Well by now you all know this years Summer of Sonic is taking place at The Pavilion in Shepherd’s Bush, but before we really get down to the event itself there is one very important aspect that needs covering, how do I get there?
Well you’re in luck because we have managed to grab a location this time that is very close to several transport links, and lets not forget the Walkabout bar right next door, or the large Shepard’s Bush Common just over the road from The Pavilion. Now I’m going to make the assumption here that you all can manage to get to these initial locations from wherever you are, as I’m not in the mood for directing in excess of 500 people to one location from there front door steps all at the same time.
Train/Underground:
You’re spoilt for choice when it comes to the
London
Underground with three tube stations in close proximity.
UPDATE: Be warned that several London Underground
lines are down for engineering work the weekend of Summer of Sonic,
including the following:
Hammersmith & City (Pink): NO SERVICE ON
THIS LINE. Replacement Bus service: Hammersmith and Paddington,
calling at Goldhawk Road, Shepherds Bush (Central), Latimer Road,
Ladbroke Grove, Westbourne Park and Royal Oak.
Jubilee Line (Grey/Silver): no service between
Stanmore and West Hampstead. Rail replacement buses operate.
Metropolitan Line (Purple): Saturday 7 August, no
service between Harrow-on-the-Hill and Aldgate. Rail replacement
buses operate.
Northern Line (Black): Saturday 7 and Sunday 8
August, no service between Morden and Kennington. A rail
replacement bus service operates between Clapham Common and
Morden.
Waterloo & City Line (Aqua): Completely
closed.
Stations Closed:
King’s Cross St. Pancras: Closed to Northern
Line (Black) trains.
Latimer Road (Hammersmith & City Line): Closed
westbound from Saturday 3 July until Saturday 4 December,
inclusive. London Underground tickets are valid on any reasonable
local London Bus route between Ladbroke Grove, Latimer Road, Wood
Lane and Shepherd’s Bush Green.
Blackfriars; Circle (Yellow) and District (Green):
Closed until late 2011. Please use Temple and Mansion House
stations. Tickets are also accepted on bus 388 between Mansion
House and Embankment.
Cannon Street; Circle (Yellow) and District
(Green): Closed on Saturdays and Sundays until mid 2012.
Please use nearby Bank, Mansion House or Monument stations.
For the latest information on line closures please consult the Transport for London website here.
Shepherds Bush (London underground/rail)
(Click
here for Google Map of Route)
Directions: Leave the tube/rail station and head towards Uxbridge
Road, a (Vue cinema should be directly in front of you across the
road), turn right and follow the road passing Shepherd’s Bush
common on your left. Once you reach the end of the common you will
see a Barcleys branch on the other side of the road, cross over
using the crossing provided so that you are in front of the branch,
then follow the road to your left with Shepherd’s Bush common
on the other side of the road to your left, and just after the post
office is the Pavilion (if you pass the Walkabout bar then you have
gone too far).
Shepherd’s Bush Market
(Click
here for Google map of Route)
Directions: Upon leaving the station walk down Uxbridge Road
passing Shepherd’s Bush Library (a red brick building on your
right hand side), until you reach the Barclays bank building (on
your right), then turn right onto Shepherd’s Bush Green,
Shepherd’s Bush common should be just on your right on the
other side of the road. Follow the road past the post office (on
your right) and then you will you have reached your destination (if
you pass the Walkabout bar then you have gone too far).
Goldhawk Road (Click
here for Google maps Route)
From the Underground walk to the end of the street towards the main
road, the Stinging Nettle Pub should be on your right. Turn right,
and follow the road until you reach the O’neills bar on your
left. Then turn left until just after the Walkabout bar at which
point you have reached the Summer of Sonic, (if you pass a post
office then you have gone too far).
To get to one of these stations from one of the larger transport hubs in London the please follow the following directions,
From London Kings Cross/St Pancras
Take the Circle (Yellow) ( the Hammersmith & City line is
closed), from Kings Cross towards Hammersmith and get off at the
Shepherd’s Bush Market Station.
From London Victoria
Take the Circle (yellow) or the District line (green) towards
Edgware Road, and alight at Notting Hill Gate then get on the
Central line (red) towards Ealing Broadway and get off at
Sheperd’s Bush.
Buses:
There are several bus stops rather conveniently placed right
outside the venue, for more information on how to get there by bus
from where you are check out the Transport for
London website.
Car:
The event being in the middle of London, taking a car may not be
the best idea, but if you insist on bringing another gas guzzler
into London then you have the option of parking in the Westfield
Centre Car Park, prices start at £2 for an
hour.
Air:
That pretty much covers every means of getting to the event unless
your borrowing Tails’ biplane to get to the event in which
case it’s suggested you park at Heathrow, and from Heathrow
take the Piccadily Line (blue) Hammersmith Underground Station, and
from there take the Circle (yellow line) (Hammersmith & City
(pink line) is closed) to Goldhawk Road, and follow the directions
listed above from Goldhawk road.
Tags: london underground
Shepherd’s Bush… Bush bush bush bush bush…. No income Tax No VAT *sings the only fools and horses theme for the next hour*
Nice guide! I remember the first SoS; alighted at the nearest tube, saw this guy with a cowboy hat wearing a Sonic t-shirt and decided to follow him, cos it would have been a odd coincidence to bewearing a Sonic t-shirt on that day! I still don’t know who that person was, actually o_O
Nooooooooooo! Now I’ve got that tune stuck in my head.
Lovely Jubbly
OI!!! this sucks, why cant the sos be in the us for once! i cant get all da way to england,sonic is my favorite video game hero and it sucks that im gonna be in another country sitting here while (in probably my opinion) the best convention (that my favorite hero is the main character of)goes on. Looks like i wont be going to the convention this year and maybe even for years to come. Sigh
why can’t you have it in the states. I love sonic the hedgehog, but there is no way I can get to London, not unless I rob a bank or stowaway on a plane. I so hope it’s within driving distance of me next year.
Hmph, this time I actually have to travel for a little bit to get to it. It was much more convenient when it was in Holborn and then in Spitalfields, essentially within walking distance or just a short stop or two on the Tube. Still, I suppose it beats having it in a city other than London. As for why it cant be in the States, It’s hosted by SEGA Europe, not SEGA of America so…unless they suddenly decide to sponsor one, it will forever be in the UK and likely in London considering their main office is there…I drive past it every time I go to and from Heathrow, it has a large lit up Sonic on the side. ^^
@ Curtis & Devin. How can they organise a US SOS when Svend and 95% of the staff live in the UK and it’s done in partnership with Sega Europe? An SOS USA would need to be aranged by US fans and with help from SOA, no way could current organizers do it.