PJHQ is a possibility think about looking for somewhere in NW London to avoid a further move.

[RubiC Cube]

I was at Shepperton, short walk to station, guaranteed seat as start of line, into Waterloo, short walk across bridge. However, we frequently travelled up the M1, so a pain in the proverbial getting round the M25 on Fri/Sun. But good for M3/4.

[foldingwings]

If Maidenhead and White Waltham still exist, I found the run to Paddington and the Bakerloo to MB the best, most comfortable and quickest route of all my tours in MOD. Stanmore on the Jubillee is an appalling journey and bloody cold in the winter when the doors open every 3 minutes to allow the hordes and a blast of snow into the carriage!

[Red Line Entry]

Maidenhead still exists - indeed they keep trying to force High Wycombe guys into it so there are vacancies.

I lived in Biggin Hill a few years back. Wouldn't recommend it - the area's OK but the commute is a bugger: 15 mins bus, 15 mins wait, 25 mins train then 20 mins walk or fight through the tube. No time to settle and relax.

[maxburner]

If they are still active I'd recommend the MQs at West Byfleet. Under an hour from breakfast table to desk in main building, great location with good walks along the towpath towards Guildford.

[insty66]

It must be nice to have a choice of quarters!

[greycoat]

Is the 142 still an option from Bushey Heath high street to Stanmore tube?

[The Ferret]

When ever I had to wait for the 142 to Stanmore it always missed one and I ended up waiting another 15 minutes. That was from Bushey (Harcourt Road) which was the only MQ (or is if FQ now?) that would accept my USA style fridge! Close to Northwood if you want and the shopping at Watford was pretty good! I accept the crime level comment about Bushey earlier on this thread but we never had a problem and lived happily in a very acceptable completely refurbished 4 bed house for the time that I was in MB. I had the choice either a 10 minute walk to the 142 bus and if it arrived on time another 10 minutes to Stanmore - guaranteed a seat as it was the end of the Jubilee Line and then 40 minutes to read the morning paper or research the latest unclassified defence brief - then a walk from the Embankment tube station through Victoria Gardens to the North Door (on the eastern side of the building - never understood that!)

OR

Drive (or walk for 20 minutes) to Bushey BR railway station and stand on the train for 25 minutes on the way into Euston - then finish the journey on the tube!

Both were around an hour each way and frankly 2 hours of my day that I could have done better things with - but hey we all put up with it for a while in the hope that promotion is around the corner.

Promotion - hah! I am glad that I am now living 12 minutes drive from work - and I can put the roof down on my 4.8L Mustang in the Florida temperatures and then fly helicopters all day!

Good luck

The Ferret:cool: :cool: :cool:

[FarWest]

DE-HD (when will the name changing stop?) are offering Mrs Farwest and me a house on the Swakeleys Estate at Ickenham. Can anyone comment on this patch?

[Gericault]

Can recommend Kingston if you get the chance. Called the Keep, looks like a bit of a council estate, takes 15 mins to walk to stn, 30 mins to Waterloo. Good things are couple of hundred yards from Richmond Park and the deer, nice local watering holes, outstanding shopping in Kingston, according to Mrs G. Friendly if you want it, left in peace if you want it. :)

[uxbull]

Far west, left Uxbridge a year ago. Swakelys quarters are ok but there are some 'social' problems in that area. if you are going to live around there much better to live on Uxbridge 'behind the wire'. Officers quarters on Uxbridge first class, airmens less so!