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Rushden

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melonfool
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Rushden

#21710

Postby melonfool » January 9th, 2017, 10:47 pm

What's it like?

I am thinking of moving there. It looks fairly well connected - London from W'boor in 53 mins, or Bedford (half an hour away) in 30 mins, 30 mins to MK (trains to Mancs from there), 40 to P'boro (east cost main line from there), hour to Brum, half an hour to Bedford or Northants. Bit far from the sea. Airports? Brum and Nottingham I suppose? Then Luton.

I don't like cities or big towns really, I'm more rural but at the same time don't want to be isolated (plus lovely country cottages cost a fortune).

The Estate Agent said they are building anew shopping centre so house prices have risen (I'd have thought they'd go down!).

So, is it nice? Shall I move there, or stick to the safer Beds villages?

Ta

Mel

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Re: Rushden

#21736

Postby Clitheroekid » January 10th, 2017, 12:46 am

melonfool wrote:So, is it nice? Shall I move there, or stick to the safer Beds villages?

Well here's one view of it - http://www.ilivehere.co.uk/rushden-aka-roughden.html ;)

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Re: Rushden

#21739

Postby Breelander » January 10th, 2017, 1:59 am

Clitheroekid wrote:Well here's one view of it - ... ;)


Have you tried looking up your own town on that site? I didn't recognise mine :lol:

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Re: Rushden

#21761

Postby redsturgeon » January 10th, 2017, 7:41 am

Yes that is an interesting site...I read some amusing put downs of my home town, although like everything there was a grain of truth behind the criticisms so I'd imagine it did give some insight into the worst aspects of Rushden.

I originally come from Peterborough...but left as soon as I could, so I sort of know this general area of the country but I had no recollection of Rushden. I took the liberty of walking down the high street on google maps and have to say that you would struggle to find a more depressing looking place in what on the face of it is a fairly attractive part of England. I can't remember seeing so many shops with steel metal shutters in place...almost as if the google car had driven down the High Street just before a hurricane or after the zombie apocalypse. I can't see you living there Mel! A small town like Rushden to me seems to give the worst of all worlds, not big enough to be interesting nor small enough to be friendly and quaint.

From what I have gleaned from your posting Mel, I would imagine that commuter access to London is a major consideration, but you also mention road communications to various other destinations, is that also important. You mention distance from the coast, is that crucial or just a passing observation? Is it important that you stay in the general area or would any area within half an hour's drive of a station with a hour's train journey of London suit you?

While you mention getting out of Rushden to other places, you don't list any reason to stay in the place, I guess schools are unimportant but do you require other services and amenities? Is a good pub, restaurant, coffee shop important? Places to walk, run cycle? A good market, butchers, bakers? Clubs of any sort or, heaven forbid, a church? Or are you just considering the place as a dormitory?

Please feel free to tell me to mind my own business and I am sure you have considered the questions I have asked but the answers do seem very relevant to your search.

John...feeling like Phil (or Kirsty)

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Re: Rushden

#21788

Postby Clariman » January 10th, 2017, 9:17 am

redsturgeon wrote:John...feeling like Phil (or Kirsty)

Not at all. Kirsty would be saying [aside to camera] "Mel seems to want everything, but she'll need to compromise" ;)

I am sure Kirsty is lovely but she does bug me. Anyone who started a TV property-expert career when she lived in a property that daddy bought, has to go some way to impress me.

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Re: Rushden

#21793

Postby wilbobob » January 10th, 2017, 9:28 am

If you have no particular place in mind, look at Market Harborough. On the mainline to Euston, not far from M1/M6 A14 and A1. And it's a busy, lovely, safe feeling town. I am biased by location.

melonfool
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Re: Rushden

#21794

Postby melonfool » January 10th, 2017, 9:28 am

redsturgeon wrote:
I originally come from Peterborough...but left as soon as I could,


Yes, I am moving away from there! (though, to be fair, a nice village between P'boro and Stamford, the latter of which I really can't afford)

redsturgeon wrote: I can't remember seeing so many shops with steel metal shutters in place...almost as if the google car had driven down the High Street just before a hurricane or after the zombie apocalypse. I can't see you living there Mel! A small town like Rushden to me seems to give the worst of all worlds, not big enough to be interesting nor small enough to be friendly and quaint.


Yes, that is my concern really, no identity.

redsturgeon wrote:From what I have gleaned from your posting Mel, I would imagine that commuter access to London is a major consideration, but you also mention road communications to various other destinations, is that also important. You mention distance from the coast, is that crucial or just a passing observation? Is it important that you stay in the general area or would any area within half an hour's drive of a station with a hour's train journey of London suit you?


I work in London currently, but do short term roles (am having a nightmare finding a mortgage, probably won't get one, so have to buy where I can pay cash!) so access to other major cities is really useful. Even if I don't mind a two hour commute (and I don't, it's currently two and a quarter and I get to work half an hour early) the agencies don't believe me and won't put me forward, which is annoying.

The coast....no, just an observation, I do like the coast though.

