I live near Pulborough and have been doing this trip (but from North Kensington, not as it were Bermondsey) for, good God, 40 years near enough. C4P's route is the one I use, out of habit. There are two major variants which others say they prefer. One is to cut out the A29 and stay on the A24 to Washington, then turn right through Storrington. The other is to stay on the A3 and peel off through Petworth.
These days it takes 2 hours plus in the daytime. Late at night an hour and a half or a bit less if you are lucky.
In all that time I've only done the 54 miles door to door in under an hour twice. But that was in the small hours of the morning and before speed cameras, let alone silly modern mimser-lover's speed limits (there's a new 30mph limit through Ockley, damn). Once in a Renault 18 GTX, once in a Dyane... those things can go quicker than people used to think.
If you think the South Bank will be stupidly congested, as it can be these days, cross the river and drive down the North Bank. Follow the road up (Agar Grove is it?) to Cromwell Rd/A4 and peel off across Hammersmith Bridge down Castelnau. It should be quicker that way although further.
Last edited by: Armel Coussine on Fri 1 Apr 11 at 14:17
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