Transport to CCHS from Rayleigh

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meerme
Posts: 52
Joined: Thu Oct 16, 2014 1:50 pm

Transport to CCHS from Rayleigh

Post by meerme »

I'm tearing my hair out trying to figure how best to get to CCHS by public transport from the Rayleigh/Hadleigh area. The only routes I can find are by train - Rayleigh > Shenfield > Chelmsford and then a 10 minute walk or by bus which involves three buses and going into Basildon to catch the final one. Stephensons, the bus company, do a route from Chelmsford to the Southend grammar schools but not one in the opposite direction.

Westcliff and S'End are easier to get to by public transport, but DD has her heart set on CCHS ... and she did work hard for the 11+ without any formal coaching or any pressure from us, entirely self-motivated. So would like to give her her first preference.

Any suggestions? Thanks.
ToadMum
Posts: 11946
Joined: Wed Jan 18, 2012 12:41 pm
Location: Essex

Re: Transport to CCHS from Rayleigh

Post by ToadMum »

meerme wrote:I'm tearing my hair out trying to figure how best to get to CCHS by public transport from the Rayleigh/Hadleigh area. The only routes I can find are by train - Rayleigh > Shenfield > Chelmsford and then a 10 minute walk or by bus which involves three buses and going into Basildon to catch the final one. Stephensons, the bus company, do a route from Chelmsford to the Southend grammar schools but not one in the opposite direction.

Westcliff and S'End are easier to get to by public transport, but DD has her heart set on CCHS ... and she did work hard for the 11+ without any formal coaching or any pressure from us, entirely self-motivated. So would like to give her her first preference.

Any suggestions? Thanks.
I think you will find that lots of CCHS / KEGS pupils use the train with no problem. Alternatively, looking at the timetable for the X30 - the First Bus Southend-Stansted route, there is a bus calling at Rayleigh station at 0735, arriving Chelmsford bus station 0800, giving plenty of time to stroll round to school. If you are in Hadleigh rather than Rayleigh itself, the 1 runs to the station quite frequently.

There is also the Regal Busways route 3 but that takes a lovely scenic route to Chelmsford - also, in the morning there is one which terminates at KEGS at the right time but in the afternoon there seems to be a gap between one just too early for the end of the school day and the next at 5,30pm, unless they have altered the timetable recently.
Outside of a dog, a book is a man's best friend. Inside of a dog it's too dark to read.Groucho Marx
moved
Posts: 3826
Joined: Fri Oct 12, 2007 1:42 pm
Location: Chelmsford and pleased

Re: Transport to CCHS from Rayleigh

Post by moved »

My two took the train from Southend Victoria to Chelmsford every day for 4 terms in DS' case. It was full of children from Rayleigh as that journey is much shorter and in those days Rayleigh was OOC for Southend and Westcliff.

I wouldn't worry about the train they all enjoy it.

I went with both of mine on their first day to ensure that they could find their own way. Shenfield is packed with CCHS and KEGS uniforms - it is easy for them to find the right platform.
meerme
Posts: 52
Joined: Thu Oct 16, 2014 1:50 pm

Re: Transport to CCHS from Rayleigh

Post by meerme »

Thanks for the quick and helpful replies. I'm not worried about the train as such, I'm sure she'll be fine; was just trying to work out the best option.

If there are many others from this area attending CCHS there may even be some car pooling possibilities for those days when the girls stay late for a club or school function.

For all we know outside catchment demand could be so high that she doesn't get one of those 24 places anyway!
moved
Posts: 3826
Joined: Fri Oct 12, 2007 1:42 pm
Location: Chelmsford and pleased

Re: Transport to CCHS from Rayleigh

Post by moved »

The train provides the flexibility for staying late. The pass enabled mine to travel at weekends too.
ToadMum
Posts: 11946
Joined: Wed Jan 18, 2012 12:41 pm
Location: Essex

Re: Transport to CCHS from Rayleigh

Post by ToadMum »

moved wrote:The train provides the flexibility for staying late. The pass enabled mine to travel at weekends too.
Huge fan of using public services whenever possible here - no, you'd never have guessed :lol: - for those very reasons. DS1 and DD have rail season tickets to Southend East and DS2 has an 'Octopus' season for the bus, which covers all routes from Rawreth to Landwick. He is only in year 7 and hasn't yet made any 'extra-curricular' use of his ticket, but DS1 especially uses his a lot outside of school journeys.

OP, I'm sure your DD will soon find a season ticket very useful for meeting up with school friends at the weekend and in the holidays - and it will save you a lot of 'taxi driving' :D .
Outside of a dog, a book is a man's best friend. Inside of a dog it's too dark to read.Groucho Marx
meerme
Posts: 52
Joined: Thu Oct 16, 2014 1:50 pm

Re: Transport to CCHS from Rayleigh

Post by meerme »

ToadMum, I don't drive a taxi.

With multiple kids and only two parents here we run what's more like a fully fledged logistics company.

Now I'm off to check prices for these season tickets of which you speak so highly.
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