ESEAS WP1 and WP3 Workshops

Monday 24^th - Thursday 27^th March 2003

Local Arrangements

PROVISIONAL WORKSHOP TIMETABLE

We will begin with lunch on Monday 24 March (12:30 – 13:30) and end with lunch on Thursday 27 March (12:30 – 13:30).

WP3 workshop: Monday 24 March afternoon; Tuesday 25 March all day

WP1 workshop: Wednesday 26 March, all day; Thursday 27 March, morning

Provisional WP1 Agenda:

Wednesday 26 March (Start 09:30) and Thursday 27 March (am)

1. Introduction and welcome, local arrangements
   
   
2. Aims of the workshop and review of WP1 (Lesley Rickards)
   
   
3. Progress on Task 1.1 Requirements for ESEAS Operational Sites satisfying the criteria for Applications A - D will be specified and the proposed ESEAS Operational Sites will be classified according to these specifications (Richard Bingley)
   
   
4. Progress on Task 1.2 Based on existing documents such as the relevant IOC Manuals and the EOSS Position Paper, standard routines for quality control of tide gauge data will be specified (Maria-Jesus Garcia)
   
   Exchange format and QC standard routines.
   • Draft document discussion. Mar?a Jes?s Garc?a
     
     
   • Available software
     • Software from PE. - Bego?a P?rez
     • ETDEVA. - Lesley Rickards
     • Software from Hawaii Sea Level Centre?
     • others?
     
     
     
   • Agreement on the procedures and action to be taken.
     • Develop a common package under windows?
   
   
   
5. Progress on Task 1.5 The hourly values of the ESEAS Operational Sites will be quality controlled and a database of high quality hourly values will be compiled (Douwe Dillingh, Lesley Rickards)
   
   
6. Progress on Task 1.3 A web-based interface to the databases of the ESEAS Operational Centres will be designed, implemented and validated (Hanne Heiberg)
   
   
   • The currents status, ideas and plans (Hanne Heiberg).
     
     
   • Discussion including, the format and content of the data file that the user can order from the web system, and the procedure for updating last date of available data.
     
     
   • Demo of web sites already providing data
   
   
7. Progress on Task 1.4 A comprehensive survey of potential data (charts etc.) for "data archaeology" rescue will be carried out (Liz Bradshaw)
   
   
8. Workshop conclusions

Further details will be available soon.

LOCATION:

The meeting will be hosted by the British Oceanographic Data Centre (BODC) and the Proudman Oceanographic Laboratory (POL) and held at:

Bidston Observatory

Prenton

Merseyside

CH43 7RA

United Kingdom

Tel: +44 (0)151 653 8633 (Switchboard)

Fax: +44 (0)151 652 3950

A map showing the location of the Laboratory is available on the BODC web site (www.bodc.ac.uk, select the "About BODC" section).

FACILITIES

We will meet in the Seminar Room. This will be sign-posted from the Reception Desk, where you will need to sign in. We will have access to networked PCs, a multimedia and an overhead projector. BODC and POL staff will be available during the meeting to provide assistance where necessary.

ACCOMMODATION

A block of rooms has been provisionally booked at the RIVERHILL HOTEL.

Address: The Riverhill Hotel

Talbot Road

Oxton

Prenton

Merseyside

CH43 2HJ

Phone: +44(0)151 653 3773

Fax: +44(0)151 653 7162

Web-site: www.theriverhill.co.uk

The discounted room rate is 54.50 pounds sterling for a single room. Breakfast is extra. The bookings will be handled locally by us, so please let us know your arrival and departure dates as soon as you can and by 7 March at the latest. Our secretary, Mairi Marshall, will arrange the hotel accommodation, please e-mail her (bodcmail@bodc.ac.uk) with your arrival and departure dates.

TRAVEL TO THE UK

The nearest international airport is Manchester, about 40 miles (64 km) to the east. I recommend flying direct to Manchester, rather than travelling via London Heathrow where possible. If you do travel via Heathrow, I recommend allowing plenty of time between flights if you want to arrive on the same flight as your luggage!

TRAVEL FROM THE AIRPORT

1. Taxi

The best option for getting from Manchester Airport to the Riverhill Hotel and/or Bidston Observatory is by taxi, which takes about 50 minutes. This should be booked in advance, as the taxis available at Manchester Airport that have not been pre-booked are very expensive. If you want a taxi, then let Mairi (bodcmail@bodc.ac.uk) know your flight numbers and dates/times, and we will arrange for our local taxi firm to meet you. The approximate cost is 32 pounds. The taxi firm is:

Wirral Chauffeur Services - Tel: +44 (0) 151 342 5976

2. Train

Trains run from the airport to Liverpool Lime Street Station fairly frequently, but this is quite a slow service (it takes 90 minutes), and stops at all of the local stations. Cost: about 8.20 pounds for a single ticket and 10.70 pounds for a return. Online timetables and ticket information is available at: www.thetrainline.com.