The train to London needs to be more like 40-50 mins really, if you factor in getting to the station and parking that takes it over an hour, any London job is usually a half hour Tube + walk from any station, obviously not always but better to assume it is (it is now, for example, last job was 40 mins from Kings Cross).

redsturgeon wrote:While you mention getting out of Rushden to other places, you don't list any reason to stay in the place, I guess schools are unimportant but do you require other services and amenities? Is a good pub, restaurant, coffee shop important? Places to walk, run cycle? A good market, butchers, bakers? Clubs of any sort or, heaven forbid, a church? Or are you just considering the place as a dormitory?


A good question. Hmmm. I know I need to expand my leisure in some way, staying at home on my own all the time is probably not going to be fun, though it is mainly what I have done for years. I like walking, so access to nice walks and not too far from, say, the Peaks, is good, but obviously incompatible with being near London *and* being affordable! :)

Can't see me hanging out in Rushden much, but I don't hang out in Peterborough either - just go there for shopping now and then.

It's hard - if I can get a small mortgage it opens up a but more, though not loads to be honest as I think it'll be only around £50k anyway.

I could use more of my savings I suppose, I need to keep thinking about what is most important to me. I am getting there, my thoughts and decisions are shifting daily at the moment (except one, that one remains - that I AM moving).

Ta

Mel

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Re: Rushden

#21796

Postby quelquod » January 10th, 2017, 9:31 am

I am sure Kirsty is lovely but she does bug me. Anyone who started a TV property-expert career when she lived in a property that daddy bought, has to go some way to impress me.

Anyone whose sole contribution top to property-development technique is to suggest knocking down a few walls has some distance to go to impress me.
Oh, hang on - that's all of the presenters on the endless house-hunting drivel.
Last edited by quelquod on January 10th, 2017, 9:33 am, edited 1 time in total.

melonfool
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Re: Rushden

#21797

Postby melonfool » January 10th, 2017, 9:32 am

wilbobob wrote:If you have no particular place in mind, look at Market Harborough. On the mainline to Euston, not far from M1/M6 A14 and A1. And it's a busy, lovely, safe feeling town. I am biased by location.


The train journey is just getting too long from there (I know it's not much further). Though I have seen some lovely and affordable places.

My 'preferred' area is North Beds/Herts, East Bucks, West Cambs, South Northants - (nice) villages.

But I can't afford it :(

Mel

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Re: Rushden

#21799

Postby AleisterCrowley » January 10th, 2017, 9:40 am

Is your search limited to east Midlands/East Anglia* ?
There are plenty of areas west which fulfill your criteria, although getting a train 'around' London back east (rather than in<>out can be a pain

*I'm never sure whether to capitalise the 'east' bits, so have gone for both options

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Re: Rushden

#21803

Postby staffordian » January 10th, 2017, 9:57 am

You mention buying, but have you considered renting first to see how you feel about an area before committing hard earned cash to somewhere?

Staffordian

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Re: Rushden

#21804

Postby poundcoin » January 10th, 2017, 10:01 am

Our son lives near Kettering so we know the area quite well . Always seems a difficult area to get to , down the A14.
Only place we would consider , if we moved near him would be Market Harborough , as mentioned above . A lovely , friendly town .

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Re: Rushden

#21813

Postby AleisterCrowley » January 10th, 2017, 10:48 am

I use this map for route planning - not too easy to navigate but it has all stations
http://www.nationalrail.co.uk/static/do ... apzoom.pdf

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Re: Rushden

#21821

Postby melonfool » January 10th, 2017, 11:23 am

AleisterCrowley wrote:Is your search limited to east Midlands/East Anglia* ?
There are plenty of areas west which fulfill your criteria, although getting a train 'around' London back east (rather than in<>out can be a pain

*I'm never sure whether to capitalise the 'east' bits, so have gone for both options


No, happy to go further west/West. I'm not a big fan of East Anglia for living, certainly no further east than I am, don't like the dank fens. Def want to be further south.

BUT - my other personal conditions (I mean, the conditions I place on where I live, not medical conditions!) mean that places west are not doable as far as I can tell.

So, just to be really awkward:

not east of London, nor south. No Southern Trains. So, no Kent, no Sussex, probably no Surrey.

Midlands works well because it's, you know, in the middle.

west of London is fine - but village - no Wokingham/Reading/Maidenhead/Slough areas. Beds/Herts/Bucks all good (but costly). Ideal would be village with pub and shop but NO school (so it's not just overrun with families, like my current village is, feel like I don't fit in, all the neighbours knows each other through their kids).

No estates. Small development is OK.

min 1 bed with a room for a study, or two bed (second room as study).

Must have parking, not specifically a drive but at least a road where parking isn't a total nightmare.

Must have a shower *and* bath - can be shower over the bath (or headroom/wall to put one in, don't mind getting it done), so doesn't have to be separate, but I need to have a shower and I have also decided that although I only have about one bath a year, I don't want to love without a bath. I can cope with a downstairs bathroom (prefer not but compromise) as long as it's not through the kitchen.

Don't mind no gas, but some form of heating is useful, though I'd also like an open fire/log burner...

Kitchen needs w/m and d/w (no need for tumble dryer) and space for f/f.

Main bedroom min 10'x10' with room for double bed and at least one bedside table.