3. Bus/Coach

National Express Coaches also run to Liverpool every couple of hours, journey time is about 45 minutes for a direct service (2 hours if you have to change). Some connect with buses to the Wirral. Cost: 7-8 pounds. Further details from their web site at: www.gobycoach.com/gbchome.cfm

NOTE: If you travel to Liverpool by train or bus, you then need to get to the Wirral, which is the other side of the River Mersey, about 8km away. The best way is to take a taxi. It costs about 12-15 pounds. (Note: There is a tunnel which connects Liverpool to the Wirral, for which there is a toll to be paid. The taxi will add twice the tunnel toll to the fare, as he has to return to Liverpool and will probably not pick up any passengers for the return journey.)

4. Car hire

In addition, several car hire firms operate from the airport. Remember that we drive on the wrong side of the road!

TRAIN TRAVEL FROM LONDON

If you travel by train from London, there is an approximately hourly service from London EUSTON station to Liverpool Lime Street. The journey currently takes about 3 hours.

Beware of the pricing system for tickets - there are at least 13 different prices ranging from 20 to 260 pounds sterling for a return ticket!! This usually means that early morning trains are more expensive. If you catch a train which leaves Euston before 9.00am, then the ticket you need is a Standard Return which is 163 pounds sterling. For departures between 9.00 and 11.00, and 16.00 and 18.00 (inclusive) you can use a Business Saver at 102 pounds sterling. At all other times you can use a Saver Return at 50 pounds sterling. On-line information is available at: www.thetrainline.com.

Trains leave Euston for Liverpool at the following times:

NOTE: If you travel to Liverpool by train or bus, you then need to get to the Wirral, which is the other side of the River Mersey, about 8km away. The best way is to take a taxi. It costs about 12-15 pounds. (Note: There is a tunnel which connects Liverpool to the Wirral, for which there is a toll to be paid. The taxi will add twice the tunnel toll to the fare, as he has to return to Liverpool and will probably not pick up any passengers for the return journey.)

TRAVEL BY CAR

If you are travelling by car from the airport, take the M56 towards Warrington and Chester (NOT towards Manchester). Continue on the M56 for about 26 miles until junction 15, where you take the M53 towards Birkenhead (NOT Chester).

For the Riverhill Hotel: Continue for 13 miles and leave the motorway at Junction 3. Take the third exit at the roundabout (A552) towards Birkenhead. After 1.4 miles, turn left at the traffic lights. (The Halfway House pub is on the right.) Continue along this road for about 0.5 mile and the Riverhill Hotel is on the right.

For Bidston Observatory: Leave the M53 at Junction 1, following signs to Birkenhead. Take the second left at the roundabout (to Birkenhead A553), carry on straight at the traffic lights, take the next right turn (Catholic Church on corner) and proceed uphill for 300m. Follow the sign to the Proudman Oceanographic Laboratory up the lane on the right (see map on BODC web pages, www.bodc.ac.uk). 

If you are travelling from the south of the UK, then make for the M53 and then follow the instructions in the paragraph above.

If you are travelling from the north of the UK, then you will need to go through Liverpool - follow signs for the Wallasey Tunnel. The tunnel toll is 1.20 pounds, payable on the Wirral side. Once through the tunnel continue along the M53 to Junction 1 (for POL) or Junction 3 (Riverhill Hotel) and then follow the instructions above.

TRAVEL TO/FROM BIDSTON OBSERVATORY AND THE HOTEL

We will collect you each morning. The journey takes no more than about 5 minutes. If you are driving, turn right out of the Riverhill Hotel, continue for a mile or so, past two sets of traffic lights until you come to junction where you have to give way. Go straight across, and immediately left, up the hill along a single-track road. Turn left into the car park.

I look forward to seeing you all in March, if you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me. My direct line telephone number is +44 151 653 1514, and my e-mail is ljr@bodc.ac.uk. If I am not available, then Liz Bradshaw (Tel: +44 151 653 1518, e-mail: elizb@bodc.ac.uk) or Mairi Marshall (Tel: +44 151 653 1521, e-mail: bodcmail@bodc.ac.uk) will help you.