A garden would be nice, can be quite small but have been put off by places with just a courtyard.

Pref not new build. Oh, and has to be a house, not a flat (I've had my fill of leaseholds).

...think that's it....

Yes, I have considered renting and I will be moving to a shared house first - but not in 'the area' as on that basis I could end up moving several times! Esp as I am hoping for a nice village or small market town, not much comes up in those, and many don't have rentals at all. The advantage of moving to a shared house is 1) it's cheap so can still save towards house, 2) I don't need to move all my stuff (hopefully ex will be OK about me just sorting that out when I buy, assuming it's not years away), 3) I only have to properly move once, 4) I will rent where my current season ticket goes from, reducing admin for me (I'm going to have enough to do) and yet saving me the half an hour it currently takes me to get there (and saving £100pm in fuel and maybe even saving the £100+pm parking fee).

I could spend up to £210k cash I think. That leaves money for decorating/repairs/moving/fees and SDLT. More than that and I will need a loan of some sort.

:)

Mel

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Re: Rushden

#21829

Postby AleisterCrowley » January 10th, 2017, 11:41 am

I wouldn't recommend Slough to anyone - I'm trying to leave!
Reading is extremely well connected - regular fast trains to London/Brum/Oxford/Bristol/Exeter plus access to the M4, but nice 'villages' near Reading are out of the reach of us mere mortals (think £1m plus houses)- move to Sonning and you'd have George Clooney and Jimmy Page as neighbours ....
I've never been a fan of the East Midlands - I'm sure there are some nice villages but so many of the more urban areas are dire.
Just thinking possibly Warwickshire - avoid the major conurbations? Some nice countryside.
Last edited by AleisterCrowley on January 10th, 2017, 11:42 am, edited 1 time in total.

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Re: Rushden

#21830

Postby gryffron » January 10th, 2017, 11:41 am

Rugby?

Faster West coast mainline so still 50mins from from London even though it is further. It is a major rail junction so the faster through trains stop there. M1/M6 junction. Close to Birmingham Airport. Big enough to have own shops and plenty to do. Still got its own hospital.

There are a lot of new builds around the town which have resulted in loads of traffic in the City centre. East side/Clifton is older and nicer and easier access to both station and motorways without going through the town centre. Long way from the sea though.

I lived there for 5 years, my parents stayed for 25.

gryff

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Re: Rushden

#21834

Postby bungeejumper » January 10th, 2017, 12:12 pm

Several parts of West Wilts/M4 corridor (where I live) where village or small town life is still affordable - Paddington will be 50 mins from Chippenham once the (delayed) electrification is completed, and Crossrail ought to do the rest. But it would really depend which part of London you want to get into. Some parts are a painful cross-town trek when approached from the west. And the season tickets are pricey. :o

BJ

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Re: Rushden

#21835

Postby melonfool » January 10th, 2017, 12:17 pm

bungeejumper wrote:Several parts of West Wilts/M4 corridor (where I live) where village or small town life is still affordable - Paddington will be 50 mins from Chippenham once the (delayed) electrification is completed, and Crossrail ought to do the rest. But it would really depend which part of London you want to get into. Some parts are a painful cross-town trek when approached from the west. And the season tickets are pricey. :o

BJ


I need to just get to London and have half an hour this end - my jobs change so there is no 'set part of London' I need. Though once I know I would rule out some areas to work in - I currently rule out canary Wharf, for example.

It's not *only* how fast the train is, but how frequent, 50 mins is fine if they go every 15, but if it slips to every 30 you actually end up having to take a much earlier train.

My season ticket is currently £5k+ - I have decided +/-£1k pa is nether here nor there in the scheme of things.

Mel

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Re: Rushden

#21858

Postby melonfool » January 10th, 2017, 2:16 pm

bungeejumper wrote:Several parts of West Wilts/M4 corridor (where I live) where village or small town life is still affordable - Paddington will be 50 mins from Chippenham once the (delayed) electrification is completed, and Crossrail ought to do the rest. But it would really depend which part of London you want to get into. Some parts are a painful cross-town trek when approached from the west. And the season tickets are pricey. :o

BJ

But it looks like an hour and twenty at the moment.

Swindon (trainwise) looks more doable and some of the villages have reasonably priced properties.

Royal Wootton Basset has a few, though not sure I could cope with the media intrusion they get/invite (which may be why the prices are low!).

I wish RightMove had a 'centre here, but five miles out, don't include the actual town' as when I put a place I could commute from 99% of the houses that come up in the price range are, obviously, in that town and I don't want to live IN the town, I want to live in a village 5-10 miles from it.

Mel

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Re: Rushden

#21864

Postby AleisterCrowley » January 10th, 2017, 2:40 pm

Stating the bloomin' obvious, but anywhere commutable by train to London is going to be much more expensive
With your criteria you are probably limited to somewhere in the 'wedge' north of London. Northampton area ? Northampton itself is unlovely, but not awful, and it's a reasonable commute to London (1hr), although the trains on that line are not very good ( Northampton is on a loop away from the mainline )
Milton Keynes area ? 40 mins to Euston on the faster trains


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